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'No,' says the man in Megapol, 'he must make it himself.' (Can only manufacture items for income.)

1 (3.1%)

'No,' says the man in Marsec, 'he must take it from the aliens.' (Can only capture items from the aliens for income.)

11 (34.4%)

'No,' says the man in government, 'it is unethical.' (Must rely on end-of-the-month money for income.)

5 (15.6%)

I rejected those answers. Instead, I chose something different. (Keep the money flowing. Bases for everybody!)

15 (46.9%)

Total Members Voted: 29

[Aptus]

It's been a while since I forked over the moneys for the paid version of FRAPS but IIRC the unpaid version has a cap of 30 seconds for recordings? If you don't feel like paying for FRAPS (I reccommend you do, it is really quite nice to have.) you could do a few 30 sec videos and then append them in movie maker into one clip.

[USEC_OFFICER]

It's been a while since I forked over the moneys for the paid version of FRAPS but IIRC the unpaid version has a cap of 30 seconds for recordings? If you don't feel like paying for FRAPS (I reccommend you do, it is really quite nice to have.) you could do a few 30 sec videos and then append them in movie maker into one clip.

The problem with the 30 sec videos is that FRAPS doesn't tell me when they end. I suppose that I could end them early and then cover up the jumps with text or something, but I've never used movie maker before so... eh?

Anyways sorry about the delay in the update. These things always take longer to complete than I think they do.

[USEC_OFFICER]

Update 2: The Routine

Spoiler: Main Update (click to show/hide)

Journal of Jacob Reid

Thursday, February 3rd, 2067:

The three new fighters came in today. I've named them the, uh, Burning Sock II, Headshoots and... Azure Lightning. Sounds pretty kickass, doesn't it?

...

Of course, it'd help if I knew what an Azure was. Eh, it doesn't matter. I've given the Burning Sock II to Jay "EXPENDABLE" Cin and the Azure Lightning to Karl "MONKEY" Head. Nirur called dibs on the Skyranger, so I shuffled Ashana onto Headshoots. Heh. The look on Torir's face when he realized that the Skyranger was just another goddamn interceptor was priceless. What else happened today?


Right, our probes are failing, and the bloody idiots around here don't know why. It's not like they being subjected to bombardment every day, and the sensor on Fort Skywatch is still going strong. Each bloody probe is rated for an operational life of... well longer than a goddamn a month! I've got the head engineer... Elizabeth Fraser looking into it. She's got a good head on her shoulders and a good, uh, body underneath it. Heh, being around people like her makes me wish I was young again.

...

Thank god they're few and far between.


X-COM LOG: 05-02-2067


At 0334 hours an alien squadron was detected in the Korvan system.


Their target was the corperate outpost of Digburrow Ore/Steel. Assistance arrived in a timely manner from Fort Skyworth. The pilot commands are as follows:


Rookie Jay "EXPENDABLE" Cin piloting the Burning Sock II (Until further notice, I'll be flying as Jay. I hope you're happy, Jacen.)
Rookie Nirur "MEATSHIELD" Torir piloting the Skyranger.
LT. CMDR. Karl "MONKEY" Head piloting the Azure Lightning.
CMDR. Ashana "GOFORTHEEYES" Dularac piloting the Headshoots.


With help from the corperate outpost, the battle was over in less than a minute.


One alien craft was destroyed by the outpost. One craft was downed by CMDR. Ashana "GOFORTHEEYES" Dularac, while an impressive two alien fighters were shot down by Rookie Nirur "MEATSHIELD" Torir. For his commendable efforts, Nirur "MEATSHIELD" Torir has been promoted to Ensign.

X-COM LOG: 05-02-2067 (cont.)


At 2153 hours another alien squadron was detected by Fort Skywatch.


At approximently 0420 hours the next day X-COM interceptors reached their target. The pilot commands are as follows:

Rookie Jay "EXPENDABLE" Cin piloting the Burning Sock II.
Ensign Nirur "MEATSHIELD" Torir piloting the Skyranger.
LT. CMDR. Karl "MONKEY" Head piloting the Azure Lightning.
CMDR. Ashana "GOFORTHEEYES" Dularac piloting the Headshoots.



Large amounts of damage sustained by the Burning Sock II and other interceptors forced a withdrawal back to Fort Skywatch for repairs.


Rookie Jay "EXPENDABLE" Cin was the only pilot to have downed an enemy aircraft, and has thus recieved the rank of Ensign.


Journal of Elizabeth Fraser

Monday, February 7th, 2067

I just don't understand it! All of the probes in the launch bay are all completely standard. No defective parts, no faulty wiring, nothing! I even got Konstantin to go over the programming, and everything seems fine. I've sent a notice to Marsec about this problem, as it's the only thing I can think of. If I'm lucky this whole thing will be a manufacturing problem at their end, something that I haven't spotted because I'm an expect on space craft, not probes. I'm not expecting that to happen though. Marsec just probably slapped some extra armour on a civilian probe, something durable and well-tested. Making half-assed prototypes is our job. Mind you, if it's not Marsec's fault then it's something at our end. The only reason that I'm hesitating to say sabotage is that, well, X-COM screens out all the loonies like those Sirus cultists out. There can't possibly be an alien lover on Fort Skywatch, can there?


X-COM LOG: 08-02-2067


At 1804 hours another alien squadron was detected. Due to several identifying marks on the alien craft, they are presumed to be the same squadron from the action during the 6th of Feburary.


X-COM interceptors were rapidly dispatched. The pilot commands are as follows:

Ensign Jay "EXPENDABLE" Cin piloting the Burning Sock II.
Ensign Nirur "MEATSHIELD" Torir piloting the Skyranger.
LT. CMDR. Karl "MONKEY" Head piloting the Azure Lightning.
CMDR. Ashana "GOFORTHEEYES" Dularac piloting the Headshoots.


Combat was routine, with Ensign Jay "EXPENDABLE" Cin destroying two alien craft with missiles, while CMDR. Ashana "GOFORTHEEYES" Dularac destroyed the third alien craft.


As the squadron was preparing to jump into hyperspace, a transmission was picked up by Ensign Nirur "MEATSHIELD" Torir. (The transmission actually showed up in the little video box, but I had jumped into hyperspace before I could take a screenshot. Sorry about that.)


The facilities aboard Fort Skyworth were not able to decipher the transmission, which has been identified as alien in origin. TIM has suggested that further research by the GSC is nesscary.


Journal of Jacob Reid

Wednesday, February 9th, 2067:

I've seen the goddamn alien transmission, and I don't see what all the fuss is about. Yeah, it's probably goddamn important, but we've already got our hands full keeping the aliens out of our, uh, space. The Brass back on Earth are yelling at me to follow up on this lead, but I'm not going to just throw our pilots' lives away like they're goddamn nothing! We haven't even finished research on those bloody tractor beams yet! Hell, we're still stuck using the same gear from a month ago! We're in no way shape or form ready to tackle any offensive against the goddamn aliens! What the hell are those assholes think! Why I ought to just... just... Gah! I need a drink.

...

MULLAR! What did I do leave my goddamn booze!

...

Oh. Right. Well then bring me another bottle, you flaming idiot!

...

Reid usually stores his extra bottles behind the bulkhead next to-

Goddamn it TIM, shut the hell up! There's a reason why I'm hiding them! If I find out that somebody has been swiping a lick of my booze I swear that I'll whip your ass from here to next Thursday.

As an artificial construct, I believe that I do not have 'an ass'.

Well then I'll whup you so hard you'll wish you had one! MULLAR! Get back to work you lazy asshole, I'll get my goddamn drink myself!


Journal of Elizabeth Fraser

Saturday, February 12th, 2067

I've recieved word back from Marsec. According to their records each probe is rated for 4 to 6 weeks, but a little digging has shown that somebody has changed the rating before Fort Skyworth was operational. Not the actual designs or the programming, just the rating. The civilian probe it's based off of has a rating of five years, but most of them last for three times that. Their manufacturing facilities seem to be up to snuff, so if anybody has made any changes to them it would have to be on the trip to Fort Skyworth or once they were stowed in our cargo bay. They've sent me another copy of the technicial drawings, but they seem to be identical to the ones I already have. If we still had any probes I'd try to set a trap, but Commander Reid has already launched the last pair a week ago, to cover up a couple holes in our sensor coverage. Buying new probes isn't in the budget, especially if they're just going to break down in a month. I'm going to ask Reid for security clearance to shift through the camera footage from the launch bay. Hopefully the sabatours were idiots enough to get caught on tape.


X-COM LOG: 12-02-2067


At 1247 hours an X-COM probe detected the presence of alien fighters.


The alien craft were intercepted at 2038 of the same day. The pilot commands are as follows:

Ensign Jay "EXPENDABLE" Cin piloting the Burning Sock II.
Ensign Nirur "MEATSHIELD" Torir piloting the Skyranger.
LT. CMDR. Karl "MONKEY" Head piloting the Azure Lightning.
CMDR. Ashana "GOFORTHEEYES" Dularac piloting the Headshoots.


Combat was routine. Ensign Jay "EXPENDABLE" Cin, LT. CMDR. Karl "MONKEY" Head and CMDR. Ashana "GOFORTHEEYES" Dularac all downed one alien craft each.


Journal of Elizabeth Fraser

Monday, February 14th, 2067

I've finally recieved permission from Reid to go over the security footage. I would have recieved permission sooner, but Reid was dead drunk yesterday.


The research for tractor beams had been finished, and Reid had decided to celebrate.

...

As the head of engineering I may have had one or two drinks alongside him.

...

As Fort Skywatch does not have the needed equipment to manufacture tractor beams, contracts have been handed out to the nearby companies to produce them at... 95,000 dollars per item, or considerably more than the price of a sensor probe. If the sabatour does not reveal him or herself on the camera footage, then I may ask Reid to buy a few probes for an ambush.

...

Preferably when he's not liable to start sobbing.


X-COM LOG: 14-02-2067


At 1027 hours Fort Skyworth detected an alien squadron.


While a shipment of tractor beams was on route to Fort Skyworth, Commander Jacob Reid determined that the alien squadron would escape before the frieghters arrived. Due to the proximity to Fort Skyworth, the alien squadron was easily intercepted.


The pilot commands are as follows:

Ensign Jay "EXPENDABLE" Cin piloting the Burning Sock II.
Ensign Nirur "MEATSHIELD" Torir piloting the Skyranger.
LT. CMDR. Karl "MONKEY" Head piloting the Azure Lightning.
CMDR. Ashana "GOFORTHEEYES" Dularac piloting the Headshoots.


Combat was routine. Ensigns Jay "EXPENDABLE" Cin and Nirur "MEATSHIELD" Torir both downed one alien spacecraft each, while CMDR. Ashana "GOFORTHEEYES" Dularac destroyed two.


Journal of Jacob Reid

Wednesday, February 16th, 2067:


Hahaha! The tractor beams have finally arrived! I haven't been this excited since... Since...

...

...

Fuck, it must have been when I joined X-COM.

...

...

_{I need a shot right now.}

...

...

Right then. The tractor beams.

...

Damn it, I can't do this right now. MULLAR! Get over here!

...

(For convience, the names of Reid and Mullar have been added to this transcript)

MULLAR: What is it?

REID: I need you to talk about the bloody tractor beams for my journal.

MULLAR: Your journal? I fail to see how this is my responcibility.

REID: Well I need to have it in, for... completeness.

MULLAR: Completeness? If you want completeness then add in one of the official documents.

REID: That's not the point. The documents are... Well... You just can't use official documents. They're too formal.

MULLAR: And I'm not?

REID: You know what I mean, you idiot.

MULLAR: So you want me to blather on about your cunning plans while you get wasted.

REID: Aye, that's it.

MULLAR: That's absurd. I've got better things to do. I'm busy enough as it is being your sub-commander. Now I have to cover up your... boozing?

REID: Goddamn it Mullar! You think I drink all the time because I want to? You haven't experienced what I've gone through!

MULLAR: No, I haven't. I spend most of my days sober.

REID: Why, I'd, I'd, I'd punch your lights out if I could! I'd kick you so hard your crotch will come up to your chin! You weren't there in the War! You didn't have to slog through the trenches, you didn't have to face down a Tentaculat at ten metres, and you sure as hell didn't have your best friend... Gah! Fuck this! You nitwits can't understand!

...

MULLAR: Have you tried seeing a psychologist?

REID: Why do you think I've started drinking? Now get talking or fuck off!

...

(At this point Reid has left his office to spend the rest of the day in his quarters.)

...

MULLAR: TIM? Are you there?

Yes Mullar?

MULLAR: Start talking about Reid's plans for the tractor beams. The Head Engineer has requested access to additional security footage from the engineering deck, and Reid will no doubt be drunk for the entire day.

Certainly. Do you want me to delete your arguement with the Commander from his journal?

MULLAR: No. I'd like it if the commander... had time to reflect on it.

Certainly.

(At this point Mullar has left Reid's office to return to his own)

Commander Jacob Reid's plan for the tractor beam can be seperated into three parts: Produce, Capture and Sell. Production of tractor beams is to continue as long as the money is aviable.


Each tractor beam can be sold to Marsec for the sum of 110,000 dollars, resulting in a 15,000 dollar profit, which is equviliant to 1.66 X-Winder Missiles. While some (most notably Sub-Commander Herbert Mullar) object that producing tractor beams for profit degrades X-COM into a mere manufacturer, the historical precedent is well documented. Both the First and Second Alien wars were financed partly through the mass-manufacture and sale of arms and equipment.


Due to the cost of tractor beams, only the Burning Sock II has been equipped with them. Pilot Jay "EXPENDABLE" Cin has been tasked with capturing as many alien fighters as he possibly can, partly due for research by the Galatic Science Corperation, and partly for sale to Marsec.

The protocal for capturing alien ships is as follows:
1. The Burning Sock will approach an alien vessel with 1 kilometre.
2. The tractor beam will then tether the two ships together.
3. Actions by one fighter will cause shockwaves which are transmitted through the tractor beam and have the potential to disable the other fighter.
4. Thus Jay "EXPENDABLE" Cin will enable his afterburners to cause as much damage as possible to the alien craft, and thus disabling it for the return journey to Fort Skywatch.

The third part of Commander Reid's plan is to sell off excess alien equipment to Marsec, to fund X-COM's activities in the Frontier, including the purchusing of needed equipment, such as X-Winder missiles and Marsec sensor probes.

(NOTE: Goddamn it Mullar! You might have well added in an official document instead of TIM!


He didn't even mention the bloody aliens in the Diablo system! Now all we- Wait. This report is from later, isn't it. Never mind.)


X-COM LOG: 19-02-2067


At 0425 hours alien fighter craft was detected by the Digburrow Ore/Steel corperation.


X-COM interceptors were sent out to engage the enemy. The pilot commands are as follows:

Ensign Jay "EXPENDABLE" Cin piloting the Burning Sock II.
Ensign Nirur "MEATSHIELD" Torir piloting the Skyranger.
LT. CMDR. Karl "MONKEY" Head piloting the Azure Lightning.
CMDR. Ashana "GOFORTHEEYES" Dularac piloting the Headshoots.


Following procedure, Ensign Jay "EXPENDABLE" Cin disabled an alien fighter craft.


However, during the jump to hyperspace the tractor beam somehow disengaged, leaving the alien craft in normal space. Presumably it is still floating out in space somewhere.


Due to the size of the alien squadron the rest of the interceptors activated their hyperdrives as well. Only CMDR. Ashana "GOFORTHEEYES" Dularac managed to destroy an alien fighter.


At 1305 hours the alien fighters were once more engaged.


Combat was brisk. However no alien fighters were recovered with the tractor beam, due to poor communications between the pilots. (Translation: You can use ] to give orders to your wingmen. The options for the orders (ie press 1 to get them to do this, 2 for that etc.) appears in the centre screen, where your copilots also talk to you. So, as the last alien craft was flying around, I was despritately flipping through the orders, and having to wait patiently while my wingmen bragged about how awesome they were, because their goddamn transmissions took over the screen. To call it annoying is an understatement. Still, it shouldn't happen again. I hope.)


(GAH. I'll put in the combat stats later. I can't actually see any of your stats right now.)

X-COM LOG: 20-02-2067


At 0610 hours an alien squadron was detected by a X-COM probe.


Interceptors were launched, but failed to reach the alien squadron in time.


Journal of Jacob Reid

Wednesday, February 26nd, 2067:

Heh, look at this.


The goddamn brass back on Earth is finally seeing things my goddamn way. Of course they'll do nothing to support us out here, but unless I screw up badly my job is secure. They won't be able to kick me out without losing face. Heh.

...

Remind me again why I want to keep my job?

You signed a contract in Mega-Primus to transmute your prison sentance for-

Shut up TIM. Eh, what else has happened?


Ah right. The eggheads have finally figured out how the plasma pulse cannon thingies work about... four days ago. We've got two pairs of them in the cargo bay, so I've mounted them on the... Headshoots and Burning Sock II. Ashana's our best pilot and Jay, well, he's our second best I suppose. Mostly through the process of elimination, I reckon.


Unfortuantly it costs 190,000 dollars to make one of these things, something to do with elerium no doubt, so we'll be sticking with manufacturing tractor beams for now. They're more profitable per item, and we can make two for every plasma pulse cannon.


I've set the GSC to researching Sectiod corpses next. It'll cover the gap nicely till the end of the month. Show the brass back home that we're not just treading water, even if it is the bloody truth.

Spoiler: Private Journal of Herbert Mullar (click to show/hide)

Thursday, February 3rd, 2067:

The new fighter craft have arrived at the base. Our probes have started deactivating. R. has ordered F. to investigate, despite the ufopedia saying otherwise.

Saturday, February 5th, 2067:

Engagement with alien craft by X-COM forces. No major damage was sustained by any X-COM craft, and all alien vessels were destroyed.

Sunday, February 6th, 2067:

Engagement with alien craft by X-COM forces. No major damage was sustained by any X-COM craft.

Tuesday, February 8th, 2067:

Engagement with alien craft by X-COM forces. No major damage was sustained by any X-COM craft, and al8 alien vessels were destroyed. An alien transmission was picked up by X-COM craft. Apparently the encoding the transmission used was similar to X-COM's classified encodings.

Saturday, February 12th, 2067:

Engagement with alien craft by X-COM forces. No major damage was sustained by any X-COM craft, and all alien vessels were destroyed.

Sunday, February 13th, 2067:

Research on tractor beams has been completed. A order has been placed on the nearby manufacturing facilities for them. Research has begun on plasma pulse cannons.

Monday, February 14th, 2067:

Engagement with alien craft by X-COM forces. No major damage was sustained by any X-COM craft, and all alien vessels were destroyed.

Wednesday, February 16th, 2067:

Tractor beams have finally arrived. I had a... argument with R. and lost my temper. I must ensure that it doesn't happen again.

Saturday, February 19th, 2067:

Engagement with alien craft by X-COM forces. No major damage was sustained by any X-COM craft. Attempts to use the tractor beam have failed. Alien forces were engaged later and destroyed.

X-COM analysts have deduced the presence of an alien outpost in the Diablo system. An intense search is being conducted on Fort Skywatch for a map with the Diablo system marked on it.

Sunday, February 20th, 2067:

Alien craft detected, but X-COM craft were unable to engage.

Tuesday, February 22th, 2067:

Research on plasma pulse cannons has finished. Research on the Sectoid corpse has started.

Monday, February 28th, 2067:


Research on Sectoid Corpse has finished. Research on the alien transmission has started.


Alien squadron was detected, and X-COM fighters were dispatched.

Spoiler: Pilot Roster (click to show/hide)

Uh... Oops. The game doesn't let you see the stats of pilots when they're out on a mission, and a squadron of aliens was detected just before the month ended. I'll update this after that battle.

X-COM END OF MONTH MEETING TRANSCRIPT

REID: Right, now I know that most of our pilots are out chasing aliens, but it's the end of the month again and I'd be damned if I'm going to hold back this meeting. It interferes with my boozing as much as it is. Right, Mullar? How much are we getting paid?


MULLAR: We've made almost five million dollars this month, thanks to the additional funds from Digburrow Ore/Steel and an increase in donations from the other companies. Of course when factoring in maintenance we'll end up with only 4.5 million. Sadly no other companies have settled in the frontier, so we can't expect such a large increase for next month. Since our fighter wing is not crippled as with last month, we have several spending options. We could fill out the rest of our hanger bay with more interceptors, and manufacture more plasma pulse cannons to equip them with. We also have the funds to construct another base, however we would need more funds to station a usable fighter wing there. If tractoring alien craft was more successful then we could easily gain the funds to do so. A third alternative would be to reinvest that money by manufacturing more tractor beams.

...

Reid? Reid?

REID: Huh? Sorry about that, I must have blanked out or something. Alright, who wants to go next?

FRASER: I will. I'm requesting that funds be set aside for the purchase of more probes.

MULLAR: So you've figured out the problem then?

FRASER: No, but I've narrowed it down. It has to be sabotage, I'm sure of it. The designs are sound, and Marsec has found no evidence of any problems at their factories.

REID: Then why spend more bloody money on probes?

FRASER: Because they have to be sabotaged right before they're launched, during a... three hour window of opportunity after the mechanic checks are completed but before they are loaded into the probe launcher.

REID: Look, have you found the saboteur or not? Because I'm not wasting money on a bloody probe that's just going to break down.

FRASER: No, I haven't. They must be using the maintenance tunnels, as they haven't shown up on any of the security cameras.

REID: Can the footage be changed?

FRASER: No, their encoding can't be tampered with. It's impossible.

REID: Well get somebody to check anyways. My ears always tingle when somebody mentions impossible.

TIM: May I, sir? I am the most capable entity for the job.

REID: Yeah, and you said the same thing for the alien transmission. No, we'll get the GSC to check.

MULLAR: So you want to declare to the Galactic Science Corporation that X-COM has a security breach.

REID: Well, ah... No. Fine then, get on it.

TIM: I'll do my best commander. I am also pleased to report that research is coming on splendidly. All currently available research topics will be completed before the end of the month.

REID: And those are?

TIM: The alien transmission, solar fusion and both gatling and heavy lasers.

REID: Right. Well if we get any advanced tech from the aliens research it first. After the transmission, mind you. And do solar fusion before the new weapons. We already got better ones as it is.

TIM: As you wish.

REID: And stop being so goddamn civil all the time. Loosen up a little. Now then, what's next on the agenda...

(Turn delayed due to the internet. Not "Uh, I'm so bored" internet, but "Oh, shiny!" internet. You know what I mean.

Anyways things are going splendidly. We have tons of money, the ability to stretch it out, and improved plasma weaponry. We really needed them, since the default lasers feel like pea-shooters sometimes whereas the plasma cannons seem much more stronger. Of course the aliens seem to be using better shields than us, but... eh.

If I didn't give you your pilot, it was due to the fact that we only have four ships to fly around in. However we do have a really some really great pilots or two that we can get, so don't worry, you'll get them in the next update.

Am I forgetting anything else? I don't think so. If you have any questions, don't forget to ask, and hopefully the tractor beam will finally work this time. Oh, and the afterburners are set to TAB by default. I didn't know that they existed until now. It saps your beam weapon power in return for going really, really fast.)

[Aptus]

Phew I survived another update!

Btw, that thing with the sabotage, is that just RP or is it an actual thing in the game?

[USEC_OFFICER]

Just RP. I needed something to help flesh out the update, and I just thought that probes should definitively last more than a month.

[Aptus]

Just RP. I needed something to help flesh out the update, and I just thought that probes should definitively last more than a month.

You're doing a great job, the updates are bloody massive and quite interesting to read, I like that you flesh out the different characters and (as I just learned) add your own subplots. A+

[USEC_OFFICER]

Just RP. I needed something to help flesh out the update, and I just thought that probes should definitively last more than a month.

You're doing a great job, the updates are bloody massive and quite interesting to read, I like that you flesh out the different characters and (as I just learned) add your own subplots. A+

Uh... thanks. They don't feel especially special to me, but I'm glad that you enjoy them.

Anyways I have good news and bad news.

Good News: I've recorded a test video using hyper.

Bad News: The models blink in an out for some damn reason. No clue why, but it's really annoying. I haven't been able to fix this.

If anybody has some suggestions on how to fix the blinking problem, I'd like to hear them. Since you don't have access to my laptop, I'm not expecting much. If you want, I'll upload a blinking video for you all to, uh, look at.

Also, since everybody is so quiet, I'll just be buying more interceptors for the next turn. That way we'll get more pilots in the updates and what not. Sound good?

[LordSlowpoke]

Yeah, nah. Deep down you know you want us to force you into flying one ship against seven, for the glory of masochism and the Space Dwarven Way.

_{it's a darn shame nobody had the thought to make drawbridge launchers}

[USEC_OFFICER]

Yeah, nah. Deep down you know you want us to force you into flying one ship against seven, for the glory of masochism and the Space Dwarven Way.

_{it's a darn shame nobody had the thought to make drawbridge launchers}

...

Maybe not seven...

[EuchreJack]

You'd prefer eight?  But of course! 

[USEC_OFFICER]

You'd prefer eight?  But of course! 

...

_{Funny you should say that...}

[USEC_OFFICER]

Update 3: For Fun and Profit

Spoiler: Main Update (click to show/hide)

Journal of Jacob Reid

Friday, March 4th, 2067:


One of the idiots around here has finally managed to pull out a goddamn map and find Diablo. That's her right there, the white star in the middle. She's, uh, southish and... east of our position. I'll be sending a scout out over there when the new fighters arrive.

What else do I have here... Ah, right. Look at these forms.


The pilots came back from their mission. And they managed to capture two alien fighters intact. We've stripped them down faster than you can say "drinks are on me." That's, uh, a cool million dollars right there. A million bucks. If every mission goes like this, well, we'll be swimming in cash by the end of the month. Heh. Of course that's still a long ways off, so we'll have to remain vigilant and what not. Still, a million bucks...


Anyways I've recieved a transmission from a... Synthemesh Corporation. They want us to investigate the... Gamma Caelum system. That's right up northeast, I guess. They'll set up shop if we look through this system for... minerials I guess. Ore? Something like that. You'd think that they would get another goddamn company to do it for them. Well, except for one thing.


Our probe has just detected an alien squadron in the same system. Like the aliens teleported there or something. It's the only thing I can think of. Well, the sabateur hasn't been found yet, but I don't think it's his doing, else the probe wouldn't have randomly started working. The guy's too slick for that. What else is there? Eh, I can't think of anything else. Mind as well be signing off.

...

Well of course I mean get goddamn wasted! What kind of weak-backed teetotalling bastard do you think I am?

Right, now I remember. Mullar is still a complete asshole.

...

You were supposed to hear it!


X-COM LOG: 03-03-2067


At 0927 hours an alien convoy has detected in the Gamma Caelum system.


The convoy was accompanied by an alien freighter. Incapacation or destruction of the alien freighter was deemed a priority. The pilot commands are as follows:

Ensign Jay "EXPENDABLE" Cin piloting the Burning Sock II.
Ensign Nirur "MEATSHIELD" Torir piloting the Skyranger.
LT. CMDR. Karl "MONKEY" Head piloting the Azure Lightning.
CMDR. Ashana "GOFORTHEEYES" Dularac piloting the Headshoots.
LT. Mal "KICKASS" Dejulius piloting the Reaver One. (Somebody wanted a Mal, right? If not, well too bad. She's an amazing pilot.)


The alien fighters protecting the freighter moved ahead to attack X-COM space craft. These fighters were faster, tougher and more powerful than the previous generation of alien craft.


They were quickly dispacted by the able pilots.


Destruction of the alien freighter was accomplished afterward. Due to it's large size tractor beams were not used, as the damage to X-COM craft would be too great.


Ensign Jay "EXPENDABLE" Cin downed the alien freighter and disabled one alien fighter. LT. Mal "KICKASS" Dejulius destroyed three alien fighters.

The Synthemesh Corporation was pleased with X-COM's success, and has deposited $250,000 into X-COM's coffers.


Journal of Jacob Reid

Saturday, March 5th, 2067:

Well, it turns out that the goddamn fighters must have come in while I wasn't looking, or somebody must be getting passive-aggressive. Well it doesn't matter at this point. Too much that is.


The good news is that they now come equiped with plasma pulse cannons standard. That's goddamn nice, and it means that I don't have to worry about scrounging up weapons from the aliens.

We also hired a bunch of pilots to go with them.


Fikes "BOOYAH" Ambroski...


Jack "EUCHRE" Smith...


an Andrew "TERROR" McGreenyton... (All of the other aviable pilots sucked, and, well, just look at that face. If that's not the face of an accomplished pilot then my entire life is a lie.)


and finally Mal "KICKASS" Dejulius. Or DeJulius. Everything is goddamn capitals in this font, I can't tell.


Anyways I've sent... Jack "EUCHRE" Smith out in the Loki to investigate the Diablo system. We only had a slight problem though.


The goddamn spacecraft only have enough fuel to go halfway there! I told the engineers to put in more goddamn fuel tanks, but did they listen? No. They're all like "Oh, it's not that simple" and "Oh, the craft would blow up in a fireball".

...

Well, I can think of one engineer that I don't mind, but Mullar seems to have a monopoly on her attention. Heh, attaboy Mullar. It doesn't make up the fact that you're a whinny passive-agressive asshole, but almost.


X-COM LOG: 05-03-2067


At 1820 hours an alien squadron was detected by Fort Skywatch.


Interceptors easily reached the alien fleet. The pilot commands are as follows:

Ensign Jay "EXPENDABLE" Cin piloting the Burning Sock II.
Ensign Nirur "MEATSHIELD" Torir piloting the Skyranger.
LT. CMDR. Karl "MONKEY" Head piloting the Azure Lightning.
CMDR. Ashana "GOFORTHEEYES" Dularac piloting the Headshoots.
LT. Mal "KICKASS" Dejulius piloting the Reaver One.


Combat was brief. Ensign Jay "EXPENDABLE" Cin, CMDR. Ashana "GOFORTHEEYES" Dularac and LT. CMDR. Karl "MONKEY" Head all destroyed one alien craft each.

X-COM LOG: 06-03-2067


At 2302 hours an alien squadron was detected by Fort Skywatch.


The pilot commands are as follows:

Ensign Jay "EXPENDABLE" Cin piloting the Burning Sock II.
Ensign Nirur "MEATSHIELD" Torir piloting the Skyranger.
LT. CMDR. Karl "MONKEY" Head piloting the Azure Lightning.
CMDR. Ashana "GOFORTHEEYES" Dularac piloting the Headshoots.
LT. Mal "KICKASS" Dejulius piloting the Reaver One.


Ensign Jay "EXPENDABLE" Cin disabled 6 alien craft with the Burning Sock II. CMDR. Ashana "GOFORTHEEYES" Dularac and LT. Mal "KICKASS" Dejulius both destroyed one fighter craft each.


Journal of Elizabeth Fraser

Wednesday, March 9th, 2067


With the funds recieved from capturing the alien craft, Reid has ordered the construction of a new base, as close to the Diablo system as possible. However X-COM central back on Mars refuses to let Reid build a new station without fighter support, to protect the workers and ships arriving from Sol. More importantly for me Reid has ordered the launching of several probes to act as a sensor screen. Reid has placed me in charge of protecting the probes from the saboteur. I've ordered the placement of security cameras throughout the maintaince tunnels, and I have collaberated with Captain David Parker on the patrol routes for the security officers. The alignment of the probe launcher is slightly off, so I'll have to organize a team to adjust the mass driver.

I would talk more, but it's almost nine and I have a date with Mullar and several friends.


X-COM LOG: 14-03-2067


At 0322 hours an alien squadron was detected by the probe screen around the new X-COM base.


Fighters were sent to investigate, and reached the alien fleet the next day. The pilot commands are as follows:

Ensign Jay "EXPENDABLE" Cin piloting the Burning Sock II.
Ensign Nirur "MEATSHIELD" Torir piloting the Skyranger.
LT. CMDR. Karl "MONKEY" Head piloting the Azure Lightning.
CMDR. Ashana "GOFORTHEEYES" Dularac piloting the Headshoots.
LT. Mal "KICKASS" Dejulius piloting the Reaver One.


Combat was routine. (I'd just like to take a moment to point out the busted gadges on the control panel, two on the top and the speed control on the bottom right. I just thought that they're neat.)


Ensign Nirur "MEATSHIELD" Torir downed two alien fighters, while LT. CMDR. Karl "MONKEY" Head and Lt. Mal "KICKASS" Dejulius destroyed one each. Ensign Jay "EXPENDABLE" Cin disabled two alien fighters.


Journal of Jacob Reid

Wednesday, March 16th, 2067:

I haven't realized before about how... young an organization X-COM is. Mullar has got to be, what, twenty-seven? Twenty-six? He can't have been born before I started swimming in the Second War. Fraser is probably the same age as Mullar, if not younger. Most of the crew isn't much older than thirty. Even Parker, my so-called experienced... security expert is about forty. He must have joined X-COM around the same time that the rest of us where pounding the shit out of Tely. I suppose that all of this space travel is based around new technologies and whatnot, god knows that we didn't have it back then, but then we'd have old... cooks or something. Mechanics. Fixing stuff ought to be as old as civilization itself.

...

I suppose that it was the same back when I was a grunt. Bunch of eager young people ready to do their duty to Earth. Even the scientists and engineers were young too. The only old people around must have been... Brooks and Johnston and the rest. Bunch of old fogies from the First War. Well I guess that I'm the old fogey now. Me and Parker that is.

...

Bah, enough of this crap. I shouldn't be getting all teary-eyed because a bunch of snot-nosed kids are younger than me. I've got better reasons, like... uh...

...

_{Fucking walked right into that one.}

Now, it won't be long till I'm hammered, so I'll be quick.


I've added a couple of plasma cannons to Fort Skywatch, in case the aliens come round again. I not saying that they will, but it won't hurt to be prepared.


The geeks at the GSC have also managed to-

They're not geeks, they're profession scientists dedicated to unlocking the secrets of alien technology.

Goddamn it TIM, I was hoping that I wouldn't have to listen to your irrating voice for another month.

I'm sorry sir if my voice irrates you. If you wish I could change my voice modulation.

Your voice modulation?

It will change my voice.

Oh. So what is there? Do you have a bunch of preset voices or what?

I was downloaded with several pre-defined voices, but I am also capable of mimicing the voices of people if given enough time and examples.

So you could say, sound like Mullar or.. me if you wanted to?

I would need access to a large database of your speech patterns and voice data.

What?

If I had access to your personal journals I could imitate your voice.

Hmm... Well hold that thought for a second and let me wrap up.

Certainly sir.

Heh. Alright then. Now as I was saying the g- scientists at the GSC have managed to decode the alien transmission.


Apparently the transmission is about a bunch of alien freighters flying into a black hole. Now I'd like to think that they're all killing themselves because they've heard that I'm here, but, uh, obviously they're up to something. Probably, uh, probably building something in a black hole.

...

Right, that sounds stupid even to me. But these goddamn aliens aren't dumb enough to just chuck themselves into a black hole without an important reason. So the next time that a freighter shows up, well, we're just going to have to bust it open and see what's inside.


I've also got the, uh, GSC researching electro something or other shields. The stuff that the aliens are using. You can never have good enough shields.

...

Right, I think that's it. Now TIM, about those voices...


X-COM LOG: 17-03-2067


At 1814 hours an alien squadron was detected.


Interceptors were sent out from Fort Skyworth. The pilot commands are as follows:

Ensign Jay "EXPENDABLE" Cin piloting the Burning Sock II.
Ensign Nirur "MEATSHIELD" Torir piloting the Skyranger.
LT. CMDR. Karl "MONKEY" Head piloting the Azure Lightning.
CMDR. Ashana "GOFORTHEEYES" Dularac piloting the Headshoots.
LT. Mal "KICKASS" Dejulius piloting the Reaver One.


Combat lasted for less than a minute. Ensign Jay "EXPENDABLE" Cin and LT. Mal "KICKASS" Dejulius both downed one alien craft.


Journal of Elizabeth Fraser

Friday, March 25th, 2067

The pilots have come back from their latest mission, and Reid needs me to work overtime, despite my personal commitments. I am sure that Mullar could use the extra hours in the office, but he needs to realize that there is more to life than just work.


Now, according to the records an incredibly fast alien probe was detected moving towards Fort Skyworth. We're talking lightyears in a second, for shortly afterwards it established itself nearby the base and began jamming our communications with the GSC.


Mullar immediantly dispatched the fighter pilots, as Reid was found to be in a drunk stupdor, as he usually is at that hour. He is a great man, but his self-destructive nature will soon get the better of him. I am sure that he has survived for so long only due to his vast inner reserves of strength, and his commitment to his dead friend, whoever he may be. Even drunk he keeps a close eye on his lips, and refuses to talk about his past in X-COM, though he can talk for hours about the Second Alien War.

...

I shouldn't be talking about a superior commander like that.


Now then, as our fighters jumped down from hyperspace, something in the alien probe began to interfere with the ship's tracking systems.



According to the read-outs from the data the tacking systems seemed to be constantly resetting. Or at least that's what I understand. I'll have Konstantine go over the programming on his shift. He knows this stuff more than I do. I suppose that I'll have to figure out how the aliens are remotely resetting the tracking computer, and then develop some type of shielding. Hmm... That's assuming that shielding exists for whatever they're using to disrupt it. For all I know they could be using some unknown particle to change it. Hmm...


Oh, and the alien probe was destroyed due to co-ordinated effort between the pilots and Fort Skyworth's sensors. The probe itself was very weak, and was destroyed by a couple of plasma shots. Hopefully enough of the jamming mechanism has survived for me to activate it. If the aliens had brought one of those with their next squadron, our pilots would essentially be flying blind.

...

Oh, and the probe launcher seems to be out of alignment again. While we shouldn't be launching more probes anytime soon, it is another problem to deal with. Hopefully this time somebody just left their wrench floating around. If the saboteur is getting bolder...


Journal of Jacob Reid

Saturday, March 26th, 2067:

It's goddamn crunch time. First the good news: TIM has finally prefected my voice.

I can hardly see why that is good news.

It is for me. It means that I can spend more time wasted while you handle things for me.

As an artificial personality construct I am hardly qualified to fill in as Commander for day to day X-COM operations.

If you can put words together without stumbling over them, that's good enough for me.

But if I fill in for you then I would be neglecting my duties to-

What duties? Spying on X-COM for the GSC? As far as I am concerned it's about time that you pulled your weight around here.

So I am to impersonate you while you go to your quarters and comsume alcohol?

That's the jist of it.

I find this all highly unethical.

Well too bad. I didn't join X-COM to discuss ethnics.

But you were forced to join X-COM to command efforts at the frontier.

Well, ah, I guess. But enough of this shit. I've got more important stuff to go over.


The other good news is that we have detected one of those hyperwave thingies that the eggheads have been going on about. I've sent the interceptors to investigate. Hopefully we'll find something useful and not a load of Sectoid shit.

Now for the bad news.


Our base is under attack, and the fighters are long gone.

...

...

Must you always be so dramatic?

What do you mean, so dramatic?

You were similarily dramatic the last time that Fort Skyworth was under attack.

So? I'm an old fogey. Let me have my moments.

Of course Fort Skyworth is not in any real danger. With the additional plasma turrets you have ordered constructed the station should be able to hold off the aliens until the fighters return.

Yeah, about that. You see, I'm not pulling back the fighters.

You're not?

Yeah, this alien freighter is more important and the fighters are pretty damn close enough as it is.

...

I'm not certain if Fort Skyworth can hold off the aliens until then.

Then we'll just have to wait and see.


X-COM LOG: 26-03-2067


At approximently 1453 hours X-COM forces intercepted the alien convoy. The pilot commands are as follows:

Ensign Jay "EXPENDABLE" Cin piloting the Burning Sock II.
Ensign Nirur "MEATSHIELD" Torir piloting the Skyranger.
LT. CMDR. Karl "MONKEY" Head piloting the Azure Lightning.
CMDR. Ashana "GOFORTHEEYES" Dularac piloting the Headshoots.
LT. Mal "KICKASS" Dejulius piloting the Reaver One.


Ensign Jay "EXPENDABLE" Cin formed an attack vector on the alien tug while the other four pilots held off the alien fighters. Heavily armoured and armed with plasma turrets the alien tug provided stiff resistance.


However several attack runs with plasma pulse cannons soon stripped its shields and destroyed the tug. Due to concerns about the on-going attack on Fort Skyworth, the freighter was destroyed, and its contents were left for future retrieval.


Kill counts are unavaible at this time, due to internal records regarding alien drones. (I honestly cannot make heads or tails about the kills. Three UFOs got shot down, and two were disabled. However Jay has gained a kill, and Mal has gained three. So where did the extra kill come from? If you factor in the drones that's two kills unaccounted for. If you're wondering what an alien drone is, freighters deploy them to protect themselves. They can operate both independantly and by psionic control. I have no clue why we're seeing them on the second freighter, but the first one had actual weapons to protect itself, while the second was defenceless. Maybe tugging them prevents them from shooting or something.)


Journal of Jacob Reid

Sunday, March 27th, 2067:

I'm kinda disappointed in the aliens. For the past, uh, day they've been bombarding the station. If you could call it that. Mostly they've been swooping in and out of plasma cannon range, a bit too scared to engage us fully. Now I'd admit that after a day of this Fort Skywatch is a little worse for wear, but casalties are light and no major modules are offline. Well, not totally.


One of the downlink thingies got slagged into scrap during the fighting, but everything else is fine. The superstructure is going to need reinforcing, but the station can keep on working. Of course if it weren't for the pilots we'd probably be dead by now. They swooped in like goddamn heros a couple hours ago. Seven UFOs against five interceptors. Both of them were pretty dinged up, but our boys, and gals, pulled through. Except for Nirur "MEATSHIELD" Torir. The Skyranger got shot out from under him.

...


Of course with a name like MEATSHIELD the kid survives. He's back in the hospital recovering. It'll be a while before he'll be back in the saddle.


I've ordered up a new interceptor for... Fikes "BOOYAH" Ambroksi. It's about time that the kid got his chance.

Spoiler: Private Journal of Herbert Mullar (click to show/hide)

Thursday, March 3rd, 2067:

Engagement with alien craft by X-COM forces. No major damage was sustained by any X-COM craft, and all alien vessels were destroyed or captured. Tractor beam was finally used in an engagement, and declared a complete success.

Friday, March 4th, 2067:

Synthmest Corperation requests survey of Gamma Caelum system. An alien convoy seems to have teleported into the system. No major damage was sustained by any X-COM craft, and all alien vessels were destroyed or captured. Aliens were using a new type of fighter craft.

Saturday, March 5th, 2067:

Engagement with alien craft by X-COM forces. No major damage was sustained by any X-COM craft, and all alien vessels were destroyed or captured.

Monday, March 7th, 2067:

Engagement with alien craft by X-COM forces. No major damage was sustained by any X-COM craft, and all alien vessels were destroyed or captured.

Wednesday, March 9th, 2067:

A new X-COM base is being constructed, as close to the Diablo system as possible given regulations from X-COM headquarters.

Thursday, March 10th, 2067:

A sensor probe screen has been established around the as yet unnamed X-COM base, despite the threat of sabotage. However I am sure that Elizabeth will soon solve the problem on her own. Captain David Parker is a fool at heart.

Monday, March 14th, 2067:

Engagement with alien craft by X-COM forces. No major damage was sustained by any X-COM craft, and all alien vessels were destroyed or captured.

Thursday, March 17th, 2067:

The alien message has been translated. The transmission contained a video clip of several alien freighters being sucked into a black hole. Sinster motives are suspected, but more data will need to be collected. Preferably by intercepting one of these freighters. Engagement with alien craft by X-COM forces. No major damage was sustained by any X-COM craft, and all alien vessels were destroyed or captured.

Thursday, March 24th, 2067:

An alien probe was detected. It interfered both with communications with the GSC and with the targeting computers on the interceptors. Elizabeth has been tasked with fixing the targeting computers, so I will not see her tonight.

Friday, March 25th, 2067:

Construction of additional plasma defences on Fort Skyworth have been completed.

Saturday, March 26th, 2067:

A hyperwave disturbance related to the alien transmission has been detected. Engagement with alien craft by X-COM forces. No major damage was sustained by any X-COM craft, and all alien vessels were destroyed or captured. In the wreckage of the freighter a strange part was recovered.

Alien forces begin their bombardment of Fort Skyworth.

Sunday, March 27th, 2067:

Engagement with alien craft by X-COM forces. The Skyranger was shot down, all alien vessels were destroyed or captured. Pilot Nirur "MEATSHIELD" Torir was recovered successfully. Alien forces end their bombardment of Fort Skyworth. Damage to the superstructure is intense but still salvagable. Except for a standard data downlink, no modules were disabled or destroyed.

Spoiler: Pilot Roster (click to show/hide)

(Unless I'm mistaken, you're almost recovered Nirur. Hospital modules must recover two hit points a day or something.)

(During his month in training, McGreenyton gained about five points to flying skill, accuracy and psi. Just so that everybody knows.)

X-COM END OF MONTH MEETING TRANSCRIPT

REID: Well, it's the end of the month again, isn't it? Let me just take a moment to say how proud I am of all of you _{'cept Mullar}. If it wasn't for you guys, the aliens wouldn't be on the ropes, Earth wouldn't be safe and X-COM wouldn't be flush with cash.

DULARAC: Aye, and let us take a moment to remember those who aren't here, but instead gave their lives so that we may be.

[Respectful moment of silence]

REID: Alright, enough remembering. We've got business to attend to. Mullar, how much money have we got?

MULLAR: Let's just say that it's more than we know what to do with.


Now the income from the corporations we're protecting has increased once again, up to 5.5 million dollars. Half of this increase is due to the addition of the Synthmest company to the frontier, but also due to a general increase in productivity.


Maintenance costs have increased as well, but it's currently a drop in the bucket as far as our finances are concerned. Thanks to our efforts a new company has decided to set up in the frontier.


As you can see, the Orbital Mining Syndicate has decided to set up shop in the Oakley system. Given the current situation on the frontier, I'm certain that the only reason more companies aren't flocking here is due to the distance between Fort Skyworth and nearby star systems. Establishment of new stations near clusters of stars will undoubtably attact more companies to come here.

REID: Alright then... But what about all that the money we had before.

MULLAR: When factoring in all the costs, we end up with 11 million dollars in cash, and several more in liquid assets, mostly through the sale of alien goods to Marsec. However, given the latest attack on Fort Skyworth, I've spend 3 million dollars on boosting our defences. Most of that money went to plasma pulse cannon turrets, but I've also placed an order for the latest shield generators.

REID: Latest shield generators?

TIM: Allow me to explain.


Despite the setbacks caused by the destruction of the standard downlink, the Galactic Science Corporation has completed its research on Electroplasmic Shields. These shields provide additional protection for a very minor increase in weight.

REID: How 'minor' are we talking about?


HEAD: They've already been installed on all the ships. As far as I'm concerned, she handles the exact same.

REID: She?

HEAD: The Azure Lightning.

REID: Huh, so space craft are female too? I always thought that it only applied with boats and stuff like that.

DEJULIUS: And aircraft too, I think. But we're a bit more comsopolitian up here in space. If anything I'd say that Reaver One is male.

CIN: Yeah, and the Burning Sock is a piece of junk.

[General laughter]

TIM: May I continue, sir?

REID: With what?

TIM: What the next research topic shall be.   With all of the alien gear we've captured, several choices are aviable.

REID: Like what? Run me through them.

TIM: Certainly

Spoiler: Avaible Research Topics (click to show/hide)

REID: Uh... What do you suggest? No, you know what? We'll cover it all later.

TIM: Certainly sir. Given the great number of important research topics I'm sure that you'll need time to consider.

REID: Yeah, consider... Does anybody else want to go?

PARKER: I will. Now I've contacted X-COM headquarters and they have run a background check on everyone connected to the care and launching of the probes.

REID: And?

PARKER: Nothing more sinster than some minor smuggling.

[Several nervous glances go across the room]

SMITH: So what does that mean? Uh, about the saboteur.

PARKER: Well, for one thing it means that either the probes are malfunctioning normally or the saboteur is extremely cunning at covering his tracks.

FRASER: And I've already ruled out technical issues.

PARKER: No you haven't. All you've ruled out is that the probes are being built to specifications. A minor design flaw could be causing the problem.

FRASER: It's not a minor design flaw. The designs are nearly identical to the 7-IA commerical sensor probe sold by Marsec. And the only changes they've made were some more armour and a new paint job.

PARKER: And how do you know that those changes won't affect anything? Have you opened up one of these probes and had a look inside for yourself?

REID: No, she hasn't. And that's a great idea. Parker, I want you to assemble a team to nab one of the probes around our new base. When it's finished constructiion, mind you.

PARKER: Isn't that a job for the engineers? I hardly see why the head of sec-

REID: Because this is a goddamn security matter. Run another background check too. And this time make sure to include everybody on the station. People tend to make their own access.

PARKER: Everybody?

MULLAR: I'm sure that Reid does not mean the heads of the various departments. If X-COM headquarters had any doubts they would not have placed us in our position.

PARKER: Ah, well when you put it-

REID: No doubts? I'm pretty sure that they had their doubts when they put me on the job.

MULLAR: Doubts about your loyalties, I mean.

REID: Ah, right.

...

Okay, so what's the next order of business?

(Well, the game is officially stupidly easy. The tractor beam is officially the best weapon ever, money is flowing in like crazy, and we'll be getting a second base soon. Now I suppose that I could always restart the game in a higher difficulty, but seeing how long it's taken me to get here, I'm not too crazy about that. So here's the plan: I'm going to make the game harder for me with personal challenges and what not. I'm also going to put up a poll about whether I should stop using the tractor beam so religiously or stop manufacturing items, since it's like printing money. So... vote in the poll and if you come up with any stupid things I should do, tell me and I'll get right on it. Just remember that I'm not going to keep on doing stupid things if we end up in a bad way financially. I'm not going to keep on losing ships just because you want me to solo eight alien craft. Just so you know.

Research is very important. Or not. I have no clue what to research next (except for beam weapons. No beam weapons) so if you have any suggestions, I'd like to hear them. We've got access to better engines, targeting computers, the whole works.

Am I missing something? Oh, right. The alien probe. Basically the game was designed to be played on Windows 95/98, which can cause problems. Like alien probes not existing. I found the solution to the problem here. Hopefully it works for you as well.

That's it, I suppose. I look forward to much weeping and gnashing of the teeth, due to all the stupid tricks you guys want me to do.)

EDIT: Fun Fact: I've written about as much for this LP as a novelette. Yay me. By the end of the game I could have written a novel. Lovely.

[Sonlirain]

Note: I never played this game.

From what a remember those Paralax torps are just there to project a short living ilusion of you ship.
Cute but usually useless.

New engines are always nice.

The Heavy Laser needs more TQs to finish compared to the Gattling Laser. This usually means the heavy laser is probably better somehow... unless they work like in the first game where the rifle was better than the heavy laser in every way imaginable.

[Fikes]

If prices drop when you flood the market, go ahead and build and sell as much as you want.

If they don't, it is a pretty cheap tactic. Let's Plays are better when you can lose.

Also my ship should be named the "STE Porkins".

[Aptus]

I'd say research solar fusion or that alien probe thingy.

Btw if I am to be flying the same ship for a while I would like to have another name for it :p I'm thinking "Red Dwarf".