Small Galaxy or Big Galaxy?

[PeterD]

I usually play in a 250 system galaxy against 10
TDM AI's. Is this the best choice to get a good
SP game?

Would it be better to reduce the AI numbers and
play with less systems.

I play high diff/med bonus and against the
hardest TDM AI's I can find.

[Atrocities]

I like large galaxies that I edit to slow the expansion of the AI's. Gives a more realistic feel to the game. (220 systems) give or take.

[Paul1980au]

I prefer the following - high tech cost - me against 3 or 4 AI players - in 255 system galaxy that i edit myself - put in at least 40 planets in each system - reduce the black hole - nebula systems etc maybe to 1 per 100 systems. - ive made mines tech cheaper (and limit my minefields - the AI puts out limited amounts) - made missile weapons more expensive (they are to much of an advantage early on) - beam weapons are slightly cheaper - ive created more mineral tech levels and changed the facility amounts

T1 - 300 per facility
T2 - 400 minerals "
t3 - 500 minerals
t4 - 600 minerals
t5 - 700 minerals
t6 - 750 minerals
t7 - 800 minerals
t8 - 900 minerals
t9 - 950
t10 - 1000 minerals

And the same with radioactives and organics - as well as research and intel facitilies - it makes for a longer game - makes it more difficult expansion wise at the beginning - ive made lots of other small changes ie 25 ship tech levels with ship size ranging from 100 kt up to 10000 kt per ship
10 levels of base 300kt - 20000 kt - makes for some interesting battles

Cargo facilities go up to 10 levels with 8000 storage.

Numerous other adaptations for my "special" mod and im still tinkering.

On the standard 1.91 game though as MM has it - well 255 systems with 5 AIs at most.

Even on hard its not a real challange.

Waiting for SE5.

[PeterD]

Thanks for the ideas.
Forty planets per system seems a bit crowded!
Doesn't high tech cost hinder the AI?

[PeterD]

Thanks for the ideas.
Forty planets per system seems a bit crowded!
Doesn't high tech cost hinder the AI?

[Captain Kwok]

High tech cost doesn't hinder the AI any more than it hinders you. In fact, it probably helps to stop the AI from retrofitting its ships every few turns. Also note that in a SP game with an AI bonus - it'll be even more difficult for you to keep up in terms of tech making it more of a challenge.

[PeterD]

Keeping up with tech isn't a problem, what can be
is watching the AI pass over my colonies without
attacking.

I've checked out AI's after 150 turns and they
all develop decent empires and build lots of good
tech ships, what they don't do is attack well.

Its my one hope that in SE5 the AI is more
agressive.

[Master Belisarius]

Originally posted by PeterD:
Keeping up with tech isn't a problem, what can be
is watching the AI pass over my colonies without
attacking.

I've checked out AI's after 150 turns and they
all develop decent empires and build lots of good
tech ships, what they don't do is attack well.

Its my one hope that in SE5 the AI is more
agressive.

If you want aggresive games, then, for sure you should play small galaxies against around 3 TDM AIs , High difficulty and High bonus.
If you want more aggressivity, then, select AI vs Humans. Sure, this kind of games could be boring after play many of them... but in the other hand, think is the best way to get a challenge.

One of the worst problems with the AI (think), is that has problems to follow an strategy and select the right planets (systems) to defend and the right planets (systems) to attack (we, the modders, can't help so much here).
Playing into small galaxies, this kind of problems are not so important (does exist less choices!).

[PeterD]

I'll give a smaller galaxy a try with a few
good TDM's.

Whats odd is that sometimes the AI can be a real
pain and play pretty good. Then again it can play
exactly the opposite the next game.

I remember Warlords 2 and 3 were a bit like that.
I could tell in 20 turns what sort of game it was
going to be.

[QBrigid]

Originally posted by Master Belisarius:
If you want aggresive games, then, for sure you should play small galaxies against around 3 TDM AIs , High difficulty and High bonus.
If you want more aggressivity, then, select AI vs Humans. Sure, this kind of games could be boring after play many of them... but in the other hand, think is the best way to get a challenge.

I also like small stock maps against a few se4 or TDM AI.

I think most maps look wierd when they have over 200 systems and I always build 1000s of planets and 1000s of ships. To many to things to do and this is not fun to me. I have tried TDM in big maps they can't keep up with me and after having to manage tens of 1000s of things a turn the game was boring and stupid and I have never played with 200+ systems again.

[ July 18, 2004, 14:24: Message edited by: QBrigid ]