Catastrophies...some thoughts
 

I started a new game and put catastrophies a "low" setting. Well I don't know your experiencees but would like to hear. Is this a player balancing tool to knock down the strongest player, or just random and sometime VERY devestating event maker. I have suffered some very bad events including loss of all planets in a sector(and they were 25% of my total at the time) http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon9.gif

Re: Catastrophies...some thoughts
 

I set my games to freq high and catastrophic. One thing I have found is that many times with these settings, a colony ship will encounter a "spacial anomoly" and be transported across the galaxy. To me, its a cool way of getting to other systems without stellar manip, especially early in the game. It can be wierd though. Once I had a base with a SY on it get transported across the galaxy only to end up in a black hole system. 3 turns later, it was gone - sucked up into the hole. Of course, you gotta' take the bad with the good, hence the occasional destroyed system via star explosions. So, I lose a system once in a while - I don't want to win ALL the time. It also is very satisfying to recover from a devistating loss of a crucial system (if you can).

Raynor, I do disagree with your statement about intelligence and affecting the outcome. I use intelligence a lot and have brought down an AI MEE with only about 20% combat and 80% Intel. The Puppet Political Parties and Crew Insurrection can deal a pretty tough blow if you grab the right things. However, I do feel that Intel should be made tougher, but that's probably better left for another thread.

Re: Catastrophies...some thoughts
 

If you choose the religious racial trait they have a facility that reduces the chance that bad things will happen in that system its called a fate shrine. And as someone said long ago the good events are when the bad events happen to your opponents. I have had my home planet blow up once and twice got plagued within the first 20 turns so it does happen but its fairly rare to get that bad of a start. To me it adds a bit of chance to the game but if you don't want it to happen just turn it off a lot of people do that.

Re: Catastrophies...some thoughts
 

I leave it set to frequency low and max severity at catastrophic. During a typical 200-250 turn game, I'll usually see a couple of planets reduced in mineral value. A couple of games, I have lost entire systems when a star exploded. That *has* to be the most annoying and most devastating event. In another topic, one player reported that his *home* star system exploded, I think.

For the most part, the events affect the game about as much as intelligence: you occasionally notice it but it doesn't really seem to affect the long term outcome of the game. (This is assuming that you are constantly expanding and don't lost a planet or solar system before turn 50...)

p.s. The events are definitely random; they don't target just the strongest player only.

[This message has been edited by raynor (edited 01 February 2001).]