DW2 FAQ/QnA megathread - Ask your question here!

[Thineboot]

I think there as such colonies, but rarely.

What happens more often is the planet rebelling successfully after a conquest, joining the nearest empire that is not their previous overlords.

So how do you deal with those scattered pre-warp colonies, lost millennia ago, before a new generation of interstellar empires emerged? You can't contact them diplomatically other than by the gun-blazing back to civilization diplomacy of invasion?

Just to be clear, they are not bugged, they are part of the intended game, right?


Breaking free of an oppressor - why would you leave a working multispecies society? - and seeking safety by joining another empire, which will accept your people as equals, is something completely different and has some references back on the planet of the long lost thirteenth tribe...

You need to actually visit teh system to get contact with Indy colonies. Getting their location from Maps is not nearly enough.

As I've said,

[...] I've explored the system (outer rim) long ago, [...]

, the planet itself included, it's green (completely explored), not even just yellow. All sorts of ships are using the planet as stopping points.

Images from an older save:
Edit: noticed the different Development percentages? Same screen, one shows 26%, the other 27%...

[zgrssd]

So how do you deal with those scattered pre-warp colonies, lost millennia ago, before a new generation of interstellar empires emerged? You can't contact them diplomatically other than by the gun-blazing back to civilization diplomacy of invasion?

Just to be clear, they are not bugged, they are part of the intended game, right?


Breaking free of an oppressor - why would you leave a working multispecies society? - and seeking safety by joining another empire, which will accept your people as equals, is something completely different and has some references back on the planet of the long lost thirteenth tribe...

You need to actually visit teh system to get contact with Indy colonies. Getting their location from Maps is not nearly enough.

As I've said,

[...] I've explored the system (outer rim) long ago, [...]

, the planet itself included, it's green (completely explored), not even just yellow. All sorts of ships are using the planet as stopping points.

Images from an older save:
Edit: noticed the different Development percentages? Same screen, one shows 26%, the other 27%...

1. verify the integrity of your gamefiles. They tended to break. A lot.
2. If it still happens in a new game, reprot it as a bug.

This is not at all how the game works for me or most other people. Even if I do not have Diplomatic contact, I at least have their flag in the planets details view.

[Thineboot]

You need to actually visit teh system to get contact with Indy colonies. Getting their location from Maps is not nearly enough.

As I've said,

[...] I've explored the system (outer rim) long ago, [...]

, the planet itself included, it's green (completely explored), not even just yellow. All sorts of ships are using the planet as stopping points.

Images from an older save:
Edit: noticed the different Development percentages? Same screen, one shows 26%, the other 27%...

1. verify the integrity of your gamefiles. They tended to break. A lot.
2. If it still happens in a new game, reprot it as a bug.

This is not at all how the game works for me or most other people. Even if I do not have Diplomatic contact, I at least have their flag in the planets details view.

Last checked a few days ago, meanwhile using [1.0.3.0] and 3 db files were replaced... a lot, yeah, maybe just checking when changing version, too?
Anyway, finally I've got the answer I was expecting... Since DW2 is still work in progress I should have asked when I've seen it the first time. But I've just began switching from automated explorers to manually. While it's a pain in the lower blowhole it's still better than relaying on aardvark instincts

[scotten_usa]

Is there any map legend available? Tried to search but didn't find it. I think I have most of the icons and pictures figured out, but I'd like to confirm. Thanks guys.

[SamuraiProgrmmr]

Is there any map legend available? Tried to search but didn't find it. I think I have most of the icons and pictures figured out, but I'd like to confirm. Thanks guys.

Please post what you have. I am usually confused at what I am looking at - especially on the galactic map.

[Scott2933]

Is there any map legend available? Tried to search but didn't find it. I think I have most of the icons and pictures figured out, but I'd like to confirm. Thanks guys.

From my guide at least about the icons on the bottom:

When zoomed out to the Galaxy view, use the quick access bar along the very bottom center of the screen. Note if you mouse-over the green fleet icons, it will show the fleet name and display a line pointing to the fleet on the map. Click the fleet icon to select a fleet. Note that the icons change to reflect admirals and the Fleet Role automation setting (crossed swords for Raid fleet, Shield for Defense Fleet, lightning bolt for an Attack Fleet).

[scotten_usa]

Is there any way to determine the cost to upgrade a ship? I remember, that in classic DW, if you hovered your mouse over the upgrade (fleet or ship) it should say something like:

"Upgrade Destroyer to latest design (4423 credits)"

But I don't see that anywhere. You could also find that in Fleet Manager but DW2 doesn't have that (right?).

Thanks.

[Wenla]

Is there any way to determine the cost to upgrade a ship? I remember, that in classic DW, if you hovered your mouse over the upgrade (fleet or ship) it should say something like:

"Upgrade Destroyer to latest design (4423 credits)"

But I don't see that anywhere. You could also find that in Fleet Manager but DW2 doesn't have that (right?).

Thanks.

Yes, it's there, just select the ship, hover "Upgrade" - button, it tells you new version to update and it's cost. This only with single ships, not with fleets, or at least haven't seen it with fleets.

[Commander4X]

Playing the Tekans I did not want to declare war (victory condition). I searched for ways to provoke my foe. That worked but they still did not declare war.

First I blockaded their bases outside their territory. That made them angry and they gave up their unprofitable bases. Then I went inside their territory and I was surprised to see that I could blockade there too. Farther I could blockade their planets. At last I bombarded their planets and invaded them.

Questions:
1. Will your foes never declare war on you if you are much superior?
2. Does this work as intended? Should you be able to blockade in their territory and bombard and invade their planets without war declaration?
3. I did not play DW:U. If DW2 is buggy (2.) how does DW:U work in this regard? What military means are possible without going to war?

[zgrssd]

Playing the Tekans I did not want to declare war (victory condition). I searched for ways to provoke my foe. That worked but they still did not declare war.

First I blockaded their bases outside their territory. That made them angry and they gave up their unprofitable bases. Then I went inside their territory and I was surprised to see that I could blockade there too. Farther I could blockade their planets. At last I bombarded their planets and invaded them.

Questions:
1. Will your foes never declare war on you if you are much superior?
2. Does this work as intended? Should you be able to blockade in their territory and bombard and invade their planets without war declaration?
3. I did not play DW:U. If DW2 is buggy (2.) how does DW:U work in this regard? What military means are possible without going to war?

1. It would think it is sensible if they do not declare war. Teekans are supposed to be non-combatants. But they can not exactly penalize you for defensive wars, given you might not have a way to avoid them. So penalizing you for wars you started was about the best they could do.
2. Yes, you can. However, be advise that this is a massive Reputation loss to do combat without war declaration. On top of the normal penalty for Bombardment.
"Unjust war" is a miniscule amount of Reputation loss, compared to even invading one Indy Colony.
3. Worked the same way in DW1. Including the reputation mechanic.

[Commander4X]

Thank you

[100thMonkey]

What’s the meaning of the “Size” at the right of the tech’s name when hovering above a tech?

For instance, with the *Basic Storage Systems* tech (screenshot below), the shown size is 75. But the three components that it allows have a size of 3, 10 and 25. So where does the 75 come from?

Screenshot3.png (175.41 KiB) Viewed 1042 times

[SamuraiProgrmmr]

I think the 'size' with the arrow has to do with how long it takes to research the technology. I.e. the 'size' of the research.

I think the 'size' with the circles has to do with how much space it takes up on a design where it its used. I.e. the 'size' of the component.

[100thMonkey]

The size in the circles definitely are the size of the components provided by the tech. As for the size at the right of the tech name (arrow), I believe you're right. They tend to be similar (same range) according to their tier / column in the three. So it makes sense that they would represent the research project sizes (complexity). Thanks.

[100thMonkey]

What’s the relationship between the ship’s strength shown in the selection panel and the attack & defend strengths shown in ship designer?

For instance, in my current game, my first spaceport's strength in the selection panel is 105. But in the ship designer, under “Ratings”, there are these two values:

• Attack Strength: 24.6

• Defend Strength: 95.1

How is the “105” value obtained, and what does it mean if, in the designer, the attack strength is 24.6? And is there a way to see, from the ship designer, the value that will be shown for strength in the selection panel (that is the value I use to evaluate my ships strengths versus ships from other factions, and I'd like to be able to evaluate that aspect of my designs while in the ship designer).

[zgrssd]

What’s the meaning of the “Size” at the right of the tech’s name when hovering above a tech?

For instance, with the *Basic Storage Systems* tech (screenshot below), the shown size is 75. But the three components that it allows have a size of 3, 10 and 25. So where does the 75 come from?


Screenshot3.png

The Tech size defines how long it takes to research said tech.
Size 75 is the smalest reserchable technologies.

[100thMonkey]

Thanks zgrssd.

Another question, this time regarding the sorting in the resource tab in the control panel. In my current game (v1.0.3.4), the resource tab in the resource section of the control center is as follows:

Resource sorting.png (294.86 KiB) Viewed 989 times

It’s sorted on “Production Shortage”. As far as I can tell, there are no shortage of Aculon since, according to the displayed info, there’s no demand for it. So why is Aculon in fourth position, while there are shortages of other resources that are below it in the sort order?

Is that the way it’s supposed to be (if so, what’s the reasoning behind that?), or is it a bug?

[SamuraiProgrmmr]

What’s the relationship between the ship’s strength shown in the selection panel and the attack & defend strengths shown in ship designer?

For instance, in my current game, my first spaceport's strength in the selection panel is 105. But in the ship designer, under “Ratings”, there are these two values:

• Attack Strength: 24.6

• Defend Strength: 95.1

How is the “105” value obtained, and what does it mean if, in the designer, the attack strength is 24.6? And is there a way to see, from the ship designer, the value that will be shown for strength in the selection panel (that is the value I use to evaluate my ships strengths versus ships from other factions, and I'd like to be able to evaluate that aspect of my designs while in the ship designer).

I don't know the exact formula, and I suspect it uses those two statistics. I would certainly expect that it would use the amount of damage a unit can withstand.

[zgrssd]

Thanks zgrssd.

Another question, this time regarding the sorting in the resource tab in the control panel. In my current game (v1.0.3.4), the resource tab in the resource section of the control center is as follows:


Resource sorting.png


It’s sorted on “Production Shortage”. As far as I can tell, there are no shortage of Aculon since, according to the displayed info, there’s no demand for it. So why is Aculon in fourth position, while there are shortages of other resources that are below it in the sort order?

Is that the way it’s supposed to be (if so, what’s the reasoning behind that?), or is it a bug?

I can not say for sure. But my best guess:
The SHipdesigner will avoid resouce with no supply, so ships are buildable.
So it is likely that there is some prefered component that uses acculon. But since there is no supply or storge of acculon, the game chooses to use something without acculon cost instead.

[Bagpipe]

Is there an option to disable all visual overlays, specifically the territory overlay and colony markers.

Basically I want to be able to only see the galaxy and systems with no colour etc from time to time.

Is this implemented and if not can we have it implemented eventually, as a really non urgent but appreciated feature which would elevate the devs from god-like to fully-fledged-gods