Automated Formers

[jtsisyoda]

Re: Re: Automated Formers

Originally posted by gwillybj

__Automated Formers can build condensers, boreholes, etc.
(does that etc. mean farms, mines, solars?)

My guess is that means soil enrichers.

[TimeTraveler]

Re: Re: Re: Automated Formers

Originally posted by jtsisyoda


My guess is that means soil enrichers.

...and echelon mirrors. Did you know that those things when used in a certain way can nearly quadruple the energy gotten from themselves and solar collectors? It's incredible!

[JMarshFox]

I always just plant a couple of squares of forest around the base and build tree farms and hybrid forests...

[Ecthy]

I used to do automatic formers, but it isn't the same civ feeling.

I like to decide on my own what to do, especially since borehole sites etc. are so sensitively to be planned

[Jamski]

If you want to win at SMAC you really MUST manage your formers yourself. The reason the AI does so badly is becasue it has a poor terraforming plan.

-Jam

[igtenos]

That and the AI isn't smart enough to double-up formers for big terraforming jobs. But truth be told, I really wouldn't want to see Yang or Miriam build boreholes.... I build at least one for every base I have and seeing the AI build *one* borehole would scare the hell out of me.

Also, the AI sucks donkey because it isn't half as aggressive with its units as the player with the acception of Conventional Missles (GRR), but that's getting off-topic.

[gwillybj]

I've seen every one of the SMAC-7 make boreholes. I think the only thing I've never seen any of them do is raise or lower land. It may have happened often and I've just never noticed it.

[Mongoose]

They raise land. Matter of fact, the AI raises land without Environmental Economics or the Weather Paradigm....That is, perhaps, the AI cheat I hate the most!

[Mead]

Originally posted by Jamski
If you want to win at SMAC you really MUST manage your formers yourself. The reason the AI does so badly is becasue it has a poor terraforming plan.

-Jam

That's just one of the reasons that it performs badly.

I think that the inability to mount effective military campaigns, particularly airpower campaigns, is far more crippling for the AI.

Don't forget the AI's inability to conduct diplomacy productively.


Mead

[Ecthy]

I've never exploited land raising, how is it? Does it help with energy problems a lot?

[Adalbertus]

Ecthy our favourite Ossi,

I usually start land raising to shorten shore line, to place boreholes, or for an energy park (SP, in MP you may not have the time to do the latter). It depends quite a lot on your planning.
I think it was Ned who mentioned that to place a borehole, you shouldn't raise the land around your preferred borehole site but to lower the borehole site. Obvious, but it takes years to figure out
Then, building an energy park, you should always extend a plateau of maximum height. In extreme cases, you can raise more than 50 squares by 1000 m at turn and energy costs of one ...
Your favourite Wessi

[igtenos]

Don't forget the AI's inability to conduct diplomacy productively.

Amen to that. I've been playing several Thinker difficulty games and keep finding myself vendetta'd by every faction in the game almost without trying.

I'd also add to the complaint list about AI how untrustworthy it is on higher difficulties. I've had cases where the AI offers a truce then a round or two later launches a surprise attack.

I've never exploited land raising, how is it? Does it help with energy problems a lot?

I rarely bother raising land unless my main island is extremely small or I have a bunch of little islands I want to connect via land. I personally prefer Sea Formers & Sea Pods for the energy/nutrient bonus while planting Boreholes and Forests on the land territory for the extra minerals.

[Mead]

Originally posted by Ecthelion
I've never exploited land raising, how is it? Does it help with energy problems a lot?

Yes.


Raise your engery park elevation to over 3000. This will result in max output from the solar and mirrors. A large, well elevated, well located, well protected, and equipped energy park is a beautiful thing.



Mead

[Ecthy]

Energy park? is that like a super science city just a city with super enery?

[zanthus]

No, its an area outside of a city where you use resource convoys to harvest the energy. (At least I do it this way) That way, you can have one city with income increasing improvements harvest 100s of energy/turn over your whole empire. Then I plant forests in my cities to give the balanced food/energy/mineral ratio. It also helps to cut down on fungus growth by having them outside city radii.