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Shakturi Design / Tactics questions..

 
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Shakturi Design / Tactics questions.. - 7/22/2011 10:32:55 AM   
ak

 

Posts: 8
Joined: 7/22/2011
Status: offline 		Hello, recently addicted DW player with a couple of prolly obvious querries to old hands..

1. I have looked all over the forums but when the question is answered I still don't get it - how do I make sure my ship/base designs are upgraded, instead of being completly replaced by default designs? Yes I am doing both - modding designs but allowing the AI to propose new designs - simply because I am only interesting in modding two designs at the moment: better explorers (in particular longer range, quicker turns, better acceleration) and better gas mining bases (like to use them as FARPs but also would like to give them a blaster or two for local pest control). It seems my designs never stay current - I would love to make one the "basic" design and just have that one upgraded - is it possible, or would I have to go total manual? That would really ruin the game for me...

2. I found some of the tips on this forum very useful - in particular I now build one massive "Earth Port" large space port on my homebase to start with as well as a dedicated large custom rearch facility. My research facilitiy works like a charm, and my mega-Port can churn out fleets of ships - but the bottleneck these days seem to be the colony ships. They are still produced *outside* of any port facilities, so therefor my megaport does not help the matter at all? Any tips on this bottleneck?

3. As per someone's suggestions I like to build a "basic port" - stripped down small port - on every colony. However some planets would prolly soon need to graduate to the "Normal" small port - i.e. with armour and weapons - but I am not sure I can upgrade from one small port to another small port?

4. I like to use large invasion fleets - i.e. invade, reload troops, next target. Part of my rational is that the troops "gain experience", therefore improve, besides suffering less casulities in the original invasions as they are so overwellming (i.e. 8 vs. 1 divison). True?

5. Auto exploring a sector with a couple of ships can mean all those ships going to one star together. Any tricks around this?

6. Does the "zero tax" growth spurt work in Shakturi as well? Did not seem to notice it wih human colonies..

7. Also, some of the suggestions on how to "game" good relations with aliens - such as give present, offer map, etc. does not seem to work. In particular I give a (say 6K) present, then offer my territorial map...and they only have 2K left (?) despite the fact that no time had gone by between trades.

While I have gone over the "tips and tricks" thread in detail any more suggestions are welcome!

Post #: 1
RE: Shakturi Design / Tactics questions.. - 7/22/2011 10:41:29 AM   
Data


Posts: 3876
Joined: 1/3/2011
Status: offline 		Hi ak and welcome to the community.

1) Unfortunatelly yes, going manual is the solution atm. What you desire we've requested already, hopefully we'll also get it at some point.

2) Colony ships can be built only planet side, SP do not help with this.

3) You can, you can do it any way you like. Even from big to small, like a downgrade.

4) True.

5) Stupid AI but if you leave them some time they will go different ways in the end.

6) Well, tax actually influnces happiness which in turn influences growth so there may be other factors involved for shakturi or your humans.

7) Did not played with those much so maybe someone else can help here.

Hope it's useful, feel free to ask away and have fun

_____________________________

...Igniting stellar cores....Recharging reactors...Recalibrating hyperdrives....

(in reply to ak)
Post #: 2
RE: Shakturi Design / Tactics questions.. - 7/22/2011 11:45:58 AM   
ak

 

Posts: 8
Joined: 7/22/2011
Status: offline 		Well good that you have "requested" the upgrade modifed designs feature...any hope that this might happen within the near future?

In the meantime, any gamey ways to go about the "upgrade" issue? The only thing I can think of off-hand is that I edit the new designs as soon as they come out...i.e. I edit the default upgrade and save it under the same name. Will this work?

(in reply to Data)
Post #: 3
RE: Shakturi Design / Tactics questions.. - 7/22/2011 12:00:20 PM   
Data


Posts: 3876
Joined: 1/3/2011
Status: offline 		there is an upcoming expansion but no word bout this yet among the already announced features
Your solution will work, yes. It implies some micro but avoids a lot of later micro

_____________________________

...Igniting stellar cores....Recharging reactors...Recalibrating hyperdrives....

(in reply to ak)
Post #: 4
RE: Shakturi Design / Tactics questions.. - 7/22/2011 12:51:33 PM   
ak

 

Posts: 8
Joined: 7/22/2011
Status: offline 		thanks! will see if my trick works, otherwise i am really going to need that expansion..

(in reply to Data)
Post #: 5
RE: Shakturi Design / Tactics questions.. - 7/22/2011 5:38:22 PM   
Spacecadet

 

Posts: 1032
Joined: 4/18/2010
Status: online 		Welcome aboard ak !

#1 - The only real way I could see doing this is to have the "Design" option set to manual.
You could then manually tweak the models you are concerned with.
For the others, select them and click "upgrade" to let the AI design the others every once in awhile (Tech discoveries..).

#2 - Yeah, Colony ships are built on the Planet and production is determined by Population and Shipyard (Planetary) speed.

#3 - Yes, you can upgrade/retrofit. I prefer to build a Small Spaceport in every System and then backfill Systems with multiple colonies.

#4 - Troops do gain experience from Battle.

#5 - I manually direct one or two Explorers myself.
One option is as soon as they are completed, direct them to a System you want them to investigate then automate them.
Send them in different directions and hopefully they'll explore better.

#6 - Pretty much works the same I believe.

#7 - Kill Pirates, give presents occasionally. These will help, but it takes time.




(in reply to ak)
Post #: 6
RE: Shakturi Design / Tactics questions.. - 7/23/2011 7:32:28 PM   
Harmonious Hegemony

 

Posts: 44
Joined: 6/19/2011
Status: offline 		I'm fairly new to DW but I think I can add a little to this thread already.

#1 If you leave automation on the AI will create new designs every time you achieve a new tech, and these are the designs it will build. As far as I can tell it doesn't obsolete any that you have created, but you will have to build all of them manually. Any construction ships you have running on auto will promptly ignore your armed mining stations and build the latest design it has created. It won't be long before you turn off auto design completely. The types of shortfalls you are finding in say, explorers for example, exist in all the AI designs.

#5 IMO, exploration is the key to the game and it deserves attention. You are looking for a) colonizable planets and b) valuable specials. I differ from what others have posted in that I create a LOT of explorers (I try to get up to at least a dozen when I can afford it) and send most of them (80% or so) on manual. I send them to an unexplored system set to Move To, not Explore. When they arrive at the system set this way they will be at the star itself and you will be able to see if any of planets are colonizable and if there are specials there (three dots in a triangle). The colonizable planets will show up in your expansion list. If there are specials I take the time to send the explorer to that planet, if not I send it immediately on its way to the next unexplored system. You won't know all the resources that the planets contain but this gives you the least time to discovery for the important elements for winning the game. I let the 20% or so of my automated explorers go off and map the individual planets, gas clouds, etc. in the background.

#7 Killing pirates (bases more than ships) will improve your rep galaxy wide. Giving the AIs advantageous trades will get them to love you. I build mining stations in their systems and then sell them to them for a discount. This gains allies who love you if you do it often enough. It also keeps them broke and generates lots of cash which you can use to build huge navies to crush them with later

(in reply to Spacecadet)
Post #: 7
RE: Shakturi Design / Tactics questions.. - 7/23/2011 8:52:20 PM   
Data


Posts: 3876
Joined: 1/3/2011
Status: offline
quote:

I differ from what others have posted in that I create a LOT of explorers (I try to get up to at least a dozen when I can afford it) and send most of them (80% or so) on manual


Good advices all around, HH, and we do indeed differ on the above.....early game I have a fleet of almost only explorers. A hundred of them asap

_____________________________

...Igniting stellar cores....Recharging reactors...Recalibrating hyperdrives....

(in reply to Harmonious Hegemony)
Post #: 8
RE: Shakturi Design / Tactics questions.. - 7/24/2011 3:36:47 AM   
Harmonious Hegemony

 

Posts: 44
Joined: 6/19/2011
Status: offline 		A hundred? I am humbled. I'm guessing they are almost all running automated.

(in reply to Data)
Post #: 9
RE: Shakturi Design / Tactics questions.. - 7/24/2011 9:29:52 AM   
Data


Posts: 3876
Joined: 1/3/2011
Status: offline 		If they weren't I wouldn't have the time for anything else :)
But there are guys here that use even bigger numbers. The problem is genuine but we do have several ways to work around it until it's fixed.....btw, for such numbers it's ok to have the cheapest / weakest explorers ever

_____________________________

...Igniting stellar cores....Recharging reactors...Recalibrating hyperdrives....

(in reply to Harmonious Hegemony)
Post #: 10
RE: Shakturi Design / Tactics questions.. - 7/25/2011 2:24:33 PM   
ak

 

Posts: 8
Joined: 7/22/2011
Status: offline 		Lots of good comments! I had a couple of good gos at the game, so some observations...

1. As noted in my first point, I found the orginal suggestion from somewhere else in this forum to build a large spaceport and research centre on my home planet to be very useful. However, I have not noticed that I produce my colony ships faster in anyway, despite have 15 construction bays etc. Any tricks on getting the colony ships out quicker? On my (large) games I usually have around 20 explorers and 10-15 construction ships, and the bottleneck is definetly getting my colony ships out in time.

2. I also have followed more advice and am very "liberal" with my taxation. Except for my home planet (where a lot of recreation moduls in my MegaPort keeps everyone happy) with a tax rate of around 40% my highest tax rate is 20%, and under 200m pop it is zero. That really got the breeding going..

3. I generally become friends with everyone. Actually I am such a nice guy that I litteraly can get away with murder. When one of my allies nicked one of those highest-value planets right under my nose I just invaded it. My rep dropped from "noble" to "admired" but given what I got it was a good call. Q: there is an option to go to "trade pact" from a mutual defense treaty...I would think the defense treaty includes trade freedom as a default, so this is prolly a downgrade treaty option?

4. The design issue is really, really irritating - especially as it has so much promise. Stuff that I do design are either large production runs (I have made über-invasion ships at around 780 IIRC weight, lots of armour etc.) or are timless designs of bases. These include "megaholiday resorts" that I plunk close to alliens to take their money, megamines for getting those super-precious goods, armed deep-space gas mine senor / fuel bases that can refuel small flotillas and scout around with their LRS, as as well cheapish LRS senor platforms. I don't do other ships as there seems little point - they will be obsolete so quickly.




(in reply to Data)
Post #: 11
RE: Shakturi Design / Tactics questions.. - 7/25/2011 2:38:27 PM   
Data


Posts: 3876
Joined: 1/3/2011
Status: offline 		1. afaik no, we cannot influence the build speed on colonies....only research better tech for it, ie manufacturers and construction yards. The colonies will implement them automatically.

2. Yap, I always tax only my initial colony.....the rest is on 0. When first colonized they're to small for serious income and after that it's too late anyway as big money starts coming in from other sources, ie trade and tourism.

3. Correct



_____________________________

...Igniting stellar cores....Recharging reactors...Recalibrating hyperdrives....

(in reply to ak)
Post #: 12
RE: Shakturi Design / Tactics questions.. - 7/26/2011 2:30:13 PM   
ak

 

Posts: 8
Joined: 7/22/2011
Status: offline 		yes another observation / question..

i have just crushed a 5-planet insectoid empire that was constantly getting in my face , had a bad rep, and indeed was at war with my allies. After invading and occupying everyone instead of being hailed as a good guy my reputation as slid from "admired" to "dubiuous". Now i did get that from declaring war? (guilty), wiping out the civilization (guilty), or nuking have the planets back into the stoneage before invasion (ahem yes guilty).

As I really like to keep my reputation is there anything I can do to fix this? Don't say kill pirates - that's how I got my "admired" rep after all...

And another thing: When I discovered a couple of debris fields and even world destroyers being feasted on by a selection of constructors I fired "warning shots" with warship (i.e. attacked them but did not destroy). I persumed that killing the ships would piss people off much more than just scaring them off so I did that to allied constructors as well....is that why no-one likes me anymore?



(in reply to Data)
Post #: 13
RE: Shakturi Design / Tactics questions.. - 7/26/2011 3:32:52 PM   
Data


Posts: 3876
Joined: 1/3/2011
Status: offline 		nuking is a big no no, the other are not as bad but this one...major impact
give gifts if killing pirates no longer suits you...there are other ways also but I didn't explore this very much

_____________________________

...Igniting stellar cores....Recharging reactors...Recalibrating hyperdrives....

(in reply to ak)
Post #: 14
RE: Shakturi Design / Tactics questions.. - 7/26/2011 5:24:35 PM   
Harmonious Hegemony

 

Posts: 44
Joined: 6/19/2011
Status: offline 		I think you take a reputation hit if you start the war. I think the way to avoid that is to goad the AI into declaring war on you. You can generally do that with trade sanctions and warnings. If that doesn't work send military ships to each of his systems and just park them there (that drives them nuts). If that still doesn't work take out a mining station. That usually works and you can do that without taking too big a hit on your rep.

(in reply to Data)
Post #: 15
RE: Shakturi Design / Tactics questions.. - 7/26/2011 7:44:27 PM   
Data


Posts: 3876
Joined: 1/3/2011
Status: offline 		Devious but effective

_____________________________

...Igniting stellar cores....Recharging reactors...Recalibrating hyperdrives....

(in reply to Harmonious Hegemony)
Post #: 16
RE: Shakturi Design / Tactics questions.. - 7/27/2011 1:50:09 PM   
ak

 

Posts: 8
Joined: 7/22/2011
Status: offline 		On the subject of "devious but effective" (and I agree provoking war to be devious)...

..what about firing "warning shots" at my allies? I like to hog debrie fields and especially world destroyers. I find firing laser blasts at my allied constructors /(but not destroying them) to be perfectly understandable and effective. Obviously I get a complaint afterwards, but how bad is hit on rep if it is only "fired on" but not damaged, let alone destroyed? Any differences here?

(in reply to Data)
Post #: 17
RE: Shakturi Design / Tactics questions.. - 7/27/2011 4:58:04 PM   
Data


Posts: 3876
Joined: 1/3/2011
Status: offline 		afaik there is no hit even if they complain about it.

_____________________________

...Igniting stellar cores....Recharging reactors...Recalibrating hyperdrives....

(in reply to ak)
Post #: 18
RE: Shakturi Design / Tactics questions.. - 7/27/2011 7:37:17 PM   
Harmonious Hegemony

 

Posts: 44
Joined: 6/19/2011
Status: offline 		I drive off allied constructors all the time, if the prize seems worthwhile. Always for World Destroyers. As Data says, I have never had my allies downgrade relations for this even if they do complain about it. Once one of my capital ships was refueling at an ally's space port when an enemy attacked me. My ship let loose with the much reviled area weapon and after a few shots took out the ally's space port, in addition to the attacking ship. I received a "warning to stop attacks" from my ally, but really couldn't see any degradation in the diplomatic status. (I have to admit that I didn't check the rating for "our past experiences with you". It's possible there were some points lost there but not enough to change anything. That would be an interesting experiment to run sometime. . .

(in reply to Data)
Post #: 19
RE: Shakturi Design / Tactics questions.. - 7/28/2011 12:15:56 AM   
Spacecadet

 

Posts: 1032
Joined: 4/18/2010
Status: online
quote:

ORIGINAL: Data

afaik there is no hit even if they complain about it.


Well, not on Reputation, but you do get a hit on "Past Dealings".

Not sure how much it is though, it might depend on the degree of the infraction.


(in reply to Data)
Post #: 20
RE: Shakturi Design / Tactics questions.. - 7/28/2011 2:27:54 AM   
ehsumrell1


Posts: 1535
Joined: 8/17/2010
From: The Briar Patch Nebula
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: Spacecadet


Well, not on Reputation, but you do get a hit on "Past Dealings".

Not sure how much it is though, it might depend on the degree of the infraction.



I agree with Spacecadet. In addition, my experience shows that you don't lose
as much if you don't fully destroy the opposing ship. I notice that I don't
get warnings from the other empire if I don't destroy the constructor.


_____________________________

Shields are useless in "The Briar Patch"...

(in reply to Spacecadet)
Post #: 21
RE: Shakturi Design / Tactics questions.. - 7/28/2011 8:17:58 PM   
Data


Posts: 3876
Joined: 1/3/2011
Status: offline 		Yap, Past Dealings is sort of a pre indication to what will affect reputation. We don't know the thresholds though but it's better like that...it avoids exploits

_____________________________

...Igniting stellar cores....Recharging reactors...Recalibrating hyperdrives....

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Post #: 22
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