Discovery Gaming Community

How to play IMG|: Do and Don't

In order to shorten the recruitment process and to make playing IMG| easier for new players, this thread has been created. It tries to give new IMG| players a fast overview of what to do and what not to do.


1. General:

a) Attack rules:

1. never attack lawfuls: navies, police, house civilians (Bowex, Kruger, DHC,...), pretty much everybody
   
2. never attack the following unlawfuls/semi-lawfuls (self-defense is allowed): Lane Hackers, Red Hessians, Mollys, Junkers
   
   
3. free to hunt actively/attack actively: !!!IMPORTANT!!! Only in our ZoI
   
4. > Corsair ID in systems with an IMG base (likely: O3, O7, Cambridge, Dublin)
   
5. > Outcast ID in the Taus Zone of Influence (likely: Tau 37, Tau 23, Tau 31, Tau 29, Tau 44, Orkney)
   
6. > Pirate ID in systems with an IMG base (our ZoI, see ID!)
   
7. > Nomad ID in systems with an IMG base (our ZoI, see ID!)
   
8. > Wilde ID in systems with an IMG base (our ZoI, see ID!)
   
   
9. if in doubt: Simply do not attack!
   
10. if you are attacked/pirated, screen the text, his ID, the attack and fight back.
    

b) Piracy Rules

IMG gets pirated. It happens. It's part of the game and of our role. Still, it causes trouble all the time. These tips will help you to cope with it.

1. IMG| does not pirate (even if we could ID-wise). We do not.
   

If you are the victim of piracy:

1. Relax. It's part of the game. It keeps trading interesting.
   
2. Roleplay. There are pirates that appreciate the offer of roleplay. Also roleplay sometimes lowers the bills. Try it.
   
3. Expect a 10 % loss to piracy on any trip you make. It's normal. Paying 5 million on an ore trip to pirates is perfectly fine.
   
4. It is no "piracy" if Hessians, Mollys, Hackers demand small amounts (up to 2 million). => Be friendly and pay them.
   
5. If the demands are acceptable: roleplay and pay. IMG| doesn't risk a high profit ore transport for a small demand! Think of the money as "pocket change" and expect a loss of 10 % to piracy.
   
6. If the demands are unacceptable and you can win: fight while running to the next base (turret steering!)
   
7. If the demands are unacceptable and you cannot win: Die in dignity.
   
8. Never give the pirate cargo/money and your blue message.
   
9. Never give the attacker money/cargo and an easy sanction because you went oorp and insulted or rule-lawyered them.
   
10. Remember: Blowing up in dignity while fighting or running is perfectly acceptable. Pixels were blown, imaginary money lost on a space shooter game.
    
11. Always: Screen any unacceptable/weird engagements/demands. We can react with bounties, diplomatic pressure, sanctions, etc. if we have good material.
    

c) Secret Diplomacy

IMG is neutral to many criminal/unlawful factions. We do things that some lawful people would not like. So they have to be done in secrecy.

!!! General rule: Never cooperate with any unlawfuls when anybody is near who could give evidence to the lawfuls !!!

Therefore:

Taus:

1. Do not do anything that annoys lawful Gallia (GRN, GRP) because they rule the Taus at the moment.
   
2. Hide our friendship to Colonials from lawful Gallia (GRN, GRP, IDF, EFL, Solar...)
   
3. Do not ally/cooperate with Colonial ID, Council ID when GRN/GRP are present.
   
4. Do not get seen when transporting goods over the Bretonian-Gallic border
   

Bretonia:

1. Do not do anything that annoys lawful Bretonia (BAF, BPA, BIS, Bowex...)
   
2. Our mining field: Comet in O3 (Cobalt)
   
3. Hide our neutrality to Mollys!
   
4. Never dock at a Molly base when anybody is near
   
5. Transporting goods to Molly bases is smuggling, and a crime in Bretonia
   

Rheinland

1. Do not do anything that annoys lawful Rheinland (RM, RFP, Kruger, DHC...)
   
2. Do not mine in O7 at all (Our Silver bonus is not worth it anyway).
   
3. Omega 3 Comet field is Cobalt and it is good for us.
   
4. Hide our neutrality to Hessians!
   
5. Stay calm when Kruger ID, BMM- and DHC ID taunt you. Do not let them provoke you.
   
6. "Kruger|"-tagged ships might attack you. Make sure you can prove self-defence. We do not attack first and screen everything!
   

Kusari:

1. Do not do anything that annoys lawful Kusari (KNF, KSP, Samura...)
   
2. Hide our neutrality to Blood Dragons (but do not rely on that neutrality. The rp is old)
   
3. Do not attack Hogosha in Kusari (they count as lawfuls in Kusari)
   
4. Remember: You can only actively attack where we have a base (we do not have bases in Kusari)
   

Liberty:

1. Do not do anything that annoys lawful Liberty (LN, LSF, LPI...)
   
2. Hide our neutrality to Lane Hackers
   
3. Hide our neutrality to Hellfire Legion
   

Gallia

1. Never antagonize any Gallic faction.
   
2. Hide our relations with enemies of Gallia (Bretonians, Libertonians, Crayter, Council,...)
   
3. Keep a respectful distance to GRN/GRP. They are not our friends, but they won the war. And we live in their territory under occuptation.
   
4. Always roleplay the one who knows that they won and the we surrendered. It's part of our roleplay, even if many do not like it much.
   
   

And... once you have been playing IMG| for a while, you will realize that many of these rules are only 75 % rules and that there is a lot of grey area to operate in, but for the beginning... these rules will keep you out of trouble.

Good luck and feel free to ask any IMG| for advice!

Enjoy the game.

Updated: 7. May 2017

Getting started

1. Make ships

The following ships are recommended (make them step by step once you have money):

1. 1 transport to run between Taus and Omegas (recommended: Shishapangma [4,3k] or Nanga Parbat, Serenity, Border World Transport [3,6k] )
   
2. 2 Annapurnas: one in Omega 7 (buy at Aland, O3) and one in Tau 44 (buy at Jakarta, T44)
   
3. 1 fighter in T23 (choice: all civilian, IMG line; Borderworld ships --- BHG & Colonial need roleplay. Ask for details)
   
4. optional: 1 bomber in T23 (choice: Roc or Nanda Devi)
   

Later upgrade to:

1. Get massive Armor: transports go with CAU6+
   
2. 2 Transports: one based in Omegas, one in Taus => flexibility (when you are dead e.g. in T23)
   
3. More Defense (bomber/fighter/gunboat/cruisers) in both Omegas and Taus
   

2. Recommended Loadouts for ships

a) Annapurna

1. Slot 1: Class 10 of your choice
   
2. Slot 2: Debilitator turret (the 750 speed one)
   
3. 4 x mining turrets (in the last 4 slots)
   
4. Train CD
   
5. Mine (Nuclear or Ripper)
   
6. Freighter shield (best SNAC protection vs solo bomber)
   
7. Enhanced thruster
   
8. Fortress CM
   
9. Armor: UAU8 or higher
   
10. Available: T44 (Jakarta) and O3 (Aland)
    
11. Turret steer it for maximum effect!
    
12. Careful: it is a freighter now => it dies to a snac (whatever your armor is)
    

b) Hegemon

1. Civilian transport shield (good SNAC protection vs. solo bomber)
   
2. Charon Transport Turrets
   
3. 4 x Heavy Mining Arrays (in slots 1-4)
   
4. Enhanced thruster
   
5. Fortress CM
   
6. Minimum Armor: UAU8
   
7. Recommended Armor: CAU4 => you can make it to T44 normally
   
8. Available: T44 (Jakarta) and O3 (Aland)
   
9. Turret steer it for maximum effect!
   

c) Battletransports

1. Civilian Transport shield (often shielded when SNAC can be refired)
   
2. Charon turrets
   
3. 2 Heavy turrets
   
4. 1 EMP Defense (to Flak Novas away)
   
5. Armor: CAU6
   
6. Shishapangma (IMG Battletransport - 100 % core): available at Singapore Shipyard/T44
   

3. Quickrepping for IMG

1. Tau IMG restart: /restart fcIMG => places you in Tau 37 with perfect IMG reputation
   
2. For Omega ships: /restart RhCivilian => places you in New Berlin => get an IMG| midlevel to give you an IMG| ID (e.g. in Conn)
   

4. Naming Conventions

1. IMG|Name.Name[R]
   
2. IMG|Shipname[R]
   
3. IMG|Callsign[R]
   
4. no too lulzy names
   
5. no memes!
   
6. make sure your name is in accordance with the rules
   
7. [R] is obligatory for "recruit" status. Saves you in case you screw up.
   

5. Teamspeak

We use Discord on every convoy and in fighting.
Typing gets people killed when things go bad.

1. Download: Discord (standalone version is more stable)
   
2. Log on to the IMG server: https://discord.gg/TWrGWjp
   
3. Get the IMG rename password from IMG members
   
4. If you have no microphone, no problem. You can be on "listen only".
   
5. If you are shy, no problem. You can be "listen only", quite some do that.
   

Updated: 7. May 2017

Lights - Camera - Action

A. How to Convoy

IMG| flies lots of convoys. To learn how to do it, these basics might be worth reading.

1. Get Teamspeak:

1. Communication is everything.
   
2. Group is used for roleplay, but when it gets tricky, it's TS that saves the day.
   

2. Get a Scout to fly in front

1. 20 k in front in open space cruises
   
2. 1-2 lanes ahead of the first transport (= T1)
   
3. Scout reports any dangers: "!!!" = danger
   

3. Scout, T-1 and T-last should have Teamspeak

4. T-1 should...

1. know the route
   
2. know alternative routes
   
3. know risks (also diplomatic risks in semi-legal action)
   
4. have high armor (CAU6 or higher)
   
5. have high hull ratings (Battletransports)
   
6. alternative: be small and agile (e.g. Nanga Parbat)

5. No transport flies in front of T-1 (because T-1 and Scout communicate)

6. Scouts use "!!!" to signal "Danger, Convoy Halt! Look for next safe place" because a typed out report is too slow.

7. If caught...

1. roleplay is obligatory (it often also reduces the price)
   
2. paying is generally not a problem if the demands are acceptable.
   
3. run&fight => See next chapter
   

8. Run & fight:

In general the fighting capacity of a convoys is underestimated. The general idea is: stick together, focus fire, exchange bots/bats, thrust to safety.
Remember: The main idea is to ensure the safetly of the cargo, not the kill itself.

1. Set direct waypoint (not the one that chooses lanes/shortest route) to the next base
   
2. All transports huddle around the target (like very close!)
   
3. All transports thrust towards the diamond while keeping together
   
4. All transports fire at the attacker via turret view (good position: above/below the target for a good shot at incoming snac bombers)
   
5. Exchange bots/bats, then break formation and cruise off, resupply (outside of scanner range) and return
   
6. Target requests bots/bats early
   
7. Targetted transport does not regen immediately after receiving bots/bats (let the transport that gave them run away)
   
8. Repeat until you are at the base
   
   
9. Special case: solo gunboats are best attacked in force when you have sufficient numbers. Just hit them with everything (convoy-gank-style).
   
   
10. Special case: Nova bombers that stay at range and nova from a distance are best treated with your scout snub. If the distance to base is too far, it may be wise to convoy-gank it.
    

9. Frequent Mistakes:

1. Distance between convoy and Scout is too short => warning comes too late
   
2. Transports are too close and ram each other => death or docking bug
   
3. Know your route and stick to it
   
4. Read the chat (e.g. for change of course)
   
5. Flying in formation. We do not do that.
   
6. Alt-Tabbing out: We do not do that.
   
7. Targetted transport panicks: try to stay calm. Yell on TS, but thrust to safety stubbornly. Only your mates can rescue you anyway.
   

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.


[

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.