Its coming 8)
wut
So that means it's almost feature complete? I know there had been a C# version you could try out for a while.
Looks like the successor to Aurora (http://aurora2.pentarch.org/).
Oh.
Saw a reference to a 'soft deadline' for release in March. Said only Diplomacy is under testing at this point.
Yes. Been following this closely. End of March is still looking good.
Everybody shouldn't get too excited though. If you didn't like the original, you probably won't like C# either.
End of March is still the goal.
This is the changes list: http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?board=234.0
Here is a recent C# test campaign AAR if you want to see the new code in action. This is a full-on Warhammer 40k campaign with Imperial Navy, Imperial Guard, Space Marines, etc. Ground Combat is much more substantial in the C# version.
Background: http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=10441.0
Campaign Reports: http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=10462.0
I want to have hundreds of SteveW's babies. He is the man! :notworthy:
:o
Quote from: monkex on March 05, 2020, 02:30:25 PM
Its coming 8)
With all due respect...please identify yourself. C:-)
Yes!
Wow, there are 21 people registered at the Aurora forums with 'monk' in their name!
Must all be Tony Shalhoub fans...
I had the opportunity to play Aurora exclusively for a 3 month period between jobs 10 years ago. It demanded my full attention. Reading Steve's AAR for his Imperium scenario really, really makes me yearn for the time to devote to this game again. Who new one could be so passionate about surveying systems, designing ships, and so much more.
I am totally lost and have no idea what Aurora is.
Very deep, very immersive practically text only 4x game
Want to fire a missile? Design the engine, the mount, the warhead, the fuel
Sounds like...work.
In The Grim Darkness of the Far Future There is Only Lotus 1-2-3...
Quote from: undercovergeek on March 07, 2020, 01:24:59 AM
Quote from: Gusington on March 06, 2020, 10:00:40 PM
Sounds like...work.
But weirdly rewarding
I tried the original. The learning curve is steep, requiring a commitment of time and effort I wasn't ready to give. Sort of like the commitment of time and effort necessary to learn a complicated flight sim, but without the graphic and visual rewards of a flight sim.
I found it to be a lot of fun and a great way to pass hours and hours of time.
Quote from: Rayfer on March 07, 2020, 08:11:27 AM
Quote from: undercovergeek on March 07, 2020, 01:24:59 AM
Quote from: Gusington on March 06, 2020, 10:00:40 PM
Sounds like...work.
But weirdly rewarding
I tried the original. The learning curve is steep, requiring a commitment of time and effort I wasn't ready to give. Sort of like the commitment of time and effort necessary to learn a complicated flight sim, but without the graphic and visual rewards of a flight sim.
Yeah, like a flight sim I had to RTFM/tutorials to figure out the most basic stuff... but unlike flight sims there's really nothing to compare Aurora to. I'm very keen on detailed 4X games, and this is about all I really have to go with atm.
Hi Everyone, Monkex here, I'm a 60yo, been a gamer since year dot. I've played miniatures especially WW2 20mm and ACW 15mm. I got hooked onto boardgames years ago with the arrival of SPI's Strategy and Tactics, beginning with Napoleon at Waterloo and going as far as Europa's Fire in the East which was titanic to say the least. On PC I think it all really kicked of with X-Com and now I'm playing Ultimate Admiral Age of Sail.
I really like Aurora and I'm looking forward to the new iteration, I'll be weaving a bit of a story into my next playthrough.
I live in England with a swmbo, 2 out of 4 boys, a cat and a Doggo
Welcome aboard monkex!! :)
+1. Great, we need more young blood like you!
I remember a couple of Let's Players I used to follow on Aurora and that helped with learning the basics.
So one weekend I played and had a blast. Had a ship sent it out and then discovered it needed to refuel.
SO YEARS LATER, I built a ship that could do that, and it finally got to the ship that needed the refuel and I was able to bring it home.
I don't think I did anything military as far as warships , just the basic gravitational surveys and geological surveys, and maybe a jump point to a new system. But that was it.
But if C# is shaping up, I might be willing to give it a go.
Wish Steve would stop being such a stickler for perfection and just release it a few days earlier than he would really prefer under normal circumstances.with guys being couped up inside and all the fear and anxiety about this new world we find ourselves in, it sure would be a boost to morale. The little things can make a big difference sometimes.
I bounced off this so many moons ago I hardly remember it, or why. Will have to take another look when it's released. Thanks for the thread.
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on March 18, 2020, 05:08:27 AM
Wish Steve would stop being such a stickler for perfection and just release it a few days earlier than he would really prefer under normal circumstances.with guys being couped up inside and all the fear and anxiety about this new world we find ourselves in, it sure would be a boost to morale. The little things can make a big difference sometimes.
I see this same question being asked for a bunch of games due to release soon....Panzer Corp, OOTP, etc. Can't argue that it might give folks a little joy back in their lives, but I am guessing most of these have set release plans and/or other situations that may make it hard for them to do....especially if the developers and publishers are scrambling themselves to take care of their families and make accommodations due to the unexpected closure of everything. With that said, if it was possible, I would certainly love to enjoy some new games sooner to take my mind off this crap:)
But if any game was going to release early, my vote would be for Mount & Blade Bannerlord:)
Quote from: Grim.Reaper on March 18, 2020, 06:53:46 AM
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on March 18, 2020, 05:08:27 AM
Wish Steve would stop being such a stickler for perfection and just release it a few days earlier than he would really prefer under normal circumstances.with guys being couped up inside and all the fear and anxiety about this new world we find ourselves in, it sure would be a boost to morale. The little things can make a big difference sometimes.
I see this same question being asked for a bunch of games due to release soon....Panzer Corp, OOTP, etc. Can't argue that it might give folks a little joy back in their lives, but I am guessing most of these have set release plans and/or other situations that may make it hard for them to do....especially if the developers and publishers are scrambling themselves to take care of their families and make accommodations due to the unexpected closure of everything. With that said, if it was possible, I would certainly love to enjoy some new games sooner to take my mind off this crap:)
But if any game was going to release early, my vote would be for Mount & Blade Bannerlord:)
Aurora is a totally different situation. No publisher. No corporate developer. Its just one talented guy working on a project for himself that he is kind enough to share with like-minded individuals. There are no contracts, no distribution issues, there is no money involved. Again, I'm not saying I expect him to do this...just saying it would be a really nice surprise in a time like this.
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on March 18, 2020, 07:17:07 AM
Quote from: Grim.Reaper on March 18, 2020, 06:53:46 AM
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on March 18, 2020, 05:08:27 AM
Wish Steve would stop being such a stickler for perfection and just release it a few days earlier than he would really prefer under normal circumstances.with guys being couped up inside and all the fear and anxiety about this new world we find ourselves in, it sure would be a boost to morale. The little things can make a big difference sometimes.
I see this same question being asked for a bunch of games due to release soon....Panzer Corp, OOTP, etc. Can't argue that it might give folks a little joy back in their lives, but I am guessing most of these have set release plans and/or other situations that may make it hard for them to do....especially if the developers and publishers are scrambling themselves to take care of their families and make accommodations due to the unexpected closure of everything. With that said, if it was possible, I would certainly love to enjoy some new games sooner to take my mind off this crap:)
But if any game was going to release early, my vote would be for Mount & Blade Bannerlord:)
Aurora is a totally different situation. No publisher. No corporate developer. Its just one talented guy working on a project for himself that he is kind enough to share with like-minded individuals. There are no contracts, no distribution issues, there is no money involved. Again, I'm not saying I expect him to do this...just saying it would be a really nice surprise in a time like this.
Yep, I understood that...I was more referring to how the general ask of releasing early seems to be happening on many other things due to release soon....
Early releases... Great Idea!!!!! The additional bugs would give us all something to do - whining about devs who release buggy products too soon!
Here is a link to 18, as of now, videos on the changes coming with C# Aurora. So far I have just started watching the first video so I have no opinion on them.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtQRd_1Vzcc&list=PLuoNRGAhOKpXTWBkbi9Hv7oXYj9ZzXdGF
Edit - And here is a mere 116 :o video tutorial series on Aurora 4X in case anyone wants to know about the original game.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5skHvsYBtNc&list=PLuoNRGAhOKpWN1wJqfGoQTmXnlRXl-VgP
Sounds like Steve is shooting for a week from Monday for release. This was posted earlier today:
Quote...My plan is to keep testing and tweaking up to Friday next week, then spend the weekend creating and testing the install and doing the obfuscation.
Looks like there will be a few days delay while he makes some more last minute improvements.
Initial 32-bit release build is unleashed.
http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=10635.msg120847#new (http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=10635.msg120847#new)
OMG. Overwhelming.
It's still spreadsheets in space, but my goodness, what depth and detail in this game!
Truely awesome job by Steve!
Unfortunately the resolution requirement makes it unsuitable for my laptop.
1.12 is out.
Quote from: Geezer on October 11, 2020, 05:59:17 PM
1.12 is out.
Yeah...i took a break from the game waiting for this one to come out, but it took forever for Steve to push it out the door and I mostly forgot how to play. lol
I'm going to pick it up again but want to wait a few days for the eventual incremental patches that are sure to follow in rapid succession.
I'm in the same boat. Will have to go through Space Marine's tutorials to remember how to play.
The fact that many patches arent savegame compatible have caused me to wander off as well. I'll wait until that cadence stops for longer periods.
I came back to this over the weekend and put more hours than I'd like to admit running through a new conventional start. I still say this is the ultimate 4x game, and if only it had just a little more graphical and some appropriate audible "flair", it would be unrivaled. It's so good and detailed that it wouldn't even need that much in the way of production value to push it over the top. It is simply the ultimate sci-fi strategy game sandbox where you can almost do anything that you can imagine and nothing else comes even remotely close. I guess Distant Worlds may be a very...very "distant" second (see what I did there?).
Of course, the draw back is that with so much detail and breadth, it can be exhausting. There is limited automation and when you have discovered multiple systems that you've begun to colonize, managing the colonies and fleets and responding to new crisis, such as overcrowding, political instability, raw material shortages, vessel distress, and don't forget, alien incursion, can quickly become overwhelming.
I still have not found myself involved in an interstellar war, but the herculean effort that must be involved to build, supply, and operate a vast space-faring fleet and army is truly daunting when considering how complex it is to simply manage science, exploration and logistical fleets across systems. I'm very comfortable with early development, research, economy, mining and exploration. This really leaves conflict as the final frontier for me. It is only a matter of time before I'll have to roll up my sleeves and get nasty. Like high yield nuclear implosion warhead nasty.
Anyway, game is at 1.12 now and I'm hoping for 1.13 at some point over the next few weeks. I'll start a new game when it is released.
I keep thinking of coming back to this but I've been playing Stellaris lately and that is scratching the 4X itch for me right now.
Version 2.0 of C# Aurora was released this weekend. It represents the largest update since version 1.13. Huge amount of additions and changes...if you can actually imagine that. In any event, I've started a new conventional empire and once I get a feel for the game again, I may also start a new AAR along the lines of this one....sorry this one never made it any further. Not sure why the screenshots aren't showing up.
http://www.grogheads.com/forums/index.php?topic=25095.0 (http://www.grogheads.com/forums/index.php?topic=25095.0)
Thanks JH.
Thanks for the heads up. Might have to get back into it.
I've got a pretty good game going right now. The Sol system wasn't the richest in terms of mineral resources, but three of my nearest neighbors have proven to not only be mineral rich, but there are a number of affordable locations for colonies.
(https://scontent-lga3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/300696550_10159542406837702_8423065168156144775_n.jpg?_nc_cat=106&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=730e14&_nc_ohc=mht9b83V6eoAX_E1ww8&_nc_ht=scontent-lga3-2.xx&oh=00_AT9f40muCBcJzuV0-oc7ZSRlf9JG-xICdTEHsJ7J7g-bhw&oe=63088AD0)
There is Proxima Centauri, where I have already establish a growing colony.
(https://scontent-lga3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/300844454_10159542406852702_6747049825709264758_n.jpg?_nc_cat=110&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=730e14&_nc_ohc=ow5tnId53F8AX9GhB0o&_nc_ht=scontent-lga3-2.xx&oh=00_AT-kZX_CjYAbHU8ycn1EkKSXWx8yxJt2QECghEaX1Aq8kg&oe=6308B673)
(https://scontent-lga3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/300798927_10159542406832702_2315999466881180331_n.jpg?_nc_cat=102&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=730e14&_nc_ohc=73rXTWOWq28AX-4140g&tn=ReCvT7n0uc5moSXM&_nc_ht=scontent-lga3-2.xx&oh=00_AT_oWJw3AAnjO_SWWQrNevsI_6vHrA1bWruBUuT_7oFUjA&oe=6307EEE9)
Alpha Centauri, where I've begun staging some worlds for colonization with infrastructure and where there are some interesting bodies with rather eccentric orbits.
(https://scontent-lga3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/300756628_10159542406967702_1606191700972458940_n.jpg?_nc_cat=109&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=730e14&_nc_ohc=8onhLJG32HUAX94InOu&tn=ReCvT7n0uc5moSXM&_nc_ht=scontent-lga3-2.xx&oh=00_AT9DlcRhxp2msUCVoFbsuAB_FCCni0dSq7CUrwMqZdTTAA&oe=6307B895)
Finally, there is Struve 2398 that has at least one good spot with a ton of Sorium. This will be a vital fuel production point for deeper expeditions into the unknown.
I'm playing it pretty smart this time and not expanding too far before I'm ready. As I find new locations for colonies, I train Garrison police battalions to maintain law and order in the new colonies and to suppress any rebellion. I'm really beginning to understand the Aurora ground force features and learning how to create formation templates, classes and to place them in hierarchies.
(https://scontent-lga3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/300768334_10159542406962702_2387583375093360641_n.jpg?_nc_cat=109&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=730e14&_nc_ohc=PuBuzp1kchgAX9MizVS&_nc_ht=scontent-lga3-2.xx&oh=00_AT8VcwQRIOM8H7X9T9HYc80xoGwV2SXJ-UE_mhP4OgLB2A&oe=6307FFFA)
I also build Police Cutters to provide orbital security and planetary protection. I'm keeping costs down by not putting jump drives on my vessels for now. I'm just stabilizing each jump point and transiting with conventional engines. I figure I won't really need jump drives until I'm ready to build a real war fleet.
Of course, I've also colonized the moon and Mars, which both have thriving colonies which are supported by major civilian shipping lines.
(https://scontent-lga3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/300601450_10159542406982702_2754092634123000913_n.jpg?_nc_cat=108&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=730e14&_nc_ohc=OERC4znPBjEAX-LaHq3&_nc_ht=scontent-lga3-2.xx&oh=00_AT_NwlGpN5obhNF3ZAqcN-QMqI1VJgc0VznpNg6W45UaDA&oe=6307E9C8)
There is something about this game that just always sucks me in.
Man...after years of playing this game off and on, it has finally happened. First contact, and they do not seem to be nice.
(https://scontent.fewr1-6.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/307969769_10209889351946628_553748818798998419_n.jpg?_nc_cat=108&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=730e14&_nc_ohc=zZsdM0_wLg4AX8iqXNr&_nc_ht=scontent.fewr1-6.fna&oh=00_AT9stpksPBzm5Hfz31hFm9xuG1__tpG8_J3Zq4BNLaxxpQ&oe=632C2744)
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on September 18, 2022, 12:04:01 PM
Man...after years of playing this game off and on, it has finally happened. First contact, and they do not seem to be nice.
...
You are going to need a bigger boat..... ;D
The most common alien I used to run into was a horde of tiny ships with energy weapons. I used tons of AMM`s on them. Hoped to eliminate enough to survive when they got into energy range.
Goodness, I hope you have tons of missiles and a good missile fire control system.
kinda surprised it took you this long.
The long awaited 2.2.0 patch has finally been released. I've been waiting a little over a year for this one. A very long list of fixes, changes and additions.
Steve, as always, is such a stud.
Been a long time since I posted in this thread, and almost as long since I played any significant amount of Aurora. However, I started dabbling again with the release of 2.6.0 and really got sucked in again with 2.7.0 and 2.7.1.
I have a great game going now that has been very intriguing. I'm about 150 years in playing as the Terran Space Command.
(https://i.ibb.co/pjMh9zK5/Screenshot-2025-12-28-165415.jpg)
I have been very fortunate to have found some valuable mineral rich and relatively low-cost planets and moons to colonize in nearby systems.
(https://i.ibb.co/v4vQg0n3/Screenshot-2025-12-28-164910.jpg)
(https://i.ibb.co/q3KqW1gR/Screenshot-2025-12-28-165005.jpg)
One system, Alpha Centauri had a nearly intact city that had been inhabited by a race of ancient aliens. Xenosurvey and construction teams were able to investigate and recover useful installations, technology, artifacts, minerals and resources.
(https://i.ibb.co/vGH9pQp/Screenshot-2025-12-28-165221.jpg)
The race of ancients seems to have colonized a few nearby systems and I found another gem of a planet with a breathable atmosphere that also had some ruins and an abandoned outpost. These structures also yielded some valuable structures and technology, including several terraforming centers.
(https://i.ibb.co/h1T0Km27/Screenshot-2025-12-28-165335.jpg)
I'm building some nice ground formations that mostly pull planetary garrison duty, but I'm starting to organize heavier ground units that will be broken down into various services with infantry, mechanized and armored forces for attack and defense.
(https://i.ibb.co/xqsbppHb/Screenshot-2025-12-28-165040.jpg)
My next goal is to really build up my navy, which so far, I have fortunately only needed for system patrol and general monitor and protection duty. I have a small force of beam frigates that have been suitable for the necessary tasks, but I feel ready to begin manufacturing much heavier ships for combat against unknown threats that are sure to be lurking. I'm relatively comfortable with direct fire weapons, but am still learning how to design and use missile based and carrier type vessels. Beam ships can be effective, but only against slower ships that do not have substantial missile or fighter defenses of their own. Due to a very capable civilian commerce industry, I am able to manage with a relatively small logistics command that is needed really only for emergencies, troop transport and getting colonies started. Otherwise, the civilian industry is very effective at fulling supply and transportation contracts. This should be helpful in focusing my resources and attention on designing a formidable deep space fleet.
(https://i.ibb.co/v6gSKN2j/Screenshot-2025-12-28-165132.jpg)
If anybody out there has been playing and has any tips about designing effective missiles and fighter craft, I'd appreciate some tips. Mistakes can be costly in time and resources!
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on December 28, 2025, 05:22:33 PMBeen a long time since I posted in this thread, and almost as long since I played any significant amount of Aurora. However, I started dabbling again with the release of 2.6.0 and really got sucked in again with 2.7.0 and 2.7.1.
I have a great game going now that has been very intriguing. I'm about 150 years in playing as the Terran Space Command.
(https://i.ibb.co/pjMh9zK5/Screenshot-2025-12-28-165415.jpg)
I have been very fortunate to have found some valuable mineral rich and relatively low-cost planets and moons to colonize in nearby systems.
(https://i.ibb.co/v4vQg0n3/Screenshot-2025-12-28-164910.jpg)
(https://i.ibb.co/q3KqW1gR/Screenshot-2025-12-28-165005.jpg)
One system, Alpha Centauri had a nearly intact city that had been inhabited by a race of ancient aliens. Xenosurvey and construction teams were able to investigate and recover useful installations, technology, artifacts, minerals and resources.
(https://i.ibb.co/vGH9pQp/Screenshot-2025-12-28-165221.jpg)
The race of ancients seems to have colonized a few nearby systems and I found another gem of a planet with a breathable atmosphere that also had some ruins and an abandoned outpost. These structures also yielded some valuable structures and technology, including several terraforming centers.
(https://i.ibb.co/h1T0Km27/Screenshot-2025-12-28-165335.jpg)
I'm building some nice ground formations that mostly pull planetary garrison duty, but I'm starting to organize heavier ground units that will be broken down into various services with infantry, mechanized and armored forces for attack and defense.
(https://i.ibb.co/xqsbppHb/Screenshot-2025-12-28-165040.jpg)
My next goal is to really build up my navy, which so far, I have fortunately only needed for system patrol and general monitor and protection duty. I have a small force of beam frigates that have been suitable for the necessary tasks, but I feel ready to begin manufacturing much heavier ships for combat against unknown threats that are sure to be lurking. I'm relatively comfortable with direct fire weapons, but am still learning how to design and use missile based and carrier type vessels. Beam ships can be effective, but only against slower ships that do not have substantial missile or fighter defenses of their own. Due to a very capable civilian commerce industry, I am able to manage with a relatively small logistics command that is needed really only for emergencies, troop transport and getting colonies started. Otherwise, the civilian industry is very effective at fulling supply and transportation contracts. This should be helpful in focusing my resources and attention on designing a formidable deep space fleet.
(https://i.ibb.co/v6gSKN2j/Screenshot-2025-12-28-165132.jpg)
If anybody out there has been playing and has any tips about designing effective missiles and fighter craft, I'd appreciate some tips. Mistakes can be costly in time and resources!
I did have some good missiles for 2.5 which is the last I played including an extended range one with a booster rocket - lost to the great uninstall now but I've just uploaded 2.7.1 and hoping to get into it in the new year
What are some of your core design strategies?
For example, I tend to avoid equipping my armed naval vessels with jump drives. Instead, I use jump drive equipped scouts with geological and gravitational survey sensors to enter new systems to perform full surveys and and reconnaissance of system bodies and potential new jump points. If the system has some value, I will then bring, via tug, a Jump Point Stabilization Station to stabilize the jump points into and out of the system. Military ships are then moved into the new system with conventional drives and the various planets and moons can be prepped for colonization, usually with a heavy reliance on civilian logistics and transports.
This leads to a mostly defensive overall strategy as I almost never go on the offensive. I try to contemplate what it would take to develop a real navy and ground force that would be capable of taking on an advanced civilization and it seems extremely out of reach for my current abilities in the game. But, I am slowly getting there.
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on December 28, 2025, 08:17:54 PMWhat are some of your core design strategies?
For example, I tend to avoid equipping my armed naval vessels with jump drives. Instead, I use jump drive equipped scouts with geological and gravitational survey sensors to enter new systems to perform full surveys and and reconnaissance of system bodies and potential new jump points. If the system has some value, I will then bring, via tug, a Jump Point Stabilization Station to stabilize the jump points into and out of the system. Military ships are then moved into the new system with conventional drives and the various planets and moons can be prepped for colonization, usually with a heavy reliance on civilian logistics and transports.
This leads to a mostly defensive overall strategy as I almost never go on the offensive. I try to contemplate what it would take to develop a real navy and ground force that would be capable of taking on an advanced civilization and it seems extremely out of reach for my current abilities in the game. But, I am slowly getting there.
You might be over estimating my approach to the navy - purely for personal preference I've only ever been a missile guy - so it's always been destroyers maybe 30-40k tonnes with as many engines shields and missiles as I can fit on
I really wanted to get into the ground forces and organisational set up but 2.5 didn't really support it and it was just as useful to make a blob of 10k men than it was to create officers and brigades regiments and divisions
The main big game I played had a setting that after I'd investigated 10 new systems there would be an exponential increase in the chance of enemy arrivals - I got the ones with no home planet that didn't use jump gates so they could just appear and disappear at their leisure - it did make me create patrol fleets or at least home planet based security fleets I could send out to attack them
I did find a genuine alien race orbiting a neutral planet and tried to initiate diplomacy but no one on the forums there had a definitive 'do this' to remedy the issue - the difference here between a fully built fully understood published title and aurora is there is no 'if you do this that will happen' - having played many a RTS or 4x game it would be nice to know 'to initiate diplomacy build a diplomatic ship and approach the alien between 5-10m kilometres and press the diplomacy button' not 'this didn't work for me' or 'what I did was XXX but in the next game it didn't' which is why I put it down til now - in the end it came down to attacking them but they had longer range missiles than me - many scouts and experimental design ships were lost that day until I worked out a missile with a booster rocket
I'm currently engrossed in a few games and then there's the 1.0 release of terra invicta but I will get back into it
Quote from: undercovergeek on December 30, 2025, 10:13:33 PMI did find a genuine alien race orbiting a neutral planet and tried to initiate diplomacy but no one on the forums there had a definitive 'do this' to remedy the issue - the difference here between a fully built fully understood published title and aurora is there is no 'if you do this that will happen' - having played many a RTS or 4x game it would be nice to know 'to initiate diplomacy build a diplomatic ship and approach the alien between 5-10m kilometres and press the diplomacy button' not 'this didn't work for me' or 'what I did was XXX but in the next game it didn't' which is why I put it down til now - in the end it came down to attacking them but they had longer range missiles than me - many scouts and experimental design ships were lost that day until I worked out a missile with a booster rocket
Here are the diplomacy rules:
- Diplomacy Part 1: Basic Framework (http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=8495.msg118258#msg118258)
- Diplomacy Part 2: Intrusion into NPR Territory (http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=8495.msg118318#msg118318)
- Diplomacy Part 3: Claiming Systems from NPRs (http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=8495.msg118362#msg118362)
- Diplomacy Part 4: NPR vs NPR Claims (http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=8495.msg118398#msg118398)
- Diplomacy Part 5: Restrictions on NPR Claims (http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=8495.msg118404#msg118404)
- Diplomacy Part 6: Independence (http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=8495.msg118467#msg118467)
- Diplomacy Part 7: Banned Bodies (http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=8495.msg119432#msg119432)
- Diplomacy Part 8: Diplomatic Ships (http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=8495.msg120024#msg120024)
Here is a general rules reference:
https://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=10666.0
Quote from: Steve Walmsley on December 31, 2025, 04:41:08 AMQuote from: undercovergeek on December 30, 2025, 10:13:33 PMI did find a genuine alien race orbiting a neutral planet and tried to initiate diplomacy but no one on the forums there had a definitive 'do this' to remedy the issue - the difference here between a fully built fully understood published title and aurora is there is no 'if you do this that will happen' - having played many a RTS or 4x game it would be nice to know 'to initiate diplomacy build a diplomatic ship and approach the alien between 5-10m kilometres and press the diplomacy button' not 'this didn't work for me' or 'what I did was XXX but in the next game it didn't' which is why I put it down til now - in the end it came down to attacking them but they had longer range missiles than me - many scouts and experimental design ships were lost that day until I worked out a missile with a booster rocket
Here are the diplomacy rules:
- Diplomacy Part 1: Basic Framework (http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=8495.msg118258#msg118258)
- Diplomacy Part 2: Intrusion into NPR Territory (http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=8495.msg118318#msg118318)
- Diplomacy Part 3: Claiming Systems from NPRs (http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=8495.msg118362#msg118362)
- Diplomacy Part 4: NPR vs NPR Claims (http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=8495.msg118398#msg118398)
- Diplomacy Part 5: Restrictions on NPR Claims (http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=8495.msg118404#msg118404)
- Diplomacy Part 6: Independence (http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=8495.msg118467#msg118467)
- Diplomacy Part 7: Banned Bodies (http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=8495.msg119432#msg119432)
- Diplomacy Part 8: Diplomatic Ships (http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=8495.msg120024#msg120024)
Here is a general rules reference:
https://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=10666.0
Thank you for that Steve - that's awesome on my next play thru I know where to go
Quote from: Steve Walmsley on December 31, 2025, 04:41:08 AMQuote from: undercovergeek on December 30, 2025, 10:13:33 PMI did find a genuine alien race orbiting a neutral planet and tried to initiate diplomacy but no one on the forums there had a definitive 'do this' to remedy the issue - the difference here between a fully built fully understood published title and aurora is there is no 'if you do this that will happen' - having played many a RTS or 4x game it would be nice to know 'to initiate diplomacy build a diplomatic ship and approach the alien between 5-10m kilometres and press the diplomacy button' not 'this didn't work for me' or 'what I did was XXX but in the next game it didn't' which is why I put it down til now - in the end it came down to attacking them but they had longer range missiles than me - many scouts and experimental design ships were lost that day until I worked out a missile with a booster rocket
Here are the diplomacy rules:
- Diplomacy Part 1: Basic Framework (http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=8495.msg118258#msg118258)
- Diplomacy Part 2: Intrusion into NPR Territory (http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=8495.msg118318#msg118318)
- Diplomacy Part 3: Claiming Systems from NPRs (http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=8495.msg118362#msg118362)
- Diplomacy Part 4: NPR vs NPR Claims (http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=8495.msg118398#msg118398)
- Diplomacy Part 5: Restrictions on NPR Claims (http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=8495.msg118404#msg118404)
- Diplomacy Part 6: Independence (http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=8495.msg118467#msg118467)
- Diplomacy Part 7: Banned Bodies (http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=8495.msg119432#msg119432)
- Diplomacy Part 8: Diplomatic Ships (http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=8495.msg120024#msg120024)
Here is a general rules reference:
https://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=10666.0
May I ask then if the diplomacy ship is shit at and destroyed - have my attempts at diplomacy failed and the aliens are sending me a clear signal
Or is it more likely I haven't followed the correct path to diplomacy
Quote from: undercovergeek on December 31, 2025, 05:58:13 AMMay I ask then if the diplomacy ship is shit at and destroyed - have my attempts at diplomacy failed and the aliens are sending me a clear signal
Or is it more likely I haven't followed the correct path to diplomacy
I don't remember coding that particular AI response, but it definitely sounds worse than being shot at :)
If the AI takes hostile action, then diplomacy has failed for now. Some alien races are implacably hostile and you can never talk to them. With others, they will become hostile if you spend too long in systems they consider theirs, although they will generally warn you first.
If you back off and haven't done much damage, relations will gradually return to neutral over time.
Quote from: Steve Walmsley on December 31, 2025, 07:09:21 AMQuote from: undercovergeek on December 31, 2025, 05:58:13 AMMay I ask then if the diplomacy ship is shit at and destroyed - have my attempts at diplomacy failed and the aliens are sending me a clear signal
Or is it more likely I haven't followed the correct path to diplomacy
I don't remember coding that particular AI response, but it definitely sounds worse than being shot at :)
If the AI takes hostile action, then diplomacy has failed for now. Some alien races are implacably hostile and you can never talk to them. With others, they will become hostile if you spend too long in systems they consider theirs, although they will generally warn you first.
If you back off and haven't done much damage, relations will gradually return to neutral over time.
Never reply and make a hot a beverage at the same time!!
Thank you for responding Steve
The discussion on diplomacy was timely. In my current game, I have made contact with three alien races. The first appears to be solidly neutral. Both our empires inhabit one system jointly and although it took some time, communications have been established. There have never been any hostile interactions or episodes. I'm not thrilled that they are colonizing a system that I consider to be mine, but since its on my frontier several systems away from my core worlds, I'm tolerating it and using it as a learning opportunity to try to better understand the diplomatic systems in the game. I have a modest flotilla of diplomatic vessels docked in orbit around one of their colonies. I am yet to see our diplomacy rating improve though. It remains at zero.
The second race also appears to be neutral. However, it is actively refusing communications. Some of its vessels have passed through my frontier space, but again there have been no hostile events. Its military vessels had an easy opportunity to attack civilian shipping and survey vessels, but that has not happened yet. I do not know where its colonies are and given that contact is relatively limited, I suspect its core systems are quite some distance away.
Finally, the third race...this one is going to prove problematic for me. I discovered them in a fringe system rich in TN minerals with some very favorable planets for low-cost colonies. Shortly after completing my geological survey of the system my vessel was attacked and vaporized by beam weapons. My naval fleets are composed of vessels of two classes. Triton Class Frigates and Cromwell Class corvettes. Both vessels are beam focused, but unfortunately, since they were designed for system defense, they have limited range and speed that maxes out at about 5000km/s. The hostile vessels have been clocked at around 6800 km/s. Therefore, even if my fleets could operate near this system, we'd never be able to catch them to engage. So, I went on a crash course of designing and building a new ship class of battlecruiser. It has laser batteries, a particle lance and gauss turrets for point defense. It's speed is close to 8000 km/s. It is going to be nearly 2 years before the initial run of vessels is ready for service. Since starting construction, these hostile aliens have discovered my home system. Their strategy and activity in my home system has been interesting making it difficult to determine their intentions. They have only made a very limited incursion with one or two vessels and attacks have been limited to the targeting of a single fuel harvesting station around Uranus. There are hundreds of commercial vessels traveling through Sol, but none have been targeted yet. Its been a game of cat and mouse with my existing defense fleets. I detect the hostile vessel and by the time I get a fleet to their last known location, they're gone.
I could probably use a primer on sensors. I think I understand size and resolution well enough. All my military vessels are equipped with passive thermal, EM and grav sensors, but I seem to have difficulty detecting ships at range.
In any event, I'm hoping this hostile contact does not signal the end of this game. This has been my most successful, expansive and thriving empire to date.
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on January 08, 2026, 09:10:51 AMThe discussion on diplomacy was timely. In my current game, I have made contact with three alien races. The first appears to be solidly neutral. Both our empires inhabit one system jointly and although it took some time, communications have been established. There have never been any hostile interactions or episodes. I'm not thrilled that they are colonizing a system that I consider to be mine, but since its on my frontier several systems away from my core worlds, I'm tolerating it and using it as a learning opportunity to try to better understand the diplomatic systems in the game. I have a modest flotilla of diplomatic vessels docked in orbit around one of their colonies. I am yet to see our diplomacy rating improve though. It remains at zero.
The second race also appears to be neutral. However, it is actively refusing communications. Some of its vessels have passed through my frontier space, but again there have been no hostile events. Its military vessels had an easy opportunity to attack civilian shipping and survey vessels, but that has not happened yet. I do not know where its colonies are and given that contact is relatively limited, I suspect its core systems are quite some distance away.
Finally, the third race...this one is going to prove problematic for me. I discovered them in a fringe system rich in TN minerals with some very favorable planets for low-cost colonies. Shortly after completing my geological survey of the system my vessel was attacked and vaporized by beam weapons. My naval fleets are composed of vessels of two classes. Triton Class Frigates and Cromwell Class corvettes. Both vessels are beam focused, but unfortunately, since they were designed for system defense, they have limited range and speed that maxes out at about 5000km/s. The hostile vessels have been clocked at around 6800 km/s. Therefore, even if my fleets could operate near this system, we'd never be able to catch them to engage. So, I went on a crash course of designing and building a new ship class of battlecruiser. It has laser batteries, a particle lance and gauss turrets for point defense. It's speed is close to 8000 km/s. It is going to be nearly 2 years before the initial run of vessels is ready for service. Since starting construction, these hostile aliens have discovered my home system. Their strategy and activity in my home system has been interesting making it difficult to determine their intentions. They have only made a very limited incursion with one or two vessels and attacks have been limited to the targeting of a single fuel harvesting station around Uranus. There are hundreds of commercial vessels traveling through Sol, but none have been targeted yet. Its been a game of cat and mouse with my existing defense fleets. I detect the hostile vessel and by the time I get a fleet to their last known location, they're gone.
I could probably use a primer on sensors. I think I understand size and resolution well enough. All my military vessels are equipped with passive thermal, EM and grav sensors, but I seem to have difficulty detecting ships at range.
In any event, I'm hoping this hostile contact does not signal the end of this game. This has been my most successful, expansive and thriving empire to date.
Are they cloaked - I used to have huge detection issues until well within range - I think cloaking reduces their silhouette and this you need a finer sensor to see them - or be very close
Diplomatic vessels will improve the alien race's opinion of you. What you see in the Diplomacy and Intelligence window is your opinion of them (which may be improved by their diplomatic ships). You can only infer their opinion of you via the alien race's actions, such as offering treaties, warning messages, or opening fire.
Active sensors will detect any ship with a cross-section equal to or greater than the sensor resolution out to its maximum range. So a sensor with a resolution of 100 and range of 40m km will detect ships of 100 HS (5000 tons) out to 40m km.
If the cross-section of the target (TCS) is smaller than the resolution, the range is Max Range * (TCS/Resolution)^2. So a target of 1000 tons (TCS 20) would be detected by the same sensor at 40m km * (20/100)^2 = 1.6m km.
Sensors with higher resolutions will have greater range, but struggle to detect small targets. For this reason, it is useful to have multiple active sensors with different resolutions to detect larger ships, fast attack or fighters and missiles. (maybe 120, 20, 1 or 100, 10, 1).
A ship may have a cloaking device that reduces its cross section. So a 10,000 ton ship with a 90% cloak will be treated as a 1000 ton ship by active sensors (at least until you damage the cloak).
Do the effects of diplomatic vessels stack? In other words, do I benefit from having more than one and does it matter where they are stationed?
Thanks.
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on January 15, 2026, 07:10:17 AMDo the effects of diplomatic vessels stack? In other words, do I benefit from having more than one and does it matter where they are stationed?
Thanks.
No, they don't stack. For diplomacy during the construction phase, the diplomacy ship with the highest rated commander in a system where both sides are in contact is used for all interactions. It doesn't have to be directly detected by the alien race - it just has to be in a system where both sides can detect a ship or population of the other side.
Here is a copy of my post on reddit, regarding the situation with the Aurora forums.
The Aurora forums have been down for about a month. Erik Luken, who has done an amazing job running the forums for many years, has real world concerns that have to take priority. There is currently no timeline for the old forums being restored and, due to potential backup issues, no guarantee they will eventually return intact.
Therefore I have setup some new forums using Discourse - not Discord, which gives some scope for confusion :)
Discourse is more modern software than phpBB so the new forum looks very different and uses new terminology, but is very flexible and easy to use.
This is entirely new, not a reboot of the old forums, so none of the old content will exist.
I have already posted all the patch notes for historical versions of Aurora into a single 'Patch Notes' category (what Discourse calls a forum), with each version read as a single topic (collection of posts). I've also added the downloads for the full install and latest patch, plus my latest v2.8 AAR. The rest of the content will be built up by new posts.
Discourse uses an automated 'trust level' system to set user permissions and access, so you can get used to the forums gradually. I can override that as required, but the main effects are no private messages, limited attachments and no visibility of chat channels when you first join. You can still read, post and reply normally. That initial restriction will pass fairly quickly, but it limits the effect of spam accounts.
The new forums can be found at aurora4x.com
The welcome post explaining the various categories is at: https://aurora4x.com/t/welcome-to-aurora-4x/5
After you register, I will need to approve the accounts, which will take a few minutes if I am online and probably a few hours otherwise. I might lift this restriction in a few days.
I hope the new forums can become as useful and entertaining as the old ones
I've been following this situation. Sorry about the demise of the old forum. It's such a loss since there was such an amazing wealth of collected information and knowledge there. Over the years, I've thought about starting over here too, but the thought of losing the archives is too upsetting to me. So many good times and such good memories.
I'm sure the new site will thrive just like the old. Please let me know if I can help in any way.
Yes, they have been up for a very long time. I managed to recover almost all the patch notes for the older versions from wayback machine, so all the 'documentation' is already on the new site, and my own campaign reports are always written in Word first, so I have all of that too. It will just take some time to put them in the new forum.
However, there was a huge amount of campaign reports from many different players on the old forums. I know some have been getting them from wayback machine too, but the risk is that most of that will be lost. The mechanics posts and change discussion posts had a lot of the rationale for various changes throughout the years so I may tried to recover some of those too. Hopefully, the many great suggestions that were made but not yet implemented will make their way on to the new forums.
On the other hand, it takes away the reason not to move to newer software, so it gives something of a fresh start and a clean-up of anything that is no longer relevant. Plus I believe this new format will be easier for new players to navigate. I have posted a new campaign report and the first new suggestions are being added to the next version, so the new forums already have material that was never posted on the old forums. I can only hope it grows from those small beginnings into something that resembles the size and scope of Erik's forums.
Thinking of getting back into this after a long layoff. Is there a resonably recent tutorial series to help an old player return?
Quote from: Geezer on August 16, 2026, 03:01:53 PMThinking of getting back into this after a long layoff. Is there a resonably recent tutorial series to help an old player return?
Yup...Space Marine has some that are less than a year old and they are made from the current build 2.7.1.
https://www.youtube.com/@DefranStrategy/videos (https://www.youtube.com/@DefranStrategy/videos)
Great, thanks.
Quote from: Geezer on August 16, 2026, 03:39:11 PMGreat, thanks.
Be aware 3.0 is due out in weeks with a lot of extra cool stuff
If your the video tutorial kind of guy then definitely defran/space marine or mo chad has just done about 20 getting started ones
If you're a reader not a watcher then a blu emu playthrough on paradox should float your boat
OK, thanks. Started watching some videos but will check out the written playthrough if I can find it.
Edit - Found it.
Quote from: Geezer on August 17, 2026, 01:28:24 AMOK, thanks. Started watching some videos but will check out the written playthrough if I can find it.
Edit - Found it.
Excellent - you need 'the stars, like dust' which is been played on the current release version
Thanks, I have that bookmarked. I've been watching videos and following along with my own game. Just went through our first jump points and Barnard's Star has a very hospitable planet about the size of Mars. Need to survey it and hope from some good mining possibilities.
Isn't it amazing how a game with no sound and barely functional graphics can be so exhilarating and rewarding? I feel like every successful endeavor in this game is a monumental accomplishment.
Yeah, I love the exploration side of 4X games and this one has that in spades, even if it is "spreadhseets in space". Also found a wreck in the Barnard's Star system and will have to figure out what to do with that.
Quote from: Geezer on August 20, 2026, 09:55:54 AMYeah, I love the exploration side of 4X games and this one has that in spades, even if it is "spreadhseets in space". Also found a wreck in the Barnard's Star system and will have to figure out what to do with that.
You need construction and xenoarcheology teams for wrecks and artificat sites on the surface of planets and moons. Form them into companies and land them on planet. They will then collect useful resources and technologies from the site. If its a wreck in space, you need salvage technology. Equip the salvage module on a vessel and go to work.
OK, thanks!
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on August 20, 2026, 08:35:52 AMIsn't it amazing how a game with no sound and barely functional graphics can be so exhilarating and rewarding? I feel like every successful endeavor in this game is a monumental accomplishment.
Thanks :) I grew up in an era of paper map wargames. When I played Advanced Squad Leader, World in Flames or Star Fleet Battles, etc., it was just a paper map and some cardboard counters, but your imagination filled in the rest.
In conceptual terms, I think Aurora is less a modern PC game and more like playing those older games, but with more complex mechanics because the computer handles all the dice rolling, calculation and 'counter' movement and you focus on making decisions, establishing a theme, etc.. Your imagination adds the 'graphics'.
Great to see you taking the time to keep an eye on things here Steve. Thanks!
Quote from: Steve Walmsley on August 21, 2026, 05:27:43 AMIn conceptual terms, I think Aurora is less a modern PC game and more like playing those older games, but with more complex mechanics because the computer handles all the dice rolling, calculation and 'counter' movement and you focus on making decisions, establishing a theme, etc.. Your imagination adds the 'graphics'.
This is all very true, but somehow, I don't think it gives enough credit to what you have developed. I can't explain it, but Aurora is so much more than a calculator. For me, it manages to transcend the traditional gaming experience in a way few if any other games can. I struggle to enjoy older games these days (even the golden era masterpieces) or even newer games that do not have modern UI systems, fancy graphics and immersive bells and whistles. Aurora, however, finds a way to always rise above this. Aurora has shortcomings, for sure, but it is a rare instance where the experience is not limited by those shortcomings and in some instances, is actually enhanced. It is in many ways, magical.
:notworthy:
Quote from: Steve Walmsley on August 21, 2026, 05:27:43 AMQuote from: Jarhead0331 on August 20, 2026, 08:35:52 AMIsn't it amazing how a game with no sound and barely functional graphics can be so exhilarating and rewarding? I feel like every successful endeavor in this game is a monumental accomplishment.
Thanks :) I grew up in an era of paper map wargames. When I played Advanced Squad Leader, World in Flames or Star Fleet Battles, etc., it was just a paper map and some cardboard counters, but your imagination filled in the rest.
In conceptual terms, I think Aurora is less a modern PC game and more like playing those older games, but with more complex mechanics because the computer handles all the dice rolling, calculation and 'counter' movement and you focus on making decisions, establishing a theme, etc.. Your imagination adds the 'graphics'.
Yeah, I started gaming in the 1960s, paper and boardgames. Amazing how things have grown. I have always had trouble with the "spreadsheet" label some games got stuck with. As an engineer who had to program his own stuff way back, I guarantee that EVERY computer game would get that label if they did not have the fancy graphics skinning the underlying algorithms, do-loops, if-thens and databases. The interface in Aurora is great and harkens back to days of yore, but with a much deeper, broader and more sophisticated game than we had years ago. It is much closer to what real decision makers have in front of them than the slick, pretty interface gamers have, which is a mixed blessing 🙂 Kinda depends on the experience you want and what kind of energy you are willing to commit...and imagination!
Quote from: Geezer on August 20, 2026, 09:55:54 AMYeah, I love the exploration side of 4X games and this one has that in spades, even if it is "spreadhseets in space". Also found a wreck in the Barnard's Star system and will have to figure out what to do with that.
Is it a shipwreck or a ruin on a planet?
If it's a ship you need to research the salvage module and then build a ship with it on and some cargo space or pair the ship in a fleet with some cargo ships and go recover the wreck - this will give you fragments of the ship to advance your own research and while sections to use in your next ship build
One word of caution, in my current game I found a system with 3 wrecks - they are not there for flavour - someone killed someone else - in the next system over after discussing various recon options with Steve I found over 60 ships of an enemy in the system and got my explorer turned to space dust - fortunately they have not ventured out to see where I came from
Quote from: undercovergeek on August 21, 2026, 12:04:21 PMIs it a shipwreck or a ruin on a planet?
...
It's a shipwreck. Just finished researching the salvage module and will work on building a salvage ship. There is only one other jump point in the system with the wreck other than the one I came through. Just jumped through that one and the adjacent system is a binary star system with nothing else, so we should be safe for the moment. Of course I don't have very powerful sensors yet so I suppose there could be a 100 ship fleet in that system that we can't see!
Is there an in-game notepad? Saw a couple of referneces to one but don't see it anywhere.
Quote from: Geezer on August 21, 2026, 03:41:22 PMIs there an in-game notepad? Saw a couple of referneces to one but don't see it anywhere.
Not seen one - I use sticky notes in windows
OK, thanks. I'll just use Windows Notepad.
Quote from: Geezer on August 21, 2026, 08:11:28 PMOK, thanks. I'll just use Windows Notepad.
Or ye olde pen and paper - I have pages full of to do lists that I tick off
Steve is delaying 3.0 until hopefully mid October - guy is taking a very well deserved holiday and looking after Mrs Steve who had an accident recently
Thanks for the heads up. Just started my 5th playthrough. I can only get so far before realizing I've messed things up and then decide to start over. Quite the relearning curve.
Quote from: Geezer on September 02, 2026, 07:39:21 AMThanks for the heads up. Just started my 5th playthrough. I can only get so far before realizing I've messed things up and then decide to start over. Quite the relearning curve.
Story of my life! The problem I usually face is that I tend to be reactive rather than proactive on 90% of operational matters. In other words, I don't build a salvage vessel until one is actually needed. I don't build fuel harvesters until they are needed. I don't build military vessels until...well...someone is actually attacking my merchants. By then, it is usually too late and I end up starting over. Each time, I learn to plan ahead, but there is always some problem or dilemma that crops up that I didn't think of.
Reminds me of Covid. I had a $hit ton of ammo, non-perishable food, water and medical supplies. But toilet paper...whoever thought we'd run out of toilet paper? I bought a bidet to solve this problem, but now I know for next time. But I digress.
Yeah, I expanded too quickly in my last game. Got slapped down by an NPR. Starting over much more conservatiely this time.
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on September 02, 2026, 09:09:07 AMQuote from: Geezer on September 02, 2026, 07:39:21 AMThanks for the heads up. Just started my 5th playthrough. I can only get so far before realizing I've messed things up and then decide to start over. Quite the relearning curve.
Story of my life! The problem I usually face is that I tend to be reactive rather than proactive on 90% of operational matters. In other words, I don't build a salvage vessel until one is actually needed. I don't build fuel harvesters until they are needed. I don't build military vessels until...well...someone is actually attacking my merchants. By then, it is usually too late and I end up starting over. Each time, I learn to plan ahead, but there is always some problem or dilemma that crops up that I didn't think of.
Reminds me of Covid. I had a $hit ton of ammo, non-perishable food, water and medical supplies. But toilet paper...whoever thought we'd run out of toilet paper? I bought a bidet to solve this problem, but now I know for next time. But I digress.
skill issue :cool:
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on September 02, 2026, 09:09:07 AMReminds me of Covid. I had a $hit ton of ammo, non-perishable food, water and medical supplies. But toilet paper...whoever thought we'd run out of toilet paper? I bought a bidet to solve this problem, but now I know for next time. But I digress.
Same here. Had TWO locations prepped. Solar power, the works. Biggest disappointment: NO zombies!! All those untested "vaccines" and not a single darn zombie. Sigh...
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on September 02, 2026, 09:09:07 AMQuote from: Geezer on September 02, 2026, 07:39:21 AMThanks for the heads up. Just started my 5th playthrough. I can only get so far before realizing I've messed things up and then decide to start over. Quite the relearning curve.
Story of my life! The problem I usually face is that I tend to be reactive rather than proactive on 90% of operational matters. In other words, I don't build a salvage vessel until one is actually needed. I don't build fuel harvesters until they are needed. I don't build military vessels until...well...someone is actually attacking my merchants. By then, it is usually too late and I end up starting over. Each time, I learn to plan ahead, but there is always some problem or dilemma that crops up that I didn't think of.
Reminds me of Covid. I had a $hit ton of ammo, non-perishable food, water and medical supplies. But toilet paper...whoever thought we'd run out of toilet paper? I bought a bidet to solve this problem, but now I know for next time. But I digress.
The great thing about Grogheads is that we can seamlessly transition from discussing wargames to bidets. The scary thing is that that transition makes sense to me.... :laugh:
I own both wargames and a bidet. Doesn't everybody?
Quote from: CaptainKoloth on October 07, 2026, 02:17:24 PMI own both wargames and a bidet. Doesn't everybody?
I have a tree.
Outside.