I guess I don't get it....

[smitty]

I am ready start my second game and I do not want to use the quick start. But the game setup is confusing to me. The tab for Players especially.

How do I choose my race, and specify the number of computer AI's and them let the game radomly choose the races? I see check boxed for random cmputer players and buttons for add new and add existing etc.

Is this in the manual or FAQ (yes I know, lazy) but answers but you guys are far better.

Thanks,
Smitty

[Cyrien]

In order to add a specific number of random AIs you would need to edit the settings.txt file in the data folder of your SE4 directory. Look for the following entry

Minimum Computer Player Low Setting := 1

And all the following entries. This determines how many AI are placed for each selected random AI setting.

Alternatly you can load AI files from the load existing option then select and edit them and make them computer controlled using the options there.
This is not a random race however since you selected it.

To make your own race simply create new race using the add new option and go through the options there using up your points and selecting stuff. Or load up an existing EMP file using the add existing option and tweak it to what you desire making sure to not have it set to computer AI(the default being human player controlled not computer controlled).

Hope this isn't too confusing.

[ April 12, 2003, 16:53: Message edited by: Cyrien ]

[oleg]

Originally posted by smitty:
I am ready start my second game and I do not want to use the quick start. But the game setup is confusing to me. The tab for Players especially.

How do I choose my race, and specify the number of computer AI's and them let the game radomly choose the races? I see check boxed for random cmputer players and buttons for add new and add existing etc.

Is this in the manual or FAQ (yes I know, lazy) but answers but you guys are far better.

Thanks,
Smitty

To make your our race either load existing race ("add existing") and modify it as you like ("edit race") or make a new one from the scratch ("add new" and cycle through race portraits)

By default, SE will add some number of random AI players. Its number is determined by "low", "medium" or "high" on the left of the screeen. I advise to uncheck "add random neutral players" - they are useless and not really interesting.

If you want some specific AI races in addition to randomly generated, simply "add existing" and choose whatever racee you want

[Atrocities]

This topic is covered very well in the FAQ at the top of this forum. The Newbie FAQ is very helpful.

[Suicide Junkie]

I suggest letting the AIs be picked randomly, just to make it simpler.

Pick a difficulty level (Anything below "Hard" will cause the AI to turn off some ministers, making things easier for you)
You probably want to start with "none" for the computer player bonus, and increase that once you start winning consistently.

When you "add new empire", you'll start with the general details screen.
Flip through the shipsets till you find one you like.
Type in arbitrary names for your empire and youself (emperor), or click the down arrow for a list of suggestions.
Password and Email are not required unless you're playing PBW, and need to prevent peeking.

Environment (see tabs on the left side)
For the most part, all of the options are equivalent.
If you choose to live on vaccuum worlds (atmosphere none) then you will be unable to find breathable Gas giants. Instead you will find a lot of tiny rock & ice moons to inhabit.
If you choose gas giant as your home planet type, then you will end up with a lot of large planets, and the moons will be of little use.
Oxygen/Rock is the most common choice, so if you pick something else, you will find you have less competition for good planets.

Cultures:
The two most common cultures chosen are Berzerkers and Merchants.
The +10% to combat (both offensive and defensive) from berzerkers is very powerful, especially when you boost your agressiveness and defensiveness later on.
The +5% to maintenance of Merchants will reduce your ship costs from 25% per turn to 20% per turn, and combined with maintenance redux later on, is also quite effective.

Characteristics:
Most of these are not optional. Set them up or down as you like.
- Reproduction should not be lowered much, and an increase will be useful. If you set it too low, your people will not grow, and the minimum is -9%. It that point, you will get 1% growth on Optimal planets only when your population is in a jubilant mood.
- A 5% change in environmental resistance equates to a 1% change in Reproduction and Happiness. If you set both ER and Repro down, your population may never be able to grow.
- Agressiveness and Defensiveness are important, as you need to win battles. (See berzerkers above)
- Political savvy is only useful if you plan to have a large number of trade treaties with large empires. Otherwise, it is better to just put the points into mining aptitude and intelligence (research skill) and do the work yourself.
- Mining aptitude is critical, since in the unmodded game, minerals are the resource to have. Radioactives are a minor issue, and organics are only of concern to races with organic manipulation (see: advanced traits)
- Repair aptitude is relatively unimportant. Most ships are either undamaged or completely vaporized after combat in the unmodded game, so it is only really used when retrofitting ships.
- Maintenance reduction is the characteristic to have. This characteristic subtracts from your ship maintenance %, which starts at 25% (or 20% if you picked merchants)
Thus, if you buy +20% maintenance redux, you will pay only 5% maintenance per ship, and will be able to support FIVE times the regular number of ships with a given amount of resources!
The final maintenance costs never go below 5%, so if you picked merchants, do not increase this beyond 15% (25% - 5%merch - 15%char = 5% total)

Advanced traits:
These are mostly self-explanatory. Read the grey fine print for details.
Propulsion experts and Advanced storage are nice to have.
Hardy industrialists is useful if you've already spent points towards the construction aptitude characteristic. It is also best for races that will have a lot of planetary space yards (it dosen't help ship or base SY's) A vaccuum breathing race is a good example, since they will be colonizing lots of small moons.
Any of the 1500 point techs are also useful, but will require fairly extensive research to recieve the full benefit.
Personally, I like to take all of the 1500 point "Racial Techs", as it makes for a challenge, and gives lots of toys to play with
You can get more points to spend here by decreasing some characteristics from the previous screen.

Description:
The only critical item here is the happiness type.
BE CAREFUL!
Read the fine print before changing the setting away from "peaceful"
If you fail to meet the happiness needs of your people, they will riot, and your empire will collapse.

[Atrocities]

A while back I wrote this document about SEIV. It is not complete but has some useful infomation that might help.

(Is is in PDF Format and is about 1.5 megs)
Game Guide

[ April 12, 2003, 18:38: Message edited by: Atrocities ]