Deuteros: How to "trigger" the pirate event?

[adalsgaard]

I'm replaying "Deuteros: The Next Millennium" and I would like to unlock all technologies and events along the way.

One of the events is the "triggering" of a warlord becoming a pirate (unlocking the prison pod). However, I can't seem to trigger this event, conquering the fourth solar system.

Does anyone know the prerequisites for this event to occur?


Conquering solar system 1: Unlocks Hyperdrive
Conquering solar system 2: Unlocks PTL
Conquering solar system 3: Triggers solar system storm
Conquering solar system 4: Triggers pirate/unlocks prison pod

[FOL]

Originally Posted by adalsgaard

Conquering solar system 3: Triggers solar system storm
Conquering solar system 4: Triggers pirate/unlocks prison pod

Never noticed these two while completing. I have completed it a few times.

EDIT:- You are talking about millelium 2.2 sequel?

[adalsgaard]

Originally Posted by FOL

EDIT:- You are talking about millelium 2.2 sequel?

Yes, that's the one I'm talking about.

I found an old save game on the internet: The fourth solar system had just been conquered (ie. no more Methanoid occupants). Then, the Methanoid return to capture their station. If I let them do that, a warlord turns into a pirate. However, this does not occur using my own savegame, so apparently I've not done what it takes to "trigger" this event... I have no clue what is to be done (and/or NOT to be done)...

Does anyone know about this "trigger"?

[SpeedGeek]

I have not played it for a long time but I thought the pirates come after a certain amount of game time as long as there are some Methanoids left for them to trade with. I built the prison pod but could never get the pirates to use it. Any ideas? However, once the Methanoids are all gone the pirates have no one left to trade with.

[adalsgaard]

The pirate event/unlocking of the prison pod is "triggered" by the conquering of the fourth solar system, not time.

Like I stated earlier, apparently other parametres must influence this "trigger" as nothing happens (naturally, I've tried waiting but after 1000 time units still nothing has happened). So apparently I missed something or did something the prevent this event from happening... That's why I'm asking what the prerequisites for this "trigger" is?

[bfrnhout]

Adalsgaard your right. I know this could happend. And i also do not know what the real trigger is to let it happend. I had it to once and never again. The problem by me was i could not catch him. because i did not know how to. The prison pod saw research and made but i never had the change to capture him. At the end of the game when i did conquer all the systems the pirate was not found but the game was over. So what did happend with him i do not know.
It was pretty anoying because he was attacking me more then the methanoids did. And a lot of time he did conquer the stations back for the methanoids.

[Neil79]

Has anyone of you got the save file with the " jukebox in it " ? could upload the save file for me

thanks

[adalsgaard]

After experimenting and testing A LOT(!), I'm finally convinced that I know just about everything there is to know about triggering "the pirate event".

First, there are two aspects to consider here:
1. Unlocking the "pirate event".
2. The actual triggering of a pilot turning to a pirate.

Unlocking the event is quite simple (and known already): Conquer the entire fourth solar system (The Sun excluded from this count). It doesn't matter which four systems (for example, they could be Proxima, Sirius, Lalande and Centauri). Now, let's trigger the event...

The prerequisites for this trigger is:
- A Warlord in the cockpit of Star Class Galleon (S.C.G.)
- The S.C.G. must be in orbit of a planet (it doesn't matter if an orbital station is present, however, it's most likely that it's there, considering the next requirement).
- 250 tons of spare HeD fuel (meaning that 251 tons need to be fuelled onto the ship prior to the take off from an orbital station. Naturally, you can't travel from this point.).
- Being in control of at least two orbital stations in that particular solar system.
- No personnel present in the cargo hold of the S.C.G. (for example, a Cryo pod containing marines or production personnel will stop the trigger).

The trigger itself:
- Leave one orbital station unprotected.
- Let the Methanoid conquer the unprotected orbital station.
- Instant result: A pirate ship.

It's important to highlight that this can occur in any of the solar systems. However, the soon-to-be pirate has to be present in the system where you allow the Methanoids to conquer a station. Meaning: It won't work, having the potential pirate in orbit of Earth and letting the Methanoids conquer a station at the Centauri solar system. The ship needs to be located in Centauri, then.

I've tested other various suggestions, lying around the internet and a lot of them are now "busted" (ie. they were not verified and just guesses, at best). Examples: "It needs to be a warship", "there MUST be an orbital station present", "there's a time trigger for the event" etc.

Have fun catching the guy...

[adalsgaard]

I've learnt that "triggering" the pirate ship doesn't necessarily trigger the research team coming up with a fast solution for the problem (inventing the prison pod). If the pirate just sits in orbit at the station the Methanoids re-took, it will take the research team 1008 days to come up with the idea for a prison pod.
However, if the pirate is "active" and initiates the self destruct mechanism of one of your orbital stations, it'll take the research team only 16 days to come up with the same idea.

So, there are potentially two issues to deal with here: 1) How to get an inactive pirate moving and 2) how to get the pirate to initiate the self destruct mechanism of an orbital station.
Naturally, I assume that at least one orbital station is under your control and another (the one the pirate is at) is under Methanoid control.

Getting the pirate to move to your station:
If your pirate is just sitting in orbit at the Methanoid station, it's because you're not using the right bait: IOS Drones. If you have at least 5 IOS Drones at your orbital station (in the stores) the pirate will come to that particular station. Quite useful knowledge... Now you're in control of when and where he is to go! To get him to sit still again, transfer all IOS Drones out of the solar system.

Getting the pirate to initiate the self destruct mechanism:
OK, the pirat is on the move... He'll dock with your station, tangle with your M.T.X. and steal your resources (titanium is his favorite). As long as he can dock with your station, he'll be happy, doing nothing else than stealing resources. However, if you block the SpaceDock permanently (having a spacecraft docked there), eventually the pirate will be so annoyed that he (somehow) starts the self destruct mechanism. Shut it off again and 16 days later, you'll be able to research the prison pod.

Knowing this, makes it really easy to catch him shortly after, he emerged:
1) Make sure you have at least 5 IOS Drones at one of your stations (just this one) in that system. The pirate will only go there, then.
2) Block the SpaceDock with any shuttle. The pirate will eventually start the self destruct mechanism. Shut if off.
3) Transfer the IOS Drones out of the solar system. The pirate will go back to the Methanoid orbital station and stay there.
4) Research the prison pod, build it. Transfer it to your station in the fourth solar system (if you didn't build it there). Also, build and/or transfer a Tool Pod.
5) The trap is ready. Transfer at least 5 IOS Drones to your orbital station. The pirate is "activated". Wait at the SpaceDock and advance time click by click.
6) When you see the shuttle at the SpaceDock, click on a vacant crew field and the pirate is moved off the ship.
7) Go to any of the Supply Pods and replace it with a Tool Pod.
8) Put the prison pod onto the ToolPod.
9) Click on the prison pod, select the pirate crew and right-click the mouse immediately. The pirate is caught.

Whether or not the pirate is "useful" later on, I do not know... Yet.

[bfrnhout]

Hey guys. Don't mind me for my bad enlish.
The pirates are not very usefull, but if you want your research list to be full is handy.
The pirates is more anoying. They wil attach you stations regulary. While they do not lose the drones en you do. That is that they replanice the supply, the same way you do.
But its a nice way of be busy.
BTW for the people who do not know it I am busy to remake this game just for the PC.