One of the most annoying questions asked on chat is, "How much should I bid for _____?"
First, NEVER ask that question on public chat (Global, company, clan search, etc). Asking the question gives people information that you are looking to bid on an item. The answers you receive give people information about what you are likely to bid. With this information, they can watch for your bid and overbid you on it.
The best answer to, "What is the best bid?" is:
One credit and ONLY one credit more than the next highest bidder for that hour.
The problem is that you have no idea how much anyone has bid or will bid during the hour. No one can tell for sure. You might win the item for a single credit, or you might lose your bid, even if you bid hundreds of millions of credits.
One Theory on How To Price Items for Bid
Although you cannot predict a bid for a given item for a given hour, here are some guides that I have seen, based on bidding at the USA East server.
1. Some items are cheap because they are in low demand. Few people want them so they will go for relatively low amounts. Repair bots and most CPUs fall into this category. People only need to buy them once, so you can pick them up cheaply on bid. You are only bidding against other new players, so you might get them for 1,000, 10,000, or 100,000 credits.
It does not matter how much these cost in uri. You can get them on bid for low amounts.
2. Other items are in extremely high demand, because experienced players need them again and again.
These items will bid high. They include:
* LF3 Lasers
* Cloak Chips
* Jump Chips
* BO2 Shields
* Iris
* x3 Ammo
* 4k Rockets
* SAB Ammo
* Mines
Sometimes to a new player, it seems like these are impossibly expensive. I have seen that the prices for items like these are not irrational, but they seem to reach a kind of maximum value.
The maximum value seems to be related to a pretty consistent multiplier.
The Cube/BK Ratio
After watching a lot of bids, and bidding as an experienced player, I realized something:
At some point, it is not worth bidding anymore. I should just accumulate enough uridium to buy the item instead.
As an experienced player, when I wanted uri or credits, I kept coming back to the same two aliens: Cubikons and Kristillion (aka Big Kris or BKs).
BKs and cubes, interestingly, always pay credits in a certain ratio to uri: 3200:1. The number of credits and uri you receive varies, but always in that ratio.
I noticed that the maximum bids seem to be around that ratio, too. For instance, 1,000 uri worth of 3x ammo rarely went above 3 million credits. This makes sense, because I can earn the uri just as easily as the credits, and it is easier to just buy with uri than to go through bidding with credits. If there is anything else I can buy with credits, I would rather do that.
Try this on your own server, for your own items: are they going for any more than 3,200 times their price in uri?
Complications
There are times that prices seem to go above this limit. Rockets, for some reason, are sold in very small lots, next to other items that go in the millions. I see rockets go for millions of credits, when a rational price might stop around 1.5 million, based on their 500 uri cost.
Iris are extremely strange, because they cost different amounts in uri depending on how many you own. When you bid on iris, though, you pay the same price for iris #1 or iris #8. Iris bids are extremely hard to predict.
It is also possible to have enough advanced players all bidding against each other that they will drive prices above this ratio. Basically, they have nothing else to do with their credits, so they can bid whatever they want.
Anytime you have a new item enter the game, like boosters or a new goliath color, you will see experienced players compete to win these early bids. Prices will far exceed what I have put forward here, because people want the very first one. I suggest that you avoid bidding on anything new, unless perhaps you can bid before others even know it is available.
Figuring Out YOUR Credit To Uri Ratio
I think this 3,200:1 ratio is about right for most experienced players. I think that drives the 'marketplace' in Dark Orbit.
It should not drive your own buying though. Figure out what ratio you find acceptable. Based on how easily you can collect uri in bonus boxes, aliens and quests, vs. how easily you can get credits, decide how much you are willing to bid.
Personally, I set my ratio around 2,000:1. I do not want to pay more than 2,000 credits for each uri of value. By collecting bonus boxes, I get enough uri when hunting BKs, that I think my ratio is more like 2,000:1 than 3,200:1.
Use that ratio when deciding whether to bid. I used my ratio to decide that I would rather buy LF3s with uri than bid on them. Iris made sense for bidding after iris #4. Most of the CPUs made much more sense to bid on.
You have a choice about whether to earn credits or earn uri. Make an intelligent choice.
I hope this helps you figure out your own bidding strategies.
By the way, note that my ratios are several thousands of credits to one uri. In the 'Credits' area you only get 10 credits for each uri you convert. I hope this convinces all of you to never, ever convert uri into credits!
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Bidding Guidelines
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Galaxy Gates A,B,Y
Alpha Gate -
All NPCs have normal Hitpoints and Damage
All Cargos are just as normal
Rewards = 20k Uri - 20k x4 ammo - 100k honor - 4 million exp - 2 Repair Credits
Beta Gate -
All NPCs Have double Hitpoints and Damage
All Cargos are double
Rewards = 40k Uri - 40k x4 Ammo - 200k Honor - 8 million Exp - 4 Repair Credits
Gamma Gate -
All NPCs Have Triple Hitpoints and Damage
All Cargos are Tripled
Rewards = 60k Uri - 60k x4 Ammo - 300k Honor - 12 million Exp - 6 Repair Credits
Number NPCs Per NPC Wave -
[40] - -=[ Streuner ]=-.
[40] - -=[ Lordakia ]=-.
[40] - -=[ Mordon ]=-.
[80] - -=[ Saimon ]=-.
[20] - -=[ Devolarium ]=-.
[80] - -=[ Kristallin ]=-.
[20] - -=[ Sibelon ]=-.
[80] - -=[ Sibelonit ]=-.
[16] - -=[ Kristallon ]=-.
[30] - -=[ Protegit ]=-.
--------------------------------------------------------
Experience
Gate A
2,339,200 + 4,000,000 = 6,339,200
Gate B
4,678,400 + 8,000,000 = 12,678,400
Gate Y
7,017,600 + 12,000,000 = 19,017,600
Uridium
Gate A
6,488 + 20,000 = 26,488
Gate B
12,976 + 40,000 = 52,976
Gate Y
19,464 + 60,000 = 79,464
Levels and Map access
LVL 1 -0 EP
LVL 2 -10.000 EP Access to 2-1, 2-2
LVL 3 -20.000 EP Access to 2-3
LVL 4 -40.000 EP Access to 2-4
LVL 5 -80.000 EP
LVL 6 -160.000 EP Access to x-3, x-4 of enemy maps
LVL 7 -320.000 EP
LVL 8 -640.000 EP Access to plaver vs. player maps 4-1, 4-2, 4-3
LVL 9 -1.280.000 EP Access to player vs. player map 4-4
LVL 10 -2.560.000 EP Access to 2-5
LVL 11 -5.120.000 EP Access to 2-6, 2-7 in 2-7 the big flakes give 400K cred and 128 uri each!!!
LVL 12 -10.240.000 EP Access to 2-8 EIC's other space station
LVL 13 -20.480.000 EP Access to x-2 of enemy maps
LVL 14 -40.960.000 EP Access to x-5 of enemy maps
LVL 15 -81.920.000 EP
LVL 16 -163.840.000 EP Access to x-1 of enemy maps
LVL 17 -327.680.000 EP
Points system
Here is the list of how many points you get for alien and Player-ship kills.
Player-ships:
Phoenix 1
Yamato 2
Leonov 4
Defcom 6
Liberator 8
Piranha 10
Nostromo 12
Vengeance 16
Bigboy 14
Goliath 20
Alien-ships:
-=[ Streuner ]=- 1
-=[ Lordakia ]=- 1
-=[ Devolarium ]=- 4
-=[ Mordon ]=- 2
-=[ Sibelon ]=- 5
-=[ Saimon ]=- 2
-=[ Sibelonit ]=- 3
-=[ Lordakium ]=- 6
-=[ Kristallin ]=- 3
-=[ Kristallon ]=- 8
-=[ StreuneR ]=- 2
-=[ Protegit ]=- 3
-=[ Cubikon ]=- 10
..::{ Boss Streuner }::.. 4
..::{ Boss Lordakia }::.. 4
..::{ Boss Mordon }::.. 8
..::{ Boss Saimon }::.. 8
..::{ Boss Devolarium }::.. 16
..::{ Boss Sibelonit }::.. 12
..::{ Boss Sibelon }::.. 20
..::{ Boss Lordakium }::... 24
..::{ Boss Kristallin }::.. 12
..::{ Boss Kristallon }::.. 32
..::{ Boss StreuneR }::.. 8
«¤( UberStreuner )¤» 8
«¤( UberLordakia )¤» 8
«¤( UberMordon )¤» 16
«¤( UberSaimon )¤» 16
«¤( UberDevolarium )¤» 32
«¤( UberSibelonit )¤» 24
«¤( UberSibelon )¤» 40
«¤( UberLordakium )¤» 48
«¤( UberKristallin )¤» 24
«¤( UberKristallon )¤» 64
«¤( UberStreuneR )¤» 16
Galaxy Gate Guide
Here are some tricks I learned to complete your galaxy gates.
1.SHIP:
You will need a Vengeance or Goliath with all FE equipment on your ship you will also be much better off if you have the auto buy ammo CPU and all drones either Iris or Flax for A gate and all Iris for B and Y
2. AMMO:
Lots of it! I used X1 for all NPCs in A gate. If you lack firepower, under 4000k damage per-hit, you will need some x2 at certain points.
3.TIME:
It will take you no time to do the first few waves in A gate but count on spending atleast a average of 1 hours per gate wave after devs.
4.CONFIGURATIONS:
Configs 1 BATTLE: All LF3's and all 10k shields on your ship with all LF3's on your drones (for A gate any laser on your drones will do, you just better know how to circle.)
Config 2 SPEED: you NEED full speed in all of the gates to be able to run and repair... All LF3's on ship and all 10spd engines on ship, You need a minimum of 120k shields on your speed Config.
4.c.:
extras: Repair bot 3, Auto rep CPU, Auto ammo buy CPU These are the basic ones absolutely needed. Add anything else you think you will need.
4.d.:
ore boosts: I use boosted rockets with promi.
TACTICs:
Here is the fun part.
For Streuners, Lordakias and Mordons:
Just select config 2 (attack) and shoot and collect cargo and shoot and collect cargo. If u need to repair, select config 1(run) and head for a corner, you will have plenty of time to repair before the pack reaches you.
For big npcs, Devos, Sibelons, Big Kriss:
-Select config 1(run) and go from corner to corner of the map to herd all npcs into one big pile.
-Stay with config1(run) and fly over the pack, selecting a npc as you fly through. DO NOT STOP TO LOCK TARGET, choose fly path that will take you directly over pack and let you fly far enough away to no get hit by alien lasers.
-Select config 2(attack) and approach the pack while flying sideways to maintain a CIRCLE flypath around pack. You should not see your target on screen but you will be far enough to hit the selected target and not get hit by alien lasers. When using both lasers and rockets, your lasers will disappear from your screen, creating a problem to maintain the proper distance. I use rockets to finish of targets.
**THE PERFECT CIRCLE WILL HAVE YOUR MOUSE POINTER AT YOUR 3 OR 6 OCLOCK POSITION.**
-The targeted npc will run to a far corner when it is low on hit points. Let it run and target another npc in the pack using the run-lock-shoot method. Do not let to many NPC's run to the corners after A gate, After A gate you will have to switch to your speed config and kill them on the run otherwise you will get toasted in the corners after all that hard work getting them there.
-Distance yourself from the pack using config1(run) and go finnish off the low hitpoint npcs you sent to the corners.
-To repair your ship, select config 1(run) and go from corner to corner to regain hitpoints as you avoid being shot by the pack. KEEP AT LEAST 75% OF YOUR HIT POINTS AT ALL TIMES, so you don't die if u make a mistake and you do not spend too much time running from corner to corner to regain hit points.
RECAP:
1- config1(run), herd npcs to a pack
2-config1(run) fly over and select target
3-config2(attack) kill alien using CIRCLE METHOD
4-config1(run)let alien go to corner and either repair or continue fighting using CIRCLE METHOD.(run-lock-shoot-run).
Galaxy Gate Delta
1st wave:
6 Lordakias
10 Mordons
15 Saimons
2nd wave:
1 Streuner (X-8 map) with Instant Shield
10 Streuners (X-1 map)
3rd wave:
6 Mordons
Saimons
8 Kristalins (fly in high shields/slow config, shoot and fly out with speed config)
4th wave:
10 Lordakia (Be sure to shoot these first)
1 Lordakium with Instant Shield
5th wave:
10 Boss Lordakia
10 Boss Mordons
6 Boss Saimons
6th Wave:
15 Sibelonites (they don't following you so you can repair)
1 Sibelon with Instant Shield
7th wave:
6 Sibelonites
6 Kristalins (HARD! They repairing themselves so they won't stay in corner for long)
6 Boss Streuners (from X-8)
8th wave:
1 Kristallon with Instant Shield (He has a really long shooting range!) 112000 EP
10 Kristalins
9th wave:
30 Protegits
3 Boss Lordakium with instant shield
10th Wave:
3 SaNeJiEwZ NEW ALIEN!
Hotkeys (updated)
Ctrl Fires lasers, it will also relock on a enemy user ship if you are fighting an enemy and he jumps and you jump after him just press Ctrl and it will relock on him (yes this does work).
Ctrl will also rotate to the next alien of the same type you just destroyed which makes it alot easier to lock onto what you want in a crowd (worked but not all the time for some reason)
Press Space bar to fire Rockets.
Press M to deploy mines.
Press J to jump through a port
Press C to switch between your Configurations
Press 1-5 to switch through Ammo
Press W-T to switch through Rockets
Press F11 for full screen (dont like it) Press F11 a second time to go back to regular screen but it will have a toolbar so you have to relog to get it back to normal.
Press F5 to refresh, It helps alot when Im lagging or chat isnt working. Make sure your in a neutral zone before doing it.
CPU's Description
A detailed overview of the CPUs:
- Turbo Mine CPU 1: Reduces the cool-down time of both mines and items made from mines by 25%. Only one Mine CPU can be used per configuration.
- Turbo Mine CPU 2: Reduces the cool-down time of both mines and items made from mines by 50%. Only one Mine CPU can be used per configuration.
- Auto Rocket CPU: Rapidly fires the selected type of rocket automatically for you during your own laser attacks.
- Cloaking CPU: Allows you to cloak your ship up to 10 times and remains in effect until you make an attack yourself. Note: Despite the cloaking device, you’ll still be visible to enemies on the mini map. So be on your guard!
- Slot CPU 3: Creates six new slots for extras on your ship. Only one Slot CPU can be used per configuration.
- Smart Bomb CPU: Creates an instant bomb out of 10 mines and 100 Xenomit which explodes like a mine, but doesn’t cause any damage to your ship. Note: The cool-down time for bombs is the same as for mines.
- Insta-shield CPU: Provides you with protection for 3 seconds during enemy attacks. It uses up 10 mines and 100 Xenomit every time it is selected. Note: The shield’s cool-down time is the same as for mines.
- Engine Boost CPU: Automatically gives your engines a boost using the best raw materials available.
- Targeting Guidance CPU 1: Improves your chances of hitting a ship and reduces the rate of ship lasers missing the target by 25%. It uses 10 Xenomit per volley.
- Targeting Guidance CPU 2: Improves your chances of hitting a ship and reduces the rate of ship lasers missing the target by 50%. It uses 10 Xenomit per volley.
New Rank Calculation
+ Experience points / 100.000
+ Honor points / 100
+ Level * 100
+ Days since registration * 6
+ Own ship type (Phoenix=1, ..., Goliath=10) * 1000
( + Alien kills in the old System / 2
+ killed enemies in the old System * 3 )
+ New kills of other company members sorted by ship type * 3
(Phoenix=1, Yamato=2, Leonov=4, Defcom=6, Liberator=8, Piranha=10, Nostromo=12, Vengeance=16, Bigboy=14, Goliath=20)
+ New alien kills sorted by Alien type / 2 (Bosses count *4, UBER count *8)
(Streuner=1, Lordakia=1, Saimon=2, Mordon=2, StreuneR=2, Sibelonit=3, Kristallin=3, Devolarium=4, Sibelon=5, Lordakium=6, Kristallon=8, Cubikon=10)
+ Completed Quests * 100
- own company kills * 100
- killed by other company * 4
- Destruction by radiation zone * 8
- Phoenixes of other companies killed * 2
Every User gets an absolute value and is sorted into a table. This table is then divided up on this pattern:
1 General (max. 1 per company)
2 Basic General (0,01%)
3 Chief Colonel (0,10%)
4 Colonel (0,50 %)
5 Basic Colonel (1,00%)
6 Chief Major (1,50%)
7 Major (2,00%)
8 Basic Major (2,50%)
9 Chief Captain (3,00%)
10 Captain (3,50%)
11 Basic Captain (4,00%)
12 Chief Lieutenant (4,50%)
13 Lieutenant (5,00%)
14 Basic Lieutenant (6,00%)
15 Chief Sergeant (7,00%)
16 Sergeant (8,00%)
17 Basic Sergeant (9,00%)
18 Chief Space Pilot (10,0%)
19 Space Pilot (12,39%)
20 Basic Space Pilot (20,00%) This table is recalculated daily.
How to level your Drones
Drones Level much the same as you do. They gain Exp from killing aliens and User ships. With each level they gain a 2% bonus per laser and a 4% bonus per shield with a maximum of 10% for lasers and 20% for shields
Drones Level at 100/200/400/800/1600 Exp
Phoenix
NPCS:Streuner: Exp 4 Lordakia: Exp 6 Devolarium: Exp 40 Mordon: Exp 16 Sibelon: Exp 50 Saimon: Exp 10 Saimonite: Exp 20 Lordakium: Exp 60 Kristallin: Exp 30 Kristallon: Exp 75 Streuner 2: Exp 15
User Ships:Phoenix: Exp 10 Leonov: Exp 10 Liberator: Exp 10 Nostromo: Exp 10 Bigboy: Exp 10 Yamato: Exp 10 Defcom: Exp 10 Piranha: Exp 20 Vengeance: Exp 20 Goliath: Exp 25
Leonov
NPCS:Streuner: Exp 3 Lordakia: Exp 5 Devolarium: Exp 35 Mordon: Exp 14 Sibelon: Exp 45 Saimon: Exp 9 Saimonite: Exp 18 Lordakium: Exp 55 Kristallin: Exp 25 Kristallon: Exp 70 Streuner 2: Exp 13
User Ships:Phoenix: Exp 8 Leonov: Exp 10 Liberator: Exp 10 Nostromo: Exp 10 Bigboy: Exp 10 Yamato: Exp 10 Defcom: Exp 10 Piranha: Exp 20 Vengeance: Exp 20 Goliath: Exp 25
Liberator
NPCS:Streuner: Exp 2 Lordakia: Exp 4 Devolarium: Exp 30 Mordon: Exp 12 Sibelon: Exp 40 Saimon: Exp 8 Saimonite: Exp 16 Lordakium: Exp 50 Kristallin: Exp 20 Kristallon: Exp 65 Streuner 2: Exp 11
User Ships:Phoenix: Exp 6 Leonov: Exp 8 Liberator: Exp 10 Nostromo: Exp 10 Bigboy: Exp 10 Yamato: Exp 10 Defcom: Exp 10 Piranha: Exp 20 Vengeance: Exp 20 Goliath: Exp 25
Nostromo
NPCS:Streuner: Exp 1 Lordakia: Exp 3 Devolarium: Exp 25 Mordon: Exp 10 Sibelon: Exp 35 Saimon: Exp 7 Saimonite: Exp 14 Lordakium: Exp 45 Kristallin: Exp 18 Kristallon: Exp 60 Streuner 2: Exp 9
User Ships:Phoenix: Exp 4 Leonov: Exp 6 Liberator: Exp 8 Nostromo: Exp 10 Bigboy: Exp 10 Yamato: Exp 10 Defcom: Exp 10 Piranha: Exp 20 Vengeance: Exp 20 Goliath: Exp 25
Bigboy
NPCS:Streuner: Exp 0 Lordakia: Exp 2 Devolarium: Exp 20 Mordon: Exp 8 Sibelon: Exp 30 Saimon: Exp 6 Saimonite: Exp 12 Lordakium: Exp 40 Kristallin: Exp 16 Kristallon: Exp 55 Streuner 2: Exp 7
User Ships:Phoenix: Exp 2 Leonov: Exp 4 Liberator: Exp 6 Nostromo: Exp 8 Bigboy: Exp 10 Yamato: Exp 10 Defcom: Exp 10 Piranha: Exp 20 Vengeance: Exp 20 Goliath: Exp 25
Yamato
NPCS:Streuner: Exp 0 Lordakia: Exp 1 Devolarium: Exp 15 Mordon: Exp 6 Sibelon: Exp 25 Saimon: Exp 5 Saimonite: Exp 10 Lordakium: Exp 35 Kristallin: Exp 14 Kristallon: Exp 50 Streuner 2: Exp 5
User Ships:Phoenix: Exp 1 Leonov: Exp 2 Liberator: Exp 4 Nostromo: Exp 6 Bigboy: Exp 8 Yamato: Exp 10 Defcom: Exp 10 Piranha: Exp 20 Vengeance: Exp 20 Goliath: Exp 25
Defcom
NPCS:Streuner: Exp 0 Lordakia: Exp 0 Devolarium: Exp 10 Mordon: Exp 4 Sibelon: Exp 22 Saimon: Exp 4 Saimonite: Exp 8 Lordakium: Exp 30 Kristallin: Exp 12 Kristallon: Exp 40 Streuner 2: Exp 4
User Ships:Phoenix: Exp 0 Leonov: Exp 1 Liberator: Exp 2 Nostromo: Exp 4 Bigboy: Exp 6 Yamato: Exp 8 Defcom: Exp 10 Piranha: Exp 20 Vengeance: Exp 20 Goliath: Exp 25
Piranha
NPCS:Streuner: Exp 0 Lordakia: Exp 0 Devolarium: Exp 9 Mordon: Exp 2 Sibelon: Exp 19 Saimon: Exp 3 Saimonite: Exp 6 Lordakium: Exp 25 Kristallin: Exp 10 Kristallon: Exp 30 Streuner 2: Exp 3
User Ships:Phoenix: Exp 0 Leonov: Exp 0 Liberator: Exp 1 Nostromo: Exp 2 Bigboy: Exp 4 Yamato: Exp 6 Defcom: Exp 8 Piranha: Exp 20 Vengeance: Exp 20 Goliath: Exp 25
Vengeance
NPCS:Streuner: Exp 0 Lordakia: Exp 0 Devolarium: Exp 8 Mordon: Exp 1 Sibelon: Exp 17 Saimon: Exp 2 Saimonite: Exp 4 Lordakium: Exp 20 Kristallin: Exp 7 Kristallon: Exp 24 Streuner 2: Exp 2
User Ships:Phoenix: Exp 0 Leonov: Exp 0 Liberator: Exp 0 Nostromo: Exp 1 Bigboy: Exp 2 Yamato: Exp 4 Defcom: Exp 6 Piranha: Exp 8 Vengeance: Exp 20 Goliath: Exp 25
Goliath
NPCS:Streuner: Exp 0 Lordakia: Exp 0 Devolarium: Exp 7 Mordon: Exp 1 Sibelon: Exp 12 Saimon: Exp 1 Saimonite: Exp 3 Lordakium: Exp 15 Kristallin: Exp 4 Kristallon: Exp 18 Streuner 2: Exp 1
User Ships:Phoenix: Exp 0 Leonov: Exp 0 Liberator: Exp 0 Nostromo: Exp 0 Bigboy: Exp 1 Yamato: Exp 2 Defcom: Exp 4 Piranha: Exp 6 Vengeance: Exp 8 Goliath: Exp 25
