DW2 FAQ/QnA megathread - Ask your question here!

[zgrssd]

I have noticed that after freighters pick up salvage from space, the resources from their cargo holds just vanish after they receive a new mission.
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Exploration ship can also pick up resources from space even if they have 0 cargo space.

That is not a question. That should be a bug reprot.

Also everything can pick up Cargo it seems. Even my combat ships.
They do seem to keep them until they enter a spaceport, however.

[BTAxis]

That is not a question. That should be a bug reprot.

Also everything can pick up Cargo it seems. Even my combat ships.
They do seem to keep them until they enter a spaceport, however.

This is new behavior, so I'm not sure it's a bug at this point. It could be that this is intended as a solution to ships picking up cargo and never depositing it anywhere because, as you pointed out, combat ships can do it too. I don't know though.

[zgrssd]

That is not a question. That should be a bug reprot.

Also everything can pick up Cargo it seems. Even my combat ships.
They do seem to keep them until they enter a spaceport, however.

This is new behavior, so I'm not sure it's a bug at this point. It could be that this is intended as a solution to ships picking up cargo and never depositing it anywhere because, as you pointed out, combat ships can do it too. I don't know though.

"Destroy the resources" is not a fix for anything!

This is clearly a bug, given it deprives you of everything the ship had loaded.

[BTAxis]

Who says the resources are destroyed? They might be getting teleported to the nearest planet.

[Llamageddon]

Q1: Do you have passenger transprots to move the tourists?
Generally having high Scenery, plus Station, plus people to draw is all you need.

Q2: The Spaceport comes with Recreation, Medical and Commerce Modules. And they do not stack

Q3: Recreation and Medical add for me right now a +3 Apporval Each. Which is converted into Taxes.
I think Medical is also supposed to grant growth, but that might be indirectly via the Happiness Bonus

Q4: Planets seem to produce ships and resources as quickly with 30M as they do with 12000M.

Q5: Pretty sure they do not add. In fact, by my knowledge mining stations and resort bases get scrapped on colonisation.
Keep in mind that Spaceprots will also grab any Long Range sensors, so realy the only thing you should add in space is Defense bases.

Thanks. You answered everything; the only thing I am left wondering about is how fast you mine resources with a colony vs a mining base. Admittedly, it is a very edge case for concern and I'm really just curious rather than desperate for an answer.
Thanks for the concise reply and the extra tip about the medical bonus.

I assume the game is designed so that a colony would always trump a base with mining modules even if mining rate is the only concern, but I wonder if there is a scenario where huge amounts of modules would mine a resource faster than a colony.

It doesn't look like there is an easy way to see how what a colony's mining rate is, so there might not be an easy answer to this one. If no one seems to know, I'll be sure to post an update if I actually find out for sure myself from testing in-game.

Edit: To answer my own question, if anyone is interested, I thought I'd just update to add that after some preliminary investigation it does appear that a mining base is massively more efficient to extract a resource than a newly founded colony.

Also, it seems that population does make a difference to mining rate, once you get a population a bit over 2000M it seems that you start to be able to compete with the mining rates of a large mining engine on a base.

Don't take this as gospel though; I was working on a few assumptions about related mechanics and this was from some very rough comparisons in a current game. If I do more in-depth testing and find out anything noteworthy, I'll try to remember to post an update elsewhere on the forums.

[Llamageddon]

Q1: Do you have passenger transprots to move the tourists?
Generally having high Scenery, plus Station, plus people to draw is all you need.

Despite my previous reply I am still stumped as to why only my capital is receiving tourists. I have a resort base in a friendly colonized system with a higher scenery bonus, as well as colonies with a higher scenery bonus with and without resort bases which no one is visiting. Passenger ships are working fine for transporting migrants anywhere as well as tourists to only my capital. I thought it was something that would just take time for the game to sort out, but it has now been decades of only tourists to my capital.

Anyone here heard of this problem before? I can only assume I am just missing something obvious.

Tourism flow

TourismFlowS.jpg (100.68 KiB) Viewed 1717 times

Resorts unvisited

BasesFlow.jpg (105.93 KiB) Viewed 1717 times

Passenger ships working

TouristsPassengers.jpg (200.81 KiB) Viewed 1717 times

RB Auto Design reports no problems. These are the industry stats from a built base.

RBBaseOverview2.jpg (40.7 KiB) Viewed 1717 times

[BTAxis]

Anyone here heard of this problem before? I can only assume I am just missing something obvious.

Yes, this has been known for some time. Another thing to be fixed in due time, no doubt.

[Webbco]

Hello! My question/request is: Is there a way to know what your race-specific tech is in-game before pursuing a certain line of research (which may lead to totally missing the tech in question)?

[baldamundo]

So I just researched the tech that unlocks the "Resource Scanner." I was hoping to put it on a new generation of exploration ships, but those ships have only a couple green slots, currently used by the Proximity Sensor Array and the Basic Survey Module. The Galactopedia seems to suggest the Basic Survey Module is more thorough, if more time-consuming and low-tech, than the Resource Scanner. And the Sensor Array seems necessary for seeing stuff, and for its minimal ion defense.

So I'm wondering whether I wasted my time researching this Resource Scanner. Is it preferable to either of the already-installed components? Or maybe I want two classes of exploration ship, one with Resource Scanners, one with the Basic Survey Module?

I actually think you want to drop the short range scanner on your exploration ships. I think it's not actually that useful unless you're using them to spy on other empires. As far as I understand it, even without a scanner you can still see what's in the local system, and i'm not 100% sure, but i think you can't see ANYTHING in a system you've never visited (even planets) even with the best scanners. So afaik other than spying on other empires, the only edge-case use for a short-range scanner on a survey ship is having a bit of warning if pirates/enemies are jumping into the system or examining the internal components of derelict ships?

Is there no amount of empires per amount of stars that gives like the best experience?

Depends what kind of game you want. FWIW, playing with the maximum amount of empires (20) on the biggest galaxy size, it felt really empty. Took a very long time before I even encountered another empire, and I hardly had to worry about diplomacy or war for most of the game. Tried my next game in a 6x6 700 star galaxy with 20 empires and it feels like a much better experience. But it depends what kind of experience you want. Do you want a long slow build? Do you want lots of fighting? Do you want to micromanage a small empire or have an enormous one?

Despite my previous reply I am still stumped as to why only my capital is receiving tourists. I have a resort base in a friendly colonized system with a higher scenery bonus, as well as colonies with a higher scenery bonus with and without resort bases which no one is visiting. Passenger ships are working fine for transporting migrants anywhere as well as tourists to only my capital. I thought it was something that would just take time for the game to sort out, but it has now been decades of only tourists to my capital.

Anyone here heard of this problem before? I can only assume I am just missing something obvious.

Yeah - I built loads of tourist bases in my last game and they were barely breaking even and possibly even losing me money for parts of the game. Dunno what the answer is.

[zgrssd]

Q1: Do you have passenger transprots to move the tourists?
Generally having high Scenery, plus Station, plus people to draw is all you need.

Despite my previous reply I am still stumped as to why only my capital is receiving tourists. I have a resort base in a friendly colonized system with a higher scenery bonus, as well as colonies with a higher scenery bonus with and without resort bases which no one is visiting. Passenger ships are working fine for transporting migrants anywhere as well as tourists to only my capital. I thought it was something that would just take time for the game to sort out, but it has now been decades of only tourists to my capital.

Anyone here heard of this problem before? I can only assume I am just missing something obvious.

Tourism flow
TourismFlowS.jpg

Resorts unvisited
BasesFlow.jpg

Passenger ships working
TouristsPassengers.jpg

RB Auto Design reports no problems. These are the industry stats from a built base.
RBBaseOverview2.jpg

I actually checked the overlay for once.

And most of the Trousim is going to my Capital as well.
There is one Scenery 7 station near a Scenery 9 Colony, which receives some.
And the only large group leaving my empire from my capitol is going to a Scenery 37 Station owned by a Mortalan.

But then I am playing Boskara Hivemind. -20% Tourism Icome. Which I guess could mean lowered attractiveness.

[koralos]

Is it intended that the ships don't use the hyperdrive engine in smaller distances like this? Because I started PreWarp, and the ship engines are really really slow, but they still use them to fly from my home planet to the gas giant instead of using a hypedrive engine which would've actually been faster. Is this a bug or there's some minimum range setting for hyperdrive jumps?

[job555]

Hey all

Looks like this was asked but not answered before, does scientist location matter? Ive only played a little but as far as i can see their base modifiers don't seem to change.

Thanks!

[StormingKiwi]

Hey all

Looks like this was asked but not answered before, does scientist location matter? Ive only played a little but as far as i can see their base modifiers don't seem to change.

Thanks!

As far as I know:

Scientists do not give you the benefit of their skills unless they are at a location with a research lab, such as a base (i.e. not a colony)

So if your scientist has +50% research to sensors and they are sitting at your colony, then you won't get the benefit. As soon as you move them to a research lab, you'll get the benefit.

[drdru7029]

Does robust trade with the AI (in terms of volume of trade going back and forth or a similar proxy) improve diplomatic relations, and/or make the AI less likely to want to declare war due to the interconnectedness of the two economies?

I know that it sort of works the other way around, where good diplomatic relations can enable better trade deals, but having actual trade volume impact relations/chance of war would be pretty cool.

[zgrssd]

Is it intended that the ships don't use the hyperdrive engine in smaller distances like this? Because I started PreWarp, and the ship engines are really really slow, but they still use them to fly from my home planet to the gas giant instead of using a hypedrive engine which would've actually been faster. Is this a bug or there's some minimum range setting for hyperdrive jumps?

It is questionable if it is faster, as especially earlier hyperdrive has a inprecisicion of several throusand units.
So they migth not actually get closer.

However, they do seem too conservative about using them over short distances. Even in combat.

Does robust trade with the AI (in terms of volume of trade going back and forth or a similar proxy) improve diplomatic relations, and/or make the AI less likely to want to declare war due to the interconnectedness of the two economies?

I know that it sort of works the other way around, where good diplomatic relations can enable better trade deals, but having actual trade volume impact relations/chance of war would be pretty cool.

"Trade Volume between our empires" was a Relation factor in DW1.

The Relations in DW2 "only" list the bonus from the Trade deal, which ramps up over time.
Given that you have little control over trade, I doubt it works like that.

[drdru7029]

"Trade Volume between our empires" was a Relation factor in DW1.

The Relations in DW2 "only" list the bonus from the Trade deal, which ramps up over time.
Given that you have little control over trade, I doubt it works like that.

Thanks, that's helpful. Though we don't have direct control over trade, trade volume should be impacted by mutually beneficial placement of space ports, clean supply lines etc, and being able to see an impact of this decision making (either good or bad) would be imo a pretty nice emergent element to the universe.

I'd love for example to try to create a trade super hub that becomes a galactic center of commerce and have this reflected in things like trade relations.

[lurtze1]

Is there no amount of empires per amount of stars that gives like the best experience?

Depends what kind of game you want. FWIW, playing with the maximum amount of empires (20) on the biggest galaxy size, it felt really empty. Took a very long time before I even encountered another empire, and I hardly had to worry about diplomacy or war for most of the game. Tried my next game in a 6x6 700 star galaxy with 20 empires and it feels like a much better experience. But it depends what kind of experience you want. Do you want a long slow build? Do you want lots of fighting? Do you want to micromanage a small empire or have an enormous one?

Thank you for the response!

[BeefLeg]

I'm loving the game but can't figure out a few things:

First: Why do I need scanners on my ships at all, at least at the first couple of levels. It mentions something about jump tracking, but I can always see enemies so what's the point? What do they actually do?

Second: How long does it take for a colony to develop? I've been playing for quite a while, I don't know, 10 hours, and the colonies I set up very early are still a huge drag on my resources. I colonized water planets with my water race (Akua something). Quality is at least 35% on all worlds, up to 47 I think on one. Their pops are anywhere from 200mil to 500 mil.Their development is all over 100%. And they're still at a 4000+ support cost, and almost no base revenue. I have taxes at 0 for growth, though if I set them higher to see what happens, I get a pittance (100 or so credits). I am not colonizing anything else because this has been dragging my economy FOREVER.

Third: Why do my fleets, set to manual, still chase pirate bases and stuff? Is it a proximity thing? I think it always happens in system (my starting system).

I have more questions but I'll stop here!

[zgrssd]

I'm loving the game but can't figure out a few things:

First: Why do I need scanners on my ships at all, at least at the first couple of levels. It mentions something about jump tracking, but I can always see enemies so what's the point? What do they actually do?

Second: How long does it take for a colony to develop? I've been playing for quite a while, I don't know, 10 hours, and the colonies I set up very early are still a huge drag on my resources. I colonized water planets with my water race (Akua something). Quality is at least 35% on all worlds, up to 47 I think on one. Their pops are anywhere from 200mil to 500 mil.Their development is all over 100%. And they're still at a 4000+ support cost, and almost no base revenue. I have taxes at 0 for growth, though if I set them higher to see what happens, I get a pittance (100 or so credits). I am not colonizing anything else because this has been dragging my economy FOREVER.

Third: Why do my fleets, set to manual, still chase pirate bases and stuff? Is it a proximity thing? I think it always happens in system (my starting system).

I have more questions but I'll stop here!

1. Some enemies have stealth - exspecially the Vordicars. You need basic sensors just to see them. I try to have at least one for each fleet in my empire.

2. Your first mistake is having multiple colonies!
Colonies need suitability 20+, to normally be worth considering. Below that, upkeep cost is increased.
The main growth factor is Excess Funds invested into Colonygrowth. Which come from positive Net income.

If you can fully fund your Research, only then consider even colonizing.
Never colonize if your net income is negative.
I also like to install several Colony Modules in my Colonyships, as they drastically increase the initial population, making growth faster.

[baldamundo]

I'm loving the game but can't figure out a few things:

First: Why do I need scanners on my ships at all, at least at the first couple of levels. It mentions something about jump tracking, but I can always see enemies so what's the point? What do they actually do?

Second: How long does it take for a colony to develop? I've been playing for quite a while, I don't know, 10 hours, and the colonies I set up very early are still a huge drag on my resources. I colonized water planets with my water race (Akua something). Quality is at least 35% on all worlds, up to 47 I think on one. Their pops are anywhere from 200mil to 500 mil.Their development is all over 100%. And they're still at a 4000+ support cost, and almost no base revenue. I have taxes at 0 for growth, though if I set them higher to see what happens, I get a pittance (100 or so credits). I am not colonizing anything else because this has been dragging my economy FOREVER.

Third: Why do my fleets, set to manual, still chase pirate bases and stuff? Is it a proximity thing? I think it always happens in system (my starting system).

I have more questions but I'll stop here!

1. Scanners are not necessary, and don't make much difference in-system. They can help you see things further away though - particularly long range scanners are good for early warning or spying on neighbouring systems. The jump tracking I think lets you see enemies jumping into the system or possibly lets you know which way they're going when they jump out. And trace scanners let you see the components & cargo of enemy ships.

2. A very long time! Colonial expansion is much slower paced & much more expensive than in most similar games. Which means it's a much more difficult choice. You might not want to do much or any colonising at all until your income is already up significantly. I think quality and suitability can make big differences though. What's your race suitability? And what's it showing the growth rates and max population as? Annoyingly the calculations are quite opaque at the moment.

3. Check the fleet tactics menu - there's a separate layer of automation for in-system behaviour on top of the macro level automation.