Alien artifacts-how do you use them?

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Author Topic:   Alien artifacts-how do you use them?

saruman posted 04-28-99 04:31 AM ET
Neither the manual nor the online help seem to say. Do you have to disband unit? I'm completely clueless here. Any help is appreciated.
Resource Consumer posted 04-28-99 06:58 AM ET
Just park the artifact in one of your cities. If you build a network node it will allow you to exchange it for an extra tech. If you start a secret project it wil allow you to disband it for 50 energy credits towards it.
RCA posted 04-28-99 07:00 AM ET
Alien Artifacts are mobile computers, left by an alien race. They give you a free tech, if you move them to a city, which have a Network node. They also help building Secret Projects or prototype units. NOTE you can only use one artifact per Network Node. Unless you have build a SP (I'm not sure which)

RCA
Earwicker posted 04-28-99 08:05 AM ET
Universal Translator (by which point there probably aren't too many artifacts left, or you've got plenty of bases w/o unlinked Nodes).
sandworm posted 04-28-99 02:07 PM ET
Wait until the artifacts "turn" while it is in the city you want to use it and hit the space bar, like you're going to pass the turn. An options menu will pop up for that artifact.
sandworm posted 04-28-99 02:08 PM ET
the option will also pop up when you move -into- a city that already has a node/SP/prototype, "sleeping/sentry" artifacts will "wake up" when you finish a node (and probably would if you started a proto/SP in that city, too)
saruman posted 04-29-99 03:14 AM ET
Thanks all. The docs are very unclear on this.
On a slightly different topic, what's the best use for artifacts-research or production? Does it vary by faction? To start off, I think they would be best used for secret projects generally and worth putting towards research if you're playing a faction with a minus towards research.
Resource Consumer posted 04-29-99 07:26 AM ET
I tend to use mine as early in the game as possible and, as I usually play as Morgan, I aim for peace and trading techs. Consequently, my usual use is to use it to advance the Westher Paradigm (or whatever it's called). It's worthwhile chasing around for these artifacts as you only (!) have to find 4 of them and you can get a nearly free SP early in the game.
Krickett posted 04-29-99 11:42 AM ET
Do any of you use them for secret projects or prototypes? I find the techs far more useful. Especially if I'm Miriam or going for transcendance.
GaryD posted 04-29-99 01:32 PM ET
Very rare anything other that techs.
Used once, I think, to get an SP before some other cuss was going to get it.
Plato90s posted 04-29-99 02:13 PM ET
Well, if you don't have many network nodes built and you really need to finish that special project, use the artifacts rather than have them sit around the way the AI does.
K posted 04-29-99 05:49 PM ET
I tend to wait until I am about 2-4 techs away from the Hunterseeker A. tech and Doctrine: Airpower, and then I cash in the Artifacts I've been saving(usually around six). With prodction saved up, I build the HS and an armada of planes and can kill 2-3 othere factions before they can get AAA or other air defense.
Muad Dib posted 04-29-99 11:12 PM ET
Go For the techs early, SP's later.
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Author	Topic: Alien artifacts-how do you use them?
saruman	posted 04-28-99 04:31 AM ET Neither the manual nor the online help seem to say. Do you have to disband unit? I'm completely clueless here. Any help is appreciated.
Resource Consumer	posted 04-28-99 06:58 AM ET Just park the artifact in one of your cities. If you build a network node it will allow you to exchange it for an extra tech. If you start a secret project it wil allow you to disband it for 50 energy credits towards it.
RCA	posted 04-28-99 07:00 AM ET Alien Artifacts are mobile computers, left by an alien race. They give you a free tech, if you move them to a city, which have a Network node. They also help building Secret Projects or prototype units. NOTE you can only use one artifact per Network Node. Unless you have build a SP (I'm not sure which) RCA
Earwicker	posted 04-28-99 08:05 AM ET Universal Translator (by which point there probably aren't too many artifacts left, or you've got plenty of bases w/o unlinked Nodes).
sandworm	posted 04-28-99 02:07 PM ET Wait until the artifacts "turn" while it is in the city you want to use it and hit the space bar, like you're going to pass the turn. An options menu will pop up for that artifact.
sandworm	posted 04-28-99 02:08 PM ET the option will also pop up when you move -into- a city that already has a node/SP/prototype, "sleeping/sentry" artifacts will "wake up" when you finish a node (and probably would if you started a proto/SP in that city, too)
saruman	posted 04-29-99 03:14 AM ET Thanks all. The docs are very unclear on this. On a slightly different topic, what's the best use for artifacts-research or production? Does it vary by faction? To start off, I think they would be best used for secret projects generally and worth putting towards research if you're playing a faction with a minus towards research.
Resource Consumer	posted 04-29-99 07:26 AM ET I tend to use mine as early in the game as possible and, as I usually play as Morgan, I aim for peace and trading techs. Consequently, my usual use is to use it to advance the Westher Paradigm (or whatever it's called). It's worthwhile chasing around for these artifacts as you only (!) have to find 4 of them and you can get a nearly free SP early in the game.
Krickett	posted 04-29-99 11:42 AM ET Do any of you use them for secret projects or prototypes? I find the techs far more useful. Especially if I'm Miriam or going for transcendance.
GaryD	posted 04-29-99 01:32 PM ET Very rare anything other that techs. Used once, I think, to get an SP before some other cuss was going to get it.
Plato90s	posted 04-29-99 02:13 PM ET Well, if you don't have many network nodes built and you really need to finish that special project, use the artifacts rather than have them sit around the way the AI does.
K	posted 04-29-99 05:49 PM ET I tend to wait until I am about 2-4 techs away from the Hunterseeker A. tech and Doctrine: Airpower, and then I cash in the Artifacts I've been saving(usually around six). With prodction saved up, I build the HS and an armada of planes and can kill 2-3 othere factions before they can get AAA or other air defense.
Muad Dib	posted 04-29-99 11:12 PM ET Go For the techs early, SP's later.