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Author Topic:   Tips for a Talent

dreadhead posted 09-27-99 06:06 AM ET
I could sure use some quick tips for winng at Talent level. I'm a newbie here, so please be patient. I actually played some games at Transcend level, but got beat so badly that I decided to go back and try to win one game at each level before going to the next. I read as many of the posts as I could, and tried to apply some of the tips, but to no avail. I can barely expand due to mind worms and the fact that very early in the game, my rivals have managed to have at least 10 cities very close to my territory. One of the frustrating things that happened to me was that as I was sending a colony pod to a particularly choice spot, Yang built a base right in my territory next to where I wanted to build. We wre not at war, either. I thought you couldn't build a colony in someone else's territory. Also, how does one get others out of your territory. Every time I ask someone to remove their troops, they declare vendetta against me! That really ticks me off because I'm a pacifist who enjoys my good reputation. When others ask me to leave their area, I simply go. Also, I've noticed that I can never get above feeble in military strength. How is that calculated, anyway? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
ddayjoe44 posted 09-27-99 04:05 PM ET
First, if you haven't won at a lower level than Talent, drop back one more level. The game plays more forgiving at the lower three levels. Next, use a bigger map. Huge Map size is good for this. It spreads out the competition a bit. Customize the planet a bit. Selecting "weak", and "few" mind worms help. Remember to build terrain with minerals and energy in mind. Energy will help you "buy" units quickly, when you need them. Minerals will build them faster. Upgrade those early units for defense as soon as you can afford to do so. Also, work on The Weather Paragrim as soon as you've expanded a couple of bases. Your formers will be able to help you build resources more efficiently. KIss butt with your next door neightbor, if your faction is not as strong. Only go to war with a faction when you have an ally between you and the faction you are warring with. It will slow their progress and your next door neighbor may help you kick some faction butt! Last, practice, practice, practice!!! Experiment with Workshop, building one city for tech, one for energy, one for military units, etc. It's great practice. You won't always win, but you'll sure a hell learn a lot from the experience! Good luck!
dreadhead posted 09-27-99 04:25 PM ET
I did win a game at Citizen level on a Huge map. In fact, I only play on Huge maps so that I won't encounter others so quickly. I thought that if I managed to win at Talent level, this would prepare me in a way for winning at the higher levels.
I did have a question? It may sound somewhat silly on the face of it but I'll ask anyway. Why aren't the skunkworks available to build at Citizen level? I see that they are available at Talent and above. I don't know about Specialist as I never played at that level. And since the Spartans get their prototypes free, I take it they have no need of them. It would have been an interesting challenge when I was playing at Citizen.
I also had a question about maps. If you make your own, and I haven't had luck at that yet, is it true that if you use them, your game will not be scored? Just wondering. Thanks.
Velociryx posted 09-27-99 04:33 PM ET
Hey dreadhead!
As to suggestions, it depends on your style of play.....since you favor huge maps and slow contact, I'd say you're a classic builder, and if THAT'S the case, mosey over to Apolyton and check out the Strat. Guide I left there....it might prove helpful to you, or at least provide some fresh insights on things.
As to the skunkworks, it is unavailable because at the lower levels of play, you are not charged extra for prototypes, weakening the Spartan faction relative to the others....
-=Vel=-
Darkman posted 09-28-99 11:02 AM ET
I was wondering about the prototypes while playing my first game. That explains it. Although I noticed if I designed a new unit based on an old design sometimes I couldn't upgrade an older unit. It said there was no prototype for that and it would cost like 8000 energy to upgrade. But sometimes I could design a new unit and upgrade old units to that design right away.
dreadhead posted 10-04-99 01:33 AM ET
Vel--
I know you must get tired of this question, but where on the Apolyton board is your strat guide? Please excuse my seeming ineptitude, but I am almost totally blind, and rely on a screen reader to get around.
Thanks--dread
Biddles posted 10-04-99 03:47 AM ET
Darkman - with the prototypes if they have a different chassis (i.e infantry, rover, foil cruiser etc.) you can't upgrade. Unit's that have a different chassis are considered completely difeerent designs. (This is most annoying with formers and rover formers)
- Biddles
Biddles posted 10-04-99 03:53 AM ET
Sorry Darkman I read it wrong.
What you are talking about is unit prototyping.
If you haven't prototyped a unit(more correctly, a component) than the cost to upgrade is quite high. If you have than the cost is a lot cheaper.
You might be on different difficulty levels.
Or, more likely, what happened is you designed a unit where all COMPONENTS had been prototyped.
For example, if you prototype a laser rover and a synthmetal garrison then both the laser and synthmetal armor have been prottyped. So if you now went to build a rover with lasers and synthmetal, it would not need prototyping.
- Biddles
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Author	Topic: Tips for a Talent
dreadhead	posted 09-27-99 06:06 AM ET I could sure use some quick tips for winng at Talent level. I'm a newbie here, so please be patient. I actually played some games at Transcend level, but got beat so badly that I decided to go back and try to win one game at each level before going to the next. I read as many of the posts as I could, and tried to apply some of the tips, but to no avail. I can barely expand due to mind worms and the fact that very early in the game, my rivals have managed to have at least 10 cities very close to my territory. One of the frustrating things that happened to me was that as I was sending a colony pod to a particularly choice spot, Yang built a base right in my territory next to where I wanted to build. We wre not at war, either. I thought you couldn't build a colony in someone else's territory. Also, how does one get others out of your territory. Every time I ask someone to remove their troops, they declare vendetta against me! That really ticks me off because I'm a pacifist who enjoys my good reputation. When others ask me to leave their area, I simply go. Also, I've noticed that I can never get above feeble in military strength. How is that calculated, anyway? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
ddayjoe44	posted 09-27-99 04:05 PM ET First, if you haven't won at a lower level than Talent, drop back one more level. The game plays more forgiving at the lower three levels. Next, use a bigger map. Huge Map size is good for this. It spreads out the competition a bit. Customize the planet a bit. Selecting "weak", and "few" mind worms help. Remember to build terrain with minerals and energy in mind. Energy will help you "buy" units quickly, when you need them. Minerals will build them faster. Upgrade those early units for defense as soon as you can afford to do so. Also, work on The Weather Paragrim as soon as you've expanded a couple of bases. Your formers will be able to help you build resources more efficiently. KIss butt with your next door neightbor, if your faction is not as strong. Only go to war with a faction when you have an ally between you and the faction you are warring with. It will slow their progress and your next door neighbor may help you kick some faction butt! Last, practice, practice, practice!!! Experiment with Workshop, building one city for tech, one for energy, one for military units, etc. It's great practice. You won't always win, but you'll sure a hell learn a lot from the experience! Good luck!
dreadhead	posted 09-27-99 04:25 PM ET I did win a game at Citizen level on a Huge map. In fact, I only play on Huge maps so that I won't encounter others so quickly. I thought that if I managed to win at Talent level, this would prepare me in a way for winning at the higher levels. I did have a question? It may sound somewhat silly on the face of it but I'll ask anyway. Why aren't the skunkworks available to build at Citizen level? I see that they are available at Talent and above. I don't know about Specialist as I never played at that level. And since the Spartans get their prototypes free, I take it they have no need of them. It would have been an interesting challenge when I was playing at Citizen. I also had a question about maps. If you make your own, and I haven't had luck at that yet, is it true that if you use them, your game will not be scored? Just wondering. Thanks.
Velociryx	posted 09-27-99 04:33 PM ET Hey dreadhead! As to suggestions, it depends on your style of play.....since you favor huge maps and slow contact, I'd say you're a classic builder, and if THAT'S the case, mosey over to Apolyton and check out the Strat. Guide I left there....it might prove helpful to you, or at least provide some fresh insights on things. As to the skunkworks, it is unavailable because at the lower levels of play, you are not charged extra for prototypes, weakening the Spartan faction relative to the others.... -=Vel=-
Darkman	posted 09-28-99 11:02 AM ET I was wondering about the prototypes while playing my first game. That explains it. Although I noticed if I designed a new unit based on an old design sometimes I couldn't upgrade an older unit. It said there was no prototype for that and it would cost like 8000 energy to upgrade. But sometimes I could design a new unit and upgrade old units to that design right away.
dreadhead	posted 10-04-99 01:33 AM ET Vel-- I know you must get tired of this question, but where on the Apolyton board is your strat guide? Please excuse my seeming ineptitude, but I am almost totally blind, and rely on a screen reader to get around. Thanks--dread
Biddles	posted 10-04-99 03:47 AM ET Darkman - with the prototypes if they have a different chassis (i.e infantry, rover, foil cruiser etc.) you can't upgrade. Unit's that have a different chassis are considered completely difeerent designs. (This is most annoying with formers and rover formers) - Biddles
Biddles	posted 10-04-99 03:53 AM ET Sorry Darkman I read it wrong. What you are talking about is unit prototyping. If you haven't prototyped a unit(more correctly, a component) than the cost to upgrade is quite high. If you have than the cost is a lot cheaper. You might be on different difficulty levels. Or, more likely, what happened is you designed a unit where all COMPONENTS had been prototyped. For example, if you prototype a laser rover and a synthmetal garrison then both the laser and synthmetal armor have been prottyped. So if you now went to build a rover with lasers and synthmetal, it would not need prototyping. - Biddles