Re: different types of sensors
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">That would be a perfect super-spy ship for James Bond http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Re: different types of sensors
 

You can always try P&N PBW, which has separate and distinct needs for all the scanner types. Of course, the AI can not handle this well, which is the main reason why all scanners are the same in stock SE4. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

Re: different types of sensors
 

I just had an idea to look in components.txt to see what abilities are listed for all of this stuff. Here is what I found out:

Combat Sensors (first 3 levels of the Sensors research path) add to your attack probability. None of the other sensors have this ability, so you always need to have your best combat sensors on board to get the best attack bonus.

Tachyon Sensors give Active EM scanning ability (3 levels).

Hyper-Optics give Passive EM scanning ability (3 levels).

Gravitic Sensors, Psychic Receptors, and Temporal Sensors all give the respective scanning abilities, 3 levels each.

Cloaking Devices prevent scanning by all of the above, at 3 ability levels.

So, bottom line is that Tachyon, Hyper-Optic, Gravitic, Psychic and Temporal Sensors are all redundant to each other - if you have one kind, you don't need the others. Just research whichever of these kinds has the cheapest research path for your race and the other techs you have researched.

What really bugs me is that Gravitic Sensors are in the same research path as Tachyon, at a higher level, so you need to research Tachyon first. Since the level 1 Gravitic Sensor is actually not as good as the level 3 Tachyon Sensor that comes right before it on the path, it is actually an expensive step down, not up.

Unless there is some tech that will block Tachyon sensors but not block Gravitic, I cannot see why anyone would ever want to waste the extra research points getting Gravitic when they have to get Tachyon first on that same path.

This all refers to the unmodded game, of course. Imperator Fyron mentioned that some mods change these, but I haven't tried any yet. Still trying to figure out the basics. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

SpaceBadger

Re: different types of sensors
 

This is one of those intended features that didn't quite work out. I am fairly certain that MM originally planned for the various scanners to be different, but due to AI problems, nixed the idea in beta. Of course, I was not a beta tester, so I may well be wrong on that. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

Also, where are you getting Gravitic and Tachyon scanners being in the same tech path? Tachyon require Sensors 4-6, which requires Physics 1. Gravitic requires Gravitational Technology 1-3, which reqiures Astrophysics 2. They are not at all on the same tech path.

[ September 15, 2003, 21:12: Message edited by: Imperator Fyron ]

Re: different types of sensors
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Hmm, my faulty memory, I guess. I could have sworn that I got Gravitic Sensors in the next level of Sensors research after Tachyon 3. Guess I was mistaken.

OK, all please diregard mini-rant below re Tachyon and Gravitic Sensors on same path. Oops! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/blush.gif

SpaceBadger

Re: different types of sensors
 

SpaceBadger just in case you didn't know tachyon sensor costs more than any other sensors I think it cost you min.2500 rad.1100 now the other sensors cost min.1500 rad.500 they all scan the same way so I don't use tachyon sensors anymore.As you can guess I'm cheap http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

P.S a friend of mine said the name Space Weasel fits me because I can be alittle tricky in the game [like blowing up his star when we agreed on a treaty before the game started http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif ]so what do you think the SpaceBadger and the Space Weasel together roaming the solar systems? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif