Do Spaceships Ever Crash?

[Seeker]

I just finished an interesting game where the come-from-behind Celts forced me to launch a 'risky' Spaceship (they were very big and their cap was really far away).

I won, but it made me think, have any of you EVER seen an unsuccessful launch?! Looking in the files, I can't even find a message for failed spaceships.

Anyone ever seen a spaceship fail?
And why not??

[East Street Trader]

Since I got overtaken in space a few times (they always seem to have too much money to rely on hitting the capital) I've made every effort to build 33:16:1:1:1 ships which only take 5.7 years (fusion powered) and can't be caught. Got my own back overtaking the A1 in space a few times that way too.

I always like it when something happens I've not seen or heard before in the game but it might be hard to like this particular event.

Maybe all that happens, tho', is just you keep waiting to hear they've landed ... and waiting ... and waiting ...

[mindseye]

Good question, Seeker -

There's always that "X% Chance of Success" figure on the spaceship screen, yet I don't recall any civ (let alone mine) ever having a spaceship somehow not be "succesful" (like go to the wrong planet or something?)

- mindseye

[Tom DeMille]

This is a question which has come up in recent Fortnight OCC games. I've launched a few 15-1-1-1-1-1 spaceships (79% chance of success and 36 years travel time), and they have all arrived safely.

I'm of the opinion that your ship will ont crash, and the % chance of success is meaningless. Until someone proves differently, that is...

[SandMonkey]

I bet it's only related to your civ score. When you launch a sub-standard ship, you only get as many points for the % chance it is successful. So it's its 79%, then you will only get 79 points towards your civ score.

I think....

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SandMonkey

"Shut up brain or I'll stab you with a qtip"
-Homer Simpson

"Ecky ecky ecky!"
"It's just a flesh wound!"
- Monty Python and the Holy Grail

Check out my 1602 A.D. site

[Sten Sture]

I would be willing to wager that they never crash.

I bet we could find out if we all ordered the 3 page booklet on Civ Spaceships that is being offered on Apolyton's Civ2 main menu. It only costs $2. Evidently it tells how long different ships take to land on AC!!

Oye! Sometimes it would be nice if DanQ or MarkG still followed Civ2 instead of just SMAC and CtP.


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Side note - Paul have you OCCed CtP with WesW's patch? pchang was telling me that it is really hard to do.
[This message has been edited by Sten Sture (edited June 20, 2000).]

[Paul]

No, I haven't tried OCC in CTP yet. Maybe I should give it a try, but there are some things that make it more difficult to do, such as no WLTPD pop boom, no saving up caravans for wonder building and no NON units. There are probably some other things that I didn't think about right now.

[Dusty]

Accroding to the MGE manual the probability of success is: "...the approximate percentage of colonists who are expected to survive the voyage." Note that this does NOT mean the probability of the entire mission failing.

To test this out, I did two trials. The first was with a 39 1 1 1 1 1 ship, which had a 67 % chance of success. It arrived fine, and I got a 67 space ship bonus to my score (instead of the 100 you normally get with 1 module).

The second was with a 29 1 1 4 4 2 spaceship. It had a 27% chance of arrival. It arrived fine. For the four modules, I only got a 108 bonus.

So in conclusion, whenever you hit the "Launch" button, your ship will arrive. The probability of success only affects your civilization score.


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Dusty
[This message has been edited by Dusty (edited June 20, 2000).]

[Scouse Gits]

Thank you, Dusty, good catch

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Scouse Git[1]

"CARTAGO DELENDA EST" - Cato the Censor

[East Street Trader]

Yes, thanks Dusty.

Sort of.

Trouble is I'm not sure I can stomache murdering (some of) my brave colonists.

Now what is it that makes me think that my plans to rule the world may never quite reach fruition?

PS Sordid admission. I'd also read Tom's posts on his flimsy OCC ships whereupon the dark side of me thought, "****, if he crashes I get my one chance in life to beat his time!" Suppose I should be glad that it ain't goin' to happen.
[This message has been edited by East Street Trader (edited June 21, 2000).]