Exploring vs Fungicidal Qu'est-ce que c'est

[ReconRoverRush]

Hopefully this turns out as a poll.

Option 1:

Explore

Option 2:

Build colonies and death to the fungus among us.


Personally for about the first 20 games or so I've been going almost exclusively option 1. Now I'm trying option 2. Option 1 tends to either critically backfire or succeed against the AI. For example you meet Mirriam/Caretakers who immediately declare vendetta on you vs meeting the Morgans/Datajack Angels who provide you with several lucrative trades. I'm finding Brother Lal to be much better with option 2, where Spartans seem much better with option 1.

[rod87]

I'm afraid I don't entirely understand the difference between both, and therefore I can't give a fair vote. Is it a distinction between turtling up, being an isolationist versus going out trying to meet every faction? If that's the case, I think it mostly depends on the faction. I have a habit of turtling up myself, mostly because I hate being bullied into giving away important techs or else being uselessly dragged into an atrition war. But for Morgan or the Data Angels for example, it is in their best interest to meet other factions. Morgan gets more than anyone else from trade pacts, while the Angels get more free techs the more factions they meet. And Miriam needs someone to steal techs from.

[ReconRoverRush]

I think it does depend on the faction, but I'm asking your preference? So, another way to phrase the question is do you focus on or prefer factions specialized in exploration and meeting other factions early? Or, do you like factions that focus on building and terraforming?

[rod87]

Well then me personally I prefer focusing on building and terraforming, getting as many resources and as much from Planet as possible, with a healthy side of pure science. Terraforming is such a unique feature of this game, absent in so many other 4X or Civ-like games that I feel obligated to use it, experiment with it and see it in action. I'll vote Build then.

[The Odor]

I do both, so I can not vote here. If you build blind, with no explore, you can miss something important nearby, like a landmark.

[Mensonge]

I'd rather explore and meet other factions.

[FlameFlash]

Exploration seems to come naturally for me. Then I also know where to send my troops... er... diplomats.

[Mensonge]

Even with the best builders like Morgan or Domai it's better to explore. Morgan needs others to trade and make tons of money, Domai needs others to steal their technology. Besides, it's better to know the land and not to be in the dark as to who's going to attack, when, and from where.

I think there are very few instances where it's better to turtle. To be frank, I think turtling stems from anxiety of meeting the enemy.

[CEO Aaron]

In a vacuum, I have to go with build. Exploring, especially early on, is fraught with risk in this game, whereas building will provide you with more resources to expend with exploration. If you have the choice between having a large, well-mapped but unpopulated continent, and a small network of productive bases, I know which one I'd pick to win. Of the four 'primitive' priorities, only one truly unlocks the potential of all the others: Build.

However, the choice presents a false dichotomy, in point of fact. Even the most introverted, builder-centric faction still does enough exploring to scout their nearby base sites, and even the most far-ranging, rover-driving pioneer will need bases to return with those alien artifacts and other pod loot.

[sokiu]

If you build blind, with no explore, you can miss something important nearby