ALL REVIEWS

Mission Name Vasudan Training Episode 1 File v-trainr1.fsm
Author Laser Ray Release Date 11/17/98
Players 1 Campaign No
Mission Type Training Addons none
Reviewer Ouroboros Review Date 11/16/98
User Rating 72% Staff Rating 2.0 Stars

Description
You are the first Terran to attend Vasudan training. This training has Apollo drones and an Aten drone attacking you. Also, it has cargo to scan. Features a fully-functional Instructor that is training to be an instructor. Also, I hope the briefing will at least be good.

Storyline: 2.0 Stars
Not a bad idea, although the briefing says that the player is a new <i>Vasudan</I> pilot. That briefing is not so amazing, but it is passable, aside from a major overuse of commas.

Balance: 2.5 Stars
Normally, I'd smash VTraining for being so hopelelessly easy, but this <i>is</I> a training mission. It is kinda easy even then, however, because the player is invincible and the Aten "Drone" can't do any damage, defeating the purpose of training as replication of possible battlefield conditions. Also, the only opposition consists of Amazon Training Drones, which fall apart like paper mache even without invincibility.

Design: 2.0 Stars
I really must protest a few elements of design here. First, why invulnerability? This is totally unneeded and makes the enemy far too easy to wipe out, and the Aten is no threat at all. Also, the Amazons can be smashed quite effortlessly, even for a new player. Prehaps a few "drone" fighters would be better? Still, at least all events and messages are properly done.

Gameplay: 1.5 Stars
"Gameplay" is a relative term, since a Training mission isn't made for fun. However, it seemed to be a rather bad teacher for dogfighting since the Amazons are simple to kill even without the player being untouchable, and cruiser-killing is not a skill learned because of that same invulnerability. There are no messages instructing the player on technique as there should be, and no mention is made of the need to scan some cargo boxes.

Other Thoughts:
None, really.

Bottom Line: A badly-done training mission in an Anubis.
Highs: Lets you try an Anubis, first attempt at a training mission by a user...
Lows: But maybe that's because Volition covered it all and anyone downloading missions is experienced enough as it is. There are quite few attempts to assist a new player in learning the game, etc.
Rating: 2.0 Stars
User Rating: 72%


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