Explore Gemini Through An Orion Pilot's Eyes (July 6, 2015)

ChrisReid

Super Soaker Collector / Administrator
Last month we noted how rare thorough video reviews are for Privateer, and then we stumbled across a massive playlist by Necroscope. He's covered the game in fifteen installments that range from about 30-60 minutes each. That's a lot of Gemini Sector action! It starts out covering the basics and then explores the story. The player flies through the game in an Orion, which is a somewhat uncommon choice, so it's nice to see that cockpit on screen for a change. Having such a comprehensive play through at your fingertips is also great if you want to quickly refresh great memories like running the blockade at Palan or exploring the derelict in Delta Prime. Episode 1 is below, and you can check out the entire series here.

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Original update published on July 6, 2015
 
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I never spent much time in Orion. I typically liked to go from the trusty Tarsus to the Galaxy (great cargo space and enough weapons to do some basic patrol missions) before going Centurion.

It's great to see someone log some time in the heavy merc craft!
 
I never spent much time in Orion. I typically liked to go from the trusty Tarsus to the Galaxy (great cargo space and enough weapons to do some basic patrol missions) before going Centurion.

It's great to see someone log some time in the heavy merc craft!
Interesting. I always thought that the Orion was pretty much the standard choice. Actually, it always seemed to me that the Orion was the natural step up from the Tarsus, and it was only after the Orion that you really faced a divergent choice of Galaxy vs. Centurion. I mean, yeah, there's some small things that the Orion can do better than the Centurion or the Galaxy, but it never really felt like there was any real competition between the three. Orion was just a not-so-expensive way to finally leave the Tarsus behind.
 
Buying ship upgrades and selling at a loss always turned me off from any intermediate upgrade. The Tarsus isn't so bad that you can't just give it a couple of tachyon cannons and dual missile launchers (with the appropriate engine/etc to match) and hold out for whatever ship you really want.

It was a different story in Privateer 2. I'd typically go through several ship upgrades to incrementally get the best stats.
 
I love the Orion. It has a really cool sturdy used-future military look to it, and is an all-around good ship, but I always end up trading it in for the Centurion because it's just so fucking slow, still, if you have the patience you can probably do some fairly cool things with it, with its extra shield and engine options plasma guns and such could actually be viable for a change.
 
The Orion is faster-flying than both the Tarsus and the Galaxy, and it has unmatched armor, shields, and reactor power, but the thing that ruins it for me is the inability to fire a dual salvo of guided missiles. Two missiles at once are sufficient to either annihilate a Talon with full shields and armor, or to cripple medium ships (Tarsus, Demon, Salthi, Dralthi).
 
The Orion is faster-flying than both the Tarsus and the Galaxy, and it has unmatched armor, shields, and reactor power, but the thing that ruins it for me is the inability to fire a dual salvo of guided missiles. Two missiles at once are sufficient to either annihilate a Talon with full shields and armor, or to cripple medium ships (Tarsus, Demon, Salthi, Dralthi).

Yeah, and that's something even a Tarsus can do! Ultimately the ships are pretty masterfully balanced, but that's an unfortunate omission.
 
I get torn to shreds so fast it hurts in an orion. I was a tarsus man.. and really the only other thing I stand a chance in is the centurion.
 
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