Position of Orbitalstations ? Random ?

[FlashXAron_slith]

Hi there,

is it possible to say where I want my ORBITAL stations ?
When I click on my constructor and want him to build anything around a planet, it built it anywhere , which is terrible as most of the time I couldn't even see what I have built, as anything is stacked at one place ...

SO COULD I TELLIT, WHERE IT HAS TO BUILD THAT (same thing for planet built stations)
... sometime it builts the FIRST defense station on a real orbit position.

It only works in space ...
IF it isn't possible that should be changed (using last beta)

THX

[Litjan]

When the station is built by the planet (it´s population) itself, just right-click on the exact position you want it, then select "build XYZ station here). It might work the same with a constructor, select first, then right-click in exact position (not sure about that one).

Jan

[shinobu]

ORIGINAL: Litjan

When the station is built by the planet (it´s population) itself, just right-click on the exact position you want it, then select "build XYZ station here). It might work the same with a constructor, select first, then right-click in exact position (not sure about that one).

Jan

Don't forget to left-click on the planet first (the planet has to be "highlighted"), then follow Litjan's directions above. Orbital stations are not built by constructors, they are built by the planet itself (planetary population)...

[FlashXAron_slith]

... damn now my 18 planets have their orbit sations most of the time stacked and I don't see if I already have built everything and if they are upgraded ... it is a pain to find that information in the tables ..
BUT on the other side, they could defend each other better

will try that
Thanks

[jpwrunyan]

Is there a max distance from the planet that you can build orbitals? Because I am picturing ring after ring of anti-boskara killer sats in my head. Also, even extending as far out into the solar system as to protect mining stations. Or maybe into deep space?!

Seriously, there is a max range right?

[Litjan]

ORIGINAL: jpwrunyan

Seriously, there is a max range right?

I think there is. Try and see how far out you get the right-click menu option...

[FlashXAron_slith]

yes there is ... built it too far away and it didn't move with the planet, had this with a defense station at the beginning, that is why I built that stations inside from the tables, where the program stacked all stations ...
which is good for defense but terrible for handling and areaweapons

[JCVocke]

You think that's bad, most of my heavily developed planets have Large Space Ports that completely cover the planet, making it virtually, if not outright impossible to select my own planet.

I think there should be an option in the Right Click menu "Select Parent World" or something similar.

[Bebop Cola]

Personally, I'd like to see spaceport graphics significantly smaller.

Most of the time I'm less concerned with where something is built on a planet than I am that it gets built in the first place, so I'm kind of in favor of doing away with spaceport graphics entirely and just merging its functions with the colony. Building a spaceport puts a small icon on a colony, maybe a very small spaceport object on the planet's surface, but otherwise just adds more construction queues, weapon systems, commerce centers, and docking bays to the colony facilities.

[jpwrunyan]

Hmm yes, spaceports are kind of weird in that I think they are supposed to be orbiting the planet. Not actually on the surface. So I am against the idea of removing their graphic entirely. On the other hand if there were a generic "surface spaceport" I would support it being a facility. Then the player can decife to build orbital starbases for defence and non-surface commerce. Anyway, both make sense. Particularly it makes sense to have orbital trade centers for interstellar ships to offload to while small unseen sublight cargo ships transfer the cargo to various populations on the planet via a surface spaceport.

Note: the word spaceport doesnt mean the port itself is necessarily in space. See: airport.

[Shark7]

I've noticed that the AI will build the starport centered over the planet, and will follow a hex pattern for the first 6 defense platforms in station around the planet. After that I can't say, never built more than 6 in one place.

[Bebop Cola]

I'd actually suggest that a surface spaceport of some sort would be built long before any large orbital construct would be. It depends a bit on one's lift technology that gets their ships into space, but if nothing else we have trade that occurs at planets with no "orbital" spaceport as it is.

Perhaps a happy middle ground might be that planets that do not have an orbital spaceport cannot receive trade from medium and large freighters, only small ones. Small freighters, presumably, would be the only ones really capable of landing on the surface to conduct their trades. Medium and Large freighters would probably be more optimized for large hauls in space rather than the ability to land on a planet's surface then take off again.

That said, if spaceports are truly an orbital construct instead of a surface one, I'd like to be able to build them just about anywhere to serve as trade hubs. If my empire is at the ass-end of the galaxy it might make sense to build a commerce center more central to my trade partners. A certain percentage of my private sector would base out of that trade hub in order to ship and retrieve goods from other empires while the remainder of my private sector that's based on my actual planets would work to keep the cargo bays of the trade hub(s) full of the goods I have for trade.

As I imagine it, these remote trade hubs would be treated as a limited function colony:
1. They don't have a population, but they do have a corruption rating. The presence of military ships from the home empire reduces corruption, tying up a defense fleet for the trade hub. More trade means more corruption, requiring a larger fleet.
2. The hub can serve as a home base for a fleet.
3. The hub can be destroyed, but also invaded and captured.
4. If their corruption rating gets too high, they can go independent. They are then somewhat like a pirate faction. If the spaceport has shipyards they will produce escort-class ships for local defense, as well as troops to prevent casual invasion, but they're just an independent merchant guild so don't expect them to be powerful enough to resist a determined empire. They still serve as a trade hub, but the majority of the revenue generated is retained by the trade hub's faction. You only get to keep whatever revenue is generated by selling(dropping off) resources to them.
5. As a private sector facility they don't project a zone of ownership, but they are owned by your empire so they can be blockaded and attacked as part of actions against you.
6. As a spaceport, they serve as a valid drop-off destination for mining ships and freighters from nearby mining sites.

[Shark7]

ORIGINAL: Bebop Cola

I'd actually suggest that a surface spaceport of some sort would be built long before any large orbital construct would be. It depends a bit on one's lift technology that gets their ships into space, but if nothing else we have trade that occurs at planets with no "orbital" spaceport as it is.

Perhaps a happy middle ground might be that planets that do not have an orbital spaceport cannot receive trade from medium and large freighters, only small ones. Small freighters, presumably, would be the only ones really capable of landing on the surface to conduct their trades. Medium and Large freighters would probably be more optimized for large hauls in space rather than the ability to land on a planet's surface then take off again.

That said, if spaceports are truly an orbital construct instead of a surface one, I'd like to be able to build them just about anywhere to serve as trade hubs. If my empire is at the ass-end of the galaxy it might make sense to build a commerce center more central to my trade partners. A certain percentage of my private sector would base out of that trade hub in order to ship and retrieve goods from other empires while the remainder of my private sector that's based on my actual planets would work to keep the cargo bays of the trade hub(s) full of the goods I have for trade.

As I imagine it, these remote trade hubs would be treated as a limited function colony:
1. They don't have a population, but they do have a corruption rating. The presence of military ships from the home empire reduces corruption, tying up a defense fleet for the trade hub. More trade means more corruption, requiring a larger fleet.
2. The hub can serve as a home base for a fleet.
3. The hub can be destroyed, but also invaded and captured.
4. If their corruption rating gets too high, they can go independent. They are then somewhat like a pirate faction. If the spaceport has shipyards they will produce escort-class ships for local defense, as well as troops to prevent casual invasion, but they're just an independent merchant guild so don't expect them to be powerful enough to resist a determined empire. They still serve as a trade hub, but the majority of the revenue generated is retained by the trade hub's faction. You only get to keep whatever revenue is generated by selling(dropping off) resources to them.
5. As a private sector facility they don't project a zone of ownership, but they are owned by your empire so they can be blockaded and attacked as part of actions against you.
6. As a spaceport, they serve as a valid drop-off destination for mining ships and freighters from nearby mining sites.

I think the game assumes that each race is sufficiently advanced to build an orbital starport at game start. You do already have a planet side space port, its the reason cargo ships can unload and you can build things from the planet. Basically the game starts you in an era that would be equivalent to our 'space age' or even 'post space age' (even we puny modern humans can build orbitals while they are in orbit).

You actually can build orbitals anywhere as just a trade hub, etc...

You need to make a generic 'star base' and give it commerce parts (IE the cargo pods, docking, and commerce center). The star base will be able to onload/offload cargo, and acts as a refueling depot. I actually use these myself (though give them gas mining ability and build them in gas clouds) with LR sensors to act as fleet depots. And they work just fine. Basically, in my case they are a hybrid star port/mining station/defense platform (as mine are HEAVILY armed).

When I get home from work I'll post you an exmple of the way I set them up. Just keep in mind you have to manually build them.

[Bebop Cola]

I haven't tried it yet, but my thinking on the design would to just take the default spaceport design, switch it over to a starbase class, then tweak as necessary. I'd be interested in seeing your design, though, thanks. [:)]

Does it work as a remote trading hub? For example, can I build one central to one or more other empires and they perform trade with me there, with my private sector traders using it as their drop-off rather than flying to the foreign empire's planets? I'm assuming that it wouldn't as doing so would require some manner of designation to let the private sector know to keep it stocked from the home colonies.

Also, it would be nice if it could be designated as a fleet base rather than just be a refueling depot. I've never tried that in-game, as I assumed only colonies could be assigned as a home base for defense fleets. I should probably test that...[&:]