Minister's won't upgrade planetary facilities?

Dr_Whoopass · #1 June 20th, 2005, 11:49 AM

OK, I got this game last week & have been trying to figure out how to play. What I want to know is how do I get the minister to upgrade planetary facilities? For example, I have a planet with a level 1 ship yard. I research level 2 ship yard, but none of my ministers upgrade the shipyards. Am I missing something, or is this one of those items I have to do myself?

Thanks!

Captain Kwok · #2 June 20th, 2005, 12:45 PM

I don't use ministers so I can't tell you if they'll upgrade automatically. But there is a button "Upgrade Facilities" on the construction overview menu (the one that lists all your colonies and what they're making).

Atrocities · #3 June 20th, 2005, 12:56 PM

The game is more hands on than most people are used to. Click on the CRANE icon located on the top row of Icons in the left hand upper corner. That is your Master Construction Que over view as Kwok mentioned.

The UPGRADE button is located on the tab list to the right about half way or so down the page. By clicking this you will tell all your planets, regarless of minister control or not, to upgrade ALL things that can be upgraded. In most cases this will mean that you will upgrade in order, IE shipyard II then Shipyard III even if you already have shipyard III technology. This is a pain, but you can manually remove the shipyard II from the que of each planet effected by such a thing. This applies to all facilities that have multiple upgrades available to them.

The Ministers can only upgrade planets they have control over IIRC. So unless you have minister face showing up next to your planet, they do not have control. You can turn on the planet minister by choosing your planet then clicking the FACE icon (Minister) from the top row / second row? of Icons.

The more you play the game the less you will trust your empire to Ministers. I only use the Transport minister myself, manually turning on the ship minister for each transport I create. Tedious when your producing 100 or so a turn, but well worth the effor IMHO.

TurinTurambar · #4 June 20th, 2005, 12:58 PM

Hey there, Dr.Whoopass. Good to see you back. Glad you got your full version.

Go to [Emipire Options] (the gold crown).

Click [Ministers] > then turn on all the functions you want them to handle for you. Be careful balancing ship-building and facility upgrades; the minister can bankrupt you if you've built a large force in the early game.

Dr_Whoopass · #5 June 20th, 2005, 01:01 PM

"The Ministers can only upgrade planets they have control over IIRC. So unless you have minister face showing up next to your planet, they do not have control. You can turn on the planet minister by choosing your planet then clicking the FACE icon (Minister) from the top row / second row? of Icons."

Yes, I had a minister controlling the planet. I was experimenting with just how smart they were when I figured out they weren't upgrading the facilities.

What does the "Upgrade" button do? Will it tell all your colonies to upgrade whatever facilities have an upgrade available?

Dr_Whoopass · #6 June 20th, 2005, 01:03 PM

"Click [Ministers] > then turn on all the functions you want them to handle for you. Be careful balancing ship-building and facility upgrades; the minister can bankrupt you if you've built a large force in the early game."

Which one turns on facility upgrades?

TurinTurambar · #7 June 20th, 2005, 01:07 PM

What does the "Upgrade" button do? Will it tell all your colonies to upgrade whatever facilities have an upgrade available?

yup.

Which one turns on facility upgrades?

IIRC, the first item in the second list is [Facility Construction]. I believe that covers it. Someone correct me if "IIRIC." lol

Dr_Whoopass · #8 June 20th, 2005, 01:13 PM

<b>IIRC, the first item in the second list is [Facility Construction]. I believe that covers it. Someone correct me if "IIRIC." lol</b>

Tried that. Built facilities just fine, but didn't upgrade existing facilities as new ones becamse available.

It's ironic that this is about the only thing I want to use the ministers for, and it's the only thing I can't get him to do. :-)

TurinTurambar · #9 June 20th, 2005, 01:50 PM

Then it must be the individual minister icons on the planet windows. I don't know what else it could be.

You might also try (under [Global Ministers]) clicking [Production Output], but I'm grasping at straws here cuz I don't use them either; I'm a builder/micromanager by trade.

Dr_Whoopass · #10 June 20th, 2005, 05:51 PM

Quote:

Atrocities said:
The game is more hands on than most people are used to. Click on the CRANE icon located on the top row of Icons in the left hand upper corner. That is your Master Construction Que over view as Kwok mentioned.

The UPGRADE button is located on the tab list to the right about half way or so down the page. By clicking this you will tell all your planets, regarless of minister control or not, to upgrade ALL things that can be upgraded. In most cases this will mean that you will upgrade in order, IE shipyard II then Shipyard III even if you already have shipyard III technology. This is a pain, but you can manually remove the shipyard II from the que of each planet effected by such a thing. This applies to all facilities that have multiple upgrades available to them.

Actually, it's a wrench.

But man, is THAT screen going to make my life much better! I was doing all that through the colonies screen. Thanks!