Range +1

Hmm what are you saying?

Range +1 seems broken for me, if thats it.

olaf

Where does it say +1 parsec?

I have no idea what you're talking about. What exactly is it that you think is a "feature"? All I can make out of your post is that you Ctrl-Ned the game and got a worse location than the last time... since Ctrl-N is a RANDOM map generator, there's no guarantee you'll get something better than last time.

- Ash

~SDC~

Sorry if there was confusion.

My point was that RANGE + 1 seemed broken. It says parsec in the game, but I don't know if that is one square or what.

Today I had a much bigger, richer experience, but that's another story.

I don't have any trouble understanding the concept of randomness. The thing was that after trading away sensors and trading ability for RANGE + 1, I still couldn't reach with colony ships the stars my survey ships could see. That was not fun. I realize it's not about fuel since there are no gas stations in space, but shouldn't a colony ship be equipped to go anywhere?

Today, I saw firsthand what some are claiming to be a defect in the game. You have to militarize! It is a war game, first, last and in between. What I mean is you have to conquer in order to win with tech or culture or alliance. Are there any viable one-world victories? How about peaceful victories?

Since I have the floor here for a minute, I also found a bug in the spying slider. When a new race pops up, take a look and see if your destabilization for the (for example, insert your enemy here) "Drengins" is not now zero, and what you had for them is now what is indicated for the new minor race. That happened to me. I didn't want to spy on the newbie, but all the bc I was spending on Drengin spying just switched over. Not good.

~SDC~

billybaruch1:

Survey ships have a base range of 5, while colony ships have a range of 3. Since 3+1=4<5, picking a 1 parsec range bonus doesn't mean your colony ship will be able to colonize every planet your survey ship can reach. That's just the way it is. Limited ships ranges is a key balancing feature in game, especially on colony ships. The ship ranges are already more than generous as they are right now, and I personally would not mind seeing them reduced a bit to be honest.

The only militarization required in this game is the bare minimum early defense to ward off the oppurtunistic AIs until you can forge a stronger relationship with them later on. You can win without fighting a single battle as it is.

Minor races cannot be spied on or destabilized. The two sliders you see in the minor screen are simply those of the last major race you examined. While it is an annoying interface design oversight, it isn't really a gameplay bug since it has no real impact beyond causing confusion.

Thank you, Za H. What's the game-balancing issue if I colonize a planet only to not defend it? Why couldn't I colonize as much as I want?

I won one simple game with culture, but today I was at war the whole time. I just could not "trick" them into peace. I hope to be able to play a big map and win without conquering... Of course, in the very early game, there are no transports and no one is really able to "rush." They have their own yellows to get, no?

Appreciate the info on the sliders. I think you're right.

~SDC~

The balance problem stems from the difficulty of assaulting planets in the early stages of the game. Even if you don't leave a garrison, the AI still has to research Impulse Drives before it can even construct a Transport and consider invading your planet. By then you could easily have placed a single Defender in orbit, which is literally invulnerable to Star Fighters and Corvettes.

You should consider it a good thing if you can't "trick" the AI into peace. Try making it a serious peace offer next time and see how it goes, or better yet, get close with the AI before it declares war on you. There is no free lunch, and there shouldn't be.

I guess I see the losers in the landgrab as going on the offensive. (Naturally, the winners would be the defenders.) The point re: unavailablility of transports to rush in the very early game needs no repetition. But how would undefended colonies be unbalancing later on?

I really wanted peace, really. I had two bogies, both the strongest in the game. But something about the screens made it impossible to get "green." I tried trade goods and tech, but no go. (:(

If you're saying this game is completely balanced, okay. That's your opinion. But have you never had a time when the AI was determined to exterminate you? Or, have you gotten close to someone who repeatedly demanded tech/money?

In a lot of ways it's the starting position. Also, it's just playing the game so you know.

~SDC~

Undefended colonies in the late game was never an issue here. How exactly do you think they relate to long range colony ships in the early game?

My only suggestion to you regarding diplomacy is to try harder and earlier. Most if not all conflicts can be avoided if you take preventive measures proactively, and that means more than just buttering up to the AI or giving into its demands. If the Drengin are threatening your borders, hire the Altarians to deal with them. You can make yourself a less desirable target just by weakening your opponents after all. Once you establish a few trade routes and convince the AI to follow suite, stability will be much easier to maintain. As trade pacts improve relations over time, you can slowly destabilize your trade partner without him turning on you too.

You wrote: "The balance problem stems from the difficulty of assaulting planets in the early stages of the game."

I agree that, "Undefended colonies in the late game was never an issue here." And I do so because they do not relate to long range colony ships in the early game. Maybe in the in-between game..., or the game that is (supposedly) unbalanced.

Thanks a lot, my friend. Hasta manana.

~SDC~

Regarding militarization - I like that. It's reasonable and plausible that if these races who have their own manifest destinies to rule the galaxy see a weak empire ripe for the picking, they'll pick it. The only way to ensure otherwise is to maintain a standing military sufficient to deter them, or fight them off it fails to deter.

I have played a few games in which I never had to fight. It *is* possible, although part of that really does involve having a military strong enough for the aforementioned deterrence.

~SDC~