Several questions from a GH2 newbie

[kcwong]

I used to play GH1 (and completed it once), and a while ago I started GH2. There are several things I can't figure out...

1. How do you create a robot? The Robotic skill is gone. I tried using Science on various objects (armor, repair fuel, computers) to no avail. What items do I need exactly?

2. From searching this forum I found mention of Innovation talent, which requires 10 Mecha Engineering. But what does it do?

3. On a spinner I received a henchman's diary. It seems to require Insight skill, which I do not have. How should I continue this quest?

4. How many renown is required for the performance quest? I took "next step" twice, but I have now 50 renown and he still say I need more. How come people say that this quest is too easy to complete early on?

5. I found majority of available lancemates to be extremely weak... barely over 10 in stats, and very low skills all around. In fact I went back to my home and recruited my mother to be my second lancemate. I found one good lancemate that still has less stats than my mom, but 1 higher in most skills. He comes with a Savin, while I'm still using Daum, Trailblazer and Ice Wind... he also has combat spacesuits which I haven't seen before. Are lancemates all random, or are there places I can go to find good ones?

6. Is the amount of lancemate slots tied to the main quest? I have never added my Charm but I was able to recruit my mom after a few chapters. When will I get more?

7. When I test the new lancemates, I told my mom to quit. She refused to join back, so I reloaded. How does rejoining work? Will she agree to join if I wait a bit?


I uploaded my save here, if anyone want to take a look:
http://www.box.net/shared/2fb4uhmrrf (No registration required)

[Frumple]

1. Get science to 10. This will allow you to purchase a new talent, Robotics. Then things work mostly along the lines as they did in GH1, with some new particulars.

2. Innovation lets you exceed the component limit in limbs. Basically, it (more or less) lets mech engineering function like it does in GH1, in regards to sticking stuff in limbs/body/etc.

3. Check rumors. Somewhere on the spinner is a person you can pay to investigate the diary and tell you where to go.

4. Can't answer this one. Haven't gotten around to running a performance character, at least not one that did the quests.

5. Lancies are pretty random, yes. Iirc, they scale with your renown to some degree, so you're more likely to find better ones later in the game or from particularly difficult missions, etc. There's some set NPCs you might be able to recruit, but I can't remember the how or where of it. You'd probably need camaraderie.

6. Lancemate slots are tied to a series of quests in the privateer's guild. I think it is tied to episode to some degree, in when you get to take 'em, but it might be renown instead. Can't remember at the moment.

7. Memory's failing me right now... there should be a sort of 'wait here' option when dealing with lancies. If not, they should rejoin without much issue providing you still have what it takes to recruit them. If renown or reputation (Press @) has changed a lot since you recruited them, you might not.