Loot random-ness

[Nox]

So I get the whole nethack / rogue aspect of the game. I appreciate that for sure.

The 'enemy chasing you' is sort of like the 'hunger' dynamic in nethack. If you're not moving forward, you're losing time sort of thing.

One issue though that I'm having some trouble with is the extreme random variance and dependence on success in my games of availability of weapons.

I would suggest at the very least, some way of improving the chances of looting enemy weapons. Perhaps though 'capture' and eliminating enemy crew without destroying the ship.

[VladePsyker]

I think the devs are working off the premise that you shouldn't always be able to win because losing is part of the fun if you could work it so you can always get certain weapons or mods then the challenge gets eliminated once you work out the right order to get things.

[Nox]

There's a big difference in game design between challenging and 'difficult'. They appear similar in game play but one reinforces problem solving and the other discourages and eventually leads to frustration.

If you can start the game but there's no way to win because of a random number generator, that's not 'difficult;, it's arbitrary and takes the determination out of the player's hands.

The other option is that the smart player meta-plays, and quits the game after the first two sectors if they haven't obtained the items that put them on the positive curve. Which is more desirable?