Population not happy... and I\'m MAD!!
 

I feel like pushing the whole population in my home system into big transports and jettison them into space, I really do. My race has a neutral demeanor and the population seems to get mad at whatever I do... I signed a partnership with my ally and they get mad, a few intrusions into my airspace and they get mad, nothing happens and they still get mad!! They should know better than to push their Dictator too hard, or else... http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/ima...s/rolleyes.gif

Back to the serious stuff, I have an urban pacification planet in every system, and my airspace is pretty much sealed off now so enemy attacks is not a problem. But luxuries like climate control facilities are just not possible at this early stage of the game when build queue slots and real estates are precious commodities, so what else can I do to keep my population happy?

PS. If you think I'm a good dictator then you are very wrong. All I care is the 20% construction rate deduction for an angry population! http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/ima...ons/tongue.gif


[This message has been edited by CW (edited 14 August 2001).]

Re: Population not happy... and I\'m MAD!!
 

If you're a dictator, why in god's name aren't you using the peace of the gun? http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/ima...ons/tongue.gif

Seriously, Troops stationed on planets improve happiness, as to fleets in orbit around colonies. If you have temporal tech, there's temporal facilities that increase happiness.

-Hotfoot
"It's all been done."

Re: Population not happy... and I\'m MAD!!
 

Someone wrote that Neutral is a poor choice, as your people get grumpy about almost everything. He suggested that either peace loving bunnie kissers or war mongering bunnie eaters were easier to please.

Another person outlined how he build units with no guns or shields. They are cheap and still count towards pacifying your population. Don’t do any good in an invasion, which isn’t usually a problem.

Re: Population not happy... and I\'m MAD!!
 

Neutral population types like non-intercourse-treaties - makes their happiness rise significantly. They are not into changes, so staying with the same treaty could also be a clever move.

Re: Population not happy... and I\'m MAD!!
 

"Seriously, Troops stationed on planets improve happiness, as to fleets in orbit around colonies."

No! Bad idea! http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon7.gif Neutral gets mad at EVERTHING. Go check the happyness file. The only thing that calms them down are No Treaty, Non-intercourse, and the passage of time. PITA.

Phoenix-D

Re: Population not happy... and I\'m MAD!!
 

Yes the neutral type happiness is suicidal if you don't modify the file! And the name "neutral" is incorrect, it should be xenophobic (as a Swiss I should know what neutral really means http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/ima...ons/icon12.gif ).
So either you modify the happiness file to balance better the different types (if I am not completely wrong this can be done even for an ongoing game), or never choose this type again.

Re: Population not happy... and I\'m MAD!!
 

You really must look at the file HAPPINES.TXT to see what the modifiers are for a neutral race. Only two diplimatic changes help a neutral: Breaking a treating or non intercourse. All other status give you a negative hit. A neutral player should always establish non intercourse before something like Trade and Research. What ever you do, do not increment your status one stage at a time: Trade, Trade & REs, Mil Alliance, Partnership.

Neutrals have a natural recovery rate higher than other races. The are as someone said, Xenophobic when you look at what you should not do. Even winning battles makes Neutrals unhappy while it makes peaceful races happy. Neutral is better in a game with very vew players. Large games (many races), favor the other two heavily.

If you play neutral, you should consider researching troops and psychology right away to get some positive modifers.

Re: Population not happy... and I\'m MAD!!
 

I'm playing this game with a full-tech start, and my partner happens to be Phoenix-D. http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon7.gif I don't think you can modify the happiness.txt file in the middle of a PBW game can you? That's cheating! So is LOOKING at the file... but guess what? I'm going to take a look at it! http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/ima...ons/tongue.gif

Re: Population not happy... and I\'m MAD!!
 

Your best bet is pacification facilities and troops. I misspoke, troops do make them happier..

Pick your battles carefully, since every time you fight them people will get pissed.

Phoenix-D

Re: Population not happy... and I\'m MAD!!
 

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Phoenix-D:
The only thing that calms them down are No Treaty, Non-intercourse, and the passage of time. PITA.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Just rechecked happiness.txt, and Neutrals get the same benefit from troops as the other two types. Ships overhead don't do jack, though (no help, but they don't tick people off either). Phoenix-D is right about the rest, though.

I suggested some time ago creating a new 'Neutral' type that was a true middle ground between peaceful and bloodthirsty. My quote from the Quibbles thread:

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>
Maybe the "Neutral" happiness type should be renamed "Isolationist", and make a new "Neutral" type that combines happiness elements from both Peaceful and Bloodthirsty (though will lesser effects). So, Neutrals would get marginally happy from treaties, battle victories, etc.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Judging from happiness.txt, it should be possible to create a fourth type, but has anyone actually looked into creating a new hapiness type (and keeping it balanced)?

[edit]
Phoenix-D's post came up while I was writing mine up, and I just saw his reply.
[/edit]

Quikngruvn

------------------
Stay alert. Trust no one. Keep your laser handy.
--from the RPG Paranoia, now my PBW mantra

[This message has been edited by Quikngruvn (edited 14 August 2001).]

Re: Population not happy... and I\'m MAD!!
 

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Phoenix-D:
Your best bet is pacification facilities and troops. I misspoke, troops do make them happier..<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yeah! Yeah! That's right! PITA to you too! http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/ima...ons/icon12.gif

Ah well, I know that troops help everyone, but I'll willfully admit that I was shooting craps on the fleets being in orbit.

Now, speaking about peace of the gun, allow me to show you my collection... http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/ima...ons/icon10.gif

-Hotfoot
"That's enough out of you."

Re: Population not happy... and I\'m MAD!!
 

Quikngruvn it is possible to create new happiness types. I did evne post (a long time ago) some new types in the mod section. To balance them is however quite difficult.

Re: Population not happy... and I\'m MAD!!
 

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Q:
Quikngruvn it is possible to create new happiness types. I did evne post (a long time ago) some new types in the mod section. To balance them is however quite difficult.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

As a quick and dirty test, I created a new Happiness type in happiness.txt by pasting Peaceful at the bottom of the file (before the End marker), then changing values within the pasted data. I also changed 'Neutral' to be called 'Isolationist'. When I went in to create a new empire, I had all the options in there: the original Peaceful and Bloodthirsty, the renamed Isolationist, and the spanking new Neutral. So it appears to be possible. Whether the game recognizes the new happiness type and makes its values work accordingly... that's another test that I frankly can't run myself. As for balancing... I'll leave that to the modders and AI gurus!

N.B. I doubt very seriously this would work over PBW, at least till the command-line bug is worked out in SEIV.

Pardon my ignorance, but what is PITA? "Pointing inward towards amnesty"? "Polka in the air"? "People for the Inhumane Treatment of Animals" (say it ain't so!)? A tasty flatbread?

Quikngruvn the Bemused and Confused

------------------
Stay alert. Trust no one. Keep your laser handy.
--from the RPG Paranoia, now my PBW mantra

Re: Population not happy... and I\'m MAD!!
 

Pain in the ***.

Phoenix-D

Re: Population not happy... and I\'m MAD!!
 

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah. I see now.

Quikngruvn

Re: Population not happy... and I\'m MAD!!
 

What happens if you change any of the data files (in this case happiness.txt) mid-game?
Would the new settings apply to that game?
And if so, wouldn't that allow for massive cheating in a PBW game?

Re: Population not happy... and I\'m MAD!!
 

The server runs the turns, and therefore only the server's data files count.

Phoenix-D