Questions on the pace of the game

[SeanThornton]

I'm still in my first game, which I started per the New Guys Newbie Guide. I realize it was written years ago, and things may have changed, but the pace of the game seems really slow.

Two examples: I'm 7 years into the game, and I still haven't finished researching the techs that he says should be finished before you enter "phase 2" of the game (the second post in that thread). I haven't researched anything extra, just the items he lists. Seems like a really long time.

The other is that I've now explored about 10 other systems, and I still haven't found a colonizable planet. Does that sound typical?

I still like the game, but I do wish things moved along a little more quickly.

[RemoteLeg]

Yes, ten systems with no colonizable planets is unfortunate but not impossible.

The techs I work on in the early game are to get fusion reactors, hypedrive, and better fuel tanks. With those three your exploration ships can travel further and faster. Give them extra fuel so they don't need to come home very often and you should see a lot more of the galaxy. I usually go with 5 to 10 scouts depending on the type of universe.

One other thing - are you aware that you can speed up the game? There's a speed button in the top-left corner of the screen.

[Bingeling]

I never watch the date too much, but things does actually take time by the game clock in this game.

When looking at the AAR I did at Universe launch, I see that it took me 12 years to get the Gerax hyperdrive. But that was with expensive research (and hard difficulty) making research quite a bit slower.

So after 12 years the game was finally starting, and that was not even with the slowest available research setting...

The key is the speed settings as mentioned above. I just about never use "default speed". I generally play the game at 2X speed, and at 4X whenever there is nothing much going on (like in those 12 years mentioned above). But I pause a lot when things happen. And I may step the game at 2X setting if some special combat is ongoing.

10 systems is not all that much, depending on the galaxy layout. And considering that the new player's default mistake is over-extending, not finding a lot of prospects may actually be a good thing for the long term