Distant Worlds: Shadows (Released)

[JudgeDredd]

After writing all that I had started the game again - and decided perhaps I'm not paying enough attention to the messages I'm getting - so I'll do more of that...actually read the messages (there's so many though - one of the things I hated about the Hearts of Iron games)

I'm also slightly miffed at starting so close to other races and having already met pirates - both of which I choose to start as far away from as I could have selected.

[JudgeDredd]

I don't get this though.....

I was told there was a potential colony and I should build a colony ship to go there - so I did. And it went. And it left again because it came under attack from pirates.

So I sent my 2nd Fleet to defend it and sent it back - and got a message (at the top of the picture) telling me I wasn't able to colonise - they rejected me.

Then I get another message (the bottom image) telling me there's a potential colony...and it's the same one...and it's the same message.

My gripe here though is this - either the "potential" colony should be struck off the "potential" list, or the message should be changed to tell me to do something else...because I don't know what to do here. If I need to "forcefully" colonise the planet - then tell me that because I've already tried to colonise it by normal means.

Anyway - I have to go to work :-(

[Grim.Reaper]

Although I restrained from buying shadows, your experience is similar to mine when I tried to play the older versions.  I just can't wrap my head around everything to effectively understand and play it.  I also envy others who have seemed to master it and your comparison to hearts of iron is a good one.  Another game that completely overwhelms me in a similar manner.

[Tuna]

ruh roh .. maybe I should've waited before making my purchase last week!.. oh well.. haven't really started the game yet.. "must keep an open mind, must keep an open mind"

[JudgeDredd]

^ I would definitely keep an open mind don't listen to me and GR!

I know it's a great game - I have no issues with that....but I knew it would be a long shot that something like this would grab me because 4X games aren't really my thing. I've not really played many (if any) before.

But don't be fooled and listen to everyone else...it is a great game...if you let it.

I'm not giving up on it yet...I've sank too much money into it and I love the idea of 4X games...so I'm staying with it...it might just yet click!

[mikeck]

I think the manual says somewhere that if a planet has a pre existing colony of an independent race, then it has to be the same race to colonize without invading. Most colonies don't have anyone on them so its not an issue. If you click on the planet, it should tell you whether you can colonize in the window bottom left

As for starting location. You can't set every race to be far away but one or two should have worked. I get beat results when I set them all to random... Usually seven races on a huge map with with over 1000 stars

As for messages, Any options you can set which ones pop open which one scroll but I think there is no way to prevent you from getting them at all. in the end you'll learn over time which ones are important and which ones aren't most of them aren't. If you set most of them to scroll only you won't even notice them.

I definitely feel your pain. if you can't get into it, you can't get into it. there are several games ipeople on this forum love that I have tried to get into multiple times. I just can't do it. EU3 is one of them the matter how hard I play it, and no matter how much I want to like it, I just cannot sit down and play a game of it without you staring at the computer screen.

Don't work Judge.... It happens to lots of guys

[Rayfer]

Judge....are you playing with Shadows and if yes, pre or post warp civ?  This makes a huge difference regarding how pirates work in the game and where they appear in proximity to your empire.  Also, in the options screen, perhaps in empire settings, you can set all newly created ships to manual then by using the button that shows all ships without a mission you can set those you want the game to control to auto and keep control of those you want to give missions to, like warships, so that you can create and manage your own fleets (which is an option I would recommend).  You might want to also not have everything on 'show recommendations for me to decide' mode and take full control of research and fleet management, this gives you some hands on things to do while still getting suggestions regarding colonization, etc.   If you have Shadows and start on a pre-warp civ the game is much easier to learn and manage yourself.  You only have your own solar system to explore and there is no colonization outside of you solar system to deal with. It is very manageable even with most settings on manual.

[Kushan]

Judge, I've found it's better to manually set up opponents then to use the "randomly generate opponents" option in the game set up. I usually set everything to random, except starting distance. I normally play with 9 races, and set 3-4 to "average" starting distance and the others to "distant" starting distance. Normally gives me enough room to expand a little before running into other races. As for pirates you can set there starting distance under the galaxy set up screen. But if your playing pre-warp its not recommended, since you will probably need at least one or two pirate factions to run resource missions for you early on.

[Nefaro]

Judge, I've found it's better to manually set up opponents then to use the "randomly generate opponents" option in the game set up. I usually set everything to random, except starting distance. I normally play with 9 races, and set 3-4 to "average" starting distance and the others to "distant" starting distance. Normally gives me enough room to expand a little before running into other races. As for pirates you can set there starting distance under the galaxy set up screen. But if your playing pre-warp its not recommended, since you will probably need at least one or two pirate factions to run resource missions for you early on.

If you play with 9 races, how many systems do you use?  The default 1000?

I've only been tinkering with the 400 system option because that's plenty large enough for jumping back in (and 3-4 AI races).  It may be a better introduction for those like Judge who feel overwhelmed, as I often felt like that once everything began to get established on larger settings.

I don't get this though.....

I was told there was a potential colony and I should build a colony ship to go there - so I did. And it went. And it left again because it came under attack from pirates.

So I sent my 2nd Fleet to defend it and sent it back - and got a message (at the top of the picture) telling me I wasn't able to colonise - they rejected me.

Then I get another message (the bottom image) telling me there's a potential colony...and it's the same one...and it's the same message.

My gripe here though is this - either the "potential" colony should be struck off the "potential" list, or the message should be changed to tell me to do something else...because I don't know what to do here. If I need to "forcefully" colonise the planet - then tell me that because I've already tried to colonise it by normal means.

Anyway - I have to go to work :-(

That potential colony sounds like it is already occupied by a neutral race.  You can send in a colony ship to attempt a peaceful takeover of the place but they can reject the attempt and send you packing.  That's probably what happened the second time, after you had cleared out the pirate vessel.  You can keep trying to colonize it until it works (?) or send troops over to cap it, but the latter option will give you a galaxy-wide diplo relations hit.  It's usually pretty easy to colonize a neutral planet if the population is of the same race as you, and a bit easier if they're of the same race family, but it's no guarantee.

There are lots of tips on the Matrix boards for handling things such as research and just about everything else (in the 'War Room' sub-forum IIRC).  DW is the most complicated 4X out there, so it takes time to finger it all out.

[JudgeDredd]

^ No - first time I cleared the pirate vessel. Second time I was sent packing by the colony on the planet. The final pic is another message from the game telling me the same colony exists and I might want to create a colony ship and send it there - something I did 6 days previously and was asked to leave by the population.

Point being - given the message was displayedagain even though I was told to leave - it could potentially happen again...and again...and again...and...

[JudgeDredd]

And to answer the other questions, I let the AI choose my opponents because I was only allowing 3 in a 400 star galaxy and didn't think that would be a huge problem with starting as very far away selected - but one of the (just so happens the angry one) started in the same grid as me.

Sorry - but if I select 40 races and want them to start very far from me, I expect the game to put me in the middle and stick each of the baddies out in the outer rim of the galaxy in a 10x10 system...but I only had 3 AI - what was the problem with NOT putting one in MY grid?

I wasn't playing pre-warp. I thought about it, but as well as hearing it was easier because you are only dealing with your system, I also heard it was harder?!

I'm not playing Shadows - I'm playing the base game with Legends and Shakturi story

[PanzersEast]

Point being - given the message was displayedagain even though I was told to leave - it could potentially happen again...and again...and again...and...

This would be a great Monty Python skit!

PE

[ERutins]

I've switched everything over to Suggest and took auto ship design off - but things seem to be moving at such a frenetic pace!!

So everything is on "Suggest"....but why really? I get a little message saying the scientists suggest building a ship...no reason why. I get a message saying researchers want to research something - no reason why.

Suggest will actually increase the number of messages.  If part of the problem for you is the message spam, then it's better to either put everything on Manual control or on Automated and just take Manual control of a small part.  You can also turn on and off the different message types in the Options menu ("O" key).  You may want to turn off anything non-critical (like an attack notification) just to again reduce the number of message.

If you are not already taking advantage of slowing down the speed and using the pause function (space key) whenever you start to feel overwhelmed, please do so.  Distant Worlds is real-time, but it proceeds at your pace,  you can think things over and issue orders just like in a turn-based game and only let things "run" when you are ready.

I had selected few pirates (or very few - can't remember) and I've already met them
I had selected 3 other AI determined factions in a 400 star system in a 10x10 system and selected them to start very far away. In my two hour game I've already met two of them and one of them has shown up in MY grid - AND I'm at war with them because they decided to blockade my ports and the other one requested I go to war with them for money...

Bad luck on the empire placement.  Unless you pretty much set pirates to None you will meet some.  They have hyperdrive and they like to explore.

Ships are flying off in all directions.
One fleet ran out of fuel because when you select a fleet it shows a dotted ring (I thought it was a bingo fuel ring (something I had asked for in the very first release of Distant Worlds)) and I sent the fleet off to the edge of that ring....only to see them running out of fuel and limping back (I realise that is my fault and my lack of understanding) - but WHERE is the range and bingo fuel indicators for your fleet? Are they there?

The ring is total range, you don't want to go past half of that (and in Shadows, fleets and ships will try not to if automated) if you want them to return at full speed and with fuel.

I don't know why I bothered switching auto ship design off - because things have been going at such a pace I've had no time to look at them. I have NO idea what I'm researching.

I would keep ship design on automatic.  That's probably one of the last things that people feel comfortable taking manual control over, once they have mastered the rest of the game.

The ships I do build become available and bugger off on their own somewhere!

There is another option that lets you turn on and off whether newly built ships start automated.  If you want to make sure they don't get orders from your advisors, just turn that off and they'll wait until you tell them what to do.

I was at war with the faction closest to me and I had a "suggestion" that I should attack something of theirs. I said ok. My 1st Fleet went off to do battle - and was annihilated  because the bases they had were plentiful! So - yeah - I should've investigated - but the enemy area was shrouded (undiscovered?) with lines through the system...should I have sent an Exploration vessel? Why did the AI suggest I do battle with something I had no chance to beat?

The AI is not perfect. :-)  In general, the advisors will give you good advice, but occasionally they will steer you wrong, just like real advisors.  If you are at war and have enough exploration ships and they are automated, they will generally try to keep an eye on enemy systems for you.  You can also assign them to explore or monitor enemy systems manually.

I think the important thing to realize is that the game itself can be customized to play just about any way you want.  While there are defaults, there is no one "correct" way to play Distant Worlds.  I think trying out the different aspects and figuring out what interests you the most will give you a good idea of what you should start with as your first "manual control" area.  Just fully automate the rest and focus on one thing.  You could try being in charge of research, or a single ship or fleet, or construction, or diplomacy and characters.  It can be fun to start out determining research paths, deciding what ships of each type to build and then seeing what your advisors manage to do with the fleets you give them.  There are many possible ways to approach the game.

Did you try starting in the Pre-Warp era?  Many have reported that helps them understand the game as you start off with less to manage.  I posted some suggestions for a very easy introductory game here.

http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=3333889

[ERutins]

I was told there was a potential colony and I should build a colony ship to go there - so I did. And it went. And it left again because it came under attack from pirates.

So I sent my 2nd Fleet to defend it and sent it back - and got a message (at the top of the picture) telling me I wasn't able to colonise - they rejected me.

Then I get another message (the bottom image) telling me there's a potential colony...and it's the same one...and it's the same message.

My gripe here though is this - either the "potential" colony should be struck off the "potential" list, or the message should be changed to tell me to do something else...because I don't know what to do here. If I need to "forcefully" colonise the planet - then tell me that because I've already tried to colonise it by normal means.

Anyway - I have to go to work :-(

What happened here is that it's an independent world.  Your advisors suggested colonizing because there's a high probability that sending a colony ship there will also convince the existing inhabitants to join your empire.  Your first colony ship did not succeed - there is always a chance it will fail.  They are willing to send another one because the probability is still high that a second expedition will convince the locals to join peacefully.  You always have the option to send an invasion fleet instead and give them an offer they can't refuse. :-)

[Tuna]

I was told there was a potential colony and I should build a colony ship to go there - so I did. And it went. And it left again because it came under attack from pirates.

So I sent my 2nd Fleet to defend it and sent it back - and got a message (at the top of the picture) telling me I wasn't able to colonise - they rejected me.

Then I get another message (the bottom image) telling me there's a potential colony...and it's the same one...and it's the same message.

My gripe here though is this - either the "potential" colony should be struck off the "potential" list, or the message should be changed to tell me to do something else...because I don't know what to do here. If I need to "forcefully" colonise the planet - then tell me that because I've already tried to colonise it by normal means.

Anyway - I have to go to work :-(

What happened here is that it's an independent world.  Your advisors suggested colonizing because there's a high probability that sending a colony ship there will also convince the existing inhabitants to join your empire.  Your first colony ship did not succeed - there is always a chance it will fail.  They are willing to send another one because the probability is still high that a second expedition will convince the locals to join peacefully.  You always have the option to send an invasion fleet instead and give them an offer they can't refuse. :-)

Welcome to Grogheads Erik!