Battlestations

[vmxa1]

Glad you are going back. I hope I was not one of those guys. I view creative as just another option. It is good to play some with out it thought, but all picks are valid. Well maybe not Feudal, sorry I am not fond of it, very tough. I think I would rather take uncreative. Hum, I need to try that one too.

[Spaced Cowboy]

Uhhh errr uhmmm, you were. No biggie, different perspective you know. In fact, I liked creative and +1 research.

To get to 100% I'd choose large planet and -1 ground combat.

You guys had me trying things like ?charming (not-repulsive), artifacts world, sub-teranean, and others. Got me out of a rut.

[vmxa1]

Yeah, Charismatic, not one of my favs. SubT is useful if you want to grow big or get a high score. I would not pick it myself except as a test. The reason is that you can get the effect by capturing the sakkras and sent one of their people to your planet, why waste the picks? Plus for research or production are always good. Negative picks that are not too painful: -ground combat, -ship attack, -spying and one I am coming to like a lot is repulsive. I am not real fond of -spying, I used to take it all the time, but it is rough if you do not have creative. If telepathic, -gc is a freebie. Ship attack is ok by me as you will just build better ships and fight better anyway. I rarely pick it though. Whoops forgot low G. This was an automatic pick for me in the past. I am moving away from it now as that -25% is very debilitating at the start. Grav gen is a long way off in Prewarp and lots of planets are with out lowg. Others are really killers such as feudal and poor HW. I put these thoughts out to see if anyone has a different or even a better perspective. I know I have learn a lot about the game since I tried all of the races others mention and went to impossible level. I would not have learned as much if I stuck to my creative race, but will keep it as on of my favs. Non creative has given me insight to how some of the tech works, when you have to be careful about what you research, it makes you think. That is not the same as saying they are better or more fun. Also many people are talking about Mp games and tha is a different way to play with different requirements (not better, just different). In fact I could make a case that MP is an inferior game. since most use basically the same races, if all understand the game, it comes down to luck of he draw or a mistake. Anyway it is about having fun, however you like it.

[genius23]

if i had to pick a negtive i'd go for -50 pop growth, in the beginning it is easily overcome first by building housing colonies on some otherwise unattractive planets in ur system with one pop each or later with cloning center or much later with androids also -0.5BC doesnt hurt much either.
i decided never to play multiplayer again since an attack on one of my systems left a stalemate of 2 empty frigates behind and instead of retreating the enemy decided to stay around and wait out the whole 200(?) turns. that was at a time when i was charged for my internetconnection per minute.

[Spaced Cowboy]

I don't know about that. -0.5 $ always kills me (However, if I leave it alone, I'm always cash rich)....I don't get those early megawealth guys if I pick it for some reason???

-50% pop is another one that I've not considered...especially since I've been picking subterr. Need as much pop as I can get with that pick...cuz the shakkas aren't always close by.

I think I am going to try

creative
repulsive -- although no good leaders??
telepathic
-gc

and whatever else to get 100%

[vmxa1]

I have managed to get leaders with Repulsive. Often I rescue one, even two on an occasion.
I guess I can not really address -growth or money as I have never used them. I can only say, that most claim they are very hard to over come, but of course all picks can be tolerated, just some hurt more than others. Money would be one I would avoid, I always need money until the game is in hand. Repulsive is an easy one to use as it reallly cost nothing. You still get leaders, the AI will hate you anyway at the highest levels. Combat is the easiest of all.

[Spaced Cowboy]

let me see, correct me if I'm wrong

creative +8
repulsive -5
telepathic +6?
- gc -3
science+1 +3
large (or rich) home world +1

Does this sound right?

[vmxa1]

Yes, but repulsice is -6, ricjh is +2 and ground is -2, I forget +sci, I think that you have it right.

[Spaced Cowboy]

okay,

creative +8
repulsive -6
telepathic +6
- gc -2
science+1 +3
large home world +1

So repulsive and telpathic and a net sum zero...cool...Now if I can stop playing Dues Ex which by the way is way cool.

[Garth Vader]

Repulsive is an easy one to use as it reallly cost nothing.

I have tried that, but I depend too much on trade deals and peace in the early game.

I have found that peace is possible even on impossible, at least for a while.

[vmxa1]

Funny thing is that the longest peace I ever encounter was as repulsive. I do not have trade unless I am chrimatic, they just do not seem to offer it. In fact most of my games, I have not even been able to offer a gift, if when not repulsive. My lack of use for trade stems from Moo. In that game they stick with a trade until it goes positive for me. Then they soon get upset and declare war. I suspect just to get out of the trade. So I just never used it much.
I can't play 3D games due to motion sickness and it kills me.

[Garth Vader]

they just do not seem to offer it

I always offer trade and research deals whenever I meet an AI.

Sometimes they break it just when it becomes profitable, but if you have deals with everybody you are bound to be making money somewhere.

[Spaced Cowboy]

Ah yes, as well why I've avoided repulsive. I like those early trade deals, but they soon go sour anyhow. I've always manged to keep one ally for a while. It is money in the meantime, but does it pay -6 worth of something else...hmmmm.

Vmxa1, I feel your pain...no literally. Something about my posture when I play gives me a very sore neck. Something to do with having to lean forward over the keyboard and hold onto the mouse at the same time. I can usually only go every other night. And I always end up playing twice as long as I intended.

Mr 10 o'clock has pulled two midnights this week. 5:30 comes way too early and, as you know, we are not as young.....

[Spaced Cowboy]

Originally posted by Garth Vader
I always offer trade and research deals whenever I meet an AI.

Sometimes they break it just when it becomes profitable, but if you have deals with everybody you are bound to be making money somewhere.

I do too, they are more receptive if you trade some research with them first. Else I wait until I've got a few things and try again. Some races never want to talk, some a friendly all the time. Sometimes they are totally opposite of what you are used to.

[vmxa1]

I have ben trying to make trades lately, but as I mentioned, when I select audience I frequently see only goodbye, declare war or surrender. I have games where that is the case for all races,sigh.....