Alpha Centauri 2

Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri & Alien Crossfire => The Theory of Everything => Topic started by: uss1701jb on August 14, 2013, 04:29:23 PM

Title: Cloud Cover
Post by: uss1701jb on August 14, 2013, 04:29:23 PM

Asking a newb question here... what does cloud cover do? Does it physically change the map like erosive forces, or does it add nutrients?

Title: Re: Cloud Cover
Post by: ete on August 14, 2013, 04:37:17 PM

Makes squares more likely to be Rainy, less likely to be Arid, so produce more nutrients. I'm not sure of exactly how it does this or how much of an effect it has.

Title: Re: Cloud Cover
Post by: Buster's Uncle on August 14, 2013, 04:58:27 PM

What he said - and I always assumed it reduced energy levels, but I cannot say that I've observed a difference.  I always use Cloudy setting, as a more fertile map is the least frustrating for early game, and growing bases are more than adequate compensation for any reduction of terrain energy that might or might not happen.

Title: Re: Cloud Cover
Post by: Geo on August 14, 2013, 10:51:31 PM

Easiest maps should be dense cloud cover combined with strong erosive forces. The latter makes more peaks, thus more terrain with a higher potential energy output.

Title: Re: Cloud Cover
Post by: uss1701jb on August 14, 2013, 11:11:01 PM

I'm asking because I like to play as  ;ulrik; and was hoping for more sea early on.
Thanks guys!

Title: Re: Cloud Cover
Post by: JarlWolf on August 15, 2013, 01:11:45 AM

Quote from: Geo on August 14, 2013, 10:51:31 PM

Easiest maps should be dense cloud cover combined with strong erosive forces. The latter makes more peaks, thus more terrain with a higher potential energy output.

Don't you mean Weak erosive forces? Strong erosive usually ends up more flat.

Title: Re: Cloud Cover
Post by: Buster's Uncle on August 15, 2013, 01:27:36 AM

Agreed.  Strong Erosive is what Ship Registry Guy wants, for max sea.

Title: Re: Cloud Cover
Post by: Green1 on August 15, 2013, 03:21:18 AM

High cloud cover is when you want land squares that have more nutrients. Low cloud cover is when you want a fairly barren Mars-like world that is barren and dry.

Of course, this only affects land, not sea tiles.

Title: Re: Cloud Cover
Post by: Geo on August 15, 2013, 11:10:55 AM

Quote from: JarlWolf on August 15, 2013, 01:11:45 AM

Quote from: Geo on August 14, 2013, 10:51:31 PM

Easiest maps should be dense cloud cover combined with strong erosive forces. The latter makes more peaks, thus more terrain with a higher potential energy output.

Don't you mean Weak erosive forces? Strong erosive usually ends up more flat.

Oh, did I mix things up again?  :-\

Quote from: BUncle on August 15, 2013, 01:27:36 AM

Agreed.  Strong Erosive is what Ship Registry Guy wants, for max sea.

AFAIK, that's covered with the percentage sea vs land option (30-50% - 50-70% - and so on).

Title: Re: Cloud Cover
Post by: Buster's Uncle on August 15, 2013, 03:05:06 PM

Well, I'm given to understand that you want weak erosive for maximum land, in addition the sea% settings, so I assume the obverse is true.  I set for maximum land by habit, so I may not know what I'm talking about.

Title: Re: Cloud Cover
Post by: Kirov on August 24, 2013, 02:19:09 AM

It may be worth noting that dense cover (rainy tiles) and weak erosion forces (rocky tiles) help AI to some extent, as it usually relies on farms/collectors/mines and is too stupid to forest. So it's a very easy way to slightly increase the challenge and make AI look less like a dork it really is. I saw it farming arid terrain and it makes me want to punch the screen.

I hope the kyrub patch has improved AI terraforming behaviours, I need to give it a try a bit more.

Title: Re: Cloud Cover
Post by: Geo on August 24, 2013, 07:48:21 AM

Quote from: Kirov on August 24, 2013, 02:19:09 AM

I saw it farming arid terrain and it makes me want to punch the screen.

I hope you didn't forget to mention that fat nutrient resource on the tile?  :D
(nah, I know, just pulling your leg)