Stars!

[Sandman]

Packets:

Build planetary defenses.

Build the best packet flinger you can, even a substandard one will reduce the damage.

Attack the opposing starbase.

'Dodge' the attack by moving your entire population into freighters and recolonising the planet.

[Straybow]

Yeah, that's one of the things I didn't like about the game. Ships immediately slow to speed 1 when fuel is exhausted, but packets can somehow "coast" at speeds faster than powered ships of equivalent tech level. Much less the accuracy required to hit a tiny target from light-years away with an unguided mass.

I might've enjoyed it enough to buy it if it hadn't been for that.

[MariOne]

So you mean that this single inconsistence in the physics of an otherwise extremely complex game was enough for you to decide to dump the game along with the other 99 good things it has?

How they say, your mileage may vary, but then MY mileage is that this is a very weird reaction...

It's been at least a couple of years since I last played some Stars!
IIRC, travel was FTL, and the speeds were Warp1, 2, 3, etc...
If that is true, it could make sense that without some sci-fi quirk engine, a body will "naturally" slow down to the light-speed limit at most...

Regarding Mass Packets, I can't recall whether the design simulated some form of wave/beam that had to be kept projected fromn the launching planet to keep the Packet's speed...

I know, Stars! model could induce you to think that it was a partially realistic representation of Astrophysics, and thus to also "expect" some consistence, but as a mater of fact it is far from that.
Think for instance of Gates, which "scientific" consistence could you find in it? Yet, it was a fantasy sci-fi option, adding an interesting alternative for your tactical and even strategical playing choices...

[Spaced Cowboy]

Just started my first game at the hardest level on the biggest universe. I've noticed that the tutorial advocates the use of mines, but I have not used them much myself. Aside from packets, I have not even been bothered by the AI, but like I said, this is the first on the hardest level.

I have noticed that building a lot of light beamers with scoops early on helps keep the borders clear of the enemy colony ships. These especially help against the Alternate reality race with their autobombing colony ships. They help defend my starter colonies and take out theirs.

[The Rusty Gamer]

When's the sequel?

I'm still waiting on the sequel to come out - Supernova Genesis!.

I'm still waiting on Galactic Civlizations and MOO3 as well.

As regards to packets, you could look at it that as unmanned flight, thus it doesn't have any real weight to slow it down?

RPMisCOOL, On a big universe, it may take a bit before you start to eno****er other races; that is why so far you have not been attacked. They may not have discovered you yet.

[Spaced Cowboy]

The only thing that the AI is doing to me is hitting me with packets (big ones that take out my colonies). Other than that, they have no nasty fleets or any bombers that I've been able to see.

Prolly should have played those harder games a little further, but I pretty much had the whole universe mapped, and there wasn't much of a challenge.

I already defeated the alternate reality race quite easily with a few armed scouts and a smallish missle fleet of cruisers.

Anyhow, I too am waiting for MoO3, and Galactic Civilizations.

BTW the sequel is dead (Supernova Genesis).
Which is reallt a shame.

[Sandman]

Most of the standard AI races are pretty weak, but one, the Hyper Expansion one, is almost impossible to kill if you don't nip them in the bud.

[Main_Brain]

try Playing AR instead
No Planetary Defenses to save you. Protect the Starbase or loose the Planet- Thats simple Gameplay :=)




//whew 5 Errors in 2 Sentences