[Slick]

I love the demo! What a great game! Thanks for starting this great thread. I have some questions based on the demo; the real thing is in the mail. Let's start with my top 10 issues.

1) Is there any advantage to upgrading a bridge? It seems not. What about upgrading Crew Quarters and Life Support - do higher levels affect crew or repairs or recovery from toxins or anything?

2) Those colored clouds (or are they storms?), do they have any other effects other than obscuring sight and/or sensors? I am thinking about the storms in SE4 where some storms make shields useless, etc. Any storm effects?

3) Is there a damage radius around stars? i.e. you get too close and take damage? Been too chicken to find out.

4) Is there a component that counters the effects of Toxic Injectors? Is this in the demo?

5) I *think* I had a problem upgrading engines. I installed 1 Contra Terrine engine with the remainder as Ion Engines. I *think* the CT engine was downgraded to an Ion engine in a similar fashion to the effect in SE4 where you only get engine bonuses if all engines are the same type (not necessarily same level). I eventually stored CT engines in my cargo area until I could replace them all at the same time. Is this the way it works?

6) What is the exact effect of carrying and/or selling contraband? I was fired upon by friendlies when carrying it. Once I dropped it, they stopped firing on me. If I had sold it, would I have been permanently labeled as a pirate or do the authorities forget about your behavior once you get rid of contaband? Is there a "lawful status" like in Elite? If so, is how do you clean your record? In Elite, you just had to be lawful for a while.

7) I picked up some components that I don't know what they do. They may just be generic cargo for cargo missions. One was an Ice Melter or some such thing. It couldn't be installed on a ship and didn't seem to have any properties. One was a Magnetic Thingamajig; same question. Or are some components only able to be installed on some ships, but not others?

8) I am able to use organic armor. This seems wrong (using SE4 rules) because I am not an organic race. Are there race restrictions and/or special techs that only some races can use?

9) Are there minesweeping components in the full Version? Also, why are mines visible? Again this seems wrong using SE4 rules.

10) What does the "Negotiation" skill do for you? Does it increase profits for selling equipment and for doing missions? Seems worthless because points are better spent elsewhere IMHO.

Thanks in advance. Maybe I'll have more questions later.

Slick.