Does anyone know the formula SEIV uses to calculate score? - Page 3

raynor · #21 February 6th, 2001, 07:43 PM

There are so many flaws in how the score is calculated, it really isn't worth arguing any more. If the method used to calculate the score were an indicator of the quality of the game, I would say that SEIV is the worst game ever made.

Right about now, I'm just glad TwinGalaxies is supporting SEIV by hosting the tournament.

And, whether or not the score calculation is flawed or not, I'm willing to concede that the folks who achieve the highest scores are better players than me.

Drake · #22 February 7th, 2001, 01:15 AM

Well, at least the issue with how ships affect score isn't really going to matter for the contest. Without a doubt, resource generation is what you are going to need to win.

raynor · #23 February 7th, 2001, 07:49 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Drake:
Well, at least the issue with how ships affect score isn't really going to matter for the contest. Without a doubt, resource generation is what you are going to need to win.

I know hardly anything about how the score is calculated except what I've heard from pros like you. Isn't your resource production just added straight into the score?

I recall having a score of 1.0M with resource production of less than 300K. So, it seemed that resources were much less an issue than other components of the score.

What would prevent someone from simultaneously building up a huge armada of bases/ships while also storing a modest amount of resources. Then, on turn 150, they cold unmothball all their bases/ships? Wouldn't it be possible to have a base/ship count well in excess of what you could afford to maintain?

Once again, I know almost nothing about how the score is calculated except that I've heard folks say that empty hulls count lots, and from my experience, fighters don't count at all.

Thanks.

geoschmo · #24 February 7th, 2001, 08:13 PM

quote:
Isn't your resource production just added straight into the score?

That is correct.

quote:
So, it seemed that resources were much less an issue than other components of the score.

That is also correct, however what I got from Drake's comment was that the top scorers in the contest are all going to have close to the 2000 limit on ships/bases, so the difference is going to be who can get the most resource points out of your colonies.

quote:
What would prevent someone from simultaneously building up a huge armada of bases/ships while also storing a modest amount of resources. Then, on turn 150, they cold unmothball all their bases/ships? Wouldn't it be possible to have a base/ship count well in excess of what you could afford to maintain?

Two things should prevent that. One, you have to turn in a savegame file for every five turns. You want to unmothball all your ships every five turns before you save the game and then turn around and mothball them again? Yuck!

Secondly, I think it would take more than a "modest amount" of resource storage to acomplish this. Keep in mind you have to pay to unmothball a ship. It would take a LOT to unmothball 2000 ships/bases in one turn. Plus all those storage facilities are taking up spaces on you colonies that could be generating resources, and so you are going to be behind someone who whas the same number of ships, but fewer storage fac's.

Also remember that stored resources count nothing towards score, only resources generated in the current turn.

IMHO, the best plan is to generate enough points to maintain your 2K ship/base navy. Takes a lot of colonies, but can be done, even in a small quadrant.

Drake · #25 February 7th, 2001, 09:22 PM

quote:
That is also correct, however what I got from Drake's comment was that the top scorers in the contest are all going to have close to the 2000 limit on ships/bases, so the difference is going to be who can get the most resource points out of your colonies.

Absolutely correct. Also, mothballing and unmothballing at the end is a bad idea for the contest, even if it were legal (which it isn't, BTW). You need resources ON HAND to unmothball, which as geoschmo pointed out aren't added to your score. This takes storage facilities which use up room for resource producing facilities. By doing this, you're just hurting yourself.

I only use storage to keep current resource holding up for retrofitting. I plan on scrapping all my storage facilities after I am done building ringworlds, since I won't need to retrofit anything after that. I build one extra component two years ahead of the other 10, and take a two step retrofit to the core piece (costs a cpl hundred K, but years faster).

-Drake

geoschmo · #26 February 7th, 2001, 09:30 PM

quote:
I plan on scrapping all my storage facilities after I am done building ringworlds, since I won't need to retrofit anything after that.

RINGWORLDS?!?!?!

<geoschmo sighs> "Sorry honey, I can't take you to the movies tonight. Drake's got RINGWORLDS!"

lol

[This message has been edited by geoschmo (edited 07 February 2001).]

Drake · #27 February 7th, 2001, 10:17 PM

Stop that! You can't make me feel guilty, even if you add depriving your wife of both dinner out and a trip to the movies!

Ok, maybe a little guilty.

geoschmo · #28 February 7th, 2001, 10:30 PM

Oh, I just meant I won't be able to take her out cause I have to get back to work on a new game.

I'm still going to beat you.

[This message has been edited by geoschmo (edited 07 February 2001).]

Drake · #29 February 7th, 2001, 11:04 PM

Well, glad to hear you have time to start a new game.

I've been working on my current one for over a week, and I've just hit turn 80. I'm pretty sure I'd burn out if I had to start over, so hopefully (I hope, at least) this game will be enough to keep me on top. Well, we'll see when I submit next week sometime. *evil grin*

-Drake

raynor · #30 February 7th, 2001, 11:12 PM

I am not worthy...

Ya know... TwinGalaxies could make back their prize money by *selling* your saved games on their website.

I just can't imagine 2000 ships/bases by turn 150 in a small galaxy--even if they are just empty cargo ships. The idea of someone building a ringworld soon enough before turn 150 to get enough resources out of it is mind-boggling.

Can you *finish* building a ringworld by turn 50 and actually max out its facilities by turn 150?

I just can't imagine...