How to play IMG|: Do and Don't - [OORP]

[Jack_Henderson]

A beginner's guide to Countering Metagaming and Successful Reporting

New players are often unable to successfully report players, often because they lack the tools and the knowledge. Also many are unaware of the metagaming possibilities that experienced players use automatically and thus are easy victims. The combination often leaves inexperienced players in a very weak situation. This tutorial aims at changing that.


A. External Programs:

1. Fraps for Screenshots

You need to be able to take screenshots, fast, in short succession, reliably and without making you FPS lag. Because in Disco there is a rule: "Pics or it did not happen." If you have no good screenshots, forget it. You won't get anything, neither in a roleplay thread, nor in a feedback thread, nor in a sanction report.

Download "Fraps": here
Download "dxtory": here

Dxtory has the advantage that you can limit your maximum FPS in case you want to unlock them.


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2. DSAce.log: The Disco Logfile

The text file DSAce.log saves all the conversation, all death messages, just everything. It adds timestamps when configured correctly.

Finding it: You find it best by using a file search.
Opening it: It opens with a text editor when clicked.

DSAce texts can be used irply as your ship's "logbook". For roleplay, the DSAce logs are totally sufficient. Same goes for feedback threads.

In sanction reports, however, DSAce logs do not count as evidence! They can be posted to clarify the context in which the screenshots happened. If your report relies on DSAce, don't even bother filing it.


B. Ingame Settings:

Timestamps: "/set chattime on":

To get it, type "/set chattime on" when logged in. It puts timestamps behind every written line. Timestamps are imperative when you want to report. They show what happened when and can prove e.g. whether an engagement was too fast. Without a timestamp, don't even try to report.


C. Successful Reporting: What to screenshot?

• ID shot: Always go for the ID. Without an ID shot, many sanctions (especially 1.3) are impossible.
  
• Full Conversation: If you report, you have to give the Admins the full conversation. Normally, you have time to screen the conversation after you died. Makes sure not to leave time gaps. Footnote: That's also why you do not swear in group chat or green, because every broken rule in a conversation log makes the screenshot useless.
  
• Timestamped Picture of the attack: The only way to prove reengaging is to be able to prove that the ships that you blew up was actively in the fight at time X and later again at time Y. Also very useful for in-roleplay answers because they normally look good.
  

D. Successfully Countering Metagaming: How to do it?

Now some people will likely cry out, but I am only being realistic: Most players metagame that know how to do it. Those who do not know it are the ones who are the easy victims to those who know it. And all the people that will hunt you - as a new player who reads this - know how to do it and I would say 80 % of the encounters are not chance.

On your tagged IMG| transport, you will normally be "the food" that unlawfuls look for. They look for your mining operation to log on, to bring their unlawful character to pirate you. Or they see your convoy on the list and decide to log their pirate in the system in front of you.

And don't get me wrong: there is nothing wrong with it (if it is not overdone) and I am not pointing fingers. If unlawfuls did not metagame, this game would be boring as hell as no one would ever find anybody else to interact with.


The Player List:

Experienced players scan the player list to see where the action is. Is there a Leeds raid? Or a Delta brawl? The player list has that info. Then the players decide whether to log on or not, and which character to bring, which side to choose, etc. Basically, this metagaming increases the chance of roleplay interactions, which is generally positive.

In IMG| you will likely find yourself in a cat&mouse game that can be pretty intense. Every side has the same tools (see below), and you challenge your opponent. It's an art to interpret the intel correctly, predict movements and react to it. If you feel bad, don't. The people who log for you use these tools a lot longer and likely better than you. You counter their move, from an inferior position.


1. The Browser Player List (delayed now!)

Use this link: Link to Browser Player List

Sort it by systems to find out where the action is.
Refresh it regularly (F5), to get accurate readings.
But: It has a delay now, so that you do not get accurate readings any more.
The status quo you get is a few minutes old. Enough to find action, but not enough for fast loggings and quick responses.


2. The Ingame Player List:

When flying, you do not want to tab out of the game. You will lane into a planet sooner or later.

So you use the ingame list. Click the "speech bubble" symbol to get into the "chat" window. The chat window has the ingame player list. It is the only list that does not have a delay implemented.

a) Who is where?

> Check your system for contacts (sort by system)
> Check the system you are jumping to for contacts (sort by system)
> Check the locations of known enemy players that log in (after the red message showed they logged in) by sorting by player name
> Note: To be successful, you should memorize the most common enemy tags and also names of known enemy indies.


b) Interpreting Player Rank

The rank is calculated from the overall worth of your ship, armor, equipment and the money on it. So do not rely on it, e.g. some of my miners are level 90 (by putting 1 billion onto them), and look more like Cruisers than easy targets.

- Below level 50: Fighters
- Level 50 - 60: Bombers / Fighters with more money
- Level 60: low-armor Gunboat
- Above Level 70: low-armor Cruiser / high-armor GBs
- Above Level 80: high-armor Cruiser


c) Checking Player Groups

The ingame list allows you to sort by "group". If players set up a trap, they are often grouped. If you see one of your known enemies on the list, and in your path, look at who is in his group. Look at their positions and read their movements. You can be sure they have been reading yours for quite a while.


3. Know your Foe

The player list is only useful if you know the tags and names of your most active enemies.

a) Tags: Know your enemy's tags

Baddies:

• JM|
  
• Y| (Golden Crys., OC allies)
  
• CL}
  
• 101st
  
• [XTF]
  
• ~SR)
  
• MNS (indie capital ships)
  
• K'Hara
  

b) Individual players: IMG| Enemy Database

The IMG| keeps a list of known enemies, so new players can check and do not have to learn it all by pain. Inquire for it in the IMG Skype channel.

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+ IMG| DISCORD: https://discord.gg/TWrGWjp
+ IMG| IS RECRUITING: Click to find out more!