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oswald ownenstein posted:I'm having trouble just dealing with pirates. I started a new game because I found myself mid-late gameish on my first game with only 3 colonies and no way getting out paced. This time I went with 'normal' settings for everything such as pirates. I really wouldn't go with Age of Shadows for your first few games. In fact, I don't think I'm ever playing that mode again, it's really slow to start and the pirates are a total nuisance in a way that I don't find satisfying. Have you tried the introductory game on Classic?
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Jul 30, 2014 20:57
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Phlegmish posted:I really wouldn't go with Age of Shadows for your first few games. Heres a good idea: Start a custom game, turn pirates down to few and weak, set your size to Starting and your tech to normal. This way you start out with only your homeworld and a medium station for it, and you already have hyper drive. No waiting around to get dicked over by pirates and you can take things slow to wrap your head around expansion.
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Jul 30, 2014 21:50
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Agean90 posted:They do that with a lot of things. Attacking a pirate station? Have fun watching your carrier drop out of warp on the other side as the majority of your forces! Oh I know. Fleet warping needs some love. It's just so much more noticeable with the Gravity Well Projector. It seems like when you warp to a planet the game has a set radius for the ships to stop at and it distributes them randomly around that circle and the Projector just increases the radius instead of acting like an actual stop.
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Jul 30, 2014 22:10
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Less Fat Luke posted:You can also throw long range scanners on your explorers, miners and freighters. It's sort of cheesy I guess but it really expands your visibility and will help uncover pirate activity. I don't like burdening my private sector with that (I have literally no idea if it makes a significant difference), so when I discovered the Monitoring Base sub-class I just started building those out in a ring around my empire, and then near all the clumps of gas clouds.
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Jul 30, 2014 22:37
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Yes, it's like a lava lamp.
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PittTheElder posted:I don't like burdening my private sector with that (I have literally no idea if it makes a significant difference), so when I discovered the Monitoring Base sub-class I just started building those out in a ring around my empire, and then near all the clumps of gas clouds. I always put long range scanners on private bases and they seem to do fine , but I'm not sure how well they'd work on ships. I've tried it on my exploration ships and they have to remain still for quite a while before the scanner activates. Might work well on miners since they stay put for a while mining.
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Jul 30, 2014 23:05
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Phlegmish posted:I really wouldn't go with Age of Shadows for your first few games. I'm doing custom game though I don't think that counts as Age of Shadows?
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Jul 31, 2014 02:47
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I just put long range scanners and cloaking devices on mid/late-game explorers and park them in suitable locations once they've outlived their original purpose. Aside from that, I'll usually have a perimeter of monitor stations along the stars that make up my border. If you click the "Show Long Range Scanners" (or whatever) button above your minimap, you'll see the radius of your scanners, and they're usually pretty big. Placing one on every private ship seems like overkill, I think.oswald ownenstein posted:I'm doing custom game though I don't think that counts as Age of Shadows? I think if you are starting a custom game with pre-warp tech levels, you are essentially playing age of shadows. Bohemian Nights fucked around with this message at 03:02 on Jul 31, 2014 |
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Jul 31, 2014 02:58
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Putting long range scanners on your civilian mining ships (and construction ships) are your best bet for a mobile scanning unit that you dont have to tell where to go. They will be sitting in a place for a half year or so anyway, long enough for the scanner to kick in. If you want them there longer, make cargo storage bigger. Every 3000 storage is approx. 6 months on station for optimized ore miners, 1 month for gas. A nice thing about this is miners might go places you wouldnt think to put a scanner and reveal stuff you didnt think was there.
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Jul 31, 2014 04:18
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Haven't seen this posted yet but it appears the AI improvement mod has made some drastic changes to things. The changelog is pretty interesting, especially the part where he seems to have overhauled some of the stock designs, leading me to believe that's something that can be tweaked further. AI Improvement Thread posted:Changelog: Alpha to 1.0 Release I really want to take a crack at pulling storage bays and research labs off spaceports at the very least. It'd be interesting to take a crack at making cruisers/capital ships not bother packing ordinance for non-"evil" ships as well, in favor of more dakka. Seems like it may be possible to tweak some of the more annoying aspects of the stock ship designs away, and allow for more competitive designs from the AI races as well.
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Aug 5, 2014 18:07
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NatasDog posted:Haven't seen this posted yet but it appears the AI improvement mod has made some drastic changes to things. The author of that mod would do blitz-LPs of the game on Extreme difficulty and possibly knows the nuances of the mechanics better than the developers. From what I've been following on the forums he's made great steps to making the AI more competitive without cheating. I have not tried it yet as I can't bring myself to play without Extended if not my own mods, but he's 4 deep into the Extended races so that should be available soon.
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Aug 5, 2014 18:18
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I went poking through the ship designs and at the very least he's got the cargo bays off the space ports, which is nice. The small has no research modules either, but the medium and large both have 10/10/8. I assume it's to help the AI along since it won't build research bases at the home world on its own, but it still bothers me. Also, holy hell are the templates ridiculously tedious to work with; each race has its own folder and from there there's a separate text file for each ship class to define the modules they'll carry. The amount of  required to make each race unique is massive. It'd be hell of a lot easier if it were a single csv file for each ship type with a column for each race; I can't imagine why they decided to do it the way they did. Even having a single csv file for each race and a column for every ship type would be preferable to this, as having to modify 29 separate files for each race you add is just crazy. Most of the races will be a c/p job anyway, it just requires you to figure out which races concentrate on which weapon/defense types and then copying the same set of templates to each of them.On top of that the templates all use raw numbers and don't allow for a set size for the different ship/base types. It'd be a lot easier to work with if you could define a percentage to dedicate to different areas (engine, maneuvering, shields, armor, missles, beams, etc) and set a target size for each class of ship for the AI to design around, but I suppose that'd be a lot harder to code on the back end. It still wouldn't flexible enough for your ships to scale their size based on available tech either, which would be a godsend for ships that only have one class like passenger ships, defense bases, and troop transports. Ideally with those types of ships it'd be nice to have there be a target ship size and have the AI scale back the size of design to match whatever your tech level allows. I still look forward to playing around with his mod and seeing how the game plays out with the changes, as anything's got to be better than vanilla. E; Going through the modding guide, it looks like the game will scale designs based on tech level, but it's not very clear how it does it or which components get prioritized over which. NatasDog fucked around with this message at 20:24 on Aug 5, 2014 |
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Aug 5, 2014 20:13
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So I have a pirate infestation on one of my colonies and it appears to be impossible to uproot because it has something like 180k troops - wtf?
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Aug 8, 2014 16:52
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I wish more modding setups had the equivalent to a test project executable where you could get an output based on static poo poo just to see what happens. The kind of manual testing people get up to just to figure out a formula sometimes is ridiculous. In the case of MMOs it literally boils down to someone disseminating a plugin to feed their own database :/
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Aug 8, 2014 16:59
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oswald ownenstein posted:So I have a pirate infestation on one of my colonies and it appears to be impossible to uproot because it has something like 180k troops - wtf? Build more troops. I tend to have a standby fleet with some 1-2 million troops on it, and are occasionally used to wipe out pirates if needed.
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Aug 8, 2014 17:39
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What am I missing something behind the ships 'Flee When' setting? Having the two combat options be 50% and 20% shields kinda feels like my guys run too fast if I was to load up on armor. 'Never' seems a bit too suicidal because I would like my ships to try and run eventually. Are there mods to add in a 'run at 80% armor' or is there a reason that's not already there?
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Aug 16, 2014 17:21
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Armor really is there for 2 things. Suicide frigates with pointblank and fast engines and giving your ships time to run when the shields fail. As a defense, they do not last near long enough to be of use, until you get the reactive armor and repair bots. Damage control systems do not apply to armor otherwise, they reduce the damage your soft other systems take after armor is gone. There is an option I believe in Empire settings to make your ships braver and more willing to stay in a fight, but I dont remember where it is.
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Aug 17, 2014 21:37
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RPS just did a write-up about a Star Trek mod. It looks pretty fully featured.
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Aug 21, 2014 14:49
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Construction ships will build mining stations for private industry right? Like the private sector orders and pays for it? If I have a construction ship automated how do I know if it's building a station that the AI bought for me or whether it's a private station? I had a situation where I ran out of helium even though I had sources right in my system. For some reason the automated construction ships never built a mining station there. How do they decide what to build? I thought they would take into account empire resource needs but maybe not? Is it a good strategy to leave a few construction ships under manual control and use them to make sure I'm filling my resource needs? I've instantly fallen in love with this game btw.
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Aug 24, 2014 13:50
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When you click on a contructor, you can see what they're building. So long as it's a mining station of any kind, it'll always be a part of the private economy, even if you ordered it. I've also found that you can't trust the constructors to build enough or be smart enough about what it builds to be left entirely to their own devices. I may let them do their own thing from mid-game and onwards, but before that I always keep an eye out for good resource planets, because the computer often ignores them. I'll keep them all automated, but I make sure to just queue construction on good resource points, and the constructors will get to them sooner rather than later, even if they're all occupied at that time. Bohemian Nights fucked around with this message at 14:57 on Aug 24, 2014 |
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Aug 24, 2014 14:47
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In the early game I'm similar, but I keep one construction ship off automation so I can build high-priority military installations without having to worry about when Buttsville Mining Station 3% Lead 6% Steel will be completed.
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Aug 25, 2014 16:50
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Thanks both. Just had another game stalled by a resource shortage. This time it was Chromium (because the AI puts energy collectors on freighters - necessary?). I didn't find a single source. I guess I should have built more exploration ships. There was always like 0.3 in transit but I couldn't track down where it was coming from (I guess another empire?). I haven't had any luck with the smuggling missions yet - every time I set up a mission the pirates seem to ignore it.
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Aug 25, 2014 17:25
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fuf posted:Thanks both. The usual suspects for early game resource crunches are typically Helium, Chromium, Polymer, and Carbon Fibre. Definitely prioritize finding sources in the early game, especially Helium with Chromium shortly behind in importance. As for Energy Collectors they are a straight up efficiency boost to everything you could put them on. Even freighters, which spend more time in transit between systems than any other vessel, benefit from not having to pay fuel costs while docking/undocking from stations. And while it's not obvious when zoomed out looking at all your freighters zipping around space, the reality is that freighters spend an awful lot of time docking/undocking. Even early game with the Gerax we might be talking 3-4 day hops between nearby systems in your growing empire, compared to dropping out of hyperspeed inches from a station and taking over a week to ponderously turn and crawl into the dock, unload, and lumber out of the berth.
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Aug 25, 2014 19:18
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I've been playing the Picard-era Trek mod the last day or two and it's a lot of fun. I was almost caught out because in game terminology 'Assimilate' means being nice to conquered aliens and incorporating them gradually into your empire, which is not what the Borg do. I'm just exterminating and replacing aliens instead, it's good enough for me.
Ms Adequate fucked around with this message at 21:45 on Sep 9, 2014 |
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Sep 9, 2014 20:37
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I briefly tried the game back when it was released on Steam, but got distracted by shinier games. The incessant message spam, particularly from pirates demanding tiny sums of money, was very annoying though. Considering getting back into the game, is this fixed now or is there a way to disable the spam?
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Sep 12, 2014 18:18
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Apoffys posted:I briefly tried the game back when it was released on Steam, but got distracted by shinier games. The incessant message spam, particularly from pirates demanding tiny sums of money, was very annoying though. Considering getting back into the game, is this fixed now or is there a way to disable the spam? You can disable spam to your hearts content. In the options menu you can check what things you would like the computer to bother you about and if you'd like the computer to handle it or just ignore it. You just have to be careful because those things are in rather large categories. To stop pirate offers you might have to turn off "Treaty offers" altogether. Although I'm not at home so I can't check.
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Sep 12, 2014 18:34
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Ok, thanks. I gave it another shot and it seems the spam was toned way down by a patch. The number of requests for "protection money" is very tolerable now. I have another question though. Why is my "actual output" lower than my "total research capacity"? I built a custom research station, so perhaps it's missing something vital. Seems like I'm getting only 70-80% efficiency on my research. Edit: Also, what sort of range should I be aiming for on my military ships in the beginning (with Gerax drive)? They're around 4-5 sectors now. Is there a way to search for mining locations with specific minerals? I found the list of mining locations, but all the icons look the same, so I have to click and mouseover every one to see what it is. Apoffys fucked around with this message at 01:48 on Sep 14, 2014 |
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Sep 14, 2014 00:58
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Does your research station have enough labs on it?
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Sep 14, 2014 02:02
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10 of each type. Does it need anything else (besides the stuff that gives red warnings if I leave it out)? 
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Sep 14, 2014 02:29
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Apoffys posted:10 of each type. Does it need anything else (besides the stuff that gives red warnings if I leave it out)? Your total research potential is 591k (the number on the top right), which means that if you didn't get any bonuses for human population, government type, leaders, research locations etc, the most you could get in any catagory is 591/3=197k. Since you have some bonuses for at least some of those, you're getting a little bit more. Research potential is based on your population (I think, that or something related like strategic value). Its only function is to stop you from just researching everything instantly by building a shitload of labs. e: I should clarify that when I say "in any catagory" I mean assuming you're balancing out your research output. If you build all of one kind of lab you could get up to your maximum potential just in that area.
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Sep 14, 2014 04:54
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Thanks. Yet another question: is there a better way to deal with pirates than to just pay them? I can't afford to babysit every single freighter and blowing up their spaceports isn't terribly effective. I've destroyed 3 pirate havens so far (one faction surrendered, the other two just got pissed at me), but the number of pirate attacks is just going up and I'm fast running out of places to attack. How can I best use my fleets to patrol and defend against attacks?
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Sep 14, 2014 16:29
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Apoffys posted:Is there a way to search for mining locations with specific minerals? I found the list of mining locations, but all the icons look the same, so I have to click and mouseover every one to see what it is. In the exploration planner screen (or whatever it's called) you can filter by resource type and only show locations with that resource.
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Sep 14, 2014 17:29
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Apoffys posted:Thanks. Yet another question: is there a better way to deal with pirates than to just pay them? I can't afford to babysit every single freighter and blowing up their spaceports isn't terribly effective. I've destroyed 3 pirate havens so far (one faction surrendered, the other two just got pissed at me), but the number of pirate attacks is just going up and I'm fast running out of places to attack. How can I best use my fleets to patrol and defend against attacks? Losing civilian ships is fine as long as it doesn't send you into a resource shortage - civilians actually pay you whenever they build ships at a space port. The real problem with pirates is when they raid your bases or extort your colonies. Completely eliminating pirates is hard. You need to destroy all their spaceports, construction ships, and resupply ships. They start with at least one of each and are very good at keeping the latter two alive. You pretty much need warp interdiction to stop them from running away and a long range sensor network in order to find them. The cost and player effort probably isn't worth it. Remember that spies can also steal maps and destroy bases. It's also worth noting that with default game settings, pirate factions respawn. The criminal element will always be there. The good news is if you kill all their spaceports they can't build ships until a construction ship builds a new spaceport for them. My approach would be to kill their spaceports and then starve them of cash. Make sure there aren't any pirate bases on your worlds, that locks pirate influence over the world, and pirate influence on your worlds siphons money from you to the pirates. If there are pirate bases then build a decent ground military (at least 4 infantry for the pirate base and at least 8 for the fortress) and then go around and stomp them all. Any nearby independent worlds have to be cleared as well. If you can't colonize and don't want to take the infamy hit for invading the independents it may be worth stationing a fleet there in order to stop the pirates from orbiting the world and gaining influence. My approach is usually to pay the pirates if they offer me a good deal - it's not rare for my empire to have a bunch of pirate protection agreements for less than 100 credits per month in the late game. You can only get deals like that later though, when you have a strong military and they have a weak one.
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Sep 14, 2014 20:44
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How do I get the Shakturi to show up reliably? 
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Sep 16, 2014 04:29
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I think you have to wait. I was getting really sick of them not showing up, I think because the rest of the galaxy was completely rear end backwards technologically. When I finally did find the Monolith of the Shakturi or whatever, it was on a planet in the same sector as my starting world, meaning I 100% scouted it myself earlier. They finally spawned when I sent a colony ship to colonize the ice moon it was on. Then they showed up, immediately attacked my Atuuk protectorate, and I just blockaded them for years until the Guardians revealed them. Because it totally wasn't obvious already.
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Sep 16, 2014 06:07
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So it's been awhile since this thread had any updates, but some of the stuff people are modding into it is pretty crazy. Notably, it seems that most people use the Extended mod as a base for insanely huge gameplay mods. One of the biggest is the Beyond Extended mod. Which gives every race a unique tech tree progression, makes each one actually unique in terms of how they play, and adds a few extra races. It's actually making some significant progress. http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=3657646&mpage=1&key= It's pretty loving bonkers. Just playing as your bog standards human race is pretty crazy. They apparently spec pretty heavily into cruisers, cap ships, and centralized production. I'm running some sort of hideously inefficient Firefly-esque frontier empire where everything moves so loving slowly and there's only the occasional space port. The upside is that my ships utterly destroy anything that actually fight them once they get there. Edit: Also, I just realized the Beyond Extended install is larger than the actual game itself. 
Archonex fucked around with this message at 23:05 on Dec 5, 2014 |
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Dec 5, 2014 22:17
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Archonex posted:So it's been awhile since this thread had any updates, but some of the stuff people are modding into it is pretty crazy. There goes my weekend, I'll have to check this out. I haven't touched the game since universe came out but I know a lot of mods were in the works. The games biggest flaw was, I felt, the samey tech tree when compared to galactic civilizations.
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Dec 5, 2014 23:26
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So since the GalCiv thread appears to be archived, it looks like GalCiv 3 is in beta 3 now and it's 50% off for Steam Sale.
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Dec 19, 2014 21:03
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Archonex posted:I'm running some sort of hideously inefficient Firefly-esque frontier empire where everything moves so loving slowly and there's only the occasional space port. The upside is that my ships utterly destroy anything that actually fight them once they get there. That sounds like the best thing ever and makes me need Distant Worlds.
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Dec 19, 2014 21:52
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Is there a mod that improves the AI ship designs? I'd love to just use auto-upgrade for everything including military ships so I can focus on empire building and not get bogged down in components. Is that feasible?
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Dec 24, 2014 17:46
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The AI Improvement Mod does that. However, it also splits the weapon types among all the races, so the ship design AI will only create useful designs for the race you're playing if you stick to his vision of the weapons your race uses. The research priorities for each race are also prioritized based on this, so you end up with a pretty competitive AI all around. E; That said, the race specific ship design files are really easy to edit and if you really want to  over it, you can play around with them on your own for whatever race you want to play. I personally didn't like the fact that his designs pretty much forego research stations and instead places labs on every spaceport, but it's a necessary design decision because the AI is terrible at getting its own research up to the cap unless they're place on Medium and Large SPs. I went through and yanked them from the design files when he first released it and it completely wrecked the AI's competitiveness, so don't do that.
NatasDog fucked around with this message at 18:22 on Dec 24, 2014 |
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Dec 24, 2014 18:15
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