24 replies to this topic

[feld]

I figured that new players might benefit from a FAQ on the space colony/star base system.

PR's News post on the v1.1 Space Station/Space Colony system quoted below for reference.

First and foremost, after two setbacks and two jury-rigged fixes, starbases levels have been torn asunder. Now, in order to build from the entire spectrum of ship classes at a single planet, you will need to construct one of each of the five starbases there. Specifically, Level 1 produces utilities, fighters, and bombers; Level 2 produces transports, freighters, and corvettes, Level 3 produces frigates and cruisers; Level 4 produces destroyers and capitals; and Level 5 just produces dreadnoughts.

The impetus behind doing this was to reduce the likelihood of units falling off the right of the interface, but more importantly, it allows for specialization previously unseen in Empire at War: if you build two of the same starbase level at a single location, all of the corresponding ship classes will be built in half of the time. It is now possible to, for example, dedicate a planet entirely to churning out new capital ships by installing five Level 4 starbases there. The only exceptions to this are research and upgrades, which take the same amount of time regardless of how many duplicate bases there are; however, you will still need the proper starbase in orbit in order to make such developments.

Questions on the new system:
1. This reference post above is slightly dated...is the information still current or were there other changes before release?

2. Is there a limit to the number of space structures that you can build at a planet? I keep building at Byss...and the engine keeps letting me build...I think I'm up to five stations...but I know that the interface only lets me see two slots...so I don't get feedback if I'm replacing something? Is there anyway for players to see the limit in game or is it just something that I need to remember?

3. Does each subsequent starbase of a given level reduce build time by half (i.e. 1/2, 1/4, 1/8...) or is there some other formula?

4. Do I understand correctly that the necessary components for research/upgrades are (with "x" = necessary level for a given project/upgrade):

a space colony + Lvl "x" starbase + Research Facility + Pre-requisites complete = Research/Upgrade Project

a space colony + Lvl "x" starbase + Research Facility + Pre-requisites complete + Hero present = Hero Upgrade

5. Do I understand correctly that the ONLY functions of space colonies are as a pre-requisite to support other space units and to increase galactic population cap?

6. Do I understand correctly that if a system's space colony is destroyed in a given combat that all of the space infrastructure will disappear at the end of that combat?

7. Does the AI take advantage of the build rate increase mentioned above? i.e. has anyone seen it build multiple bases?

8. Would Tech Trees showing which units could be built at which starbases be useful to anyone? See the GE, Alliance, and CSA examples below:





Thanks!
r/
feld

Edited by feld, 07 January 2009 - 02:24 PM.

[Phoenix Rising]

1. This reference post above is slightly dated...is the information still current or were there other changes before release?

It's all still correct (open StarBases.xml if you want to see what I meant by "jury-rigging"... it's messy, but it works). The only other change I made was requiring a certain colony level in order to build bigger stations, which was Ghost's suggestion. So you need a Space Colony 5 in order to build a Star Base 5.

2. Is there a limit to the number of space structures that you can build at a planet?

Yes, but the interface doesn't account for it. We've greatly abused the same slots that the gravity well station and such used in vanilla for the new stations. Every planet has it's own limit, but you can't see what it is. I plan on adding that information to the planet descriptions for the next version.

3. Does each subsequent starbase of a given level reduce build time by half (i.e. 1/2, 1/4, 1/8...) or is there some other formula?

Not half, but 1/x. So 1/2, 1/3, 1/4, etc. up to 1/8 (no planet has more than 8 slots).

4. Do I understand correctly that the necessary components for research/upgrades are (with "x" = necessary level for a given project/upgrade):

Right, other than heroes - they don't require the research facility.

5. Do I understand correctly that the ONLY functions of space colonies are as a pre-requisite to support other space units and to increase galactic population cap?

Yup. Adding the space colonies was jury rig number one - the engine requires a centralized station like the vanilla star bases or our space colonies.

6. Do I understand correctly that if a system's space colony is destroyed in a given combat that all of the space infrastructure will disappear at the end of that combat?

It ought to, but not by my design. Same effect as a raid victory.

7. Does the AI take advantage of the build rate increase mentioned above? i.e. has anyone seen it build multiple bases?

I'm pretty sure it does, but the interface is just plain awful for determining this. You can only see the first two stations (the ones on the lefthand side in boxes). Anything after that - and there could be up to six more present - is totally ambiguous from the galactic view. I would try to fix it, but I've had terrible success with getting the interface to change (I can't even get the CSA insignia to show up), so I think it's a bit of a lost cause.

8. Would Tech Trees showing which units could be built at which starbases be useful to anyone? See the GE example below:

I think it's a good idea. I could color the official ones too if enough people would like it.

[feld]

8. Would Tech Trees showing which units could be built at which starbases be useful to anyone? See the GE example below:

I think it's a good idea. I could color the official ones too if enough people would like it.

I was going to do the rest and then send them back to you since I do not want to detract from infinitely valuable modding time. I understand though that this mod/website is part of your resume so "perfection" is probably what you're after. Still, PM me if you want them. You already worked through Christmas...

[coinich]

Odd, I just destroyed a level 5 colony, but I didn't win the battle. Then the AI hyperspaced 10 Acclimators into my rear, and I figured it was time to cut my losses; I had seriously abused that pirate fleet, but at a high cost. :(

[feld]

Odd, I just destroyed a level 5 colony, but I didn't win the battle. Then the AI hyperspaced 10 Acclimators into my rear, and I figured it was time to cut my losses; I had seriously abused that pirate fleet, but at a high cost. :(

It's not an automatic win...destroying the colony will cost the enemy all his space infrastructure only *after* the battle is over. So you need to retreat before his space stations disappear. That's pne of the reasons why I think it's not a very useful cheat.

[coinich]

Ah, I thought it would be an automatic win. Drat, intel says I still only killed half of their fleet!

Edited by coinich, 30 December 2008 - 12:57 AM.

[Phoenix Rising]

I was going to do the rest and then send them back to you since I do not want to detract from infinitely valuable modding time.

It won't take me long. Plus I need to work on documentation more than I do.

[Kitkun]

open StarBases.xml if you want to see what I meant by "jury-rigging"... it's messy, but it works

Aw jeez... you weren't kidding. At least messing with complements shouldn't be that complicated.

[coinich]

Wait a minute, do pirates rebuild their starbases?

[Kitkun]

Wait a minute, do pirates rebuild their starbases?

They shouldn't be. They don't have any AI.

[coinich]

Then how did Metellos keep its two Cardan space stations when I destroyed the colony?

Damn Rebels, I weakened the pirates with raids, until they came and "liberated" the planet!

[feld]

Then how did Metellos keep its two Cardan space stations when I destroyed the colony?

Damn Rebels, I weakened the pirates with raids, until they came and "liberated" the planet!

<blink>
That's interesting. Do you mean that you came in, blew up the colony, hypered out, and the stations stayed?

I did a space raid on Metellos, blew up the colony, and the one level 1 starbase blew up when I left...I didn't have to fire a shot at it...

[coinich]

Nope they stayed. Repeatedly.

Also, somehow I lost the ability to build space units after a Rebel raid. They killed 1 Level 3 starbase, and severely injured the other, but couldn't really dent the colony (they had only fighters by that point). Afterwards, I could only build starbases, and could have two Level 3s in the queue at once.

[Phoenix Rising]

Also, somehow I lost the ability to build space units after a Rebel raid. They killed 1 Level 3 starbase, and severely injured the other, but couldn't really dent the colony (they had only fighters by that point). Afterwards, I could only build starbases, and could have two Level 3s in the queue at once.

I figured this might be a problem. They killed your Star Base 3, but not your Star Base 3 (2), so you could build Star Base 3 and Star Base 3 (3). I'll have to add them all into the build prerequisites.

[coinich]

Its not the first time, and it happened with another starbase version (level 2, I think). I think its inherent to the starbase system, at least so far.

[keraunos]

Feld, would you like to create two such techtrees (for Rebellion as well) and make them bigger & printable? I would be quite helpfull in modding

[feld]

Feld, would you like to create two such techtrees (for Rebellion as well) and make them bigger & printable? I would be quite helpfull in modding

Sure, but give me a few days. Life/work being overly annoying right now...
@PR - I know you said you were going to do this officially for the documentation...mine will just be quick and dirty tools for keraunos.

Edited by feld, 05 January 2009 - 08:24 PM.

[Phoenix Rising]

Feld, would you like to create two such techtrees (for Rebellion as well) and make them bigger & printable? I would be quite helpfull in modding

Making them bigger won't make the images any better than 72 DPI. If I get time, I want to redo all the images in 300 DPI for a printable version for the next release.

@PR - I know you said you were going to do this officially for the documentation...mine will just be quick and dirty tools for keraunos.

That's cool.

[feld]

Feld, would you like to create two such techtrees (for Rebellion as well) and make them bigger & printable? I would be quite helpfull in modding

Ok - I took the Alliance and CSA techtrees and colored them the same way I did the Empire's tree and saved all as jpegs. As for making them bigger...that's pretty much beyond my present time capacity due to all the detail work required to touch up the lettering and graphics if I increase the sizes. See PR's comment above on his plans for next release of the tech trees. I also tried printing the Empire one and it looks OK in color, landscape, shrunk to fit onto two pages.

Please everyone check my work on these new trees: I haven't played the Alliance or against CSA at all yet.

Edited by feld, 07 January 2009 - 07:21 PM.

[Phoenix Rising]

Please everyone check my work on these new trees: I haven't played the Alliance or against CSA at all yet.

I can probably do it the fastest. Everything looks right... although the CSA aren't in GC, so I'm not sure how much it'll matter for now.