% increase???

I agree that as things are it can sometimes be hard to tell exactly what the effect of a given thing will be. I have no problem with having things be based on percentages but for some things having a "details" area will be only moderately useful. For example: morale improvements built on a planet, the "detail" information will only be "correct" for a short period of time. As the planetary population increases things will change.

I also expect some of the bonuses to be tweaked as development progresses.

I do think it would be helpful if at least two things had a general explanation, perhaps even showing the algorithm supporting them.

1). How morale is determined? Is the initial morale curve for a planet class table based or calculated? Is the population of a planet calculated into the morale or is this also table based?

2). How is planet growth based? Since the growth of a planet is initially determined by morale (before any growth improvements) what is the basis? Is it a table? A calculation?

We have had lengthy discussions in the past about these two things that seemed to be more based on guesses and suppositions than anything else. It would help us understand if the game was working as intended if we knew how these things are established.

'Also the percent bonus system "unfairly" favors the stronger races. For example a 10% attack bonus for troops that have attack of 10 only get +1, but troops with attack of 100 get +10.'

This isn't really applicable except with Soldering, since you already have to have a bonus from something in order to have a different value that any other race, whereas soldering has several indirect bonuses (total tech level, number of troops, and whether you're attacking or defending).

'If a percent system is needed or is the most desired way to do things, it would be nice to see "details" on how it will effect the individual settings. For example if I'm gonna build a Media Center with a 15% bonus to morale, in the details show me what my morale is now and what it would be if the building was complete.'

Your example wouldn't work at all, since, except for very low populations and very low planet classes, your morale is going to change too much by the time you finish building it for the initial data to have been relevant in the first place.

/This isn't really applicable except with Soldering, since you already have to have a bonus from something in order to have a different value that any other race, whereas soldering has several indirect bonuses (total tech level, number of troops, and whether you're attacking or defending)./

I don't see how this is true. Space anomilies give % bonuses to many different things. And if a race has a high level of development in one of these areas, the bonus that race would get is much larger than what a lesser developed race would get.

/Your example wouldn't work at all, since, except for very low populations and very low planet classes, your morale is going to change too much by the time you finish building it for the initial data to have been relevant in the first place./

Two things-

First, what I had in mind was an up to date "details". So, as the media center nears completion, and I find it will not effect morale in the way I would like, I can stop production on it and move on to something else. Ther is also the option to purchase the media center and I could weigh the value of this if I know the outcome. And I didn't want this just for morale. It would be nice to see how research and production will be effected.

Second, as it stands right now I feel like I'm producing things because they are available to produce. This shouldn't be the case.

For example, I should want to produce a media center because my morale is low or because I would like to raise taxes and relize the effect it will have on my populace. Not because morale goes in the toilet so fast that I need anything available to give a morale boost.

I would also like a feel to the game where I have planets that specialize. I know it is possible to do this but it doesn't "feel" like it. I end up using the same govenor for every planet.

I think this has something to do with the way the percents work and how things seem to change without the player realizing why or how much.

I realize that some of that "feel" may come as the balance of the game is ironed out.

Once again, I hope the above makes sense. I feel as if I am not doing my thoughts justice here.

Hmm. Will have to think about this.

The thing about the percentages is that if you go around givine +1's to ships that's a pretty huge bonus. We'd hae to eliminate those kinds of anomalies in that event.

'/This isn't really applicable except with Soldering, since you already have to have a bonus from something in order to have a different value that any other race, whereas soldering has several indirect bonuses (total tech level, number of troops, and whether you're attacking or defending)./

I don't see how this is true. Space anomilies give % bonuses to many different things.'

Yes, they do. At +1-2% each. It takes 50 +2%s before one of those +2%s actually add +3%. Anomolies alone can't do that once the code to save them is fully developed. Techs and improvements do add a flat +10%, from what I've seen.

'And if a race has a high level of development in one of these areas, the bonus that race would get is much larger than what a lesser developed race would get.'

Only the +10% bonus from soldering has a impact like that. Until you get it up to +100% already, a +1% is still only +1%, and even once you reach that point, only anomolies add more than the stated percentage.

'It would be nice to see how research and production will be effected.'

I singled out your example more to point out that it was a bad example than anything else.

Don't forget that there is a bug that causes a preponderous number of the %attack and %soldiering anomalies. Once we receive the build containing the fix for this bug, perhaps the results will be better.