Thinking about Pirates

[bvanevery]

Details circling

circling

MY 2104.  I backtracked a bit, trying to correct my "mistake" about surveying the water.  My instinct that there might not be much near the big body of the Sargasso, seemed to be correct.  I think I'm going to head back to that energy special and just call it done.  I hope the Sargasso explodes into a riot of kelp.  Eventually that would make it a good area.

[bvanevery]

Details got a ride

got a ride

MY 2108.  Maybe we can get this show on the road now.  I avoid popping a 2nd pod that I think will just have the same city as nearest.

[bvanevery]

Details some breakup

some breakup

MY 2212.  It's not the famous kelp event in the center of the Sargasso, but it could still turn it all into kelp over time.

[bvanevery]

Details obnoxious settlement expense

obnoxious settlement expense

I completion scum a Synth Sea Pod.  Now if only anything that wanted to attack my armor, was out there!  Since it's an exploit I generally just use the things, instead of cashing them for all the minerals they're worth.  It accomplishes the goal of getting a Synth armor prototype completed.

Details small sacrifice

small sacrifice

At my other, lesser producing base, I ditch 2 minerals as I don't need a Synth prototype anymore.  Nor do I need another exploration ship.  More Scouts if anything.  I'm doing a stiff business working the Sargasso though.  So far I've claimed 1 Artifact, and having a 2nd Transport is making it easier to get it out.

[bvanevery]

Details the famous event

the famous event

I suppose I can base an empire on this kelp.

[bvanevery]

Details speaking with whom

speaking with whom

MY 2120.  Getting distracted from the game by real life, I totally forgot that I was in contact with Lal.  Now I've fished up the comm of Roze.  She says... she doesn't want me getting my grubby little hands on the Virtual World.  That's that!  She was Quarrelsome.

Maybe there was a reason for me to forget about Lal after all.  I bet he isn't any better.  I will go through the motions anyways.

Details Lal gives

Lal gives

I sell him Roze's comm for a pittance.  Maybe that's a mistake, although it is a way of buttering up factions.  I think it's more likely they end up in a war with each other, somehow.  Maybe I should try to control who Lal has access to, but I just don't care that much.  Anyways, he's Magnanimous and wants ocean access bad enough to trade Biogenetics for it.  I guess if I get enough Artifacts in a hurry, I could build the Human Genome Project.  Well that hasn't happened yet.  Plenty of kelp, but not a pile of Artifacts so far.

Details why not

why not

It's novelty.  It's the 1st game he's ever liked me, and we're diplomatically compatible.  Maybe we can go kill Aliens together.

Details lackluster

lackluster

Hasn't spread more than his first 2 cities.  I wonder why not.

Details dude

dude

He's making colonists, but he doesn't seem to have used his time or money very well.  If only my advantage in early colonization spread, actually lasted.

[bvanevery]

Details land rise

land rise

I fished up a 2nd Rover.  My 1st Rover triggered an earthquake.  I'm not sure if I linked anything important.  Doesn't look like it.

[bvanevery]

Details goodbye transport

goodbye transport

That's why I had more than 1 working the Sargasso.  It was likely to happen.

[bvanevery]

Details such a pleasure

such a pleasure

MY 2130.  The original game thinks I'm supposed to be a clone of her, and by rights, we should be kissing cousins.  Land and sea.  But I've rarely found it to go that way in practice, as I don't actually believe the Pirates are best suited to Power.  In my own mod, I have them go after Wealth, because no one else was doing it.  Get all that sea energy and stuff.  Anyways, what's she on about?

Details nah, but I may buy it

nah, but I may buy it

It's not like she's offering a tech with a Secret Project attached, the way it was with Lal.  And I don't care about making her feel better about me.  She's too far away to have any immediate impact.  In fact, she's inconveniently going to trigger me popping all those pods before I actually wanted to.

Details Santiago sells sea shells by the sea shore

Santiago sells sea shells by the sea shore

For bonus points, say it in Spanish.  "Esta mercado a la playa..."

She didn't have anything else.  And she didn't hang around long enough to discuss a Treaty.  Typical.

Details goodbye scout

goodbye scout

This is why we like the cheap units.

[bvanevery]

Details another expensive colonist

another expensive colonist

MY 2136.  There's some profit in this.

Details life cost

life cost

Because it's late, I'm tired, and I get distracted by real life, I lost a few minerals at this base.  The drill is you're supposed to switch before 10 minerals.

[bvanevery]

Details it becomes a possibility

it becomes a possibility

MY 2142.  More completion scumming.

[bvanevery]

Details well I guess not

well I guess not

MY 2148.  I thought about doing this, but when I was thinking about it, I didn't quite have enough cash to complete.  Subsequently, I did probably have enough from popping pods.  But I also prioritized rushing Sea Formers for every base.  I don't think that's exactly wrong, but I do wonder about earliest game priorities in that way.

Details medium range

medium range

Lal got a map of Sparta.  They were gifted the Manifold Nexus, right next to their capitol.  It's on somewhat high ground, but it's also in a river system that looks like a depression.  I wonder if such a spot can have a way of turning into 10 meters quickly.  Matters if there's a deluge.

[Induktio]

When using Thinker's normal config, you will always have autosaves from each turn if autosave_interval=1 is set. These files are only overwritten if the same year is played again in any game. So they will not get automatically deleted after a couple of turns of gameplay like normally. Also new version 3.1 patches some tech trading dialogue, but it should not affect that threaten/suggest pact issue in diplomacy mentioned earlier.

[bvanevery]

So they will not get automatically deleted after a couple of turns of gameplay like normally.

I have been playing rapidly, filling up this thread, and those were old games.  Part of why you couldn't find those needles in the haystack!  But yes, when I see the circumstance again, it should be easier to get the saves around it.

Details time to infiltrate

time to infiltrate

MY 2158.  Surprisingly, I researched this myself.  Turns out it's a wealth=3 tech, so my pure Build focus does have a chance of picking it up.

Details sell me stuff

sell me stuff

Getting past Lal's "Secret Project block", allows me to buy stuff from him.  He'd also sell me Polymorphic Software if I had the money.  Probably will soon.  My cash flow from popping sea pods is pretty good.  I've got Rec Commons built in most places and am starting on Children's Creches.  I have 2 more colonies to settle and then I'll go Democratic.

Political situation is pretty boring right now.  Roze and Santiago won't talk to me, and last I knew, they were at war.  Haven't met anyone else.  Everyone's pretty far away from me.  I'm fine with that.  Previous games were a bit too dramatic with stuff breathing down my neck.  If I don't end up being able to intervene in anyone's affairs from such a long distance, that's fine, but I'm happy to be playing through this kind of development scenario.

[bvanevery]

Details Pirates living an efficient life

Pirates living an efficient life

MY 2160.  They go about the sea in an orderly manner.  They have children.  Heavens... they're middle aged!