Query for more indeepth explanations....

[fdlu]

Hi @ all,
this may be a stupid request, but as long as I followed this game and general interest in SciFi I never got really around in playing it.

I mostly played in small galaxies with few (and stupid) AIs, mostly to get a hang on the game. It is by nature time-consuming (and I really love this kind of game) but in recent years due to company restructuring and such I got A LOT less time to figure things out.

The manual is fine but does not really explain how things work in-game and the tutorial does not really get into tricky things (e.g. how exactly work strategies, ministers and such).

As of this I would like to ask if there are any guides (links, .doc/txt/pdf, forumposts or else) or such out there, SE4 guides would be sufficient.

Maybe some sample setups with different strategies and a short explanation/comment about the different outcomes they produce.

I am especially interested in how strategies, fleets and ministers work (or how to use them). Explanations and suggestions which things are really working to automate (and save time!) are also welcome.

If any other suggestions come to mind please feel free to post them, I may only have not come around to think about them. A link to a former interesting post may be sufficient.

Many thanks for any help.

[Arkcon]

Hey there, you can search on this forum for a lot of good insights. Things that other people have talked about will give you good hints.

For automation, search for "minister". Most people don't like ministers, so you'll find tips in those threads about chaining orders to automate ships as well.

For strategies, it often came up what was needed for a specific threat. But you could just try them all in the simulator.

If that all sounds dull, you can start a PBW newbies game, and learn by dialog with you allies, and enemies.

[se5a]

http://www.shrapnelcommunity.com/thr...&Number=153474

[fdlu]

NICE Link !!!

That's what I am looking for.
A lot of useful information.
Will need time to digest it
however.

Lots of hints and pointers.

Thanks.

[narf poit chez BOOM]

Grab all the planets you can. Don't worry if that means you loose a few to conquest. Mines are good early-game defence. Build lots of resource storage, so you have a fall-back cushion when you have to start cranking out ships. It's hard to overemphasize the early game. How well you do there can literally change the course of the game.
Beyond that, develop your strategic instinct.

(*Sigh* Such a small responce. Tsk, tsk)

[GuyOfDoom]

narf poit chez BOOM said:
How well you do there can literally change the course of the game.
(*Sigh* Such a small responce. Tsk, tsk)

That describes two of my biggest problems with SEV so far. If you mess up early game you are basicly done, but don't find out until many turns later. Also the game tends to be about how many planets you have, which is a random factor in most circumstances that is outside your control.

[BlueTemplar]

The first is a common complaint about all the 4X games.
What hurts the most is to start with few planets to reach in the first turns (at least in a 1vs1, with more players diplomacy becomes the most important factor). But this is efficiently countered by a start on 3 good planets.

About the second... It's not the number of planets that is important , but their "quality". Also, HOW you use the planets is very important.

[GuyOfDoom]

If you want to really break it down it comes down to how many facilitie slots you can get, but number of planets is essentially that.

[BlueTemplar]

Also, how well you can use the space available depends on your racial bonuses. And when you research orbital mining, you become a lot less limited by how many planets you have - except for research and intel.
I even wonder if it's not too powerful : orbital mining in combination with base space yards gives you practically unlimited industrial growth, while costing roughly the same than a new planet type colonisation tech.(for ALL 3 resources!)

It's true that the IRM system where population plays a lot more important role is more balanced, since in Se5 there is no "bureaucracy" to limit the effectiveness of the larger empires...

[se5a]

I don't see the diference between SEIV and SEV with having planets close by.

tesco starts hurt, but they don't happen that often, unless you're tesco.