A newbie writes:

raynor · #1 January 30th, 2001, 07:21 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Puke:
yep, as far as colonies go for the +'s and the flags, only the top item on a stack gets marked. this is a good way to hide things from humans if you colonize a moon that is orbiting a pile of asteroids (ie from a destroyed system or planet)

You make a very good point.

When you are systematically annihilating an enemy system, don't forget to check every planet in the stack. I can't tell you how many times I've thought I destroyed an empire only to check the score and find they still have one or two planets left. Then begins the long search to see where you might have missed something...

Jon Brave · #2 January 30th, 2001, 08:46 PM

OK, again everybody has been very helpful.

To summarise:
* more population => more production
* better conditions => more population growth
* happiness => more production

Seems to me then that if a planet has reached max. pop. there's no longer any point in improving conditions as this only leads to more growth, not more production? (Unless of course you're intending to ship people off in future).

I have built climate improvers but not noticed any difference in conditions report. People point out this takes years, and I keep forgetting a year is 10 turns, not one. And you can't see the percentage it's reached. So I guess they're probably working, but slowly.

First part of Planet Util. delivers climate improvers (more growth), next part delivers atmosphere changers (more max. pop.) and Last part delivers resource value increments (more extraction) --- right?

Why should I bother with biological weapons or climate harmers? By the time I've managed to get my bombers close enough to a planet without getting shredded, I just bomb (napalm?) them out of existence. Am I missing a useful feature here?

It has been said that happiness depends on your initial race's "orientation". My colonies seem to vary from Indifferent to Jubiliant [sic]. I haven't done any conquering (just originally empty planets); no special events. So why the difference? And is there anything I can build that would improve this? For example, is an Urban Pac. Centre only for really miserable planets or planets you have conquered or have mixed pops? If I want all my plebs to be really happy with me what do I have to do?

My earlier question about lack of "+" symbols on Rock + Oxygen worlds (I'm a Rock + Oxygen) *appears* to be that I can't see the system at present, and since I Last saw it someone else has colonized it. My confusion came from the fact that the list of habitable/breathable/empty planets still shows these; presumably it's only updated at the time you see the world properly. That's fine, I just didn't understand it.

If I get helpful answers to these there's always more to come --- you guys are great!

rdouglass · #3 January 30th, 2001, 08:55 PM

quote:
Originally posted by raynor:
[B}When you are systematically annihilating an enemy system, don't forget to check every planet in the stack. I can't tell you how many times I've thought I destroyed an empire only to check the score and find they still have one or two planets left. Then begins the long search to see where you might have missed something...[/b]

When I do that (genocide thing), I make sure the system I'm in does not have a triangle over it in the Galaxy view window. If you can't see anything in the system view and there is a little blue triangle (on the system you're in) in the galaxy window, there's still something there....

DirectorTsaarx · #4 January 30th, 2001, 09:05 PM

Jon:

You're close: it's condition improvers, then resource improvers, then atmosphere converters.

As for happiness: it depends on your "happiness type". Oddly, for "neutral" races, just colonizing a new planet decreases happiness. They also don't like treaties, unusual events, building warships (I think), enemy colonies in "your" systems, basically anything that doesn't involve sitting around contemplating their navels. "Peaceful" types get happy about new colonies, new treaties, etc. and unhappy about wars, enemy ships, other races' (whether enemy or ally) colonies in one of "your" systems, etc. Finally, "Bloodthirsty" types get upset about treaties, new colonies, other races' (whether enemy or ally) colonies in "your" systems and they get happy about wars, destroying enemy ships and colonies, etc.

This is just a small sample of what goes into happiness; read the various "AI_Anger" files (in the AI directory; I think aggressive=bloodthirsty, defensive=peaceful and neutral=neutral) for more information.

And build an Urban Pac. Center in EVERY system (I'm pretty sure it's a system-wide effect, so you don't need one on every planet). If you use the Temporal technology trait, use the "Temporal Vacation Center" instead; if you use the Deeply Religious trait, I think you can use one of the shrines. They may not be better than the Urban Pac. Center, but since you'd be researching the racial technology anyway, it saves you from researching Psychology as well.

At least that's how I play, and my planets stay "Jubiliant" (they're fixing this typo in the next patch - although it's been around since SE3). I find that if I don't build a happiness facility, my populations eventually get less and less happy. Not to mention that conquered races STAY unhappy, and frequently end up rioting.

DirectorTsaarx · #5 January 30th, 2001, 09:08 PM

rdouglass, raynor: yeah, I have that problem too. The Ukra-Tal are really sneaky about that - I've found them on LOTS of moons. I first figured it out the same way rdouglass did; I looked at the galaxy map and realized there was a triangle in the system, even though all I saw were MY ships. Then I found those sneaky Ukra-tal on a couple of moons... unfortunately for them... hehehehe

rdouglass · #6 January 30th, 2001, 09:56 PM

quote:
Originally posted by DirectorTsaarx:

And build an Urban Pac. Center in EVERY system (I'm pretty sure it's a system-wide effect, so you don't need one on every planet). If you use the Temporal technology trait, use the "Temporal Vacation Center" instead; if you use the Deeply Religious trait, I think you can use one of the shrines. They may not be better than the Urban Pac. Center, but since you'd be researching the racial technology anyway, it saves you from researching Psychology as well.

Nice explination, but you forgot the Med Labs (in Organic Tech). Those are cool in the sense that they increase happines AND cure plagues system wide based on their level. IE ML I cures Level 1 plagues, MD II cures Level 2 plagues, etc.

And Yes, I too found out about the triangles the hard way - had to backtrack my "expansion" to eliminate a fleet that had "popped out of nowhere" from a base hidden on a moon and glassed a few of my newer colonies.

DirectorTsaarx · #7 January 30th, 2001, 10:48 PM

Good catch, rdouglass. I never use organic, so I forget about their facilities. Although now that you mention it, I remember reading someplace that they don't have as much of an effect on happiness as an Urban Pac Center (probably to make up for the fact that they prevent plagues).

My condolences on the fleet that came from nowhere. I hate those moon colonies...