Galactic Leadership Style

Slick · #1 January 15th, 2003, 05:33 AM

Assuming no racial construction bonuses, Emergency Build, or population bonuses to construction (which would apply somewhat equally to either situation):

A Mineral Miner III costs 2500/0/0 and produces 1000/0/0, assuming 100%/100%/100%. Assuming a construction rate of 2000/2000/2000, it can be built in 2 turns. Assuming 100%/100%/100%, it will break even after the 3rd turn after it was built for a total of 5 turns to break even.

A Monolith III costs 10000/5000/5000 and produces 900/900/900 assuming 100%/100%/100%. Assuming a construction rate of 2000/2000/2000, it can be built in 5 turns. Assuming 100%/100%/100%, it will break even after the 12th turn after it was built for a total of 17 turns to break even.

Another negative to Monoliths is that in the time it takes to build 2, 5 Mineral Miners can be built, which pushes back the break even point much further when comparing.

A Resource Converter is more helpful to a Monolith, but will benefit the empire no matter what your facility structure is like.

Bottom line: If you need resources NOW, do not use Monoliths. However, if built on planets that have high resource percentages in 2 or 3 of the resources (when you have the time & resources) , in the long run they will outproduce individual resource facilities after a long break even time.

Slick.

Instar · #2 January 15th, 2003, 05:55 AM

For me I usually get a set of home sectors, get decent defense and get into the race for max tech really quickly (I usually get everything researched in a relatively short time) and then use max techs and massive fleets to attack and conquer the galaxy
Im usually weaker in the beginning, due to the excessive research planets. I usually build all mineral miners on a good planet, and I start building Monoliths on crappier planets, or when it doesnt matter anyhow (Im getting over 1million of each a turn sometimes, so I dont care, just as long they keep coming)

Fyron · #3 January 15th, 2003, 11:29 AM

17 turns is the short run. Think ahead. Monoliths, while taking a little longer to build, make 2700 resources! At 50% conVersion (level 1 converter), that translates to 900 + 1800/2 = 1800 minerals, as opposed to just 1000 from a Mineral Miner. And so what if it takes longer to build them? You should have tons of planets before even beginning to convert to a Monolithic economy, so you should have enough full planets to build ships on. As long as you are at peace, you can build Monoliths with no worries!

couslee · #4 January 15th, 2003, 11:48 AM

granted, i have not even got that far in my game yet, but isn't storage also going to be a factor? It don't matter if I am producing 1m organics a turn if my organics storage is maxed out. You can only keep what you can hold.

Fyron · #5 January 15th, 2003, 11:50 AM

If you produce more than you can use, you need more space yards.

Converters eliminate surplus in one or 2 areas problems.

dogscoff · #6 January 15th, 2003, 11:56 AM

Against the AI:
I like to play Proportions from a one planet, low tech start. I'll get as interesting a quadrant as I can, with NOT all warp points connected, empires allowed to start in the same system, NOT all player planets equal and warp points anywhere in the system.

I'll concentrate on a few key breathables (you sort of have to in proportions), and in my latest game I've taken the 80% planetary capacity trait which really adds challenge: It makes tiny non-breathables practically (but not quite) useless. My goal in this game is to build a ringworld.

I expand quietly, slowly and peacefully, concentrating on infrastructure in order to give the AIs plenty of time to develop the kind of economy/ weaponry that will provide me with a challenge later in the game.

If I find myself trapped in an isolated part of the galaxy with no AIs and no choice but to develop WP openers then so much the better:-) By the time I "break out" there will (hopefully) be a wonderfully advanced alien warmonger on the other side just waiting to give me a decent run for my money.

In these games I don't develop weapons tech at all until first contact or even first combat, and I try not to start wars (but usually finish them=-)

Gryphin · #7 January 16th, 2003, 12:05 AM

Against the AI
Never settle in a neutrals system
Never trade for more than resourses
Never build traning facilties
Only use Intel in "counter" mode
Never start a war.
When attacked push the AI back two systems and try to hold it there.
Accept any treaty
Only settle one planet type

[ January 15, 2003, 22:10: Message edited by: Gryphin ]