Matrix Games Forums

Hi guys,

I've tried to micromanage tax rates but it's too much of a hassle (kudos to those who do successfully, any tip is appreciated). So I'm relying on automation, as I'm sure most of us are doing. And here, I feel like I'm missing something, because the automation isn't doing what I'm asking at all

Reminder :
1) large colony is supposed to be > 50% max population
2) medium is supposed to be population < 50% max pop
3) small is supposed to be population < 10% max pop

So that you don't need to add it yourself, Im adding the last piece of information here : my max pop is just these 6 planets, 23 227M or so the game tells me in my top bar.

Am I missing something, or is automation for taxes broken ? I've tried reloading, rebooting the game, a revolution (yeah I'm a bit extreme lol), and nothing worked.

I do not understand the question.

That list does not realy tell me anything, other then it seems to be work on the Colonies with Billions. Which are the ones that should be at or over 50%.

Any other low planet can be explaiend with the people there simply being unhappy.
If the planet is a low quality craphole of unassimilated population, you will get poor happiness no mater how much you tax them 0%.

Please show us a specific planet with a issue. Also check the Suitability for the species.
Edit: Ideally share the savegame, so we can check ourself.

zgrssd wrote: Tue Mar 29, 2022 5:06 pm I do not understand the question.

That list does not realy tell me anything, other then it seems to be work on the Colonies with Billions. Which are the ones that should be at or over 50%.

Any other low planet can be explaiend with the people there simply being unhappy.
If the planet is a low quality craphole of unassimilated population, you will get poor happiness no mater how much you tax them 0%.

Please show us a specific planet with a issue. Also check the Suitability for the species.
Edit: Ideally share the savegame, so we can check ourself.

Thank you for taking the time to read and answer !

On my end I don't see how you can not see my point, so maybe you are lacking informations or I'm not clear, so let me rephrase:

1. Anything BELOW 2300 M pop should be considered a small colony, since it's less than 10% of 23227M, my total
2. That means the 4 last colonies should be kept by automation at what I defined good for a small colony, so 30 happiness
3. I can assure you, every colony here is taxxed to at atleast 30% tax rate, so achieving 30 happiness is very doable by lowering taxes, and that's what automation should aim to do.

Edit : Upon further testing, I can think of one explanation : the "small" definition of the game isn't followed by the game itself, and colonies would get into the "medium" size much quicker. Here I tried to set the happiness goal for small colonies to 50, and only my just founded colony followed it (see image). It can't get to 50 happiness because it's just been founded 2 seconds ago, and it has no taxes to lower, but that would help explaining the problem here I think.

Where are you getting this definition of small, medium, and large colonies? Are you sure these definitions aren't in relation to the colony's maximum capacity, rather than your empire's population?

I'll screeshot them for you, it's in the policy manager ! But you are right, maybe this is somehow related to the max capacity of a colony, that would make sense somehow.

dostillevi wrote: Tue Mar 29, 2022 6:06 pm Where are you getting this definition of small, medium, and large colonies? Are you sure these definitions aren't in relation to the colony's maximum capacity, rather than your empire's population?

Wait, he beleived for one second that it is Planet Population : Empire Population, not Planet Population : Planet Maximum Population?

HOW???

Such a mechanic would break after 20 planets. Because with 20 Planets, no planet could feasibly pass 5% of Empire Total.

I admit my error, but that was not very clear to me to be honest, and you are being rather rude I'd say !

There are still some questions about those numbers tho : on my first screenshot, if you take "Namaryni 5", it's supposed to have a max pop of about 11 000M. Why is it maintained at 7 happiness by automation, that makes no sense for me ? (because that's not even a goal for any size of population on any category of planet, large or small).

Ingor wrote: Tue Mar 29, 2022 6:47 pm There are still some questions about those numbers tho : on my first screenshot, if you take "Namaryni 5", it's supposed to have a max pop of about 11 000M. Why is it maintained at 7 happiness by automation, that makes no sense for me ? (because that's not even a goal for any size of population on any category of planet, large or small).

Taxes above 20% also increase corruption. Corruption negatively impacts Happiness.

Chances are that increasing the taxes by even one notch, woudl result in a net happiness way below waht is the target.
You could easily check it - increase the tax while keeping the automatic on.

That's a good point indeed, corruption impact has to be considered.

But you are missing my last point : shouldn't this planet tend towards 15 happiness ? As I understand it, and as you have pointed out, it should be considered a medium colony, isn't it ? So, why is the automation AI not lowering taxes ?

Ingor wrote: Tue Mar 29, 2022 8:26 pm That's a good point indeed, corruption impact has to be considered.

But you are missing my last point : shouldn't this planet tend towards 15 happiness ? As I understand it, and as you have pointed out, it should be considered a medium colony, isn't it ? So, why is the automation AI not lowering taxes ?

It is impossible to say waht the Situation at Namaryni 5 is, without haivng the savegame.

Here is a savegame where the problem is happening for 2 colonies, if you want to investigate further.

Ingor wrote: Wed Mar 30, 2022 2:56 pm Here is a savegame where the problem is happening for 2 colonies, if you want to investigate further.

THink you forgot to attach a file here.

Ingor wrote: Wed Mar 30, 2022 2:56 pm Here is a savegame where the problem is happening for 2 colonies, if you want to investigate further.

Unfortunately uploading savegames is tricky.
You need to add it to the post. Then wait until it is uploaded (you get the inline option), before you post.

Annoying as heck

My bad, here it is !

Ingor wrote: Wed Mar 30, 2022 5:11 pm My bad, here it is !

I think the question was: Why is Belarion only taxed like a Medium Colony?

I am going to have to referene to this:
https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/view ... 1&t=381813
Apaprently, that "maximum Population" figure is some average Value or something around 20 Suitability. So not a actually usefull value.

Diameter 2932 and Suitability of 49 (that is Quality -5) for Ackdarian.

I have issues parsing his formula, but according to his Table real maximum poplation for Ackdarains should be around 4242M.
And 1718M would definiteley be below that.
The fact that the Upkeep cost is still at 1k - it should go up past 50% Max Population - supports that. This planet is not yet past 50% Max Population.