warning: newbie inside. beginner's questions

[fladiv]

I have only recently started playing SEIVG, so I am currently trying to get the feeling of the game mechanics through game setups that expose its certain aspects in greater detail.
So one of my experimental games is having, among others, the options of finite resources and no warp points set.

So here are the questions arisen so far.
1. what is the difference between standard and finite resources? As far as I see, in non-FR games, planets are having their values expressed in percents (0-250%?), while in FR games, values are real number of resources that an object can be mined for. Both cases can benefit from the VIP, but (maybe I am wrong, I haven't yet checked it) in FR VIP can't improve value that is 0. So in FR, VIP impove in percents of the actual current value, while in non-FR, it adds fixed amount of resources to the value (in percents), right? Well this can be tested.. Anyway, what are the actual disadvantages of FR setting over no FR?
2. What pissed me off is empire-vise resources storage limit (50k of every resource type). When it is reached, any resources generated at the mines are wasted. ok so far but the really annoying is that the object value is actually decreased! So I guess there MUST be a way to either turn off the mining facilities (currently I am just scrapping them), or a way to increase the empire storage capacity (although useful, this would be incomplete solution). Sorry if I am missed something here...
3. Some UI issues.. Is there a quick way to get to the production queue of a planet from a system view?

P.S. ok I guess some answers are negative so is there some kind of a wish list for the game improvements somewhere? Another little annoying thingie is that mouse wheel is unused in scrollable lists...
It seems to me that unlike many "bigger" games, this one is somewhat better supported by the developer(s)...

[primitive]

Welcome to the forums. Some fast answers.

1: The AI�s sucks at finite resources. They mine themselves dry in no time, and then they just die off. Better to leave the finite resources setup for games against humans.

2: Build storage facilities, they should be available from the start. Managing resources are tricky, but you will get the hang of it after a while. Build as many shipyards as possible to have some outlet from the spare resources.

3: Press Q (after selecting the planet). There a bunch of hotkeys listed in the Empire (The Crown) window. Very useful

[Taera]

correction - under the help (question mark) menu

And welcome.

[primitive]

Oups

[JLS]

fladiv in your vanilla se4 Finite game, many players may say Resource Storage Facilities are great to save for an expensive upgrade reserve otherwise it it only a stopgap.
Some savvy players live on the edge when it comes to resource reserves

Try building a few Base Shipyards and build many ships and Colonizers this will use much of your starting income.

Yes, as you say scrap un-needed Resource Extraction Facilities is very wise and replace this with Research or Intel Facilities etc, when in need scrap the latter for that resource.

Remember, that Planet Utilization is a key to your success and resource Extraction techs are not a priority early in that style game.

As the Players have mentioned the vanilla se4 AI will suck there planets resources dry.

[ November 03, 2003, 13:18: Message edited by: JLS ]

[Grand Lord Vito]

Originally posted by primitive:
1: The AI’s sucks at finite resources. They mine themselves dry in no time, and then they just die off. Better to leave the finite resources setup for games against humans.

If you want Finite play you want the AI Campaign MOD

In your first AIC 4.00 game do not give the AI any bonuses and take all the top Trait start options. do not take option 4 though

[fladiv]

Thanks everyone for the tips, and now I have got some more questions...

1. I was trying the devnull mod...
It seems that by default the ministers are turned on there, so they have given some orders and filled some queues before I have disabled them, and I hope this won't repeat The worst thing, however, is that somewhat designs the ships and units automatically, which, for me, is inacceptable.
I am used to name designs using certain convention so that ship class name would give the idea of what this ship is usable for.
AI, on the other side, gives designs it adds absolutely irrelevant names, and I can't yet determine what the design is intended for because I am not competent enough with the game yet - I like exploring its featuring one by one, so it is important that I create all the designs myself..
Ok, shortly - how do I disable this feature?
Or maybe it is possible to pre-design something to re-use designs in some later games?

2. What affects the movement rate of ships in combat? Number of engines? Sail? it seems not. So is it fixed for the hull type?

3. is there any tactical ground combat? once somewhy I had only "strategic" option.
In this mode, combat is shown as the changing numerical amount of alive troops...
What is the point of complex troops design then?
Or perhaps I have done something bad that prevented tactical combat?
That time I have unleashed troops from the space tactical combat's troop transport sheep's order, btw...

4. Playing with `emotionless' race, I have conquered some other, non-emotionless species's planet (with 100% population of that species), and its mood was still emotionless for several turns (I don't know would it have ever changed...).
Isn't this a bug? shouldn't mood depend on species the people of those it is?

5. Why do the planets revolt? I thought they do because of poor happiness of the planet's population, but once emotionless planet has revolted...

[Alneyan]

Originally posted by fladiv:
1. I was trying the devnull mod...
It seems that by default the ministers are turned on there, so they have given some orders and filled some queues before I have disabled them, and I hope this won't repeat The worst thing, however, is that somewhat designs the ships and units automatically, which, for me, is inacceptable.
I am used to name designs using certain convention so that ship class name would give the idea of what this ship is usable for.
AI, on the other side, gives designs it adds absolutely irrelevant names, and I can't yet determine what the design is intended for because I am not competent enough with the game yet - I like exploring its featuring one by one, so it is important that I create all the designs myself..
Ok, shortly - how do I disable this feature?
Or maybe it is possible to pre-design something to re-use designs in some later games?

If you disable the AI before the first turn, it won't mess up with your designs or queues. You are advised to do so, as you see the consequences of leaving the AI in charge.
As for the second part of your question, you have the option to save your designs when you save your Empire. (Menu => Save Empire => Type a name => Click Yes when the game prompts you to save your designs) All your other options will be saved as well, including disabling this pesky AI.

2. What affects the movement rate of ships in combat? Number of engines? Sail? it seems not. So is it fixed for the hull type?

The basic combat movement of ships is their strategic ship (engines+sails)/2. A ship with a speed of 6 will go at a speed of 3 in combat. However, there are components that alter the combat speed, like Afterburners for fighters in the vanilla game (+3 combat speed at best) or Base engines, which give bases the ability to move *only* in combat. However, I am not sure if these bonuses are halved or not. (That is to say, if you have a +3 movement bonus with Afterburners of +1,5 point)

3. is there any tactical ground combat? once somewhy I had only "strategic" option.
In this mode, combat is shown as the changing numerical amount of alive troops...
What is the point of complex troops design then?
Or perhaps I have done something bad that prevented tactical combat?
That time I have unleashed troops from the space tactical combat's troop transport sheep's order, btw...

There are no tactical combat, except the window you alluded to. The ground battles are a bit... erh unknown to say the least, so the purpose of advanced troops is hard to see. In the vanilla game, ground combat should never be that much of an issue though, as militias aren't exactly a threat. With several mods, you will face an hard time capturing some of these worlds. (AIC and likely Proportions as well, you don't want to glass the enemy homeworld, do you?)

4. Playing with `emotionless' race, I have conquered some other, non-emotionless species's planet (with 100% population of that species), and its mood was still emotionless for several turns (I don't know would it have ever changed...).
Isn't this a bug? shouldn't mood depend on species the people of those it is?

I am not sure about this one. Conquered species are supposed to have all the characteristics of your Empire, except atmosphere, but I don't know how Emotionless is handled in such a case. I would believe the conquered species don't have any mood as well.

5. Why do the planets revolt? I thought they do because of poor happiness of the planet's population, but once emotionless planet has revolted...

They usually do because of a poor happiness. It might be linked to an event (Planet Riot) or an intelligence project. (Anarchy Groups)

[Arkcon]

Originally posted by fladiv:
4. Playing with `emotionless' race, I have conquered some other, non-emotionless species's planet (with 100% population of that species), and its mood was still emotionless for several turns (I don't know would it have ever changed...).
Isn't this a bug? shouldn't mood depend on species the people of those it is?

No, all your racial traits and racial characteristics are applied to captured races and none of theirs apply once they are yours.

Emotionless, Hearty Industrialists, Propulsion experts, whatever, you get what you spent racial points on ... not a penny more or a penny less.

5. Why do the planets revolt? I thought they do because of poor happiness of the planet's population, but once emotionless planet has revolted...

Ah, now that is a problem. I was experimenting with an emotionless race, but was not able to replicate the problem, although others warned me about it.

Your race never gets angrier or happier, but if you acquire a race that was rioting, you can never make them happy and therefore, productive again.

P.S. Quick experiments on my part indicate that an emotional race is immune to insurrection-type intel ops.

[ November 08, 2003, 11:56: Message edited by: Arkcon ]

[Fyron]

You only get AI ministers turned on if you load an empire file that has them turned on. If you create your own, you will not have any AI ministers enabled.

Complex troop design is still important. Rate of fire and range do no matter on weapons though. Total hit points (including shields) are used to determine how long it takes a troop to die. Damage at range 1 of the weapons determines how much damage each troop does to the enemy every round. To hit bonuses (on weapons as well as combat sensors and ECM) have some effect on troop combat, though I am not sure of the exact details there.

Components like Afterburners that provide X bonus combat movement give the ship +X movement in combat. That ability is not rounded. As for the base combat movement, it equals total strategic movement divided by 2, rounded up. 6 strategic movement gives 3 combat movement. 7 strategic movement gives 4 combat movement.

Check out the Newbie FAQ, which is stickied at the top of the forum. It has answers to almost all of your questions, as well as 100s more.