Matrix Games Forums

Nice to see you hitting your stride there, good luck with those Empires. You can spy on the other pirates as well to try to find out the locations of their bases. [8D]

I am quite sure you are innocent when it comes to them reaching some sort of hyperspace.

Just a quick design hint (when it comes to curing your confusion).

If you made a reduced size destroyer, it would be quite safe. It would be the "latest buildable" until the AI manages to make one that fits the yard. It will be automatically built and upgraded, and later forgotten once a newer, buildable design exists. The default built is always "latest, buildable".

If you want to manage destroyer designs on your own, you go to the Empire Policy screen and remove destroyers from the checklist of all design classes. The AI will then keep away from destroyer designs, but manage all those that are still checked.

If you do create your own destroyers that you want used, you need to be very careful on all builds and retrofits unless you disable the automation for destroyer designs. The AI usually is quite a bit more eager to create new designs than the average player is.

Thanks for the video Das. Looking good, looking forward to this expansion.. especially the new A.I. and play styles..

And another video is up

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arQ00SQKyyE

Thanks for the comments. Things start to get a bit more interesting...

Distant Worlds Shadows ~ Preview Ep5 ~ Rise of the Empires

Hi Das,

Thank you - FYI we just uploaded yet another new preview build. [8D]

Regards,

- Erik

ORIGINAL: Erik Rutins

Hi Das,

Thank you - FYI we just uploaded yet another new preview build. [8D]

Regards,

- Erik

Great. Thanks Eric. I'll download it and continue with that version (I've recorded up until about episode 12 now).

Actually, the issue is still there, sorry (unless it is stored in the older save-game files). Just loaded a previous game and turned on the long range sensors. You can see the sensors and the pirate system overlay make the detail underneith illegible.

Hi Das, is that with build .24? If so, I'll double-check that here with LR sensors. It looks better to me on my system as far as the empire background color.

Regards,

- Erik

Hi Das,

Just discussed with Elliot again - this one's a function of the new graphics systems and will be a bit trickier to entirely resolve than we expected. We're going to give it another look post-release, but it's on our list.

Regards,

- Erik

Distant Worlds Shadows ~ Preview Ep6 ~ Raid at Ilukas

This is a nice Let's Play, and 30 minutes is a good length for each episode.

I am not sure you noticed that you have 2 intelligence agents. And also, looking for a raid option on mining stations may be worthwhile.

I think Erik said in the shadows thread that the AI now makes use of refueling waypoints for long hauls, so you should be taking any and all smuggling missions on offer no matter how far away they are. You can easily build a gas mining station mid way between yourself and the independents down south (you may already have one, not sure), so your freighters can then make the runs no problem. Heck you might even be allowed to refuel at regular empire planets if you are at peace with them, try and get diplomatic refueling rights if not.

Then queue up about 20-30 more freighters and you should see a nice increase in your resources and shortages will be much rarer. They'll make tons of cash when they deliver smuggled goods and should bring back anything produced at those planets that is in short supply in your stocks.

It's risky to rely on just your own bases, as they'll be easy to take out if you go to war. A large freighter fleet should keep your economy humming along in both peace and wartime. And unlike bases you don't have to pay maintenance on the civilian ships so you can afford freighters more easily than new mining bases right now.

Jim

It seem that You have too small civilian sector. I think that creating 10 more freighters would be a good idea (or even more than 10). Maybe that would partly solve Your gold problem.

I seem to recall, Das cycling through game creation to get a race he wanted. Is there a way to force a specific race for your pirate empire, or is it forced auto? Would love to have the option to pick a race for AARs and Roleplay. [:)]

You can pick your race as a pirate, absolutely. While it's not quite as important as for a normal empire it still has significant effects.

Awesome [8D]

Distant Worlds Shadows ~ Preview Ep7 ~ Boskar (And a new version)

The other A.I pirate factions are doing terrible in the VC's.A bit of a concern considering your weak start.