First Secret Project Timing

[mmontgomery]

How soon do people in multiplayer games complete their first secret project, and what project is typically chosen?

I know that a secret project can be completed by turn 30-35 in most games, but completing one this early is very costly in terms of early expansion speed. When there is not severe competition for the projects, I think one ends up in a superior position when the first secret project is delayed until turn 50-60, or in some cases even a bit later.

So what tradeoff do you usually make between early expansion and grabbing a critical secret project early?

[Sikander]

I typically aim for somewhere near 2150 in single player and build several SPs in succession thereafter, typically all the early ones I want.

[Leon Trotsky]

Grabbing the Weather Paradigm by turn 2120 (often using Alien Artifacts) can give you a very important boost. It's almost obscene, so much that the project is banned in some games (pre-destroyed).

[Lazerus]

PTS + Nerve staple

[Kirov]

I've seen first projects around 2113 (Pirates), and believe it was a record.

In SP games I get my first project ca 2150, cause there are much worse starting conditions than in CMN-ed PBEMs. In the latter I try to rush to WP (say 2130, depending on AAs), then, with IA, I almost stop my expansion to mass produce crawlers and get at least one drone-quelling project (PTS is the best, of course).

All things being equal, I don't think that project completion is too pricey in terms of expansion. If you get PTS, you get an immediate boost (all bases grow to 3) plus you can expand like crazy. Add HGP and you're the king of the castle. On the other hand, I never actually _assume_ I'll grab that specific project - too much competition around. But by and large, I would have no problem with having WP, PTS, HGP and two bases by 2150.