Racial Tech Trait Poll

[Suicide Junkie]

Since shields are easily countered, boosting shields is not that helpful.

The shield boost is best for units.

If the facility provides +30 shields, on a stack of 100 fighters (or sats), that equates to 3000 more hitpoints!

[Taz-in-Space]

Actually I like to pick the advanced storage and that better engine one.

The advanced storage not only allows you to build more facilities on a planet, it also gives you a headstart by having more facilities 'out of the box'. (more research and resources)

The one that gives you +1 ship speed means it take you slightly less time to explore and move population. (also gives you a boost to your abilities in tactical combat)

With these 2 abilities, I should be able to get a headstart on building my empire. (Vs those with the special tech pick)

[DirectorTsaarx]

Well, I'm glad my statement started a serious debate here...

Anyway, the Temporal Version of the Null-Space Weapon requires nearly the same amount of research (since you have to research 2 levels of Temporal Studies, plus the Temporal Weapons, to get the Temporal Version; Null-Space requires 2 levels of Astrophysics, plus Null-Space Weapons). And for that, the Temporal Version has lower damage and less range than the Null-Space Cannon.

I agree about the happiness facility (double the effect of the standard one); and the Temporal Space Yard is a good late-game boost. But you have to research 1 level of Temporal Studies and then 4 levels of Temporal Technology to get the first TSY. And, as Wardad mentioned, you have to scrap your original space yard to build the Temporal one on an established planet. I don't usually bother with the combat bonus facility, since battles rarely occur in my home territory (I don't have time to keep up with PBEM/PBW games, unfortunately).

I remember in the early days everyone liked Organic for the "best" fighter weapon (Small Lightning Ray), the "best" seeker (Parasite, as Wardad mentions) and the Organic Armor. I wouldn't discount the replicant facilities either; the only AI that can keep up with a micromanaging human for population growth is an Organic AI that builds the replicant facilities.

And there's been recent debate about how effective the Allegiance Subverter is, especially on satellites at warp points. I had one game where I managed to capture a Cue Cappa ship by Intel, and used that ship to subvert another ship, used those 2 to subvert a couple more, and so on, and so on... too bad a new patch came out and I decided to start a new game before I could get my captured fleet back home.

Finally, while it takes forever to get the Talisman, it's hard to argue with the effectiveness of something that grants 100% to-hit chances for beam weapons at all ranges, no matter how much ECM or defensive bonus or experience an enemy has.

EDIT: I just looked at the poll results, and it looks like Religious is in the lead; Psychic, Temporal and Organic are tied for second, and Crystalline is a distant Last.

[ June 27, 2002, 20:28: Message edited by: DirectorTsaarx ]

[Wardad]

Originally posted by Suicide Junkie:
The shield boost is best for units.

If the facility provides +30 shields, on a stack of 100 fighters (or sats), that equates to 3000 more hitpoints!

Have you tested this? Does it even apply to units? It used to be that shields did not even work right on stacks. Would the +30 be for the entire stack or the individual unit?

I'm playing one to many PBW and STARS host games. I'm out of time to test anything out.

Who else is playing crystalline? What tips do you have?
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Rock, Paper, Sledge Hammer

[ June 27, 2002, 23:03: Message edited by: Wardad ]

[Suicide Junkie]

too bad a new patch came out and I decided to start a new game before I could get my captured fleet back home.

I don't recall a single patch (except Classic v1.49 -> Gold v1.50, which is not really a patch) that ever broke savegames. You can easily continue to play any mod under a new SE4 Version.

Have you tested this? Does it even apply to units? It used to be that shields did not even work right on stacks. Would the +30 be for the entire stack or the individual unit?

Just did. With an Energy lens 3 (+60), two fighters get +120 hitpoints.

The extra shielding dosen't show up in any of the windows, the only hint of its existence is the fact that the fighters take twice as long to die.

Note that you have to have SOME shielding on your vehicle already, otherwise you don't get the bonus.

[DirectorTsaarx]

Originally posted by Suicide Junkie:

quote:

---

too bad a new patch came out and I decided to start a new game before I could get my captured fleet back home.

I don't recall a single patch (except Classic v1.49 -> Gold v1.50, which is not really a patch) that ever broke savegames. You can easily continue to play any mod under a new SE4 Version.

---

I think it was the patch that changed the size of the repair bays and some other minor weirdness, and while I was certain I could fix my own illegal ship designs, I decided the AI might be overly penalized by continuing.

[Suicide Junkie]

In that case, the AI would have blocked production until it gains a tech (any tech). Then it redesigns all its ships and is back in business.