Black outline around resources?

[jez9999]

OK, on the resources screen, sometimes I will see a black outline around resource(s). Here's some screenshots to show what I mean.

In this one, it appears around a food resource:

http://www.game-point.net/misc/smac1.png

In this one, a food and energy resource:

http://www.game-point.net/misc/smac2.png

In this one, a minerals resource:

http://www.game-point.net/misc/smac3.png

What does it mean? I can't seem to find anything about it in the manual (darn stupid manual, not up to the standards of the Civ2 one!) And, what's the significance of how 'big' that black border is - sometimes it's narrow, and sometimes it's thick?

[vyeh]

With the exception of bonus squares (note the food bonus square in your first picture produces 4 food), you can only harvest 2 resources of each kind until the discovery of certain techs:

Gene Splicing allows 3 or more food to be harvest from a square.

Ecological Engineering allows 3 or more minerals.

Environmental Economics allows 3 or more energy.

See Chapter 3. Planet. Resources. Nutrients (p. 37 in my SMAC manual), Minerals (p. 37) and Energy (p. 38).

[jez9999]

And... the thicker the black border, the more resources could be being produced, but are being missed out on?

[dgh64]

Exactly. The border means "you could be producing 5, but you only get 2 because you don't have the right tech yet."

[GooglyBoogly]

a little feature/bug makes it that condensors lift nutrient restrictions for the tile, this is only useful if you have the Weather Paradigm out early.

Also: the base square has no restrictions, ever

speaking of manual, if you are playing SMACX, there's a link to the improved datalinks in my sig.