Topic: What would achievements be like in D3?

[Matthew]

I think it's kind of a shame how unfinished the starhawk is, really. Just one of the many things that didn't make the cut.

[VANGUARD]

I like the name over Phoenix. It's like the early development name. Does the name bother others?

[VANGUARD]

I agree.

Yes, in the installation routine, and in the Descent 3 guide that came with the game, the graphic is there that is clearly the shape of the Phoenix is labeled as "Starhawk Interceptor" ... which is generally accepted to be possibly an error during the creation of the guide and the installer, or was an idea that was later changed as creation of Descent 3 was completed, or is one of the concept art pieces during Descent 3 development.

Whatever.  In the actual game, and in levels that use the dark bird shaped craft, that dark bird shaped craft is the "Starhawk" and we all know what the Phoenix looks like.

it's that rare thing that makes it special  

99% of the people see it one way, and yet, in one place, almost like an Easter egg, it shows something else  

I wonder if "The Phoenix (formally known as the 'Starhawk Inteceptor') from Descent 3" is too much there, hmm...

I guess it doesn't matter too much.

more on topic, I guess the achievements would never happen. its cool in one way, but not needed. Nice to have some games use those, but like C.O.D. Modern Warfare, they don't use it at all.

[Kaiaatzl]

I like the name over Phoenix. It's like the early development name. Does the name bother others?

Only that it's used for a different ship in the Descent Universe (a ship that you never fly, but you can fight in missions like Army of Haloon).
Just make sure people understand what you're talking about.

[VANGUARD]

I know what you mean, but I thought all veteran Descenters knew this.  
I am far from a vet, and I knew it  

back on topic, more achievements

A true Veteran: type in the name of what the phoenix ship was going to be called

sorry; had to say it  

what else?

can't think of a name, but one where you only use primary weapons; another being only using secondary.
unnecessary roughness: Smack (#) of gyro bots against the wall using a mass driver.

[Scyphi]

Here's how I saw the issue of the Phoenix: It was initially named "Starhawk Interceptor" very early in the development of the game (when they no doubt had more concepts than they had actual game) but then decided they didn't want to use the name for the player ship for whatever reason, and dubbed it the Phoenix instead. But, not wanting to part with the original name, they gave it to a different object, possibly with the plan of using it in-game, but those plans never came to light.

Really, though, when you get right down to it, this is all speculation on our parts. It's possible that none of us have gotten it right about the truth behind these two ships.

And it's also right what wazzazzle said, that Descent has issues keeping it's facts straight. I personally take a lot of this nit-picky details people have mentioned (like when the Phoenix was developed and released) with a grain of salt because it doesn't seem logical to me. For example, I personally think that in a logical world, the CED would have been using the Phoenix for awhile, probably well before the official "start" of D3, but that's just me.

BTW, isn't the Phoenix's official name still the "Phoenix Interceptor" in-game? I seem to recall it being referred to as such in at least one briefing, probably more. If so, then that would suggest that there's some kind of connection between it and the Starhawk.

@ Omega: Out of curiosity, and don't take this the wrong way, but what do you see in the CED that you like so much? For an organization that's supposed to prevent terrorism and keep the peace, they aren't very good at it. Most of the terrorism that takes place in D3 is the CED's own fault. At times Dravis was getting them to do all the dirty work for him frightfully easily. They don't investigate anything, they just bring all batteries to bear at the first person who gets the blame, right or wrong. Don't get me wrong, the CED are no doubt cool in their own right, being the prominent military organization and all of that, it's just from a real-world viewpoint, they aren't very good at their jobs.

[VANGUARD]

Memory serves you well: Type in the original cheat enabler code for Descent

I think Doom 3 had something like that, typing in IDDQD, it saying in the console "memory serves you well."

[NUMBERZero]

* Omega cracks out the books and the game.

The CED usually has a 0 tollerance policy for terrorists and the like. The PTMC looked like it was innocent at the time because Dravis was able to produce damming evidence that the MD assassinated Suzuki. (The MD infiltrated the city, blew up police bots, destroyed PTMC security, killed PTMC mercenaries, and sent up the package and was tracked leaving. Then the place blows up moments later so it had to be a bomb. (Think about it from the CED's prospective, how could it possibly not be a bomb? Would someone do all that just to stop by and say "hey?" ))
Then the CED went after Red Acropolis very quickly in the main game and the book. I like their swiftness.

Dravis is the one who was pretty much pulling everyone's strings. He even had president Suzuki of the PTMC running scared. That goes into detail in the books, but it can be implied in game because how can Dravis get away with manipulating the virus without the president's knowledge? Suzuki did not have enough evidence to incriminate Dravis nor could he go dig some up for fear of Dravis finding out and assassinating him. Once the MD got the evidence to Suzuki, he could have used that, but Dravis found out anyway!
And no, The Enemy Within is not canon.

Bottom line, Dravis is the only real bad guy. The PTMC itself isn't bad. He was just able to use the PTMC's resources to aid him in his galactic conquest and to avert suspicious eyes.

I'll touch on the ending real fast. It is better explained in the book as to why the station was blown up. The Material Defender was to go on a suicide mission to try to stop the virus by (insert Material Defender and Dravis confrontation cutscene here). If he failed, the CED would be forced to destroy the station in order to destroy the robots' forward base in orbit. They ended up doing so in the book beacuse the MD was slightly late. Also, the human crew of the station was following Dravis's scheme so they were manning the weapons. They are not seen firing in the cutscene, but WHY NOT have any weapons? Freaking Pyro is a flying armory, why not any on the station???


Descent 3's story is a lot thicker than everyone is led to believe




SO! Now that we know that the CED couldn't have known any better, here are the reasons why I like them.

Dominant military force with lots of ships and a cool design for their flagship
Defends Earth
Starhawk!
Deciseveness
Zero tollerance for terrorists.
Awesome logo
Favorite levels in Descent 3

[VANGUARD]

there's a book on this? I am not saying the book is bad. It may be a GREAT book. the only thing I have with books, movies, tv shows and or games, is what is the real story? I think Penumbra is the same way and with the Wikipedia information. "According to this, this is what happened."

I just want to say that MD was trying to find the right place to deliver a pizza, and at the end of Level 4, and start of 5, a lot of Phoenix ships stormed the Red Acropolis because they were getting impatient and didn't leave a tip.

why I said all that, I don't know.

Be kind of neat to see that book actually, see what it says.

[SaladBadger]

the book is not always really considered canon, though, as it was written by a person who's name isn't the Descent 3 Writer('s team), as far as I am aware.

[NUMBERZero]

Actually, most of my facts there were based off the game and not the book. The book just helped me to understand a little better. All of this can be duducted from the game. I didn't even need to mention the book.

[Kaiaatzl]

I have the third book but I NEED the first two.

[Matthew]

And this is why Zero is not in charge of anything with weapons.

[NUMBERZero]

Matt, you need to sit down and move that crap out of Descent.
If you've got a problem somewhere else, you need to keep confined there.

[Matthew]

Settle down, it wasn't meant to be taken seriously...