Clusters or not

[Garth Vader]

My first 2 games were on scattered. I started a large with scattered, and it seemed pretty crappy so I tried tight clusters.

Now this looks easier. I have once sector with at least 5 good planets. Another with 4. I was able to explore all planets real fast so I can start looking for resources quickly.

What does everybody else usually use?

[hombrejava]

I'm still experimenting, but I'm finding that clusters are good if you want to play defensively. The large spaces act as buffers between other races. On the other hand, if your interested in conquest then scattered makes this easier.

[Harry Seldon]

I tend to lean towards clusters because I can colonize faster and make better use of starbases for sector bonuses.

[Nirvana_CN]

Clusters make for an easier game, you get more planets, more seculsion, you have natural "Borders".

With scattered you civ is...well scattered hehe i dont use Tight anymore, as scattered is mkuch more fun to me. With scattered you always know you will get a section of the map to yourself etc etc.

Although Tight is far easier to learn on, it took me a few games to realise i had to be MUCH MUCH more agressive in colonising on scattered games.

[Cookie Monster]

I like scattered as well because it makes the game a little harder. What I mean is the initial Rexing is tougher.

[Garth Vader]

I think my problem now is I have problems claiming resources. The Drengin keep sending six constructors into my space and getting all the resources by the time I have one or two.

Since they don't have to explore to find them, and they seem to be able to out produce me since I need scouts first to explore, how do you get resources!

I had no problems on normal, but bright is killing me

[bonscott]

Originally posted by Garth Vader
I think my problem now is I have problems claiming resources. The Drengin keep sending six constructors into my space and getting all the resources by the time I have one or two.

Since they don't have to explore to find them, and they seem to be able to out produce me since I need scouts first to explore, how do you get resources!

I had no problems on normal, but bright is killing me

Ok, two things:

1) Latest patch made the AI use starbases better, especially on higher levels. Sounds like it's working (if you patched that is).

2) The AI does *not* know where the resources are. All they know is where the yellow stars are located (basically free Stellar Cartography technolgy).

[Garth Vader]

I am patched.

Point 2 has got to be crap, no offence

I have never seen a Drengin scout, but yet they bee lined from the bottom right of a large map to resources in the middle then top right. I was in the middle of the map and watched as all their constructors, and only constructors went through my space.

[Ellestar]

On Tight Clusters starbases give cumulative production bonus. Say, you have 5 good planets in 1 sector (compared to 2 with other settings). Then you can colonize lvl11+ worlds (if you have +PQ race bonus) and say you have 5 good and 3 bad planets (=5+2=7 good planets in production). This sector produces a constructors 3,5 times faster than a sector with 2 planets. Then every starbase gives you 3,5 more bonus to production because you have more planets. So, starbases production bonus grows much faster.
You can't colonize every 11+ because it's ruin your economy or at least will be inefficient in most cases. But you can colonize just several planets in good sectors.

That's why i like +PQ - it increases efficiency of starbases (indirectly of course). I am a builder-style player, if i played a game only a little and don't know what strategies are most efficient ones i choose 'colonize and terraform them all' option.

[LDiCesare]

I have never seen a Drengin scout, but yet they bee lined from the bottom right of a large map to resources in the middle then top right. I was in the middle of the map and watched as all their constructors, and only constructors went through my space.

You forget that survey ships can get wormholed to a point far away, so they make good scouts and every race starts with one. If it chanced to "land" near a resource the other side of the galaxy, you wouldn't have seen it coming.

[Garth Vader]

Yeah that's probably what happened.

I have seen evidence in my current game that they don't know where the resources are.