Emergency Build problem

[Dobian]

I don't know if this is a bug or something I just don't undertand. At one of my bases, I set it to emergency build to get a ship done. A few turns later, when I go to turn it off, the whole buttone gets grayed out, and my ships get built at a ridiculously low rate (i.e., takes 20 turns, when it takes 4 turns everywhere else). Is this some kind of penalty for doing an emergency build, and does it go away?

A side note, my empire is now a big, bloated bankrupt bureaucracy. I can fix the problem by scrapping several of my good ships, but I don't want to do too much of that. I'm mining three different asteroid sectors with satellites like crazy, but I'm still short on minerals. I'd like to wipe out my enemies right now, but I can't afford it! Not really a question, I can fix this, but I suppose resource shortfalls must have been a problem for others just starting the game like myself.

[Suicide Junkie]

For every turn you spend on Emergency Build (150% rate) you must spend one turn on Slow Build (25% rate)
Once the slow-build time is up, your SY returns to normal.

As for resource shortages, you can mothball some ships and bases that you don't need, and replace some research facilities with miners.

For longer-term economy building, you can place Value improvement facilities on your planets (planet utilization tech 4,5 and 6)
Value improvement fully stacks, so two facilities increase value at twice the rate as one.

Also long-term, is atmosphere converters. (planet utilization 7,8 and 9)
When placed on domed worlds, they will change the atmosphere to remove the dome and give you 5x more facility slots.

[Arkcon]

Try to remember, with the default of 25% maintenance ...

With every ship you build, think ..."In four turns, I will automatically pay for another one."

Look around, do you really need that many ships?

If so, you need more colonies. Hey, you're a Galactic Despot (click here) -- why do the others still have planets?

Also, emergency build inceases build rate, and also increase resource consumption. When you shut it off and go slow, you will consume less resources. You could also put a queue on hold, and save all resources.

[ December 10, 2002, 17:29: Message edited by: Arkcon ]

[Suicide Junkie]

The maintenance is a killer.
How many points did you put into maintenance reduction?
If you cranked your maint. redux. to +20% (the maximum effective amount), you will pay only 1/5th of the normal maintenance costs (5% of build price per turn)

If you actually took a negative on maintenance redux, Doom on You.

[Ruatha]

Originally posted by Suicide Junkie:

If you cranked your maint. redux. to +20% (the maximum effective amount), you will pay only 1/5th of the normal maintenance costs (5% of build price per turn)

20 % maintenance reduction decreases maintenance cost by 80%????

[Captain Kwok]

Originally posted by Ruatha:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Suicide Junkie:

If you cranked your maint. redux. to +20% (the maximum effective amount), you will pay only 1/5th of the normal maintenance costs (5% of build price per turn)

20 % maintenance reduction decreases maintenance cost by 80%????

---

It sure does:

25%-20% = 5% / 25% = 20%

A savings of 80% per ship. Nice isn't it?

[Suicide Junkie]

In the latest P&N PBW Versions, I have fixed it, so that a reduction of +20% leaves you with 80% of normal maintenance.

In unmodded SE4, however, maintenance reduction is the uber-trait.

[Dobian]

I'm assuming maintenance reduction is one of those traits at the start of the game. If so, I'm at the default for my race. Next game, I'll know to increase it. I still can easily fix this, thanks for telling me about those techs that improve production. I'm out-teching everyone in this game, so I'll have my resource problem fixed shortly.

[Suicide Junkie]

If you are ahead on tech, you can probably also boost your resource output significantly by using monoliths.

On any planet where the lower two resource values combined are at least half of the majority resource, replace production facilities one by one with monoliths.

Build a resource converter on one planet in your empire, to convert the stuff to whatever you need.

You'll end up making at least as many minerals as you currently do, but you will also be making just as many organics and rads.

Convert the extra organics and rads to minerals by using the converter, and you suddenly have more than twice as much money rolling around your pockets.
Which equates to twice as many ships

[Pablo]

If you put a space yard on emergency build, will it also repair 150% faster?
(I know I saw this answered somewhere but just can't fing the thread)
If you are building something (ships, units or facilities), will it slow down the repair rate?
Thanks