How to Grow efficiently ?

from Stardock Forums
Hi,
Just playing my first games, I'm completely overwhelmed by alien growth : they got to 5-10 B people when I'm at barely 2... :(
I did have a comparable number of planets than they, but
it seems that the main parameter is Planet Quality, and mine were 14-18 where they had some 20+ in early game (Soil Enrichmt and perhaps Habitat only). My own planets became noticeably more fertile when they had "Habitat" only.
Tax level does'nt seem to have much effect, I tried from 33% to 50%.

What can tell more experienced players ? ;)
922 views 8 replies
Reply #1 from Stardock Forums Top
it sounds as if you are on the wright path.
What was the morale of the AI, with that population. Use espionage to find out.
I go for Soil & habitat 1st, the terraforming as soon as the game permits.

"Tax level does'nt seem to have much effect, I tried from 33% to 50%."
The idea is to maximize your tax rate while maximizing your morale without impacting your production negatively. it is very volatile, meaning it is very sensitive and if it goes in one direction it goes fast.
have fun...


~SDC~
Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top
The higher your morale, the faster you grow. Entertainment centers and a low tax rate should help with your growth rate as well as higher planet classes.
Star Control: Origins
Reply #3 from Stardock Forums Top
Keep taxes low and invest in social projects like soil enrichment which improve the planet at first, then entertainment. I usually go as low as possible on taxes and keep morale above 70 when possible. I subsidise my spending by selling my research to the other aliens for monthly tribute (x2 researches usually gets me average 40 for 40).

Go first for techs which allow more trade routes, and increases trade. Later on, your planet's morale will go down due to over population. Build transports (and when allowed, combat transports), load them up, and launch them from overpopulated planets to raise their morale. Some folks just dump population into space. I like to sell them to friendly civs who are at war for monthly tribute. Anything to make money!! :D

~SDC~
Reply #4 from Stardock Forums Top
Lobos I like the idea of seeling the population to other civs i didn't think of that before. however i somehow manage to keep my morale at a decent number without having to dump population. but anyway props.

~SDC~
Reply #5 from Stardock Forums Top
Thx all ! But but but ...
Now I begin to have consequent growth rate, and moral plummets !!! It went from 70+ to 40-some on Earth.. (:(
As a result I lost the elections (well I knew I should have kept Imperium as I play my leader as an evil bastard, but at the time I switched to Rep 'cause economy was in shambles, and it helped MUCH ! :) )
I like the idea of selling extra population, that will show'em ! (I'd sell them to the already overcrowded Yor, then I'll invade with mass drivers or gas ... Mwwwahhhh !!! LOL )
Reply #6 from Stardock Forums Top
Maybe it's just my games, but these answers don't seem to account for the difference in AI pop growths vs mine. By turn 100 or so my race of puny humans generally has 1/2 as many people as the nearest AI. I do build soil enhancement, entertainment, news network, etc. I also keep taxes to a reasonable amount. My people just don't like sex. :(
Is there some magic bullet to getting people to breed?
Reply #7 from Stardock Forums Top
What diff. level?

The magic bullet I've noticed is morale andp lanet quality... but also aphrodisiacs, and other things.

~SDC~
Reply #8 from Stardock Forums Top
Well, my 1st game was at Medium/Beginner... Nearly won now ! :)
For growth, I used a cheesy method : put some B people in Transports (particulalry just before elections ... :D) , the remaining ones get happy !