How many people set their OWN planet type to ICE??

Jason2 · #1 March 5th, 2001, 06:16 PM

I have set my race to Ice/Carbon Dioxide and Ice/Methane several times and found that the Ice/Carbon Dioxide actually seemed to give me an advantage (as Rock/M or Rock/CD).

I haven't tried the no atmosphere yet... I tend to roleplay the creation of my race and visualize such a being as the Crystal dudes (can't remember name).

I also haven't tried Ice/Oxygen, but will now...

Jason2

Talenn · #2 March 5th, 2001, 08:41 PM

One thing to keep in mind is that while Rock maybe the most common type of planet found, Rock is ALSO the most common type of planet AI races will inhabit. This means lots of increased competition for the same systems. It also means that the new AI routines will 'covet' your planets and cause a negative diplomatic penalty.

I think Ice and Rock are fairly well balanced because of this. I think Gas Giants are an utter no brainer and they make the game far too easy if selected. There arent many Gas Giant AIs and almost all of the planets are Large/Huge. There dont seem to be to terribly many LESS GG planets either and their values are on par. (I was hoping to see something like lower mineral values or something for GGs so you have to have more mines to get the same results, thus offsetting some of the size advantage).

Talenn

Baron Munchausen · #3 March 5th, 2001, 10:09 PM

quote:
Originally posted by jpinard:
I usually set my own planet type to ice, and always seem to be at a huge disadvantage against the other races.

How many people, especially those that complain the game is too easy, set their planet types to ice?

It's only a short-term disadvantage. In the long run it's an advantage because sooner or later you'll be able to conquer a rock colonizing race and get that colonization tech. This will almost always be MANY turns before any of the AI races can do the same. AI vs. AI wars are very slow. Now you've got TWO colonization types and you're well ahead of the AI races unless they've found a colonization tech in ruins or (unlikely) conquered another race themselves.

Possum · #4 March 5th, 2001, 10:47 PM

Sigh.

I've been in a 3-player game with sequential movement for a while now, current stardate is 2403.6

Yan, one of my honorable opponents, has his home planet type set to Ice/None and he is still kicking our asses, the young impulsive schemer!

My point here is just that superior ability is still enough to oversome such a disadvantage, even against human opponents.

geoschmo · #5 March 6th, 2001, 12:58 AM

Possum,

No disrespect to the Honorable Yan, he may be in fact a great strategist, but I don't consider Ice/None to be a disadvantage. I would have to say it is a great advantage over any rock/any and at least on par with Gas/any.

Consider your typical neutral ai has rock, odds are the first such ai Yan came incontact with had that, and in surendering to him gave him that tech.

Now very early in the game he has the ability to colonize every moon in the quadrant. And since a domed moon only has room for one facility, chances are slim that anyone has colonized any of them.

But with his non-aptmosphere breathers being able to build more facilities, now he can have on average 3 to 5 colonies in every system that can support space yards AND produce resources to boot.

Some disadvantage!

Daynarr · #6 March 6th, 2001, 01:02 AM

quote:
Originally posted by geoschmo:
Possum,

No disrespect to the Honorable Yan, he may be in fact a great strategist, but I don't consider Ice/None to be a disadvantage. I would have to say it is a great advantage over any rock/any and at least on par with Gas/any.

Consider your typical neutral ai has rock, odds are the first such ai Yan came incontact with had that, and in surendering to him gave him that tech.

Now very early in the game he has the ability to colonize every moon in the quadrant. And since a domed moon only has room for one facility, chances are slim that anyone has colonized any of them.

But with his non-aptmosphere breathers being able to build more facilities, now he can have on average 3 to 5 colonies in every system that can support space yards AND produce resources to boot.

Some disadvantage!

This is also where the Natural Merchants and Advanced Storage traits are VERY handy.

Possum · #7 March 6th, 2001, 01:13 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Daynarr:
This is also where the Natural Merchants and Advanced Storage traits are VERY handy.

Yes, I can sure see that they would, but Yan is actually using Psychic and Temporal, a combination that makes me wonder what the HELL he's up to...

I know he reads this board from time to time, as does Tobias, my other worthy opponent. I wonder if either of them will chime in here...