Space Mission Difficulties

[Eilzair]

I used to really enjoy the space missions and they were good ways to make XP but the last 6 or so levels as I approached 50 they have went from easy to hard to impossible. I don't know if this is due to the patch making them harder but I am level 50 now with all level 5 upgrades and I can't even complete the Green missions.

 

Any thoughts ?

 

 

[ZincThallinide]

I noticed that myself. I think you need all the equipment you buy with fleet commendations.

[Stilient]

I've noticed this as well, even with the some of the best ship parts, I end up almost dying every time I do one of the missions (Although that may just be my terrible piloting skills xD) Edited April 17, 2012 by Stilient

[HeavensTerror]

I had problems too, then I saw some guides and it's easy now.

 

 

The best help is don't waste time shooting at fighters, and also make sure you get all the upgrades. EMP is amazing, those ten seconds really help on some parts.

Edited April 17, 2012 by HeavensTerror

[Nightspirit]

BioWare all of a sudden decided that you needed to use strategy for the last 10 levels for some strange reason after giving you 40 levels of mindless twitch based action.

[SentinelDranoel]

i just stopped playing them altogether. nice to know I am not the only one who does not appreciate the difficulty spike. i used to play the space missions to break up the mmo gameplay.

[Aeriese]

I had problems too, then I saw some guides and it's easy now.

 

 

The best help is don't waste time shooting at fighters, and also make sure you get all the upgrades. EMP is amazing, those ten seconds really help on some parts.

 

Just make sure you watch out for certain missions where the fighters are shooting at the shuttle you're escorting. They'll knock it down before you can get it to home.

[Jandi]

I'm unable to do the lvl5 ones. No huge loss, I just don't do them. I was always bad at rail shooter spacegames though, so I'm not surprised that I can't do them. I threw my star fox 64 out the window as a kid, back in the day.

[Denskoo]

Up until 1.2, I found them all pretty easy. But you have to make sure to buy all of the upgrades and the special modules. If you can afford it, get the grade 6 off the market (or whatever the step up from the vendor grade 5 is).

 

Also, I find it most effective to control direction with both the keys and the mouse. That way you can somewhat aim in one direction while simultaneously trying to maneuver around asteroids or dodge incoming fire. It took some adjustment but after getting used to it I like it. I also try to be continuously moving around when in areas of large concentrations of fire.. seems to help avoid taking as many hits.

 

Oh.. and I always keep my power converter thing set to full blasters unless my shield is gone and I'm taking too much hull damage. Then I look for a moment that I can switch to shields and stop firing so it regens fast. During that period I shoot only missiles so that it doesn't slow down shield regen. Then immediately switch back to full blasters.

 

With all of that said, the missions seemed to get quite a bit more difficult after 1.2. I don't know what exactly it is but I'm ending them quite low on hull compared to what I did pre-1.2.

[Eilzair]

Well I have always just held the mouse down the whole mission. If you are saying that when you are firing non stop this affects your shield regen then maybe that is my problem. Still doesn't explain why I could get away with it before. Must have upped the difficulty.

[jimmybob]

I had the exact same problem, until the magic solution.

 

WASD

 

I didn't even know these keys maneuvered you until I read about it. Just keep randomly zigging and zagging the whole time and you should be fine. It's very stupid of Bioware to suddenly require a strategy/mechanic that's not even hinted at beforehand, but, there you have it.

[Vagessel]

Oh, past level 40 I don't even bother to do those anymore. It's this simple- the effort / work / misery ratio to reward is nonexistent. I'm not going to engage on a 6 minute mission where all my senses are strung up just to have it all destroyed at 5:90 minutes LOL. and for what?

 

I am quite sure they are very aware of this but regard it as super low priority ( after all "most people" hate space combat, right ?) I bet their space combat participation graphs take a 90 degree crash in participation past level 40.

[DiabloDoom]

I threw my star fox 64 out the window as a kid, back in the day.

 

God knows what you would of done with Rogue Squadron.

[Raisatihane]

its not that hard... but u need some preparations.

1. purple parts on ship

2. buy "power converter module" (fleet comms)

3. buy "proton torpedos" (fleet comms)

 

Power converter is really useful if ya gonna take head on 10-15 fighters... otherwise they just melt you. + swing around and tab space! (barrel-roll) In situations like this -do not shoot blasters! (or ur shields wont regenarate).

 

Proton torpedos i find useful if u need to take down those nasty "elite" ships who can shoot light out of ther a**. Till that thing is fliyng around u will be gimped (shield regen).

 

pew-pew is fun, ja? but sometimes you need to take defencive position to able pew-pew later

Edited April 19, 2012 by Raisatihane

[GroogOT]

I had same problems, learned some things and now find the missions too easy.

 

1) Ship upgrades, damage first!

2) Power converter - set to damage when fighting and shooting, set to shields during down time or when you can afford to just dodge stuff. STOP SHOOTING TO REGEN SHIELDS!

3) Save that jamming buff for nasty times such as flying by a destroyer (the big ones, not the frigates). Or when you ahve a heavy fighter + other stuff on you.

4) Do not let fighters get away. They don't fly in and then just disappear, they loop back on you once or twice and can overwhelm you.

5) Missiles, missles, missiles. One for everything!

6) Circle-fire for the mines in impossible sector. Aim as far away from your previous shots so the blasters don't double-down on a mine already dead.

7) Try to get all bonus missions, free 2k credits.

 

Upgrades are worth it IMO. 40k max for each, and they pay off in no time as the bonus missions become trivially easy.

 

Good luck

[Acherom]

Honest question:

 

Did something about the difficulty change with the patch?

Or are the missions the same as they've always been?

[IronSalamander]

Getting all the upgrades you can helps a lot. The device that you use to flip/flop the shield recharge or beam damage makes a huge difference if you are willing to micromanage it. You can get that one at 25 I think. Upgrade all your ship components via the merchant, GTN, or make the ones you can yourself if you go cybertech. The EMP Pulse is great for the two minefield missions and the ECM generator can be used in intense situations (i.e. the second defend the base from bombers mission where their tailguns shoot the heck out of you) to stay alive. You also get some upgrades via doing certain missions for the first time.

 

I've only done the Imperial missions and for me, and my friends that play, the Sullust Interception mission is the hardest but certainly doable. Knowing the missions layout helps a lot as well.

[Asavrede]

The very last mission is hard - the rest really aren't, but it's not just a twitch game, you also do need to have the right strategy. Regen shields as often as you can, dont shoot something any more than exactly what it needs to die and then move to next target, etc. I enjoyed the challenge frankly, after playing the 30-45 missions so many times they just became too easy anyway.

 

Then, the very last mission SHOULD be hard, it does give a title and all

[achwas]

Well I have always just held the mouse down the whole mission. If you are saying that when you are firing non stop this affects your shield regen then maybe that is my problem. Still doesn't explain why I could get away with it before. Must have upped the difficulty.

 

Basically : Shooting guns = no shield regeneration

[Taelnia]

Honest question:

 

Did something about the difficulty change with the patch?

Or are the missions the same as they've always been?

They changed the entry transitions to space missions. However, this seems to put me on the wrong "rail" in all missions. I'm farther to the right and down a little bit from the old rail. Sometimes the issue/bug has made me jump into the mission too far ahead(eg spawning inside the minefield at the start of ascendancy barrier).

 

The new rail does not give the same amount of time on certain targets as the old one, which has increased the difficulty of some missions.

 

You can correct this and go back to the original path if you die in the mission and click retry. I believe that since this acts as a reset button and does not transition you out of the area you do not encounter the entry transition wrong rail.

 

Side note: with the lowered exp rewards on space missions, and space bonus missions no longer rewarding money, there is less incentive to actually play through space combat now. A lot of the missions are now finish in 1-2 minutes and shield boost and play bejewelled on my ipad, or shield boost and wait 6 minutes and then finish the mission. The lack of incentive to do the bonus missions has really dampened my interest in space combat

[Holinyx]

you said level 5 upgrades.

 

you need level 6 cybertech made upgrades. plus did you buy the 4 upgrades using Fleet Commendations? it will be impossible without those.

 

and for those who say it isn't worth it:

 

Acendency Barrier = 18k credits

Raging Dawn= 19k credits

Sweeping Menace= 16k credits

Rising Fury = 12k credits

Molton Splinter = 12k credits

 

each of these can be done in about 10 minutes. plus you get fleet commendations and XP (or legacy XP)

actual money will vary on how good you do and if you do bonus stuff.

Edited April 19, 2012 by Holinyx
added info

[SunnyTelight]

They don't seem any harder since the patch. If they did make them harder I would say they are still too easy. The last time I failed one I think I had too much to drink.

 

Whenever there is a break in combat I switch to faster shield regen and usually I end up with full shields before any more combat. Stop shooting as someone has already said.

 

I love the space missions for leveling up. The daily quests are great quick xp. Especially the first time you get a new mission for the first time.

[Tyraelium]

People who start threads like these should be barred from input on class / game balance.

 

Seriously, space missions difficult? Try a little bit before you make a forum thread.

 

Starfox 64, Kingdom Hearts may have prepped players like me for space combat, but there were still missions that I died on and had to repeat until I learned it. A little effort is all you need. The game has been out for quite some time and those thousands of players had NO PROBLEMS whatsoever. Since the game difficulty hasn't changed, the only that has changed is the caliber of the player.

 

Sorry if the truth hurts.

[Goretzu]

Well I have always just held the mouse down the whole mission. If you are saying that when you are firing non stop this affects your shield regen then maybe that is my problem. Still doesn't explain why I could get away with it before. Must have upped the difficulty.

 

There's a huge difficulty jump with the mid-40 missions (and the "recommended" upgrades at that point are completely false, 99% of people will need much higher ones to do it).

 

Ironically the L50 mission is much easier than any of the mid-40's ones, even doing all with full purple upgrades.

[GroogOT]

Side note: with the lowered exp rewards on space missions, and space bonus missions no longer rewarding money, there is less incentive to actually play through space combat now. A lot of the missions are now finish in 1-2 minutes and shield boost and play bejewelled on my ipad, or shield boost and wait 6 minutes and then finish the mission. The lack of incentive to do the bonus missions has really dampened my interest in space combat

 

This is not true.

 

Space bonus missions award cash as before.