Space Stations CAN Move!!

dmm · #1 September 25th, 2000, 06:08 PM

Not only can they move, they can outrun anything else. I'm talking >30 moves/turn. Sorry, I can't tell you how; it's a military secret. However, I am allowed to tell you this much:
1) there's no hack or cheat involved,
2) they can't move into enemy territory,
3) the exact route is not under player control,
4) it doesn't work in combat, and
5) it is tedious to do.

If you can't figure it out from that, then you don't deserve to know. Ahahahahaha!!!! I will crush you!!!

Baron Munchausen · #2 September 25th, 2000, 07:31 PM

It sounds like you've discovered a bug. If you don't want to tell us, please send it in to MM so they can consider whether this is a 'proper' feature or should be changed.

dmm · #3 September 25th, 2000, 10:08 PM

OK, I'll tell, but I want a promotion.

As someone has pointed out already, you can put emergency propulsion units on space stations (SSs), which can give 4 moves per turn per unit with EP_IV. (And more w/ higher level EP? Haven't researched past IV.) Except that, as someone else pointed out, the MoveTo and WarpTo buttons are disabled for SSs. My trick is, that the DropCargo button is NOT disabled. So you can use an EP unit, giving your SS 4/0 movement (for level IV), then tell it to drop cargo at one of your other planets. (Cargo ships work too, I think). You don't actually need to have any cargo to drop either. Then repeat the process for all the EP units on the SS. The really hilarious aspect is that you can put several Repair units on your SS and they repair the EP units each turn, so that the SS effectively has super-dooper engines, albeit at the cost of keeping those poor repair crews working round the clock.

My suggestions to MM are:
1) EPs (also boarding parties) should not be repairable. A vessel ought to have to go to a Yard and "upgrade" in order to get them replaced. Or maybe a ship can only use one/turn. Otherwise, even if you fix this SS "bug," a cruiser could also have a ridiculously huge movement each turn.
2) EPs (and/or engines) should be allowed on SSs, but they should be extra-heavy, or extra-expensive, or higher tech level. And even mobile bases should be limited to one movement/turn. One simple way would be to divide the "engine movement" of a SS by 4 or 5 and round down to get its "effective movement." Extra EPs/engines would only give longer range or backup capability. Alternatively, put towing into the game somehow.
3) Something should be done about the vulnerability of fixed targets to a move-fire-move strategy. (While I'm on the subject, firing while "on the move" should be less accurate, just as a general rule.) A fixed firing platform such as a planet or SS could get a range bonus on all weapons. Or perhaps armor/shields could work better, or be available sooner, for fixed platforms.

The way things stand now, it is stupid to make a "Defense Base" and really stupid to make an "Attack Base." (How can you attack when you can't move???) Bases are only good for Yards and Repair, which limits the game to ships.

Baron Munchausen · #4 September 25th, 2000, 10:28 PM

Gack! Emergency propulsion should not be CUMULATIVE! I had wondered why the EP component was allowed on bases, too. They can fix that by simply editing the components file. Good thing you found that. It's too bizarre for someone like a beta tester trying to play the game 'seriously' to find. Tinkerers and cheaters have their uses, after all.

dmm · #5 September 25th, 2000, 11:02 PM

Well, the EP isn't exactly cumulative. It's just that you can activate one, use the movement, activate another, use the movement, .... Probably works for everything. Makes a great scout vessel.

Jeb · #6 September 26th, 2000, 05:37 PM

Couldn't they also fix the bug by only allowing emergency propulsion pods on vessels that have at least one engine? After all, they're supposed to replenish movement points, which should be impossible on a base that doesn't have any in the first place.

I definitely agree about the need to do something to tone down the effectiveness of the move/fire/move strategy. In a way, it would be nice if a base's main weapons could opfire like point defence, but of course they you could distract them with heavily armored and shielded decoy ships before moving your main attackers into place. I suppose range bonuses for base weapons is maybe the best bet.

One other point: a couple of people have suggested making bases orbit planets. This wouldn't really help much, because presumably the path would be predictable and so wouldn't make it much harded to duck in and out of range. Seems like a waste of programming time to make them put that in.