Block Watch Program

[rdouglass]

I don't think Sat's or mines give you sensors in the system (unless you outfit them I think). I believe that was a significant change from SE3 to 4. In SE3, if you had mines (no sat's in SE3) in a system, you could see everything (except of course anything in a storm). I suspect you got the First Contact message 'cause the other player / AI saw your Sat. At least that's the way my full Version plays...

[This message has been edited by rdouglass (edited 20 November 2000).]

[Tomgs]

The satellites can be put on the warp points into the system. Then you will at least know if a ship has entered the system. If it is a colony ship you know they are at least looking for a place to colonize there. I use them more as early warnings.

[Barnacle Bill]

I started using a cloaked ship to lay recon satellites in the AI-controlled systems before this topic started. They seem to work, at least as far as showing me the colonies (as you know, a system you've explored with alien colonies in it looks uninhabited once your ship has left). That much is an improvement over having to remember where the alien colonies are. I don't really know if they show ships yet - I've only laid a few and there were no ships in the systems when the satellites were placed.

The satellites are equiped with long range scanners, gravitic sensors and cloaking devices.