As requested
here, I'll give my first impression on the crisis:
- Feedback with regards to when the crisis starts (player readiness for example)
I have almost all of my stations set up in Asteroid Belt, each entry/exit (there are 3, two accelerators and one gate) is protected heavily by a rather excessive defensive station, with 75 defensive modules each, and each of them with the maximum loadout of L and M sized turrets. That's what, 500-600 L sized turrets and maybe 1k M-sized turrets? Per station. My fleets were patrolling the outer boundaries of the system, as the Kha'ak stations like to spawn there every now and then.
Upon loading the game, I was greeted by a message from Boso Ta, that I am to investigate some Xenon activity. When I looked at Asteroid Belt, I was greeted by the sight of a Xenon I and Xenon K and several smaller Xenon ships standing in the middle of the system. They bypassed all defended entry points and spawned right in the middle of the system, it left me a bit confused.
My feedback is that it feels kind of wrong. I understand it is supposed to simulate a sudden crisis situation. Yet I was prepared and entrenched in a very secure position. I feel that a simulation should bind both the player and the AI to the same rules. That includes no jumpdrives, no surprise spawn of capital ships in impossible locations. Especially since it happens without explanation or warning. If you want to spawn those ships in, they should spawn where it makes sense, and then make their way towards their goal.
Same for the Kha'ak, they also spawned all over the entire system and started attacking. Now, unlike the Xenon, the Kha'ak do have some kind of jumpdrive. But the Terran sectors are supposed to be protected from jump technology. It feels like an artificial challenge, to break the game's rules just to screw over the player as much as possible.
- Feedback on the strength of the Crisis or individual ships
I had the... pleasure of meeting the Kha'ak Ravager. My understanding is that there is no ultimate weapon, that every weapon choice comes with advantages and disadvantages. For example, beam weapons are long-range and precise, but weak. Graviton Turrets are low to mid-range, slow projectiles, but very strong. Plasma is extra slow, but long-range and strong. You get the picture.
The turrets on the Ravager were able to quickly melt through a wing of heavy Kalis fighters. Each has around 6k shields and 3.3k hull. For a beam weapon with almost 100% precision and instant hit, the damage is way too strong. It feels as if it is the perfect weapon, no drawbacks, it has it all: high range, instant hit, high damage.
I understand that the Ravager is supposed to feel threatening, but - and I come full circle to the first point of feedback - having it spawn right in the middle of a secure sector, without warning, a sector that lore-wise is supposed to be secured from jumps, it just feels like too much.
- Feedback on how relevant the location is for the player, where the crisis appeared
Well, it did happen right where I have most of my assets. So yes, it hit the relevant location for me. If that was the intention, it worked. But again, based on how it played out, it felt as if it broke some conventions previously established by the game.