PLANET PROFILING
To see an example of the profiling of planets in Master of Orion III, refer to the related screenshot showing 'Okab IV' in the screenshot gallery. It is one of the planets under my control. There is a fair bit of quantitative information displayed here and for the purposes of this segment I am not going to go into it any further. If you would like more information, see Appendix IV.
THE PLANETARY FILES
To see an example of the planetary information screen, refer to the related image showing 'Okab' planets 'III', 'IV', 'VI' and 'VII' in the screenshot gallery. This image was captured at the outset of my game where 'Okab V' had not yet been explored. There is also a fair bit of quantitative information displayed here and for the purposes of this segment I am not going to go into it any further. If you would like more information, see the Appendix III set.
CAN YOU FIND YOUR PLANET ON A MAP?
If you are trying to orient your planets' relative position to one another and those of other races, see an example of how to go about doing that in the screenshot gallery. The image in question was captured at the outset of my game. There is also a fair bit of quantitative information displayed here and for the purposes of this segment I am not going to go into it any further. If you would like more information, see Appendix III-C.
ITCHING FOR MORE
If you have been jumping ahead on the screens, you will notice images of both the Shipyards and Victory screens. Due to space and time limitations, I am not going to have the opportunity to go into any detail of the former beyond this acknowledgement of its existence. For those who are interested in learning more about this MoO3 component, see the Appendix V set. As with the other addendums in this article, they are condensed excerpts from related pages within the game's manual. With regard to the latter, see the related references back in Part 2 of this feature.
LOGGING OFF
It has been quite a ride. Through this and the five preceding articles I have worked to put together an accurate, detailed and engaging forum in which to talk about Master of Orion III. With the game set for commercial availability in less than two weeks of the posting of this piece, patience will be rewarded and “real-life” relationships will again be put to the test of stability. I am certain that you are eager to explore the MoO3 universe as much as I was when I received my advanced beta build of the game a short six weeks ago… and still am.
In closing, I would like to first thank Infogrames and Quicksilver once again for the opportunity to preview MoO3. I would also take this opportunity to thank you, the readers, for setting aside time in your day to read this edition of my preview of the game. If you have not yet read one or more of Parts 1-5, I hope that you will do so. Now that the entire feature is online, the order in which you read them is not as limited as it was during the five weeks in which certain parts were pending to be published. I recommend looking at them in numerical order but the plan is ultimately up to you.
The ushering in of the third generation in the Master of Orion line is imminent. Prepare to become the master, or the mastered… all over again.
APPENDIX I-A: FINANCE – LEDGER – INCOME
Excerpt from the MoO3 manual, page 79:
[..]
TRIBUTE, GIFTS AND EXCHANGES RECEIVED
If you have received money from other civilizations via tribute, gifts, or other exchanges, the amount received is displayed here.
ORGANIC FLU SALES
Forced Labor Units can be sold; revenue from such transactions appears here.
ECONOMIC FLU SALES
This is the same as for Organic FLUs except that it applies to robotic units.
SCRAPPED ITEMS
Items such as ships or structures can be scrapped for a quick monetary gain.
INTEREST EARNED ON IMPERIAL TREASURY SURPLUS
If you are playing a game with timed turns, any interest you earn by finishing your turn early is displayed here.
OTHER INCOME SOURCES
Any other money earned this turn is mentioned here.
APPENDIX I-B: FINANCE – LEDGER – EXPENSES
Excerpt from the MoO3 manual, page 80:
WAR DEPARTMENT
How much money was spent on military production. This is affected by your Military-Political Economy policy.
INTELLIGENCE
Money spent maintaining your spies and funding their missions is displayed here.
[..]
UNREST
Extra funding allocated to combating unrest is mentioned here. This is affected by your Unrest slider.
TRIBUTE, GIFTS AND EXCHANGES PAID
If you have offered money to other civilizations via tribute, gifts, or other exchanges, the amount paid is displayed here.
ROBOTIC FLU MAINTENANCE
If your civilization has robotic FLUs active, their total maintenance cost is displayed here.
INTEREST PAID ON IMPERIAL TREASURY DEBT
If you are playing a game with timed turns, any interest you owed as a result of deficit spending is displayed here.
OTHER EXPENSES
Any other expenditures for this turn is mentioned here.
TOTAL EXPENSES
The sum of all above-mentioned expenses.
NET BALANCE
Below the Expenses panel is the Net Balance of the Imperial Treasury.
MoOving In: A Detailed Preview of Master of Orion III