Question about Ancient Ruins

[Krakenup]

Originally posted by Imperator Fyron:

quote:

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Originally posted by Arkcon:
The ruin is like an instant random research project. The level you acquire is always only one more level than you already have, just like research.

That is not true. The specific technology and level are determined when the map is created. If you already have that tech level when you colonize the ruin, you get nothing out of it. eg: The ruin gives you Ships 3, and you have already researched Ships 3. You do not get Ships 4, you get nothing from the ruin.

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No, Arkcon is correct - for that type of ruins. There are two types. If you get the message "We have detected advanced technology present on this planet." you will get one of the unique technologies such as massive shields. They are the only ones determined when the map is created, and, if you already have that one, you get nothing.

If you get one of the other Messages involving "devices", "cities", "ruins", etc., you get one to three random one-level advances in a normal technology. In fact, if you do not like what you get (or if you want to prove that I'm right), you can reload a save game, recolonize, and you will get a different set. (Well, once. If you want to do that more than once, you have to change something such as the colony ship's path to the planet.)

[Arkcon]

Originally posted by Imperator Fyron:

quote:

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Originally posted by Arkcon:
The ruin is like an instant random research project. The level you acquire is always only one more level than you already have, just like research.

That is not true. The specific technology and level are determined when the map is created. If you already have that tech level when you colonize the ruin, you get nothing out of it. eg: The ruin gives you Ships 3, and you have already researched Ships 3. You do not get Ships 4, you get nothing from the ruin.

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Yeah, I did over simplify. But the explanation does still hold. Look at it this way. You have Ships 3. You can build destroyers. You then:
A - research Ship Construction, spending the requisite points, or
B - colonize a ruins planet that randomly contains Ships 5, or
C - analyze a captured battle cruiser (Ships 6), or
D - receive the tech from someone who has battleship (Ships 7)

You get, in all cases, Ships 4. One more level than you had. You can build Light Cruisers. The result is the same. That's why I call it "instant random research" There is no way to skip a tech level when researching ships, so you only get the next level when you use the other methods.

If you colonize a ruin with ships 2, deconstruct an escort, or receive the destroyer tech -- then you get nothing. It is here where the research analogy breaks down.

There is no way to research backwards or your own level, is all. If you could, you would get nothing.

But we'd all be a whole lot more pissed off if that happened

[ November 01, 2002, 23:21: Message edited by: Arkcon ]

[Fyron]

Hmm... for non-unique ruins, that is kinda screwey. Never cheated before to try and get different techs from the ruins.