Borehole Cluster -- What's the point?

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Author Topic:   Borehole Cluster -- What's the point?

Oleg Leschoff posted 03-26-99 12:20 PM ET
[about patch 3.0] I've recently got that new interlude about Borehole Cluster landmark. After that I've started to look for it on the map (I've got some satellites at that time) and found it on a little island (on the big random map). Not sure is it just appeared or always was there (I mean why that interlude?).
So, I've got there and built a base, and noticed that those alien boreholes produces the same resources as my own near them (6 minerals and 6 energy). So what's they about, is it worth getting to establish base there?
P.S. Excuse me if this topic has alredy been discussed somewhere else, and in this case just point me there.
Darkstar posted 03-26-99 01:00 PM ET
The alien boreholes don't count as terraforming damage.
But be careful! If something happens NEAR them that causes the land to change (earthquake, etc) they down grade to the "normal" type. Then, that one counts towards damage... I think.
-Darkstar
weregamer posted 03-26-99 06:35 PM ET
I didn't realize they don't count toward damage - that explains the special graphics.
I just thought it was convenient to have boreholes pre-made long before the tech became available...
JaimeWolf posted 03-30-99 11:52 PM ET
Waaaahh!!! I wanna be able to build my own alien boreholes!
Any ideas about what about them makes them not produce eco-damage?
James
Pyramider posted 03-31-99 09:00 PM ET
They probably don't cause eco-damage because they've been around for a million years and Planet has adapted to their presence.
Shining1 posted 03-31-99 09:15 PM ET
Or the Aliens were members of GreenPeace.
Heh. "Harming they flower mind." I rolled on the floor over that one - it just sums up so sweetly someone I know...
Warpig posted 04-01-99 03:06 PM ET
What the....? I tapped into a Borehole Cluster yesterday. Mineral output was lovely, but my ecodamage went through the basement. Fungal blooms abound.
Have you actually had a game with no ecodamage BH clusters or are you just quoting from some source?
Darkstar posted 04-01-99 03:16 PM ET
Boreholes are MAJOR terraforming, and upset planet by their existance it seems. (Of course, if someone punched a hole into me, I'd get upset too). The Cluster don't cause THAT problem and don't count as terraforming damage.
What you are talking about, WarPig, is that when you used the holes, the mineral production of your city went up, raising your eco-damage as the city went over that magic boundry for size to non-damaging mineral count. That, they don't seem to be immune from. Can't have it all, it seems...
-Darkstar
Warpig posted 04-01-99 03:37 PM ET
Ahh, thanks for the clarification. Heh, there are so many events that affect so many other events in this game....I still haven't got it all sorted out yet. A big part of the fun (challenge) of this game is the rather steep learning curve. I never played the Civ series, so its a rather new experience for me.
Warpig
(making optimal use of this forum)
DrPhibes posted 04-03-99 11:36 AM ET
Hint -- try using supply crawlers on boreholes. Lessons the eco-damage.
wkehrman posted 04-06-99 08:52 PM ET
Allow me to point out the most obvious benefit....
If you are fortunate to be near it early in the game and can isolate it, it means beaucoup early energy and minerals for you, while your opponents are scratching mines out of the rocky soil and planting solar collectors into the riverbeds (which I gotta believe upsets the Sierra Club somethin' fierce).
Besides that, IIRC, it does not suffer from some of the limitations placed on you early in the game regarding maximum mineral extraction and such.
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Author	Topic: Borehole Cluster -- What's the point?
Oleg Leschoff	posted 03-26-99 12:20 PM ET [about patch 3.0] I've recently got that new interlude about Borehole Cluster landmark. After that I've started to look for it on the map (I've got some satellites at that time) and found it on a little island (on the big random map). Not sure is it just appeared or always was there (I mean why that interlude?). So, I've got there and built a base, and noticed that those alien boreholes produces the same resources as my own near them (6 minerals and 6 energy). So what's they about, is it worth getting to establish base there? P.S. Excuse me if this topic has alredy been discussed somewhere else, and in this case just point me there.
Darkstar	posted 03-26-99 01:00 PM ET The alien boreholes don't count as terraforming damage. But be careful! If something happens NEAR them that causes the land to change (earthquake, etc) they down grade to the "normal" type. Then, that one counts towards damage... I think. -Darkstar
weregamer	posted 03-26-99 06:35 PM ET I didn't realize they don't count toward damage - that explains the special graphics. I just thought it was convenient to have boreholes pre-made long before the tech became available...
JaimeWolf	posted 03-30-99 11:52 PM ET Waaaahh!!! I wanna be able to build my own alien boreholes! Any ideas about what about them makes them not produce eco-damage? James
Pyramider	posted 03-31-99 09:00 PM ET They probably don't cause eco-damage because they've been around for a million years and Planet has adapted to their presence.
Shining1	posted 03-31-99 09:15 PM ET Or the Aliens were members of GreenPeace. Heh. "Harming they flower mind." I rolled on the floor over that one - it just sums up so sweetly someone I know...
Warpig	posted 04-01-99 03:06 PM ET What the....? I tapped into a Borehole Cluster yesterday. Mineral output was lovely, but my ecodamage went through the basement. Fungal blooms abound. Have you actually had a game with no ecodamage BH clusters or are you just quoting from some source?
Darkstar	posted 04-01-99 03:16 PM ET Boreholes are MAJOR terraforming, and upset planet by their existance it seems. (Of course, if someone punched a hole into me, I'd get upset too). The Cluster don't cause THAT problem and don't count as terraforming damage. What you are talking about, WarPig, is that when you used the holes, the mineral production of your city went up, raising your eco-damage as the city went over that magic boundry for size to non-damaging mineral count. That, they don't seem to be immune from. Can't have it all, it seems... -Darkstar
Warpig	posted 04-01-99 03:37 PM ET Ahh, thanks for the clarification. Heh, there are so many events that affect so many other events in this game....I still haven't got it all sorted out yet. A big part of the fun (challenge) of this game is the rather steep learning curve. I never played the Civ series, so its a rather new experience for me. Warpig (making optimal use of this forum)
DrPhibes	posted 04-03-99 11:36 AM ET Hint -- try using supply crawlers on boreholes. Lessons the eco-damage.
wkehrman	posted 04-06-99 08:52 PM ET Allow me to point out the most obvious benefit.... If you are fortunate to be near it early in the game and can isolate it, it means beaucoup early energy and minerals for you, while your opponents are scratching mines out of the rocky soil and planting solar collectors into the riverbeds (which I gotta believe upsets the Sierra Club somethin' fierce). Besides that, IIRC, it does not suffer from some of the limitations placed on you early in the game regarding maximum mineral extraction and such.