things I\'ve never tested...
 

1) what happens if a space station build units, and doesn't have cargo ?

- there are launched in space
- there are put in a planet cargo (if any)
- there are put in a ship cargo (if any)
- there are lost

2) If i want a planet to build and launch mines for 5 turns, can I
- put five building orders in the queue
- set five launch orders for the planet ?

3) Tone of a message : does it have any effect on AI/humans ?

Re: things I\'ve never tested...
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">1-a: Only if there is a Satellite bay in the space station.

1-b: This what normally happens.

1-c: If no cargo space available on the planet this happens.

2-a: You can set a "Repeat build" que for as many turns as you set.

2-b: Not sure on this, if planet is set to minister it will automatically launch but it may also counter or reset that build que.

3: not sure about AI but just might upset a human http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

Re: things I\'ve never tested...
 

So having a few space stations around a planet means you can build weapon platforms, troops, mines, and fighters?

That's great. I thought they'd have to use their own cargo space, and that was just too much trouble.

If you mothball a Ship Yard base, will it start building the very same turn it is unmothballed? Or will it take a turn to 'heat up' the way ships have no movement points when first unmothballed?

Re: things I\'ve never tested...
 

In simultaneous, yes.

In sequential turn, you can unmothball, and then give orders to start building right away.

Re: things I\'ve never tested...
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Hehe, Just not forget if you mothballed a space yard ship, you need another one to unmothball it. I made such a mistake once http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: things I\'ve never tested...
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">They will be lost if there is no available cargo space somewhere in the same sector. They will not be automatically launched. If you give orders to build 20 and there is only room for 15, only 5 will be lost. Failed builds like this are not cleared from the build queue.

Given the choice, units will always go to the ship/ station/ planet that built them.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">In the case above I'm pretty sure it will execute all 5 launch orders in the same turn. What you need to do is set the launch order and hit "repeat orders". That will work. Unfortunately it only works in simultaneous, because in turn-based the launch order is executed immediately and cleared from the queue, so there is nothing to repeat.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">The AI is coded to respond differently to the different tones. Well- it's in the AI.txt files somwhere, but whether or not it actually works I don't know. I suspect it does.

There is no way for a human to distinguish which tone option was set when (s)he receives a message.

[ May 20, 2003, 12:22: Message edited by: dogscoff ]

Re: things I\'ve never tested...
 

Sounds clear now, thanks.
I've never had many expectations about the AI reactions when receiving a message (whatever tone the message have...).

Re: things I\'ve never tested...
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">This is the first thing i do when i get decent size planets (>20 facilities): build a couple (2/3) of small spacestations with a spaceyard on them. I then use them to construct weapons platforms, mines, sat, fighter ...
Very effective. I think some AI's don't build enough on them. It seems as if they only focus on planetary shipyards.

Re: things I\'ve never tested...
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">AI NEVER build units on space yard ships http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon9.gif
Only on planets. It is hard coded I think.