Ok here is the situation:
Currently I have started 3 games and ended 3 at about mid-game, I enjoy the last one the most, but I am still in the early stages.
What I noticed is that I like the first big phase (begginning of the expansion, first contacts, hard fighting against pirates, exploration, the first research
breakthroughs...) the most. This is where the game reminds me most of the old MOO titles.
When I reach mid-game I have the feeling that the game loses a bit of momentum.
You have (too) much of everything (yes I have tried very poor galaxy now and its really the most challenging) regarding
ressources and even if you lose a few battles as long as your empire is at least half decently established - which is simply
achieved by placing strategic refueling points with defensive capabilities in critical systems, so no big deal - there is nearly
nothing that can keep you from gaining total strategic superiority.
It doesn´t matter if 15 mining posts get attacked or even destroyed because you have hundreds of em,
the other empires, even if they outnumber or outtech you, do not seem to have the capability to launch large offensives
and in case of a war it is decided with a few well placed attacks on important systems.
All in all this is not so bad, I don´t mind winning against an AI, most of all as I know how hard it is to make a decent one for
a game of this complexity, but its another factor which, in combination with the above point, makes me feel as I am losing
focus mid-game:
I start with control over nearly everything.
As the AI tends to build in places that are either far away and/or hard to defend I like control over my constrction fleet.
For similar reasons I assemble fleets with light forces as system patrols, and later start building Main Fleet which is tasked
to either ofensive or defensive missions depending on demand.
Explorers are one of the few vessels I start to switch to AI after a while as long as all nearby systems have been explored.
Add to that some escort ships for the transport fleets and thats that.
What I really DO like is the way missions can be queued. But as soon as mid-game is reached the number of ships gets too
high and queuing missions takes too much time.
So enough banter, back to my question:
What do you guys do, except roleplaying, to make mid-, and later endgame as enjoyable and as managable as possible.
What do you set to AI, what do you control directly, which task do you set for yourself except "master of the universe",
so, basically, do you know a style of play which enables you to carry the enjoyment of the first expansion?
Sorry for the long post, and thanks in advance for your thoughts on this topic
Mid- to Endgame perspective
RE: Mid- to Endgame perspective
Hmm, well, from beginning to end game I usually have the following settings:
1) Diplomacy to suggest -since the AI sometimes gives me a few nice options like putting a good word for friends, it lets me know when another empire might accept a certain treaty, gifts etc
2) Attacks to suggest -letting the AI control the fleet is the biggest mistake ever especially after first contacts, it's ok when you only have pirates to deal with though, AI does a great job at keeping them at bay. Some of the attack suggestions during wars are nice though, especially against targets I might miss, like a covertly placed resupply point behind my lines, or a new spaceport that just popped up somewhere. But I set all my fleets to automated so they patrol around and resupply on their own.
3) Fleets to manual -because I like to have 20 fleets, not just one, it's silly with a spread-out empire especially. Plus giving my fleets each a base around the empire keeps those sectors secure. I always automate the fleet after I've set it up, they do a fine job at getting troops and patrolling around their base
4) Designs to automated -it might not build the best designs, but it upgrades them, and they're pretty balanced in a fight. When I do build mine I find out they might win me a war too fast. However, I ALWAYS design my own resort-all around research neutron star/blackhole bases. One of those and I don't have to worry about a new one for the rest of the game. Plus I like to design mining starbases for rare stuff.
5) Colonization to automated -sometimes I find it fun to order colonization targets, especially when there are planets I really want, but the AI does a good job at it, without over-expanding. I have the tendency to stretch further than it sometimes too [:D]
6) Construction to automated -the AI does a great job at it, for me at least. However I add lots of strategic stations on my own, especially for mining luxury resources, since the AI tends to sometimes overlook them. I also manage the construction of spaceports at my colonies, the AI doesn't build enough of them, and sometimes totally stops. Lots of spaceports=lots of molah, and fast colony development along with fast resource transport
7) Exploration to automated -works great, no complains here; I sometimes take control of several explorers for areas I really want to explore
8) Taxes to automated -AI does the best job here, citizens always happy and money constantly pouring it. Only colony that ever rebelled was a recently captured and ungarrisoned colony smack next to another empires rich mining world. I never meddle in this area of the game.
9) Spying -mixed feelings here. When I play humans it seems spies get caught 50% of the time so I usually just put it on manual. But with the amphibian people like the mon-calamari(don't know the name right now) spying is so freaking successful that I get all of the enemies research, maps, and can easily succeed in most missions, and I never took it off automated. I guess I need to keep experimenting.
All in all, the AI does a wonderful job at keeping my game balanced. If I meddle too much in how the empire is built it might become too powerful, but with the AI the game is very fun and challenging. Of course, once you have size 1400 capital ships it might just become a game of waiting for your ships to conquer the 300 colonies of the enemy but if you refrain from excesses it might turn to be a very unexpectedly fun experience. And for long wars or simple trading policies it's fun to see the huge ai empires break down into smaller warring states, civil wars and stuff like that. You can actually make an empire break apart from inside out. Neat feature.
Well, hope it's of some use to you.
Cheers
1) Diplomacy to suggest -since the AI sometimes gives me a few nice options like putting a good word for friends, it lets me know when another empire might accept a certain treaty, gifts etc
2) Attacks to suggest -letting the AI control the fleet is the biggest mistake ever especially after first contacts, it's ok when you only have pirates to deal with though, AI does a great job at keeping them at bay. Some of the attack suggestions during wars are nice though, especially against targets I might miss, like a covertly placed resupply point behind my lines, or a new spaceport that just popped up somewhere. But I set all my fleets to automated so they patrol around and resupply on their own.
3) Fleets to manual -because I like to have 20 fleets, not just one, it's silly with a spread-out empire especially. Plus giving my fleets each a base around the empire keeps those sectors secure. I always automate the fleet after I've set it up, they do a fine job at getting troops and patrolling around their base
4) Designs to automated -it might not build the best designs, but it upgrades them, and they're pretty balanced in a fight. When I do build mine I find out they might win me a war too fast. However, I ALWAYS design my own resort-all around research neutron star/blackhole bases. One of those and I don't have to worry about a new one for the rest of the game. Plus I like to design mining starbases for rare stuff.
5) Colonization to automated -sometimes I find it fun to order colonization targets, especially when there are planets I really want, but the AI does a good job at it, without over-expanding. I have the tendency to stretch further than it sometimes too [:D]
6) Construction to automated -the AI does a great job at it, for me at least. However I add lots of strategic stations on my own, especially for mining luxury resources, since the AI tends to sometimes overlook them. I also manage the construction of spaceports at my colonies, the AI doesn't build enough of them, and sometimes totally stops. Lots of spaceports=lots of molah, and fast colony development along with fast resource transport
7) Exploration to automated -works great, no complains here; I sometimes take control of several explorers for areas I really want to explore
8) Taxes to automated -AI does the best job here, citizens always happy and money constantly pouring it. Only colony that ever rebelled was a recently captured and ungarrisoned colony smack next to another empires rich mining world. I never meddle in this area of the game.
9) Spying -mixed feelings here. When I play humans it seems spies get caught 50% of the time so I usually just put it on manual. But with the amphibian people like the mon-calamari(don't know the name right now) spying is so freaking successful that I get all of the enemies research, maps, and can easily succeed in most missions, and I never took it off automated. I guess I need to keep experimenting.
All in all, the AI does a wonderful job at keeping my game balanced. If I meddle too much in how the empire is built it might become too powerful, but with the AI the game is very fun and challenging. Of course, once you have size 1400 capital ships it might just become a game of waiting for your ships to conquer the 300 colonies of the enemy but if you refrain from excesses it might turn to be a very unexpectedly fun experience. And for long wars or simple trading policies it's fun to see the huge ai empires break down into smaller warring states, civil wars and stuff like that. You can actually make an empire break apart from inside out. Neat feature.
Well, hope it's of some use to you.
Cheers
[/img]
RE: Mid- to Endgame perspective
you have some good ideas merker, my last game became really one sided, probably because i took over too many tasks on my own, such as colonizing (actually, especially colonizing!!!)
let me address your points numbered....
1) i used to leave this on, but the ai of the other factions tend to know what they want, and they are not afraid to bring it up with you.... frequently [:D]
2) yes, this is bad, i dont even let them suggest, out of fear of clicking one of their insane suggestions they tend to make.
3) i tend to only build one or two fleets, with adept spies and a large sensor grid i can intercept enemy fleets pretty well.
4) i had designs to automated for a while, but recently there are a few things i have been experimenting with... for example... i recently made the passenger ships maximum sized, for faster migration, also, end game techs like the shields and torpedoes are not necessarily the best choices.
5) this is an interesting idea, i might leave it automated this time around, and see if i dont become so powerful by colony spammage.
6) if by construction you mean ship building, then i put it on suggest, i approve when they ask me to build warships, you cant have too many of them.. but i always decline when they ask to build defense bases, they dont feel very useful to me. also it allows me to see what kind of things are being built.
7) exploration to automated for the win.
8) yes, the ai does do a fantastic job.
9) spying is really good, don't underestimate this at all.. i used spies to cause my neighbors worlds to start rebelling [:D] it can be tricky to get to work tho, you are going to loose some spies, but the ones that succeed on unsave missions get alot of experience, ALOT, so just keep throwing them to the wolves until they max at 400, then your set.
i basically grabbed everything i could get my grubby hands on, relinquished control of colonies that conflicted with my neighbors (sometimes with a good payday), then used mutual defense pacts to wipe out two civilizations... i was working on a 3rd, but its exhausting trying to take out 80+ planets [>:] i think i might end this game, it feels like im building a mall atop an anthill
the last screenshot is my preferred automation settings...
http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k125/ ... led-25.jpg
http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k125/ ... led2-1.jpg
http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k125/ ... itled3.jpg
http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k125/ ... itled4.jpg
let me address your points numbered....
1) i used to leave this on, but the ai of the other factions tend to know what they want, and they are not afraid to bring it up with you.... frequently [:D]
2) yes, this is bad, i dont even let them suggest, out of fear of clicking one of their insane suggestions they tend to make.
3) i tend to only build one or two fleets, with adept spies and a large sensor grid i can intercept enemy fleets pretty well.
4) i had designs to automated for a while, but recently there are a few things i have been experimenting with... for example... i recently made the passenger ships maximum sized, for faster migration, also, end game techs like the shields and torpedoes are not necessarily the best choices.
5) this is an interesting idea, i might leave it automated this time around, and see if i dont become so powerful by colony spammage.
6) if by construction you mean ship building, then i put it on suggest, i approve when they ask me to build warships, you cant have too many of them.. but i always decline when they ask to build defense bases, they dont feel very useful to me. also it allows me to see what kind of things are being built.
7) exploration to automated for the win.
8) yes, the ai does do a fantastic job.
9) spying is really good, don't underestimate this at all.. i used spies to cause my neighbors worlds to start rebelling [:D] it can be tricky to get to work tho, you are going to loose some spies, but the ones that succeed on unsave missions get alot of experience, ALOT, so just keep throwing them to the wolves until they max at 400, then your set.
i basically grabbed everything i could get my grubby hands on, relinquished control of colonies that conflicted with my neighbors (sometimes with a good payday), then used mutual defense pacts to wipe out two civilizations... i was working on a 3rd, but its exhausting trying to take out 80+ planets [>:] i think i might end this game, it feels like im building a mall atop an anthill
the last screenshot is my preferred automation settings...
http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k125/ ... led-25.jpg
http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k125/ ... led2-1.jpg
http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k125/ ... itled3.jpg
http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k125/ ... itled4.jpg
RE: Mid- to Endgame perspective
Take out 80 planets! Why? What you should do is conquer their home system and their three BEST other systems, which might not be their three most populated. Consider when you select the three how many resources are available in their systems and the quality of the continental and marshy swamp planets in them. Anyway once you have them on the ropes, subjugate them. Merker just started a thread on the advantages of Subjugation in the Main Distant Worlds forum.
After the first game which I played way back in April, I have never gone to war, because I found that I could meet a victory condition without firing a shot. I manage everything possible in my games until I have named every star system and gas cloud with my explorers. Then I automate my warships, explorers, constructors, and whatever colony ships are building and let the game run until victory is achieved. I do NOT automate tax collection, ship design, spying, diplomacy, or troops recruitment because I like to handle those myself even in the end game. Running that way for the end game takes only a few game years over the course of a week or two of my time. I get the satisfaction of seeing my empire run like clockwork, watching things happen on the map zoomed out to full galaxy view.
So unless you are playing sandbox mode, try doing the above, gaining some satisfaction when the victory screen pops up...
After the first game which I played way back in April, I have never gone to war, because I found that I could meet a victory condition without firing a shot. I manage everything possible in my games until I have named every star system and gas cloud with my explorers. Then I automate my warships, explorers, constructors, and whatever colony ships are building and let the game run until victory is achieved. I do NOT automate tax collection, ship design, spying, diplomacy, or troops recruitment because I like to handle those myself even in the end game. Running that way for the end game takes only a few game years over the course of a week or two of my time. I get the satisfaction of seeing my empire run like clockwork, watching things happen on the map zoomed out to full galaxy view.
So unless you are playing sandbox mode, try doing the above, gaining some satisfaction when the victory screen pops up...
Live long and prosper!
Lonnie Courtney Clay
Lonnie Courtney Clay
RE: Mid- to Endgame perspective
ORIGINAL: Jeeves
Take out 80 planets! Why? What you should do is conquer their home system and their three BEST other systems, which might not be their three most populated. Consider when you select the three how many resources are available in their systems and the quality of the continental and marshy swamp planets in them. Anyway once you have them on the ropes, subjugate them. Merker just started a thread on the advantages of Subjugation in the Main Distant Worlds forum.
After the first game which I played way back in April, I have never gone to war, because I found that I could meet a victory condition without firing a shot. I manage everything possible in my games until I have named every star system and gas cloud with my explorers. Then I automate my warships, explorers, constructors, and whatever colony ships are building and let the game run until victory is achieved. I do NOT automate tax collection, ship design, spying, diplomacy, or troops recruitment because I like to handle those myself even in the end game. Running that way for the end game takes only a few game years over the course of a week or two of my time. I get the satisfaction of seeing my empire run like clockwork, watching things happen on the map zoomed out to full galaxy view.
So unless you are playing sandbox mode, try doing the above, gaining some satisfaction when the victory screen pops up...
i was playing in sandbox mode, and i did take their highest population worlds first, and i did not subjugate them because i went to war via mutual defense pact, and i am unsure what would happen if i did that... plus i dont really see much benefit in subjugation, you get a little free map vision, 10% of no economy (since i took all their high pop worlds), and a potential future enemy if he has something i want
RE: Mid- to Endgame perspective
Ah yes sandbox mode is great if you do not want to experience Empire Buildus Interruptus due to meeting a victory condition just when you wre about to clean the clock of a long time enemy... [&o][:D][:D][:D]
However, I think that running sandbox in a 1400 system galaxy with 19 AI empires would be a commitment to a game longer than I would care to play. [>:]
However, I think that running sandbox in a 1400 system galaxy with 19 AI empires would be a commitment to a game longer than I would care to play. [>:]
Live long and prosper!
Lonnie Courtney Clay
Lonnie Courtney Clay
RE: Mid- to Endgame perspective
Well no one says you have to stop playing after the victory conditions are met. Any game basically converts to a sandbox once someone has met a victory condition.
Most of my Empires are too big
RE: Mid- to Endgame perspective
ORIGINAL: Aures
Well no one says you have to stop playing after the victory conditions are met. Any game basically converts to a sandbox once someone has met a victory condition.
Well you are absolutely right! [:'(] But somehow after I get the victory screen, things are just not the same...
Live long and prosper!
Lonnie Courtney Clay
Lonnie Courtney Clay
RE: Mid- to Endgame perspective
Thanks for the responses, I will try to play with the AI settings a bit more.
Mmmmust...let.....go..... (I am a control freak, probably one of the symptoms when playing war in the pacific for too long...)
Mmmmust...let.....go..... (I am a control freak, probably one of the symptoms when playing war in the pacific for too long...)
RE: Mid- to Endgame perspective
ORIGINAL: LoBaron
Thanks for the responses, I will try to play with the AI settings a bit more.
Mmmmust...let.....go..... (I am a control freak, probably one of the symptoms when playing war in the pacific for too long...)
HaHaHHH Control Freak? Ever play "Battle Isle", a tactical game of combined arms back in the late 80's? Now there was a game for control freaks! You had to give orders to each and every unit, or lose its movement for a turn. The later campaigns had over a hundred units in them, but of course that number diminished as the battles progressed. Other such games which I played were "Empire Deluxe", "Full Metal Planete", and of course all of the Sid Meier games, on and on...
In the space empire category the most time consuming were "Ascendacy", "Space Empires IV, V" (once I had over a thousand colonies), "Galactic Empires", on and on...
This game is the first which I have played where my empire does not go to pot almost immediately after being automated in end game...
Live long and prosper!
Lonnie Courtney Clay
Lonnie Courtney Clay