New MoO announced

[HansLemurson]

The auto-build function for colonies is largely useless, since it prioritizes the Marine Barracks and Missile Base before building anything else.

My experience with automation of any sort in a strategy game is that you are using the same tools as the AI. This means that in addition to its general difficulties, the AI is actually shooting itself in the foot by prioritizing non-productive defensive buildings instead of things that would actually help it. Now sure, a Missile Base will protect a colony well, but a Marine Barracks? It's not until dozens of turns into the game that anybody even researches the Planetary Invasion technology.

[Hail]

Note that this is largely the case in the original MoO1 (aside from those odd circumstances where I want to slow-build an early missile base in a hostile zone before putting down any factories). But I think that the reason this doesn't feel like a problem in MoO1 is because this is not where the focus of the gameplay is designed to be in the first place. MoO1 is not really a colony management game. It is a space empire game where colonies are a means to getting a better fleet that will win you the game.

Once again, true for the original MoO1 too, but in that case it worked because planets are not unique gems to be decorated and refined

I agree that MoO1 is more about ship design and battles, but where are those in the new MoO?
the new MoO feels like an average empire-building game mixed with a mediocre tactical combat game. this again reminds me of civ5, but I am certain that the new MoO will not repeat the success of civ5.

the game needs wonders, national wonders, and more solar system uniques

I disagree, unless you want to take Master of Orion in an entirely different direction and make it more like Civ or Galciv. No thanks for me. Those games already exist.

I am all for enhancing the tactical battles, but that's not happening. or is?

What I would like instead:
*More interesting tactical combat choices.
*More interesting ship design choices. More qualitatively-different ship specials. Also, for example, does anyone find it odd that missiles never miss unless jammed with an ecm jammer? Wouldn't it make more sense for some sorts of beams to never miss? I mean, beams move at the speed of light. Missiles, last time I checked, don't. This could be a way of balancing beams with missiles better than it is now.

you should try Ascendancy. it has fun ship design and a large selection of "tactical" devices. too bad the AI is abysmal. speaking of ship design, Ascendancy had the right idea, that devices should cost energy to activate. one can put on more energy modules, but that would leave less space for other devices. there is even a device to transfer energy to other ships.

Well based on my playthroughs I really don't think you should bother Gaiaing any of your planets since it doesn't increase your pop cap. The real growth tech is from Astro Biology that actually increases the pop cap.

EDIT: Hmm civil transports do not move striking pop, which makes it weaker than I thought.

afaik Gaiaing a planet adds prod slot(s). not sure about food slots, though.

civil transports do remove a striking pop if done at the right pop. if a planet has 90% morale, building a CT at pop 10 will remove the striker, while building the CT at pop 11 will not.

It's possible that your management is that much stronger than mine, and I'm overlooking something here. We'd need parallel games -- an Imperium, more or less -- to determine for sure. The game's AI isn't ready for that yet, though.

that's certainly not the case. do not humble yourself. the game's AI is not ready for anything. that again reminds me of civ5.

Sirian, it's strange you do not mention the asteroid/gas giant colonization phase where CT are godly. obviously CT should only be built after the normal colonization phase is mostly over.

The auto-build function for colonies is largely useless, since it prioritizes the Marine Barracks and Missile Base before building anything else.

My experience with automation of any sort in a strategy game is that you are using the same tools as the AI. This means that in addition to its general difficulties, the AI is actually shooting itself in the foot by prioritizing non-productive defensive buildings instead of things that would actually help it. Now sure, a Missile Base will protect a colony well, but a Marine Barracks? It's not until dozens of turns into the game that anybody even researches the Planetary Invasion technology.

my experience with automation in a strategy game is that automation sucks and the AI relies on it.
I hope the New MoO will not release without a rally point system.

from the 6th of April patch (among other things):
* Fixed: the player is now able to retreat during tactical battles -> Sullla rejoice!
* Fixed: Production carry-over not working after buyout

[HansLemurson]

But Meklar auto-repair doesn't seem to trigger after retreat...
More testing required.

[Hail]

I suppose no one is posting because everyone is busy playing the new MoO.

anyway, an update for the game was released.

Aspiring space-conquerors should now expect to find:
- Two new races: Darlok, Silicoid
- One new victory condition: Economic
- Two new features: Espionage and Independent Planets

imo this is the last update before release from EA.

[Alhazard]

Sorry I was just trying to refine my overall strategy in the game which seems to be expand fast grab only fungal farms and 1st BC building from top of the tech tree then rush 3rd level missiles. Was working on also uploading playthrough vids with commentary. Of course the new update is pretty huge and requires retesting everything.

[Alhazard]

Some thoughts from playing the new build.

I think the Meklar's 10% morale bonus make them still the best race in the game, and I suspect the gap between them and other races is now even greater.
Due to increased cost of colony ships, it is probably better to build them at size 3. Hence it becomes now worthwhile to cash rush farms in your new colonies but still have to be careful to have some money in reserve if you are close to a hostile neighbor.
They balanced missiles by having them trade-off with better armor, and there are even more tradeoff between new tech bonuses, which could lead to more interesting decisions.
I found the whole spying system meh to be honest. You can only send spies to planets you scouted, and when they steal a tech, they dont steal the whole tech and everything in it. You only get 1 item from the tech ie shield class 1.

[HansLemurson]

Meklar went from Good to Even Better with that morale bonus. Lost their free tech, but ain't nobody cares about that.

Sakkra knocked off their overpowered pedestal. Growth costs changed from -50% to -25%. Lizard scientists slightly dumber than before. -25% pollution makes up for this.

Silicoids are have the fastest pop-growth in the game, outstripping all other races. Devs fail at math.

Races with Uber-Biomes have homeworlds of that type. Uber-biomes heavily nerfed to be only slightly better than Terran.

Merculite Missiles still OP, and still come in a tier-2 tech.

Espionage potentially very destructive. An unchecked agent can wreck the expensive buildings in a colony.

[HansLemurson]

Figured out the Silicoid growth.
Food doesn't affect them, but each pop generates +2 growth-points per turn to fill up the bar as normal.

+2 Growth Points coupled with the 1 food they don't need to farm to eat means that every Silicoid Population effectively produces +3 Food/Turn compared to a normal race. How could this possibly be unbalanced?

[vmxa]

If this thread is about Ray Fowler's Remnants of the Precursor, that game is now in beta and is just needing some final touches. A lot of fun IMO. Free is not a bad price either.

[Brian Shanahan]

If this thread is about Ray Fowler's Remnants of the Precursor, that game is now in beta and is just needing some final touches. A lot of fun IMO. Free is not a bad price either.

No it's about the commercial remake from a few years ago.