*continued*


5. Camera Tracking/Ship Control
L This one could be a balancing issue though. My friend usually plays the
fighter/escort role and I hold the freight. Problem is, the turret camera
is extremely difficult to manage in combat. My guns are powerful,
assuming I can bring them to bare on a target. Often combat can
become a dizzying battle against motion sickness, camera restrictions,
and switching between turret and pilot to get back into range of the
target. While managing a massive freighter SHOULD be difficult in
combat, I wish there were either one of two features to aid:
L A. Target camera tracking in turret view that would allow the
camera to auto fix on a target, follow it until the player unlocks
or target is killed. The mouse flight lock via the space bar
is much to sensitive so often times you find yourself constantly
correcting for an over active mouse. If there was a sensitivity
adjustment for turret's, that would help.
B. If there was also a way to control the ship movement while
in turret mode, that would certainly add to the effectiveness
of this type of ship in combat. Most of the time I get into
combat, my friend engages, and I'm trying to get within
firing range of the enemies. It's not that the ship isn't fast
enough, it's that I can only speed up, slow down, and strafe
while in turret mode. If the battle is below or above me, I'm
forced to switch back into the driver's seat, exposing me to
enemy fire while I try and realign with the targets. Very
frustrating. When I'm taking on groups by myself, assuming
they're low class, it's not much of a problem. I just keep the
ship on a straight path and pick off the ships as the come in
range. Ship control would still be appreciated in these situations.

6. Path Finding
L When setting a waypoint for a target off the trade lanes, and the target is
half way between lane points, your navigation computer sets way points
in such a manner that you have to travel all the way down the lane, then
pick up the last waypoint by cruising to the target. You can obviously
abort lane travel manually, which is what you'll end up doing to shorten
trips to these mid-lane objectives. I just wish there was an auto lane
break that your navigation computer could perform for you. It's a minor
wish, thus I put it at the bottom (not that these were in any particular
order).

7. Joining Factions
L Obviously Freelancer is the title of this game so being a Freelancer is
obviously the point. In MP though, it would be nice if you could
officially join a particular factions. Certainly this would have to be with-
in limits. Joining the Navy, Police or a coporation such as Synth Foods
would certainly pose a huge restructure in the game itself. You'd have
to perform missions on a regular basis, you'd have rank, and you'd be
stationed somewhere and these things are enormous rewrites so I'm
not talking about these situations. What I'd like to see is joining the
Bounty Hunters, or Junkers, or Pirates in MP. You can certainly perform
the actions of the above listed with out any official designation, but
wouldn't it be cool if you could BECOME a bounty hunter and people
(AI and real) would see you as one. Example: when AI hail you on the
radio, you're referred to as "Freelancer Alpha 1-1" (the 1-1 changes
depending on your login. If you're the 2nd person to login, you're 2-1
for the session. Another nice detail.) but I'd like it to be "Junker" or
"Bounty Hunter" and the AI would react to you accordingly.

This is one of those things that might actually BE in the game,
but I've not experienced it yet.

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Well that's about it. That's all I can think of.

Like I said, this is strictly a wish list. A WISH LIST! Everything I hoped this game would be, it is. Though it has been a long time in the

making, I think they've done a bang-up job. Even if this Beta IS the final product, I'd say that the fans are in for one hell of a treat. I know

there were plenty of people talking about how they've cut back on this or that feature, but truely, I don't think they'll care one bit once they

begin their adventure into a living universe.

Thanks to Digital Anvil for a terrific game, thanks to Microsoft for backing it in whatever capacity, and thanks to all the fans that will soon

be enjoying it.

I'll see you in my store!

Pretty much agree with your points, except accents - in Starlancer they had it more pronounced, and most people got very annoyed with it in the end. I like it better the way it is...

Best Regards
Christian "Bargib" Koerner
Editor in Chief, The Lancers Reactor

In Xwing Alliance, turrets could be opertated manually, and operated automatically by AI giving them two orders : 1. Attack selected target 2. Defend against attacking targets. Option 2 allowed engaging multiple targets with as many turrets as you had. The automated options only worked when you were in the cockpit flying the ship. That would be a nice addition to use while you manuevered your Behemoth class freighter thru a field of roids until you could finish the turn to target and pop back into turret mode.

Actually by setting a waypoint, then selecting "goto" (F2) all ships will actually auto avoid asteroids and debri. It doesn't work quite as well if you're part of a formation (unless you're position 1). By doing that, and assuming you aren't in cruise mode (as your weapons will be inactive) you can fly safely while firing. But this only works on waypoints and if you're not in cruise mode.

I wouldn't have liked exaggerated accents either. You know... not every German sounds like Armin Muller Stahl (Peacemaker, Mission to Mars). Check Jurgen Prochnow for a more typical German way of English pronounciation (Wing Commander.

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"In all likelihood you're going to die out there. We're all going to die out there, but none of us needs to be reminded of that fact. So you die, you never existed." - Lt. Cmdr. 'Angel' Devereaux