Why did dev's...

from Stardock Forums
I'm guessing some of you were involved in beta and may know why some decisions were made.

Why does the game start with most of the decent planets already taken? I don't mean the story line reason, I mean the dev's game play reason.

I get a few planets around me and pretty soon I can't even explore any further without planets or starbases out there and I can't get those without going to war, which would be tough when I have no warship ability that early.

It sure seems to me it would have been more fun for all to start with nothing or with one system. It worked real well for three versions of Civ.

Mostly I get to where I can't explore any further and quit.
288 views 4 replies
Reply #1 from Stardock Forums Top
I guess that depends on the game difficulty...Just finished my first game on "easy" setting...2 AI's on beginner and one on sub-intelligent. The inhabitable planet availability was set lower than normal and map size medium. And I got 4 planets really fast and then up to seven a bit later...so I had more planets than I really needed.
Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top
I've been involved in the beta process. I think you have a basic misunderstanding. The planets are NOT all already taken. If you are getting there too late, that's due to a variety of reasons -- most importantly, the AI is getting out there faster than you. Learn a few techniques, such as cranking production up to 100%, or leasing colony ships at the beginning, or setting all planets to building colony ships -- the AI does this and so can you. Check out some of the strategy threads.

So, your assumption that the best planets are "already taken" is flawed. Admittedly, depending on the start position, you might have a game where the AIs have better planets available than you. If you don't like your start, hit Ctrl-N.

In my experience, it's pretty much the luck of the draw, just like in every Civ type game I've played. Some starts are more difficult than others.

~SDC~
Elemental: Reforged
Reply #3 from Stardock Forums Top
Aweill is right, unless you are incredibly lucky and get a whole quarter of the map to yourself, the AI will colonise worlds, i mean you do it, so do they :). The trick is to be able to pump out colony ships from your worlds in 3 or 4 turns, and thus enable you to nab the worlds before the AI gets to.

~SDC~
Reply #4 from Stardock Forums Top
Yup, the key is to get a fast start. I find that your initial allotment of money is better spent cranking spending up to 100% rather than leasing colony ships, but others disagree. I usually set the social spending to 0% until I can build banks. The only thing I buy is a single scout, and even that not on small maps.