racial points

[Col. Mustard]

I Always seem to have trouble when I play SEIV, I figured out a solution but I've been gone for a long time now and can't remember for the life of me what it was. My problem is, I always start the game in last place or near last place, never first or anywhere close to it. and throughout the game, I rarely, if ever, reach 1st place. the solution was something to do with how you spend your racial points, but I've completely forgotten. anyone care to elaborate a bit? which characteristics do you bring down, which ones do you bring up in your games? Thanks

[capnq]

The score is heavily weighted towards ship tonnage, so anything that boosts your construction rate should help, such as Construction Aptitude, Hardy Industrialists, Temporal, Organic.

[Fyron]

This article may be of use:

http://www.spaceempires.net/home/content-1.html

[PvK]

Detailed analysis and mod solution are available in the PvK Balance mod.

[Randallw]

The most important choice as relates to being near the top before anything actually happens is increased storage. Choose that and right at the start you have 20% more of everything than someone with the same choices who didn't take it.

[Atrocities]

Fireworks? What are those.... it sounds like a war zone around here after the lights go down. Its awsome!

[Suicide Junkie]

I think it would be nifty to get one of those remote control helicopters.

Then tape blocks of 7 roman candles to each side, light the fuses, and take off!

[Renegade 13]

Around here, fireworks weren't a good idea for us on Canada Day (July 1st). We haven't had any rain for about 2 weeks, and we really don't want to start a massive forest fire.

As for racial points, my personal setup always has me choosing Advanced Storage Techniques, a 10% (at least) boost to maintenance, along with boosts to construction, mineral generation, agressiveness/defensiveness, research.

The boost to Maintenance Aptitude allows you to build many more ships, which in turn increases your score. To be honest, score isn't a very good reflection on how you're doing in a game. In my current game, 200+ systems, TDM AI's, I was in 7th place for quite some time (out of 8 players total). Yet, no AI could touch me, I had nearly impenetrable defenses over a few warp point chokepoints.

Score really doesn't matter much, it's how you use available resources and your overall strategic plan that usually are what effect the outcome of the game.

[Fyron]

nothing to see here

110 maintenance aptitude is so cheap that you are asking to lose by not taking it. 40% reduction in maintenance costs for 500 points!

[Phoenix-D]

Look at the poll, Fyron.