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I was reading the manual for tidbits and in coming across the planet descriptions it appears that certain planets types (not sizes) hold a certain amount of population. Does this mean that races that are bound to ice and volcano worlds are seriously hobbled at 8% max pop of a continental world until they research colony techs ?

Also in the race descriptions it usually lists two types of planets a race "can be found on". But in the mod files I can only find one setting for one planet type. Is there anywhere to see what % of each type of planet a race can effectively use

After legends they added the one planet type that races can initially colonize, as there was confusion due to the descriptions.

But as to population cap.. I wonder if that is a global value, or race-specific?

It's global. If you don't know how to build a self sustaining colony on a planet your place to live is minimalized. Further a planet all races know to colonize is still limited by the necessary size and it's ressources. Therefore it is global.

So I started up two new games and compared colonies. The First homeworld of the Ugani was Ice and had a pop of 14018M, 95% quality and some number I dont know but looked like a size at "30k"
The second homeworld was humans on a continental world with 14746m 91% Quality and 31.1k of whatever that is. It SEEMS like these planets hold equal amounts even though the manual says an ice planet should only hold 15% of a continental planets max. I couldnt find a stat for max pop btw.

Can anyone help me understand these numbers ? 

The manual is out of date on this topic. That bit was written for original DW. Just ignore it!

As for understanding your numbers (which numbers?) higher quality and larger planets (the whatever it is) will hold more population. 14 billion just means you started these games with an abundant home system...

So planet type doesnt make a difference anymore? Ice planet=Continental if both have the same quality and size? And size is that 30k or 31.1k number ? What is the scale there? 30k of kilometers? 

I would assume that your native type home world would be continental-equivalent as far as max pop.
For example, as many humans fit on a continental planet as ungari fit on an ice planet, all else being equal. When the planet is non-native then things like planet type and colonization tech take effect. More teekans fit on a continental planet than on an ice planet.
Thats just my assumption though.

ORIGINAL: Evrett

So planet type doesnt make a difference anymore? Ice planet=Continental if both have the same quality and size? And size is that 30k or 31.1k number ? What is the scale there? 30k of kilometers? 

As far as I am aware you are right. I believe 31.1k is 31 100 kilometres diameter, but I could be wrong. It's just fluff, it's the number which effects game mechanics.

You get +10% max pop for native world type. Colonisation techs can effect pop growth rate but, as far as I know, not max pop.

So does this mean that full "continental" pop is allowed for an empire on its home world and:

(a) on a planet colonized by its principal race that is the same type as that of its home world?

(b) for any race colonizing a planet of its home world type whether for its own native or other empire??

Also, where multiple races settle on a planet, is the planet capacity pro-rated in some way?

Yes. Yes. Yes.

I'm not sure on the last. My suspicion is that the dominant race defines the applicability (or not) of native planet type bonus. Only because other bonuses work like this. Let me know if you can confirm this or see something different.