Helpful information for new players

[EternusIV]

Excellent work Sargon

[ali-t-akua]

Thanks Sargon. I wish I had known this information when I started. At least I got part of it right.

[hobknob]

That is certainly one opinion. For myself I think it boils down to a couple of things. Start with points enopugh to buy your way to beter JSS's, some armor and at least 1 weapons sytem as far as you can go. Bridge systems I can do without as a couple of commanders will fill the void in a pinch. All of this should only use about 1/2 your points. If you saved less points then you won't go as far, etc..

 

The other half of the equation is on infrastruture needs. I would never pass up the opportunity to get to improved industries or well on the way to industrial science boosts.

 

I would not spend any points on ground combat.

 

Knowing what I know today I would certainly consider spending points on horizon techs as well as improved and advanced resources. It all depends on wharer your priorities lay and what your game plan is.

 

[Octus Imperium]

I agree with Sargon nearly entirely. I think the JSS tech is critical early on, unless one is a turtle strategy player. I regret NOT keeping horizon techs in the research que and my second empire is not making that same mistake. While 2 AP fleets work, I'm finding 3 and 4 AP fleets helpful with (expensive due to numbers needed) Mk II Fusion engines for some colony routes and the occassional special pickup at an overloaded colony. I think I could be more efficient in my convoy routes, but the initial order costs are high. (Yes, they pay off over time).

 

How much SRP one retains is still an important PERSONAL or ROLE PLAYING preference. However, buying JSS and (probably) Mk II Fusion Engines as well as Improved building resources really need the SRPs, IMHO.

 

Not many have commented on psychic talents. I have a race with a modest research advantage using some psych attributes, but there seems to be little other benefit early on. There are some interesting WMDs, but ground wars are a ways off for us peaceful empire builders....

 

Octus

[ShadowKitsune]

Psychic Abilities are relatively cheap and for a reason. They don't really do a whole lot in the early stages of the game. They give you combat bonuses in ground combat, providing you build the appropriate troop types. They give you access to some exotic WMDs. There has been some discussion on whether or not they help with EXPL and DIP missions. If they do help, it is very minor and can probably be replaced with higher grade Science Labs (EXPL) or a Diplomat Character (DIP).

 

If you dedicated one RC to achieving Racial Engineering techs, you could buy your race psychic abilities at a later date. There are better things to buy your race at the beginning, IMO, than psychic abilities. I speak from the position of someone who did buy psychic abilities for his race before I knew how important having SRPs were and how long it was going to be before those abilities would be useful.

 

As this game evolves, my opinion may change, but at the moment I recommend against buying psychic abilities when you initially build your race.

 

-SK

[EternusIV]

Psychic Abilities are relatively cheap and for a reason.  They don't really do a whole lot in the early stages of the game.  They give you combat bonuses in ground combat, providing you build the appropriate troop types.  They give you access to some exotic WMDs.  There has been some discussion on whether or not they help with EXPL and DIP missions.  If they do help, it is very minor and can probably be replaced with higher grade Science Labs (EXPL) or a Diplomat Character (DIP).

 

If you dedicated one RC to achieving Racial Engineering techs, you could buy your race psychic abilities at a later date.  There are better things to buy your race at the beginning, IMO, than psychic abilities.  I speak from the position of someone who did buy psychic abilities for his race before I knew how important having SRPs were and how long it was going to be before those abilities would be useful. 

 

As this game evolves, my opinion may change, but at the moment I recommend against buying psychic abilities when you initially build your race.

 

-SK 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Fair point.

 

I wonder how these racial abilities affect space combat? I know they do...I wonder if its increased FC? Or a flat multiplier of damage? Or a couple free shots to represent 'surprise'?

 

Oh Hobknob mentioned something that I would second:

 

Build those Improved Goods early. Trading for these items is extraordinary inefficient (or impossible if you are isolated ) You'll need goods to build your stuff. I would recommend slotting all the major Improved Goods in your tech slots from the very beginning.

 

My 2 cents on Engines:

 

Trading engines isn't that efficient either...a bit of a preference issue for sure...I think engines are VERY important if you plan to do trade/colonization....and serious exploration down the line. Your exploration will go MUCH faster if you have the engines AND the Jump Survey Sensors. However, I'm finding that more than 8 APs is probably overkill for such ships....heck even 4 APs will work nicely. The speed bumps of the universe are unexplored warp points and often there will be little need for a ship to have more than 8 APs unless you have more than 8 actions you want it to perform or have a LONGGGGG trade route ahead of you etc. Plus it gets $$$$

 

With that said, I too have a position that slugs around at 2 APs per turn and it works great as I don't plan to do any colonizing. As for trade, it will be better for this position to build a forward base to make up for the lack of engine strength.

[Locklyn]

I agree with the earlier sentiments on JSS and Industrial Sciences being among the chief techs you should work towards. Otherwise it rather depends on initial racial design and your starting locations. If you end up in a starting system with easily colonisable neighbours you don't need that much of engines from the beginning. If your race sucks at colonising or is warlike in nature you want to get up in engines quickly so to spread out. Myself am learning to love the Antimatter engine.

 

Be warned though to be patient with faulty and buggy rules and a tempremental game engine.

 

I do wonder too how racial abilities affect space combat since it has never been listed anywhere in either FOBs or battle reports we have no clue as to if it even does anything for that matter, it could be busted for all we know like many techs seem to be. I for one felt royally screwed over by the descriptions of the psychic traits in the rules, dumb sucker as I was I actually believed them and bought all three believing new and different techs would open up and voila nothing but WMDs happened...even having psychic traits and those fanatic holy troops did nothing.

 

I'm sorry for this game since it promised so much depth in the rules and early descriptions but has turned into a lackluster spreadsheets in space game where the only interactivity between players can be the exchange of ship components or raw materials or their exchange of weapons fire. Too little depth, too little action and too many consistent bugs with too little GM feedback.

 

Why i'm still playing? I'm attached to my Gremloids but if I hadn't had my buddies in the alliance to keep me sane when thrown curveballs by the gameengine I would have quit a long time ago. A salute to you my friends of these three years! Of course it also helps that when you've spent a couple of thousands of dollars on a game you keep hoping for some improvement.

 

I think this game needs a break to go over and settle a number of issues before it continues. I think that either starting clusters need to be closer to each other or that engine and JSS tech gets cheaper for quicker exploration and interaction between players and finally I think the whole Diplomacy section needs to be resurrected from the dead and given some real meaning in the game.

 

/Locklyn

[LenLorek]

Locklyn, in expressing your situation you have also pretty well summed up my situation.

 

I wonder how many others think like us? (A big hint to the other players out there ... .)

[ShadowKitsune]

Locklyn, in expressing your situation you have also pretty well summed up my situation.

 

I wonder how many others think like us?  (A big hint to the other players out there ... .)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Stand up and be counted!

 

I wonder how many other players are out there? The boards -at the moment- seem to be dominated by a rather vocal minority. What I wonder is - how much of a minority are we? Are there 10s of players? 100s of players?

 

-SK

[Hughestrog]

Stand up and be counted! 

 

I wonder how many other players are out there?  The boards -at the moment- seem to be dominated by a rather vocal minority.  What I wonder is - how much of a minority are we?  Are there 10s of players?  100s of players? 

 

-SK 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I could never be accused of being vocal.

 

But in relation to the boards, I think it's swings and roundabouts, as a couple of months ago, there was hardly any activity on the SN:ROTE boards.

[ali-t-akua]

Locklyn, in expressing your situation you have also pretty well summed up my situation.

 

I wonder how many others think like us?  (A big hint to the other players out there ... .)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Stand up and be counted!

 

I wonder how many other players are out there? The boards -at the moment- seem to be dominated by a rather vocal minority. What I wonder is - how much of a minority are we? Are there 10s of players? 100s of players?

 

-SK

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I am here. I am sure I am in the "vocal" minority on this board.

[Eldred]

Here here! I agree wholeheartedly with the sentiments of Locklyn.

 

IMHO This game has the potential to be truly awesome - unfortunately it fails to live up to the hype in certain areas (e.g. diplomacy, influence of racial set up, ANZs that hint of much but mean nothing). In my view a number of issues within the game mechanics adversely affect the game balance (e.g. SRPs, screening ships). Also a number of other elements which are obviously bolted on to the original game (e.g. exploration hits) lack any realism (is every world really an alien junkyard?) and let the game down. Oh and a nice interface to analyse your turns and store all the data would also be good.

 

Having said all that, I think this is THE best game of its genre. Its great depth, clever design and genuine addictiveness has kept so many of us engrossed for so long. It's just that we want it to be even better!

 

I agree with the earlier sentiments on JSS and Industrial Sciences being among the chief techs you should work towards. Otherwise it rather depends on initial racial design and your starting locations. If you end up in a starting system with easily colonisable neighbours you don't need that much of engines from the beginning. If your race sucks at colonising or is warlike in nature you want to get up in engines quickly so to spread out. Myself am learning to love the Antimatter engine.

 

Be warned though to be patient with faulty and buggy rules and a tempremental game engine.

 

I do wonder too how racial abilities affect space combat since it has never been listed anywhere in either FOBs or battle reports we have no clue as to if it even does anything for that matter, it could be busted for all we know like many techs seem to be. I for one felt royally screwed over by the descriptions of the psychic traits in the rules, dumb sucker as I was I actually believed them and bought all three believing new and different techs would open up and voila nothing but WMDs happened...even having psychic traits and those fanatic holy troops did nothing.

 

I'm sorry for this game since it promised so much depth in the rules and early descriptions but has turned into a lackluster spreadsheets in space game where the only interactivity between players can be the exchange of ship components or raw materials or their exchange of weapons fire. Too little depth, too little action and too many consistent bugs with too little GM feedback.

 

Why i'm still playing? I'm attached to my Gremloids but if I hadn't had my buddies in the alliance to keep me sane when thrown curveballs by the gameengine I would have quit a long time ago. A salute to you my friends of these three years! Of course it also helps that when you've spent a couple of thousands of dollars on a game you keep hoping for some improvement.

 

I think this game needs a break to go over and settle a number of issues before it continues. I think that either starting clusters need to be closer to each other or that engine and JSS tech gets cheaper for quicker exploration and interaction between players and finally I think the whole Diplomacy section needs to be resurrected from the dead and given some real meaning in the game.

 

/Locklyn

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[Lord Uriel]

*sigh*

 

I'm with Locklyn on this one, as I am on most things for many moons now. The only reason I stick with this game is I can't stand the thought of a brainblob race dropping drown from orbit and taking out my New Spartans. I've spent a lot of money on this game, but I'm really tired of not knowing what is going on. I know I'm sounding like a broken record here, but some documentation that explains what happens in any aspect of the game is really needed.

 

All that being said, I enjoy the game enough to keep funding its ongoing development.

 

May your turns be everything you desire ...

 

Rob

[ShadowKitsune]

There are three things that I think would revitalize the player base.

 

1. A User-Friendly Empire Management Tool (Software)

 

Right now a lot of the players have various spreadsheets and what-not that they use to manage their Empire(s). Some homegrown tools are better than others. Some focus on different aspects of the game. However, none of the ones that I've seen are what I would call easy to use or quick.

 

2. Better Documentation

 

I don't really feel that I need to go into a whole lot of detail on this one. I think most people agree that the current level of documentation is insufficient to the task.

 

3. Company-driven, Game-specific, Bi-Weekly Newsletter

 

Here is where FAQs can be answered, status of the game can be posted, interesting bits of game related trivia can be mention and so forth. In short, a regularly scheduled communique to the player base. Right now, the most frequent thing I hear is that players aren't getting their questions/requests answered in a timely matter, if at all, which is not good.

 

I recognize that there is only so much time in the day and that Pete has a life outside of RTG (and SN:ROTE). I also recognize that SN:ROTE was launched before all of the components were tested (or written or finalized or whatever). I further recognize that the game has been running for three years and that the boundaries are being pressed in a lot more places now than two and a half years ago. Finally, I recognize the fact that RTG can't afford, literally, to shut the game down for a month or two.

 

Even with all of that, I think that a Newsletter can help matters. Tell us (the players or if you'd rather, the investors) what's going on behind the scenes a bit. If October's focus is fixing Combat module issues, let us know. If November's focus is rolling out the new and improved Espionage system, let us know. If April is going to have an "Easter Egg" Hunt for ANZ typos, let us know that as well. Heck, if serious family stuff is going on that you guys have to take care of, tell us that, too. We'll understand. We all want this to be the most kick-@ss Space Game in the history of Ever. Okay, maybe not all of us, but most of us. However, keeping us in the dark, both figuratively and literally, doesn't energize us. It angers us. It demoralizes us. It frustrates us. And none of us wants that. Just talk to us. Tell us what's going on. I think you'll find that we can be a pretty reasonable bunch, if you give us the chance.

 

FWIW,

Ken (a/k/a SK )

[Locklyn]

I agree wholeheartedly with you Shadow but that not news now is it

 

I had hoped to see some comments from Pete or Russ on all the current threads dealing with these issues but no joy...

 

/Locklyn