Calculations
 

What things do you calculate in a game. I mean actually calculate, not just estimate?

Some things that I calculate:

- 150% cost for optimum retrofitting

- I figure out what my allies are producing based on the trade amount for a TA or higher, using my political savvy

- I'll figure out what is the best resource facility to put on a planet. For example: If the planet has 107% minerals and 130% organics and I need minerals, I'll calculate the losses for reduced farming characteristic and resource conversion to see if I'll still make more minerals in the end by building farms.

- I'll figure out the break-even point on when the best time to build Mineral Scanners, Eco-Farms, Colliders, or Robotoids while filling a planet with facilities. Now that Robotoids give smaller bonuses than the individual bonus facilities, it makes a big difference. Same for figuring the right time to build a spaceyard.

- I'll occasionally calculate the range for a ship. Either 1-way suicide mission or return to nearest Resupply Depot; factoring in any solar collectors, etc. Before quantum reactors are available, of course.

- I'll calculate the break even point for building a monolith over a standard resource facility. The planet really needs to have very high percentages in all 3 resources for the break even point to be worth it.

There are probably other things that don't come to mind right now. I'm interested in what other people do.

Re: Calculations
 

I don't calculate much.

I always calculate movement (turn on option) to destinations (but who doesn't?)

I always calculate retrofitting so a ship (NOT specialty ships like stellar, etc.) can be built in ONE turn less with the least amount of retrofitted price.

If I have ancient and am playing against a single opponent and "borders" have been expablished, I go through each of his systems calculating how many facs he can build against how many I have available "on my side".

In KOTH games with a medium starting planet, I calculate (in the early turns) the minimum number of engines a ship needs to colonize a planet in the same number of turns as if it had all engines mounted. (in other words, if it is 2 away, I put on 3 engines; if the planet is 7 away, I put on 4 engines).

Re: Calculations
 

I mostly just calculation how long before my ships will run out of supplies, VERY important with a QNP system like Adamant. The results are surprising sometimes. Every so often I'll build a nice fancy 10 speed ship only to find out that it will run dry in only 3 turns. What's really bad is when I DON'T catch it and I send the design to production. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/mad.gif Occasionally I'll figure out how many resource facilities I need before I build a resource booster, but most of the time I just take a guess.

Re: Calculations
 

I never calculate things, but if a ship runs out of supply I simply have it limp back home for 72 turns or so. If I send out an explorer and it has just under 50% of its supplies, I sometimes send it back as well, but only sometimes. I also never put supply tanks on my ships (big mistake, I know). I DO however put QRs on them if available.

My late game deepscouts are usually as follows:
-MC Lvl III 20kT
-QR 20kT
-Max-level cloak 40kT
=80kT
-+70kT QEIII
=150kT
=1 Escort. Very handy spy ship if the enemy has no sensors.

Re: Calculations
 

If I calculate anything at all, I do it subconsciously (sp?). I just play.

Turin

Re: Calculations
 

About the only calcs I do are checking that I don't have silly priced ships, say costing 3000 minerals when most shipyards can only build at 2900 a year.

Ohh and I also occasionaly do a quick and dirty calc if mineral scanners and suchlike are worth it.

Re: Calculations
 

I will often work warship designs down in increments of 150% in the late game to facilitate conversions, and find I'll do lots of fiddling with units when I've a good idea where the enemy will strike and I've only one or two turn of construction (at least if I've a chance to save the planet).

Re: Calculations
 

Slick, we must be on the same wavelength, because I was going to ask folks how much they calculate stuff. I guess I am more on Turin's side of things... But I need to be doing more number crunching I think.

Re: Calculations
 

I calculate nearby everything, like the max pop I cant get from a planet (in order to havce max pop next turn), I calculate in Tactical the effect of advancing one square, I calculate my space yard rate at the beginning to fit into the construction of monolithe or ripper beam WP, etc...

I don't think it's really worth the effort, but I like...

Re: Calculations
 

How much detail are we talking about 'calculating' in tactial here? I mean I'd imagine most people think about it rather than doing an AI and charging straight it. Are we talking working out changes in % to hit or something even more in depth?

Re: Calculations
 

Well, I calculate the average dommage I will do and the average dommage I will take for every move. I also look at the future - if I shoot then retreat, I take into account the fact that at some time I will no more be able to retreat. Sometime it's worth taking some long-range shot in order to be later in the corner

Re: Calculations
 

The only thing I really calculate is supply usage, because it's so damd annoying to have a ship limp back at 1 move/turn

Re: Calculations
 

I just wait until I'm about halfway down in supplies and turn the ship around... Or plan on it going way out (3/4 supply) and then head back to my next planned outpost/resupply area.

Re: Calculations
 

Let's put it this way. I normally have the windohs calculator up when I'm playing. I don't us it that frequently, but it's nice to alt-tab to bring up the calculator to quickly crunch some numbers.

I'd say that "calculation" is coming up with an exact number, not an estimate. Some people can do such things in their heads; guys like me who are nursing his last semi-functioning brain cell use a calculator.

Re: Calculations
 

I usually don't care enough to make any calculations, but I do try to max out production and construction bonuses whenever possible.

Re: Calculations
 

I use a TI-89 because it's oftenly more handy than the window calc -that is not very esay to use for me.

Re: Calculations
 

I calculate nothing myself: I simply evaluate everything, ranging from the mundane (organics vs minerals, where the factor is usually "organic value > 2 mineral value") to the more eccentric (figuring out how well the other side is doing through the Ancient trait (colony number), number of systems under control, and the score).

Even retroseries are usually done by hand: I am too lazy to take a calculator for such purposes. Now, I merely need to figure the formula for psychological warfare, and nothing will stand on my way to the Throne! (Well, except Primitive, but he isn't around, so I am free to wreak as much mayhem as I wish)

Re: Calculations
 

I use a calculator to figure out whether I can do a straight retrofit or need a retroseries.

Re: Calculations
 

The first few times through a version or a mod, I will calculate weapon damage/round as well as ranges, damages and hit percentages in Tactical combat. However, when playing strategic combat only, I normally only calculate when retrofitting ships with large construction requirements.