Stellaris

[JudgeDredd]

Yes OJ - it's not the limit of the selection - it's not knowing where I'm going with it. I'm really just waiting for something to show.

If anyone has MOO then dip in and have a look at the research there. It's not massively configurable. You can only speed up getting to a particular technology a little bit - but a) I can do that (by skipping a branch say) and also, more importantly really is I know where that particular technology is and how to get there.

[Rayfer]

Yes OJ - it's not the limit of the selection - it's not knowing where I'm going with it. I'm really just waiting for something to show.

If anyone has MOO then dip in and have a look at the research there. It's not massively configurable. You can only speed up getting to a particular technology a little bit - but a) I can do that (by skipping a branch say) and also, more importantly really is I know where that particular technology is and how to get there.

The research set up isn't perfect but it's far better than that awful random method used in Matrix's Pandora: First Contact.  In Stellaris, at least the choices within each area are related to each other and to those that come later.

[Tuna]

OJ, how many planets do you have in total? I ask because I'm curious why you have so many 1 and 2 planet sectors?

I have 7 total colonized planets. I have only one sector with my 2 newest planets in it and the my original 5 planets held outside of any sector.

And JH, I'm not sure what you mean but you can't intervene in sector production? I can got to a sector planet and order it to build ships, upgrade it's base. Have it build a constructor then order the constructor around to set up mines and research stations within the sector..... Do you mean individual planet squares? Haven't tried to screw with those yet but will give it a try.

Barth, I have 12 planets total.

Now that I've slept on it, I'm going to consolidate my sectors.  This is because the only useful function that sectors have at this time is the management of planet tiles.  I'm more than happy to allow the AI take control of the tile development.  I know for some it's borderline game breaker as they want to micromanage their planets.  When I built my sectors, I didn't realize that they were going to do anything to develop the non-colonized systems.

With that in mind, there are three things I'd like to see to make sectors very useful;

1.  Each sector should create it's own Builder ship to develop the non-colonized systems, build defense platforms, if so ordered, and any other functions that a Builder ship would do.  But it stays within the sector.

2.  Each sector capital should build a spaceport.  Right now, you can go to the planets and build a spaceport, but I would think that having the sector capital build itself a spaceport would be a no brainer.

3.  Colonize planets within the sector.  I haven't got the tech to colonize other planet types yet, but I'm guessing there is no way to have a sector colonize available planets within it's border. 


With points 1 and 3 above, with these functions missing, there are no reasons to include non-colonized systems into a sector, except to connect colonized planets together into a sector.

Sectors purpose is so you can expand past your planet cap. You could always remove planets from a sector later (at the cost of some influence) and then re-develop the tiles then.

[FarAway Sooner]

I'm not sure I'm a huge fan of how research is implemented. There's things I want to build/upgrade and I can't because I'm missing some research element...but you only get 3 research options, so it's not like I can choose what I need. Now, I'm not suggesting I should be able to build something before I should be able to - but being able to see where abouts that is likely to occur would be handy. Currently, unless I've missed the obvious, you only get shown your 3 options.

Welcome to the world of real Research & Development, my friend!

I'm not sure how enjoyable a gaming experience it makes for, but that's much more representative of the way that technological progress happens in a real society versus "I'd like to invent refrigeration now!"   :)

[OJsDad]

Tuna, I realize that.  My point though is that except for the planet cap and the auto development of the planet tiles, there isn't anything else to it.  The lack of sectors developing non-colonized systems or colonizing available planets is a big disappointment.  I feel that for each colonized planet in a sector, there should be 2-4 non-colonized systems supporting it. 

BTW, I reorganized my sectors from 5 to 3.  I did this by taking a sector and adding the systems to it from another system.  By doing this, it didn't cost me any influence, or it didn't seem to. 

[Barthheart]

I'm not sure I'm a huge fan of how research is implemented. There's things I want to build/upgrade and I can't because I'm missing some research element...but you only get 3 research options, so it's not like I can choose what I need. Now, I'm not suggesting I should be able to build something before I should be able to - but being able to see where abouts that is likely to occur would be handy. Currently, unless I've missed the obvious, you only get shown your 3 options.

Welcome to the world of real Research & Development, my friend!

I'm not sure how enjoyable a gaming experience it makes for, but that's much more representative of the way that technological progress happens in a real society versus "I'd like to invent refrigeration now!"   :)

This!

Research right now in the real world works a lot like this. Hmmm... let's research Higg's Boson.... Oh look now we know super conducting magnets in a limited sense so let's research that now... Oh look now we have better super conducting magnets this other really interesting field of study has opened up that we'd never thought of before...let's do that....

Go back and look at the history of scientific discovery and you'll see it's pretty haphazard and random most of the time.

One of the things I think they got right.

[Kushan]

I'm not sure I'm a huge fan of how research is implemented. There's things I want to build/upgrade and I can't because I'm missing some research element...but you only get 3 research options, so it's not like I can choose what I need. Now, I'm not suggesting I should be able to build something before I should be able to - but being able to see where abouts that is likely to occur would be handy. Currently, unless I've missed the obvious, you only get shown your 3 options.

There is at least one tech that will increase the number of possible techs to 4.

[jamus34]

I'm not sure I'm a huge fan of how research is implemented. There's things I want to build/upgrade and I can't because I'm missing some research element...but you only get 3 research options, so it's not like I can choose what I need. Now, I'm not suggesting I should be able to build something before I should be able to - but being able to see where abouts that is likely to occur would be handy. Currently, unless I've missed the obvious, you only get shown your 3 options.

There is at least one tech that will increase the number of possible techs to 4.

I think there is one govn type that adds one too.

[Rayfer]

I'm not sure I'm a huge fan of how research is implemented. There's things I want to build/upgrade and I can't because I'm missing some research element...but you only get 3 research options, so it's not like I can choose what I need. Now, I'm not suggesting I should be able to build something before I should be able to - but being able to see where abouts that is likely to occur would be handy. Currently, unless I've missed the obvious, you only get shown your 3 options.

Welcome to the world of real Research & Development, my friend!

I'm not sure how enjoyable a gaming experience it makes for, but that's much more representative of the way that technological progress happens in a real society versus "I'd like to invent refrigeration now!"   :)

This!

Research right now in the real world works a lot like this. Hmmm... let's research Higg's Boson.... Oh look now we know super conducting magnets in a limited sense so let's research that now... Oh look now we have better super conducting magnets this other really interesting field of study has opened up that we'd never thought of before...let's do that....

Go back and look at the history of scientific discovery and you'll see it's pretty haphazard and random most of the time.

One of the things I think they got right.

I agree with your premise about the history of scientific discovery to date, but it's much more focused and refined today than it ever was back a 1000, a 100 or even 50 years ago.  So why should we expect that hundreds of years in the future (in which Stellaris begins) would be anything like it is today? It's quite believable and plausible that it would be more efficient and focused.

[Huw the Poo]

Handy tip of the day: Docked fleets have reduced maintenance costs, specifically -25%.  This is huge when it comes to your larger fleets.  This is why the outliner has separate status icons for docked fleets and merely idle fleets (and why you have the option to "enter orbit" alongside simply moving to a planet/spaceport).

[JudgeDredd]

I'm not sure I'm a huge fan of how research is implemented. There's things I want to build/upgrade and I can't because I'm missing some research element...but you only get 3 research options, so it's not like I can choose what I need. Now, I'm not suggesting I should be able to build something before I should be able to - but being able to see where abouts that is likely to occur would be handy. Currently, unless I've missed the obvious, you only get shown your 3 options.

Welcome to the world of real Research & Development, my friend!

I'm not sure how enjoyable a gaming experience it makes for, but that's much more representative of the way that technological progress happens in a real society versus "I'd like to invent refrigeration now!"   :)

This!

Research right now in the real world works a lot like this. Hmmm... let's research Higg's Boson.... Oh look now we know super conducting magnets in a limited sense so let's research that now... Oh look now we have better super conducting magnets this other really interesting field of study has opened up that we'd never thought of before...let's do that....

Go back and look at the history of scientific discovery and you'll see it's pretty haphazard and random most of the time.

One of the things I think they got right.

The comparison to real life ludicrous. This is a science fiction and a game

First point - it's science fiction - you can't compare it to how research works now and say "That's the way it'll be in 500 years" or whatever the timeline for the game is.

And secondly, and less of a point I guess, is it is just a game. Not all games need to mimic real life and you could argue they are can remove some of the frustrations of real life....PARTICULARLY when you are talking about the future.

I'll drop it now because, as I said, I'm not overly fussed about it. It's not a game breaker for me. I just wanted to mention that other games allow you to choose your line of research and comparisons to now and RL are just not applicable.

Besides, I didn't mean (or say) I want to make something now, I only said I would like to know where my research is heading. I didn't even ask for timelines. Just that I was on the right line.

[JudgeDredd]

Handy tip of the day: Docked fleets have reduced maintenance costs, specifically -25%.  This is huge when it comes to your larger fleets.  This is why the outliner has separate status icons for docked fleets and merely idle fleets (and why you have the option to "enter orbit" alongside simply moving to a planet/spaceport).

Any "handy tips" on how to store energy? I can't find the answer and I'm at the limit of my storage (3500)...so all the energy I create now as surplus is just lost...please?  ;)

[Yskonyn]

As far as I understand Storage caps are only increased with research, not specific buildings.

Maybe the buildings become available by research? I can definitely build a Mineral Silo on the surface of my planets

Yep, that's exactly right JD. :)

Doesn't the silo just output more minerals? And the tech actually is responsible for the increased global cap?
If not, then thanks for the clarification. I didn't know it worked this way instead. :)

[Tuna]

How do you 'dock' a fleet?

[Huw the Poo]

Any "handy tips" on how to store energy? I can't find the answer and I'm at the limit of my storage (3500)...so all the energy I create now as surplus is just lost...please?  ;)

Same as minerals...get the tech for buildings that increase your cap.  There are probably other ways too, but this is one I know of.

How do you 'dock' a fleet?

Right click on a planet or spaceport.  The fleet will either move straight there and enter orbit, or you might get a menu and you will have to click enter orbit.  When a fleet is in orbit/docked, its status in the outliner will be a green image of a ship in orbit.  Its tooltip info will then reflect the -25% maintenance cost.