Things in SEIV I never knew about....
 

Reading through the tips in reducing micromanagement thread, I realize that even now there is still a lot of SEIV I never realized or have ever used.

For example, I've heard about weapon mounts but have no idea how they work. Never tried them.

Never done a ring or sphere world.

And I often don't capture races in order to have them colonize planets that my race can't breathe in. As for this I think I'm just too lazy. Don't want to deal with the micromanagement.

What about you guys?

Ken

Re: Things in SEIV I never knew about....
 

I have the same micromanagement issues as come up once and a while. But, one of my things is to not upgrade my ships with each tech acquired. Soon I'm flying around in ancient ship designs. Which isn't good -- the AI is much more efficient in this regard than I am.

Re: Things in SEIV I never knew about....
 

USE MOUNTS.

The AI will use the best availible mount it can get, and if your not using one, the AI will stomp you.

Mounts give weapon range and damage bonuses.

I upgrade as I need too, but I idealy choose to only upgrade as the need arises. I tend to hold off on designing ships until I have adiquit technology to build a good ship.

Re: Things in SEIV I never knew about....
 

Here's another one... It just occured to me that when spending racial points in designing your race that you can also reduce some traits below 100% to get more points for other areas!

I'm sure most realized this, but I'm sure it may not have occured to some newbies.

Ken

Re: Things in SEIV I never knew about....
 

It often makes sense not to upgrade at each step, because it is expensive to rip out the old component and replace with a new one.

There are some components that aren't often worth upgrading, and some which I choose lower Versions of because they are cheaper.

One thing I recently learned was that there is a keyboard code for marking sectors as being enemy minefields. This can be used with the "don't enter minefields" setting to improve routing of traffic without repetetive micro-management. It can be very helpful when playing with something like Fryon's quadrant mod, which has lots of damaging sectors which will otherwise get ships lost or stuck.

PvK

Re: Things in SEIV I never knew about....
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Ships already avoid the damaging sectors on their own. Minefield markers are redundant. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

The only components that you should upgrade immediately are Combat Sensors and ECM (and probably Stealth and Scattering Armors too). Being a level behind in them makes a huge, massive difference.

Re: Things in SEIV I never knew about....
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Ships already avoid the damaging sectors on their own. Minefield markers are redundant. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Yes, but with enough of those nasty asteroid fields, your ships could waste a lot of move points going around them. The best solution is to set a "bypass" waypoint.

Re: Things in SEIV I never knew about....
 

(Boosting my post total http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif )

Javaslinger, I've been playing this game since it came out and I'm still learning things. That's probably the most rewarding thing about this game.

As for micro management: One of the things I like about SEIV and other "strategic" games is the micromangement... but that's just me http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: Things in SEIV I never knew about....
 

Me too Grandpa Kim. Micormanagement is just fine. Thats why I prefer finite resources. "I like it, I love, I want more of it".

One of the cool things I found out about (from the board here), is being able to right click on a system in the galaxy map and have a freeform note pad available. You can use it it for things specific to the sydtem, or general info (IE when an empire fell, enegy ship true damage resisance, grocery list, ect).

Re: Things in SEIV I never knew about....
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Ships already avoid the damaging sectors on their own. Minefield markers are redundant. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Yes, but with enough of those nasty asteroid fields, your ships could waste a lot of move points going around them. The best solution is to set a "bypass" waypoint.</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">And that is why I cut back on the damaging ones in FQM several Versions ago. I hardly ever see situations where a lot of movement is wasted going around walls of damaging asteroids any more.

Re: Things in SEIV I never knew about....
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Ships already avoid the damaging sectors on their own. Minefield markers are redundant. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif
...</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">They're not redundant if you cleverly place them in certain non-damaging sectors, in order to herd ships the way you want them to go. For instance, if their natural path would send them diagonally towards a damaging sector, ships will randomly move one way or the other around it, which can be bad. By placing a minefield marker or more on the side you don't want them to go, you can get them to go the way you want.

PvK

Re: Things in SEIV I never knew about....
 

careful with quotest in quotes....

Re: Things in SEIV I never knew about....
 

I really wish I had known about this one before. Just figured it out today.

Situation: Large game. Lot's and lot's of available planets to colonize. Many systems explored. Building colony ships at lot's of planets. Trying to figure an efficent method of assigning colony ships to their destinations. Planets screen not so good because you see every planet that you don't have colonized. Even ones that you know your allies have colonized. Even ones that are in systems claimed by others that you don't want to send ships to right now. Even ones that are available but kind of far away that you want to leave for later.

Solution: Go to Empire Status screen, click systems to avoid button. This brings up a map. On the map click all the systems you DON'T want to consider for colonization right now. Then go back to the Planets screen and hit the "No sys to avoid" button near the bottom. Now the only planets in the list are in the systems you have not marked as ones to avoid.

Geoschmo

Re: Things in SEIV I never knew about....
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Fantastic, This one I knew!.
Am in 19 player 250 planets games, it's invaluable!

Re: Things in SEIV I never knew about....
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Wow, didn't know this. Now this might come in handy. Now if there would be a task list in SEV that can send reminders after a period of time, that would be even cooler :-)

Re: Things in SEIV I never knew about....
 

I found out how to do this as well in a solo game I'm playing against the Monsters. It is really awesome to be able to do that and it saves a boatload of time. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: Things in SEIV I never knew about....
 

Way points are useful, also you can set a destination waypoint from the build que of a planbet or spaceyard. That way all ships built at that location automatically go to that waypoint.

The "repeat orders" button is extremely valuable. I often use it with a planet's "repeat build" order to program a mine or sat layer to continually build up mines or sats at a warp point. Just remember to have cargo on board the ship and use "remote launch" and then "load cargo".

Re: Things in SEIV I never knew about....
 

Something I only discovered relatively recently:

Select a ship, planet, etc. Right-clicking the flag in the report window brings up that empire's info.

Re: Things in SEIV I never knew about....
 

I played for years not knowing this and finally had my nose rubbed in it when I started playing PBW.

Did you know you could place more than one warp point in a sector? And they don't have to be on the edge of the system either? Boy did I feel foolish when I saw what everyone else was doing. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/blush.gif

Re: Things in SEIV I never knew about....
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">That kind of stuff is generally only discovered by accident. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Re: Things in SEIV I never knew about....
 

In short, when in doubt, Right Click, you knever know what you will find.

Re: Things in SEIV I never knew about....
 

Watch out for Divide points evenly:
Start of game
Research Choose Apply Points Evenly
Select The Following to Study
Propulsion 1000
Stellar harnessing 1000
Applyed Reasearch 200,000
It will apply the same number of Research Points to each item in the que even if this number is higher than what is needed to "learn" it.

Remove the selction from Divide points evenly and it will then apply the points left to right filling each item with the right amount of Research Points utill it runs out.

Re: Things in SEIV I never knew about....
 

Here's a neat trick that I just learned. Probably lots of people knew about it.

I was always frustrated when I set up a new planet and I wanted to give it orders to build a spaceyard then build some ships. If you do with the normal "Build Queue" window, the queue won't let you add ships/bases to the queue until after you have the spaceyard built. So under normal circumstances you have to come back to the planet queue after the spaceyard is built to add your ships/bases.

But there is a way around this. First find a planet with a spaceyard and an empty queue. You can make custom queues using the "Fill Queue" button for ships/bases or whatever. Once the custom queue is memorized, go back to your new planet and now you can add the spaceyard using the normal method and also add ships using the custom "Fill Queue" button. This method lets you add ships/bases to a queue without a spaceyard (yet). Helps lower some of the micromanagement.

You probably get an error of some kind if you try this without sequencing the spaceyard before the ships. I haven't tried that since it obviously won't work.

Slick.

Re: Things in SEIV I never knew about....
 

I just found out something that is probably incredibly obvious, but I'm hoping that someone here will give me a hand with it. Up to this point I've been creating a new race with unique characteristics every time I play. For the first time the other day I choose a race from the TDM-Modpack and noticed that the colinized planets that appeared in the system window showed letters to indicate what facilities were currently built. After experimenting around, I also found that some races had all planets, colonized or not, showing the planet name in the main system window.
I've torn the manual apart looking for a hotkey that will turn these lables on or off and haven't found a thing. Like I said, this is probably and obvious one, but does anyone know how I can flag planets to show what facilities are built or at least show the planet's name?

Re: Things in SEIV I never knew about....
 

try Empire Status => Empire Options

Re: Things in SEIV I never knew about....
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Brilliant idea! You could use this to make your ships automatically pass through resupply depots that they would otherwise fly straight past! What key is it to mark a minefield?

EDIT: Don't worry, I found it in the manual- Ctrl T.

[ February 18, 2003, 14:44: Message edited by: dogscoff ]

Re: Things in SEIV I never knew about....
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Oh, now that is slick D. Very slick! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

You can set up trade routes through systems. Block off paths between warp points directing the ships to pass over certain planets. Very nice.

Geoschmo

Re: Things in SEIV I never knew about....
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I've bugged Malfador for a hard code Version of this before now, but it looks like it's no longer necessary. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Re: Things in SEIV I never knew about....
 

Ok, well it may not work perfectly actually, so we still may need somewhat of a hard code change. It looks like you can't get your ships to move more than a space or two out off of their ideal path by doing this. Although I am only looking at their blue route lines. I haven't tried actually running the turn to see what happens to the ship. It's still very nice escpecially if you can put a resupply depot on a planet near the center of the system.

Geoschmo

Re: Things in SEIV I never knew about....
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">How about if you built a "tunnel" of fake minefields, so there is only one path available from the warp point to the resupply depot? It seems like overkill but if you ever wanted to reach other parts of the system you could manually override the aVersion to minefields.

Re: Things in SEIV I never knew about....
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">That's exactly what I was trying to do. The blue route lines were stopping though once I got to a certain point off of the ideal path. However, it may actually take the path I am wanting it to, it just might not be able to display it with the route lines.

Re: Things in SEIV I never knew about....
 

I have a feeling it will work anyway. Still, even if this straightens out those situations where the resupply depot is just one square from the normal route, this will be a worthwhile discovery. Well done PvK!

Re: Things in SEIV I never knew about....
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">That's exactly what I was trying to do. The blue route lines were stopping though once I got to a certain point off of the ideal path. However, it may actually take the path I am wanting it to, it just might not be able to display it with the route lines.</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I have been using this for a while and it is better to place the minefields such that you "herd" the ships rather than make a tunnel. Just put enough minefileds so that the AI will go where you want. Example, if your planet R has a resupply facility and there are warp points (W) on the top and bottom of the sytem, place a few minefield markers (M) like this:

________________W

______________MMMMRMMMM

____________________W

The AI will go thru the R instead of going around. No need to get more complex.

Slick.

Re: Things in SEIV I never knew about....
 

you've been using this for a while and you never told any of us about it? AAAGGHH!!

Re: Things in SEIV I never knew about....
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I thought I saw it in another thread a while back right here. I thought everyone saw it.

Re: Things in SEIV I never knew about....
 

If you try to capture a planet and your troops fail, the fleet glasses the planet. oooops
I'm sure this was mentioned in another thread more than once but it never sunk in. Masacured an entire Homeworld. Ought to throw the entire fleet in the brig.

Re: Things in SEIV I never knew about....
 

Regarding use of minefield markers to guide ships:

I tried using this Last night. I made a line of minefield markers that spanned across the system, leaving an opening only at the resupply planet. But ships that were passing through that region would just head straight to the "wall" of markers, and then cancel their orders.

What am I missing here?

--Raynfala

PS: SE-IV 1.84 w/ TDM v3.2

Re: Things in SEIV I never knew about....
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I have had this happen too. In some configurations of warp points relative to planets, it just is beyond the AI go do the pathing right. The only thing I can suggest is to consider placement of your resupply facilities relative to pathing thru the systems so that the amount of deviation required from the "straight line" is minimized. Wow, that sounded like a math class! This is another example of a good place to improve the AI.

Slick.

Re: Things in SEIV I never knew about....
 

Anyone know how to capture an enemy planet that has no population on it? I can't figure this one out.

Slick.

Re: Things in SEIV I never knew about....
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Just a guess, but under your empire options is an entry about when your ships cancel orders, like "enemy in system, minefield encountered etc."

EDIT: I guess I am wrong, but you made me trying this nice idea tonight...

[ February 20, 2003, 15:57: Message edited by: PsychoTechFreak ]

Re: Things in SEIV I never knew about....
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Drop troops on it. I just did a test and dropping troops on a unpopulated enemy planet takes the planet and makes it your own. Just make sure you bring population of your own to put on it.

Re: Things in SEIV I never knew about....
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Drop troops on it. I just did a test and dropping troops on a unpopulated enemy planet takes the planet and makes it your own. Just make sure you bring population of your own to put on it.</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I can't get it to work in simultaneous games. The fleet won't attack and the troop ship won't drop troops. The orders stay in the order queue and the same will happen on following turns. Did you try this in turn based or simultaneous?

Slick.

Re: Things in SEIV I never knew about....
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Drop troops on it. I just did a test and dropping troops on a unpopulated enemy planet takes the planet and makes it your own. Just make sure you bring population of your own to put on it.</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I can't get it to work in simultaneous games. The fleet won't attack and the troop ship won't drop troops. The orders stay in the order queue and the same will happen on following turns. Did you try this in turn based or simultaneous?

Slick.</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Ooo, didn't even think about doing it in Simultaneous. It was turn bases that I managed to do it. I'll test it in simultaneous later today.

Re: Things in SEIV I never knew about....
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Well, Rags, you gonna tell me what happened or you gonna keep me in suspense. You're killing me here. I sure would like to find a trick for doing this in simultaneous games.

Then again, it might not be possible...

Slick.

Re: Things in SEIV I never knew about....
 

You can't capture a planet with no pop in simultaneous turns. This is a bug we reported to Malfador a while back but the fix didn't make it in the Last patch.

Geoschmo

Re: Things in SEIV I never knew about....
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I was going to say that. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...s/rolleyes.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...s/rolleyes.gif
No, I just got busy Last night and wasn't able to run the tests. But good thing I didn't cause it would've been waste of my time. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Re: Things in SEIV I never knew about....
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I was going to say that. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...s/rolleyes.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...s/rolleyes.gif
No, I just got busy Last night and wasn't able to run the tests. But good thing I didn't cause it would've been waste of my time. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Thanks for the effort. I was thinking that I was missing something obvious.

Slick.

Re: Things in SEIV I never knew about....
 

If you build facilities i e mineral mines, research centers and then depopulate the planet. Will it still produce resources?

If so, that would be a BIG bug!!

Re: Things in SEIV I never knew about....
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">No, it does not.

Re: Things in SEIV I never knew about....
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">No, it does not.</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">However, you only need "1" population for it to produce. For small planets and moons, relocate your population to larger planets to obtain bonuses that are not possible on the smaller planets...Greybeard