Question for Top Players

For best score: depending on the size of the map the difference between tech: cultural: military victories can be as high as 1: 2: 3 - a military victory scoring 3 times the tech victory

Aldar, the military victory scores much higher than the rest. I have been a proponent of each victory type scoring the same bonus wise. Especially since you can get one merely by shutting off all the other wins and culture bombing the galaxy (hardly a true military win). But so far, It's fallen on deaf ears.

Although now with the tech at reduced cost, perhaps the tech win shouldn't score all that much.

Seems to me a victory is a victory is a victory- why have different bonuses. Guess military domination is going to be my middle name from now on...

For balancing the metaverse scores. Some paths to victory are considered "easier" than others. This way people can still win in different ways, but those who choose a more difficult path are rewarded for their extra effort.

I know that some will argue fine points about whether this balancing is properly adjusted and so on, but to answer your question, that is the basic reason why there are bonuses.

Unfortunately the affect of the different bonuses is to make the game into just another kill 'em all game if you want to do well in the Metaverse.

The reality is that the last 1/2 of any military conquest is mop-up to get a good Metaverse score.

It would be nice it hopelessly out matched AIs would surrender a little sooner.

I kind of like them hanging on for a little while. In my last game, the Altarians, Torians, and Yor just gave up after about 6 turns of me frying them in space. The pesky Drengin took a bit longer...but they finally succumbed to my Dreadnaughts.

I agree Aldar. But if the bonuses were removed with the game as it is, then metaverse players would all still play for the same type of victory, whatever the easiest one is. (perhaps cultural?)

If the devs had more time & resources, I'm sure they would prefer to balance the game so that each path to victory was equally challenging, thus eliminating the need for artificial bonuses.

I have a qestion...

How can I have a military conquest without ever attacking any other player ???

I select for militry conquest.. however they always give into my culture.. so its an easy way to get high scores



~SDC~

Yep. That's a problem for sure and I've heard reports of some people exploiting that very thing in order to get the military victory bonus.

The only thing I can think of to prevent it is to be at war. If you are at war, then planets will not culture flip to your empire.

Simple way to get military victory without ever invading anyone else: Turn off culture victory. Play a good game with good opponents and emphasize trade. Research influence techs and negotiate for influence resources. Watch the dominoes fall later on one by one. When the last major civ planet falls, game over as military victory. You get 100% score and not the lower cultural amount that the tactic deserves. You can also do it in reverse if you leave culture victory on (but why, many would say, if the score isn't worth it?): Fight everyone and invade people like mad. Once your empire becomes the unbeatable superpower, let your overwhelming culture finish them off.
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