Got this in the recent sales. After doing the tutorial, which is very long and has its strengths and weaknesses, I am 50 or so turns into my first game. There are many good elements to this game but there are aspects I just can't wrap my head around. Many of the techs to research are worded in such a way as it isn't clear what they do or what they impact. The mix of resources: food, industry, science and dust, is also hard to grasp....how much of each, what impact are they having on my peoples unhappiness, etc? 50 turns is still only scratching the surface so I have a lot to learn and uncover. Just now I have contact with three other alien races so diplomacy and combat are sure to come soon. Anyone have any tips on how all the aspects mesh into a meaningful empire. I'm just not getting it.
Quote from: Rayfer on July 13, 2014, 05:18:11 PM
The mix of resources: food, industry, science and dust, is also hard to grasp....how much of each, what impact are they having on my peoples unhappiness, etc?
Ah yes, FIDS! I believe you will find this wiki page (http://endlessspace.wikia.com/wiki/FIDS) rather useful. Any TBS will have this kind of economy, it's just a matter of gaining experience and getting a feel for balance. Happiness is a key factor, and a couple of early-game things I usually do are turn the tax rate down a bit, and make a beeline in the tech tree for infinite supermarkets; high empire happiness really helps to ramp up production. These two things will buy you a lot of happiness breathing room, but you need to understand that there's a built-in happiness cost that comes from expanding your empire. The further you expand, the harder you have to work to keep your people happy (to a lesser or greater degree depending on which race you are).
Quote50 turns is still only scratching the surface so I have a lot to learn and uncover. Just now I have contact with three other alien races so diplomacy and combat are sure to come soon. Anyone have any tips on how all the aspects mesh into a meaningful empire. I'm just not getting it.
It will come in time. The interface is the best I've ever seen in a game, everything is right where you need it. Hovering the mouse over pretty much anything will give you the information you're looking for. Don't forget that individual planets have their own FIDS contributions, which go to the system FIDS, which in turn feeds into your empire FIDS. You can actually do a lot from the empire screen alone, even managing individual production queues. Get to know it.
As for the research screen...well, each node in the tree shows you what it unlocks, and the branches show you where your research can go next. I'm not sure what else you want? Don't worry about the text descriptions of the techs, that's just fluff.
Edit to add: Don't forget to build system improvements every time you settle a system. Until your empire is large you'll generally want to begin with the one that grants production bonuses. Also, don't underestimate the value of luxury resources (http://endlessspace.wikia.com/wiki/Luxury_Resources) (the value of
strategic resources should be obvious). Good luck!
I was really getting into this game, but then I kept getting my ass beat. It seemed like no matter how I tried to develop, I was always getting run over by larger more technologically sophisticated races. What's the trick to getting over that hump and being able to conquer?
Thanks HtP...a helpful link. I'm guilty of not utilizing the empire screen as you suggested. It's a good game, I am enjoying it and plan to keep with it and see how it turns out.
Edit....and maybe I should read the manual.
The beginning game is pretty good, however about mid way through the game it comes off the rails..... unit spamming etc... just not fun in the end. The UI is excellent and the sound track as well. Too bad that the devs never addressed the mid-late game issues, because outside of that, I would still be playing the game and other aspects of the game are excellent. Now with Endless Legend, they have built upon that and expanded it into a already very good game and would recommend giving it a look.
PE
Quote from: PanzersEast on July 14, 2014, 08:12:28 AM
The beginning game is pretty good, however about mid way through the game it comes off the rails..... unit spamming etc... just not fun in the end. The UI is excellent and the sound track as well. Too bad that the devs never addressed the mid-late game issues, because outside of that, I would still be playing the game and other aspects of the game are excellent. Now with Endless Legend, they have built upon that and expanded it into a already very good game and would recommend giving it a look.
PE
Hmm....I don't have Endless Legends. There is a thread about it here but I didn't make the connection to Endless Space. Duh!
Quote from: Rayfer on July 14, 2014, 09:48:38 AM
Quote from: PanzersEast on July 14, 2014, 08:12:28 AM
The beginning game is pretty good, however about mid way through the game it comes off the rails..... unit spamming etc... just not fun in the end. The UI is excellent and the sound track as well. Too bad that the devs never addressed the mid-late game issues, because outside of that, I would still be playing the game and other aspects of the game are excellent. Now with Endless Legend, they have built upon that and expanded it into a already very good game and would recommend giving it a look.
PE
Hmm....I don't have Endless Legends. There is a thread about it here but I didn't make the connection to Endless Space. Duh!
Endless Legend is developed by the same group as Endless Space. They have expanded the lore of ES to EL and keeps some of the same terminology such as dust etc....
PE
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on July 13, 2014, 08:39:11 PM
I was really getting into this game, but then I kept getting my ass beat. It seemed like no matter how I tried to develop, I was always getting run over by larger more technologically sophisticated races. What's the trick to getting over that hump and being able to conquer?
Now that, I'm afraid I never figured out. I haven't ever played it on easy, so perhaps I need to do that.
I still have fun despite losing to the AIs though, because it's such a good game.
The problem I run into is that late-game, it becomes possible to build everything you want on every planet. Resources too plentiful.
Quote from: Huw the Poo on July 14, 2014, 12:42:36 PM
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on July 13, 2014, 08:39:11 PM
I was really getting into this game, but then I kept getting my ass beat. It seemed like no matter how I tried to develop, I was always getting run over by larger more technologically sophisticated races. What's the trick to getting over that hump and being able to conquer?
Now that, I'm afraid I never figured out. I haven't ever played it on easy, so perhaps I need to do that.
I still have fun despite losing to the AIs though, because it's such a good game.
LOL....I play all games in this genre on easier than normal settings. If I don't I end up like JH wrote; wiped out by some other race with more advanced fleets and resources. At least at these settings I have some small chance of survival and maybe even to thrive. I am always in awe of the posters on these forums who bemoan the ease at which they dominate in this genre even on the harder, difficult settings. They post how brain-dead the AI is on hard settings in a game in which the AI kicked my arse on normal and even easy settings. I have come to embrace my feeble gaming skills and just enjoy a game by adjusting the difficulty settings.
We all have our strengths. I always play shooters on easy because I'm absolutely horrible at them, but give me a strategy game and I'll ramp it up. Endless Space is an exception; I don't think I've ever won a game!
Can't turtle in this one. Have to expand and Colonize...happiness be damned