Is it possible to start with one planet and a few ships?

[JOhnnyr]

I was thinking about this last night - I've never been able to get into distant worlds, each time I try I end up being overwhelmed. Is it possible to start out at a near-future state, where humans (or whatever race) are just beginning space flight? It might be really interesting to see a race go from nothing to a full on space empire.

Also, has anything new come out, tutorial/lets play wise, that would be a good learning tool?

Thanks!

[Aeson]

If playing a custom game as a standard empire, use 'starting' empire expansion and any tech level other than 'prewarp.' That will give you your homeworld, a spaceport, a small number of warp-capable vessels, and a few mines (some of which may be in nearby systems rather than the home system). Each expansion level beyond 'starting' gives you a couple more colonies as long as your tech level is not prewarp; if your tech level is prewarp, then you always start with your homeworld and nothing else.

Also note that you can set the empire tech/expansion levels and the game tech/expansion levels separately (the game levels are on the first page of custom game setup, the empire levels are a couple pages on from there), and that if you set the game tech level to prewarp and your empire tech level to anything that starts you with a warp drive while staying at 'starting' expansion, it seems as though you're less likely to start with out of system mines and generally have less stuff, though I'd warn that starting with warp tech when everyone else is in prewarp is an incredible advantage.

If playing a game using the presets, I'd expect that any of the options other than Ancient Galaxy and Age of Shadows would start you with your homeworld, a spaceport, a handful of warp-capable vessels, and a few mines, though as the only preset I've played with is the Ancient Galaxy I could not say for certain.

[RemoteLeg]

Start a new game, don't click on the "Introductory Game" button. Click on "Custom Game as Standard Empire" instead.

Choose these settings:
- Expansion = PreWarp
- Difficulty = Easy
- Pirates = Very Few
- Pirate Strength = Weak
- Tech Level = PreWarp
- Number of other empires = 8
- Galaxy Starting Location = somewhere near the outer edges
Leave everything else on default.

This will give you a very quiet start with just a few pre-warp ships. The other races and pirates should not bug you for a while, so you can start exploring in peace.

[RemoteLeg]

You also asked about tutorial videos.
Here are some I did a while ago:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=P ... VfLtaT9Y81

I hope you find them helpful.

[darqnite]

For a change of pace from the previous recommendations, take a look at Timotheus' New Guy Newbie Guide (FULL TITLE: The New Guy Newbie Guide to Fully Non Automatic Manual Play - Distant Worlds, The Manly Man Way to Play (tm)) in this forum.

Even though it is a bit dated, I personally found his guide a marvelous introduction to DW. Having made adaptions to suit my playstyle, I've gone from Newbie to playing on Hard in a very short period of time.

I do realize that it is not exactly what you asked for, but by following it you'll learn lots about getting started in DW.

You'll find it listed on the pinned thread "Distant Worlds Guide to Guides Mk II". Look for "Timotheus New Guy Newbie Guide" at the bottom of the list.

[Seraph86]

ehm, what you describing is exactly the pre-warp game setting. you start with only one planet and you don't even have warp-drive to get out of it. you basically start from scrath and have to explore your solar system first quite slowly and then after getting used to your surrounding you start researching the first (very slow and low range) hyperdrive which has like 3-4 times the research cost ...and only after you discover miraculously the tech from one of the ruins in your system.

regarding a tutorial series i can recommend you the one from das24680: How to Play: Distant Worlds Universe

[Edmesa]

Although you didnt describe what is overwhelming i guess its pirates and their early game harassment. The way pirates are implemented in this game is that your relationship with them pretty much only can go down the drain, even taking defensive actions against their hostilities have a negative impact on the relationship. A couple things are affected by the relationship, the monthly amount of credits they ask for protection, how likely they are to cancel the protection contract and how angry (read: aggressive) they are on your empire. Especially that last one will get you very easy into a negative spiral which is pretty much impossible to stop and combine that with the fact that pirates have a tech advantage in the early game they are very tough customers.

If you are up to it, take the honorable route and dont pay them but be prepared to fight a nasty uphill battle against them and be prepared to lose the game. However if want a less uphill battle in the early game, the best advice in my opinion is to try to buy their protection as soon as you encounter a pirate faction. That way u give them very little chance to negative influence the relationship which keeps the protection cheap to buy. It will not buy them all but even then fighting 3 factions is better then 4 and some factions will even assist you in the defense against hostilities against your empire.

How to fight pirates early game? In my opinion Graviton beam is the best as it bypasses both shield and armor, however its a fairly short range weapon and for ships quite big. Its not without risk, but usually for me it pays off to combine graviton beams with tractor beams and point blank policy on both weaker and stronger targets. It tends to brings the hammer down on them hard and fast, which means they have less time to damage your ships, bases and mining stations.

[RemoteLeg]

I find it's easiest to just pay the pirates off at the start of the game.
Give them money, build up your technology, then go out and crush them.
Pirates really are annoying at the beginning.

[Edmesa]

I never had the luxurious position that i was able to put all pirates on the payroll, so i always had to deal with their antics. Truth be told the early game would be very boring to me if there where no pirates around to do some bullying.