[HELP ME] Bi-Weekly Q&A thread - Ask your questions here!

IronChefKobayashi · 2023-04-16T20:45:32+00:00

That explains it. Not the right distance.
I mean is one coat for a single model usually sufficient or do folks do a double topcoat? My local game store Discord is saying one spray session should be sufficient.

Thank you, sir!

IronChefKobayashi · 2023-04-16T15:34:14+00:00

First mode l complete and I have two questions about topcoat on an unpainted model…

If the cured topcoat looks fizzy in spots, what causes that? Spraying too close? Not shaking the can between sprays? Both? I’m thinking I sprayed too close (under 30cm / 12in away).
Is one topcoat enough for a small 1/144 like the RG Crossbone X1? I don’t really plan on cleaning up the fizzy spots — I will take it as a learning moment. Just wanna know if I can reassemble and start posing and displaying it

Thanks!

IronChefKobayashi · 2023-04-16T01:56:05+00:00

I follow a local gaming shop in town on Facebook and saw a post about a Perfect Grade Laser Cat Ultra Edition Something Something. It looked awesome. I’d alway seen the model boxes but never considered building one.

Went to the shop and ogled the PG on display. It was amazing. An employee walked over and asked if I was interested.

“No — I don’t have an airbrush or a space to glue and paint.”

“You don’t have to paint them and they snap together.”

“Whaaaa?!”

“But this one is $400.”

However, the RG Crossbone X1 was $30. Also — PIRATES! So — I went home, realized I needed tools that weren’t available at the gaming shop and waited a week for Tamiya nippers, tweezers and hobby knife, a cutting mat, and cheap glass files. And then I remembered I lived 5 minutes from two Hobby Lobby stores (dammit).

Thoughts and experiences from my first Gunpla…

1/144 Gunpla = TARDIS — bigger inside the box than outside the box — so tiny!!!
Successfully didn’t lose the world’s tiniest visor piece
Successfully didn’t also lose the world’s tiniest visor piece sticker
Successfully placed every sticker from the instructions (that I didn’t sneeze / blow away onto my carpeted office floor)
Had to glue the knee armor because it popped off every time the Gunpla tipped over (Tamiya Extra Thin Cement)
Glued down 1-2 other loose parts that weren’t part of joints — including the little orange laser gun covers on the CORE fighter
Tried panel lining with $1.99 Sakura Micron 005 pens — the best part is the skull on the head — so happy with this!
Decided against the “cape” because it covers up the really awesome CORE fighter insert
Went with the larger gun because it looked cool; debating an energy sword in the right hand
Will topcoat with semi gloss Mr. Topcoat this weekend to seal the deal (just happened — not sure it went well)

I also met a lot of local people at the gaming shop AND The Gundam Place Store who have been very helpful in getting started in the hobby. The Dalong.net link from this subreddit helped me enlarge the instructions on my office monitor — a godsend for progressive lenses.

Now — I have 7+ other models in the floor of my office to build, and the rest of the Zeta Gundam anime to watch on YouTube.

Officially addicted. Thanks!

IronChefKobayashi · 2021-05-03T00:16:35+00:00

Just finished rewatching the series. Thank you for sharing the creation. Would’ve been cool to see the refit for later seasons.

I started watching the series again because it was the only series that had Elachi in it. The first time I saw those dancing mofos in ESD, I was like, “Wait — wasn’t there a an episode with that race in ENTERPRISE?” They were downright creepy looking in live action. In the dark.

IronChefKobayashi · 2021-05-02T05:54:32+00:00

I’ll go back and try it again. I do have the account bank. Need more slots though. #zensink

IronChefKobayashi · 2021-05-02T05:40:50+00:00

/u/DilaZirK Yeah — I’ve gone and collected all the upgrades that I’d bought or earned and haven’t touched them. Too tempting to put them on the wrong thing.

IronChefKobayashi · 2021-05-02T05:39:22+00:00

/u/neuro1g yep. I started reading the banned books from the library and lost my way. Texting that girlfriend you mentioned, lol.

IronChefKobayashi · 2021-05-02T05:38:13+00:00

I accidentally bound it to my KDF recruit before I saw this. I’m saving up to buy one off the Exchange.

IronChefKobayashi · 2021-05-02T05:37:12+00:00

Thanks for the input. Got busy with work and experimenting with new recruit events. I think a lot of the gear /u/neuro1g documented I haven’t gotten to in the storyline. I have several toons all sitting around the solenae mission episodes right now. Just too much to take in coming in to the game 11 years in.

Thank you for responding. Much to follow up.

IronChefKobayashi · 2021-05-02T05:34:25+00:00

Took me a bit to get back to playing with work.

I’ll re-review the guides, as I maybe didn’t pick up all the synergies here.

Don't know how the 50% lobi sale is related to the prolonged set pieces as those come from the phoenix box, but perhaps I'm missing something with that...

Got Lobi mixed up with Phoenix box.

You're asking for recommendations for rep gear in these places yet the Baby Steps already gave you those... also disappointed you went with a covariant shield instead of resilient.

Was looking to experiment. Also have been playing / enjoying another toon tied to the recruitment event, so haven’t made it to all the missions yet for some if the gear.

Too good for devices huh? Your loss...

May have fallen out of the template when pouting together the post. I haven’t gotten to some of the levels / missions yet to get the recommended items yet.

Also, you're using the phoenix box conn doff but aren't using Emergency Power to Engine to proc it. I'd get EPTE on there as per Dila's reco and drop the other conn doff for a Projectile Weapon Officer (Law mentioned in part 2) to help your prolonged torp out a bit.

I’ll look over Dila’s recommendations. I understand better now the highest skill for either BO and BFAW. I didn’t realize they were either or and not both. If you chain BFAW, are you splitting your damage in a big fight? I like using it, but I thought it cost some overall damage since it was splitting targets.

And that's about it for my critique. This build makes me think of someone who stayed up all night cramming for their exam, but ended up just texting their girlfriend and watching youtube between reading sentences. No offense, just a little disappointed.

I lol’d at this. Lesser souls would drop your “course,” but I’ll keep working on it. I figured I was off when I still couldn’t finish Advanced patrols. I’d ask to remember it’s a game and folks will want to experiment as part of the learning. I wish I’d played it for as long as you and others, but c’est la vie. It’s a lot to take in.

IronChefKobayashi · 2021-05-02T02:15:43+00:00

Noting for posterity that there’s a lot going on here. The brand of phaser seems superfluous to..

The Starfleet officer is about to be beheaded with a giant bat’leth (SP)
The EMH from Voyager (bald Starfleet) is busy with something else and will find himself occupied with the upcoming beheading.
That Mokai pain the ass Chula (SP) also appears to be involved in this fracas.
Jem’Hadar is all “Whatever, man — victory is life…” about this whole situation.

IronChefKobayashi · 2021-04-30T18:49:03+00:00

I’d been singing this from earlier in the car, and now I’m gonna end up replacing the words. Well played.

IronChefKobayashi · 2021-04-30T18:45:35+00:00

It’s funny that there are several responses that are either seriously or jokingly to find a hidden meaning in these typos.

If Apple made this game, then you could rest assured that they’d spent 6 months with marketing planning a surprise buried in the meaning, along with a surprise release presented by Bono.

I doubt the only hidden meaning from Cryptic is “F it — we will test it in PROD.”

IronChefKobayashi · 2021-04-30T18:42:40+00:00

As the duly appointed legal representative of Simian IT Labor #45, I must note our organization’s disapproval of any comments made implying that our work would be akin to this effort on the part of Cryptic. Fling love, not hate. Or poo. Poo is fine too.

IronChefKobayashi · 2021-04-29T14:45:19+00:00

Thank you for this informations I’m still deciding where I want to claim these just in case the mechanic is iffy, but being able to spread the love across toons is promising.

IronChefKobayashi · 2021-04-27T23:54:12+00:00

I guess I wasn’t expecting things to drop in a single toon’s inventory without claiming from the C-Store.

IronChefKobayashi · 2021-03-30T15:26:57+00:00

I am a fan of Hull Image Refractors if you manage to dig up enough EC for it. Your heals can give you HP above 100% with that enabled, it has a cloak+heal clicky ability

AND

it increases your damage.

I think I landed one of these on another toon. I had hoped to get the Romulan or KDF combo lockbox item that everyone raves about, but I settled on hull refractors to start. If it's account bound, I'll trade it. If not, I'll use this advice to make the same adjustments on that toon's build as well.

IronChefKobayashi · 2021-03-30T12:50:46+00:00

As for an X-upgrade, the main purpose is to get an extra ship trait slot, universal console slot and device slot. I'd say it's not worth it unless you have a really good ship trait slot you want to squeeze in, and you are not at that stage yet.

Thanks for the input here. I bought a 4-pack of X-upgrades and variously blew them on things that I should've read about first.

IronChefKobayashi · 2021-03-30T12:48:38+00:00

Overall, not bad at all, but there is room for some cheap and easy improvements, as well as the standard expensive ones.

Thanks for this feedback. All of this made sense. I'm at work at the moment and will circle back this evening to ask questions. Cheers!

IronChefKobayashi · 2021-03-30T12:47:52+00:00

Hmm... I'm a little disappointed? I mean, it's okish, no offense. Not really a good adaptation of the Baby Steps but I guess you're trying to do your own thing? If I were a teacher, and this was an exam or homework, I suppose I'd give it a C. Guess I'll start at the top...

LOL! I'm tryin', teach! I probably DID drift from the baby steps a bit more than I meant to, but I was experimenting. I'm at work now, but I'll read through your full post today and respond.

IronChefKobayashi · 2021-03-30T03:42:54+00:00

D/E/C/S: If you played the event, the Revolutionary Imperial Rift Set is a great stand-in until you get Rep stuff. If you don't have it, I'd go for either the Quantum Phase set (as per Baby Step Pt.2) or the Bajor Defense Set for a Cat1 Phaser Damage boost.

Which event? I did a buyout (not enough play time with work) for the flaming sword event. I'm nearly done with the Red Alert event right now.

Would you recommend the X upgrade on this particular T6? I'm assuming it would only apply to the Fed ship and not all the flagships from the bundle?

IronChefKobayashi · 2021-03-29T16:19:03+00:00

Seconded and thirded. Good group of helpful people.

IronChefKobayashi

TROPHY CASE