another MOO2 newbie

[lord of the mark]

I just bought MOO2 (used, $5 US) and installed it.

A couple of questions if you will.

1. I have version 1.2. Do i need a patch?


2. Suggested settings for someone new to MOO2, but moderatedly experienced TBS player (I can win Civ2 on Deity with a perfectionist strat much but not all of the time, for example ive played SMAC and Imp, but never got into either as much as Civ) i prefer to learn a games features at a comfortable level, but dont want to waste time at a level too unchallenging.

[vmxa1]

Yes get 1.31 patch.

http://www.ugcs.caltech.edu/~iraqispy/moo2/

I think there is some guides here as well.

[siron]

This guide will be helpful...

http://thedopefish.com/moo3/moo2_kfizzle_guide.html

...if u want to try the challenging Multiplayer later on.

[GePap]

Re: another MOO2 newbie

Originally posted by lord of the mark
2. Suggested settings for someone new to MOO2, but moderatedly experienced TBS player (I can win Civ2 on Deity with a perfectionist strat much but not all of the time, for example ive played SMAC and Imp, but never got into either as much as Civ) i prefer to learn a games features at a comfortable level, but dont want to waste time at a level too unchallenging.

Well, you could always try the average difficulty, whcih allows you to set up a custom race, and use a race with no advantages or disadvantages- just plain vanilla.

Or you could use a race with only negative picks to make it even more challenging.

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by vmxa1
Yes get 1.31 patch.

http://www.ugcs.caltech.edu/~iraqispy/moo2/

I think there is some guides here as well.

just curious, before i get it, what does that patch do?

Ive tried fooling around with the game a bit and have two problems so far.

1. Cursor is difficult to move esp on build screen

2. Cant build colony ship after researching tech, not sure why not.

[lord of the mark]

Re: Re: another MOO2 newbie

Originally posted by GePap


Well, you could always try the average difficulty, whcih allows you to set up a custom race, and use a race with no advantages or disadvantages- just plain vanilla.

Or you could use a race with only negative picks to make it even more challenging.

Im trying average, using the klackons (want to try the unique races).

Do you suggest average or pre-warp start? Size of Galaxy? Ive tried average.

[vmxa1]

Originally posted by lord of the mark


just curious, before i get it, what does that patch do?

Ive tried fooling around with the game a bit and have two problems so far.

1. Cursor is difficult to move esp on build screen

2. Cant build colony ship after researching tech, not sure why not.

The cursor is a pain in some systems (mine). You can often get it to work on the sticky parts by holding the shift or cntrl key down.

I forget as I no longer need to do it. I now use MoSlo and run at half speed and it is fine.

The number of changes is huge in 1.3 and 1.31, see the readme. It makes the game a lot better.

You need Chem 50 (std feul cells),
Power 50 (engines)
Power 80 (colony ship)

IOW you need the learn to fly tech as well as the colony ship tech.

[vmxa1]

Re: Re: Re: another MOO2 newbie

Originally posted by lord of the mark
Im trying average, using the klackons (want to try the unique races).

Do you suggest average or pre-warp start? Size of Galaxy? Ive tried average.

Well if you want to master the game I feel it is best to start with PreWarp. You can use any game variables that suit you for size and age.

Maybe start with large until you have the game mechanics down. In a smaller map you will have contact sooner.

Difficulty levels is whatever you feel comfortable with to start. Some of the fun is to step up levels until you play at impossible all the time.

I miss my early low level games, when I was making lots of mistakes and would have a tougher time.

You can make any race that appeals to you, but I would suggest not using creative until you have the tech tree down. Using creative takes all of the hard decisions out of the game, you simply get all the tech and make no choices.

I have posted lots of games with step by step moves on the board for several of the races. While these may or may not be the best possible way to play, they will give you good idea of what to consider.

I think they are all for impossible level, but that does not matter.

Have fun, that is what matters.

One more thing, the number of players. Well I prefer to play with the max as that makes the game harder. You could take one of two position.

1- lower number and increase as you go
2- max and take your lumps until you master it

[lord of the mark]

The cursor is a pain in some systems (mine). You can often get it to work on the sticky parts by holding the shift or cntrl key down.

Thanks, Ill try that.

I forget as I no longer need to do it. I now use MoSlo and run at half speed and it is fine.

Moslo?

The number of changes is huge in 1.3 and 1.31, see the readme. It makes the game a lot better.

Thanks.

You need Chem 50 (std feul cells),
Power 50 (engines)
Power 80 (colony ship)

IOW you need the learn to fly tech as well as the colony ship tech.

Thanks, after I posted i thought it was something like that.

[lord of the mark]

Re: Re: Re: Re: another MOO2 newbie

Well if you want to master the game I feel it is best to start with PreWarp.

Yup, i started at prewarp, then started with average where i get a colony ship. That gave me the indication that, as you said above, what i had needed was another tech.

You can use any game variables that suit you for size and age.

Maybe start with large until you have the game mechanics down. In a smaller map you will have contact sooner.

Yup, the standard TBS larger map, more time to develop relationship.

Difficulty levels is whatever you feel comfortable with to start. Some of the fun is to step up levels until you play at impossible all the time.

I miss my early low level games, when I was making lots of mistakes and would have a tougher time.

I tried that with SMAC, after already being a pretty solid Civ 2 player (if not quite by poly standards) and SMAC was too easy. By the time id gotten to transcend level, i was getting bored with the game (which was not my favorite, but thats another story) and i never did finish my transcend level win.

You can make any race that appeals to you, but I would suggest not using creative until you have the tech tree down. Using creative takes all of the hard decisions out of the game, you simply get all the tech and make no choices.

I have posted lots of games with step by step moves on the board for several of the races. While these may or may not be the best possible way to play, they will give you good idea of what to consider.

I think they are all for impossible level, but that does not matter.

Have fun, that is what matters.

One more thing, the number of players. Well I prefer to play with the max as that makes the game harder. You could take one of two position.

1- lower number and increase as you go
2- max and take your lumps until you master it

[/QUOTE]

Thanks, i'll try fooling around a bit more, I think, before looking for strat ideas, but i will look for yours when i reach that point.

[vmxa1]

Moslo is a tool that makes your machine run at a lower effective speed. This is often needed for old DOS games. Moo2 is really a DOS game that was sort of retrofitted for Win95.

I think they have a trial version, otherwise you have to get a lics.
I bought the version that was not available with a trail to use on some other games. When I found it worked on my Moo2 problems, I was shocked.

I too finally stopped playing SMAC, even though I did really like it and played it for a long time. I no longer have it and don't play Civ2 any more either. I play C3C which takes both of their places or me.

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by vmxa1
Moslo is a tool that makes your machine run at a lower effective speed. This is often needed for old DOS games. Moo2 is really a DOS game that was sort of retrofitted for Win95.

I think they have a trial version, otherwise you have to get a lics.
I bought the version that was not available with a trail to use on some other games. When I found it worked on my Moo2 problems, I was shocked.

I too finally stopped playing SMAC, even though I did really like it and played it for a long time. I no longer have it and don't play Civ2 any more either. I play C3C which takes both of their places or me.

since im running Win98, i dont suppose i need moslo.

I finally dled the patch. I got it from the atari website.

[vmxa1]

Well if the cursor is still "sticking", you may be having the problem from the speed of the system.

So it would be the cpu speed, rather than the operating system. The fastest sytem that I ran Win98 on was 1.7GH. All my systems that are/were faster than that use XP.

I did not see this issue until I started using a 3GH system over a year ago.

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by vmxa1
Well if the cursor is still "sticking", you may be having the problem from the speed of the system.

So it would be the cpu speed, rather than the operating system. The fastest sytem that I ran Win98 on was 1.7GH. All my systems that are/were faster than that use XP.

I did not see this issue until I started using a 3GH system over a year ago.

RL has been busy lately and so i havent tried to run the game since i dled the patch.

My system is slower than 1.7 GH, considerably. When i get a newer system, I will load only Win XP on it, and leave Win98 on the old system.

[Garth Vader]

Unlike vmxa1 I would suggest playing creative in your first few games. You will get all the tech so you can decide what works for you and what doesn't so in later games when not creative you will have a better idea of what you want to research.