Newbie needs help
 

I'm a newbie playing my first game. I play the tutor but I still have questions. I turned on all the ministers for a while to try and learn the game, but I still have questions.

Does the type of colony you choose have any special effect (refining, farming, resupply, mining, research, etc)?

How does one go about increasing population on a planet? While watching the minister
I notice the planet maximum populations was increased.

I notice that the minister designed ships that contained 4, 5 or 6 engines. Does the
number of engines equate to speed or distance?

Is there any documentation that provides more basic information than what came with the game and the game tutor? What I’m looking for is some material that explains the basic nuances of the game.

Re: Newbie needs help
 

The colony type only matters to the AI (ministers), it has different building plans for each type.

The planet maximum populations increased, or the planet's actual population increased? The only way I know to increase maximum population is to use Atmosphere Converters, but populations (the first number) will increase until the max is reached (the second number).

The movement system works on squares moved. Normally engines give one movement point (one square of movement) each, plus bonuses. Ion Engines have no bonus, Contra-T Engines have a bonus of 1, for all combined (ie. 1 = 2MP, 2 = 3MP, 3 = 4MP, etc), Jacketed Photon have bonus of 2, Quantum have bonus of 3. Solar Sails have a bonus for each level, I = 1, II = 2, III = 3.

Best place to look would be here. Just run a search on whatever nuance you're looking for and there's probably a post dealing with it. Both the Tutorial and the Manual are exceptionally vague. There have been a few attempts to make a fan-made manual (including one by myself), but real life intervened each time http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: Newbie needs help
 

Under empire status select the tab on the right empire options. Scroll down the list on the left to the group labeled system display. Turn all those on. It gives a map grid. You can go 50 map squares without resupply, unless you add supply storage in which case divide it by engines times ten to find out how far the extra storage will take you. Example 1000 storage at 6 engines moving 9 takes you an extra 16 squares in two more movement turns.

If you have at least one population on a world, then it will grow by one. Take the current population times one tenth the population rate per year and round that figure off. If less than one add one. Example 80 @ 12% gets .96 -> 1, but 84 @12% gets 1.008 you expect 2 but get one until you hit 125 @12% 1.5 gets you two.

I modify my race profile to use 10-20 bonus in reproduction rate since the slow growth rate is frustrating to me. Climate is also a factor, as well as happiness.

[This message has been edited by LCC (edited 20 May 2001).]

[This message has been edited by LCC (edited 20 May 2001).]