Ranges

from Stardock Forums
The game's looking better with each build. I like the new ranges that were put in this build, but I don't think they have as big an effect as they should. I usually play on the smaller maps, so this may be part of the reason.

I've noticed that different ships have different, set ranges. I'm hoping this was only as a temporary thing until the range technologies are in. The ships should all have the same ranges, with a few exceptions for ships that have extra fuel tanks or whatever(surveys and scouts).

Currently, colonies automatically extend your range. Maybe we can slow down the starting colony rush by requiring colonies to build some starting-tech improvement before they can effect range? If people just want a quick range boost, they can build starbases. If they don't mind waiting a few turns before their range extends, they can build the colony.
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Reply #1 from Stardock Forums Top
Ranges in small game are not a relevant factor.
Try large and above ;)
Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top
I know the technologies for ranges are there. Look at the GCTech.TECH file for all of the techs that have the ability "range" line. Now, once Brad's fix for the range ability gets to us we should see the affect of ranges.

Cheers,
Jack
Sins of a Solar Empire II
Reply #3 from Stardock Forums Top
I'd still like to see some improvement on colonies neccessary before being able to use them as a resupply point. It would work well with starbases, I think, and would add to the strategy of the game.
Reply #4 from Stardock Forums Top
It could be nice if the ranges scaled with the galaxy size.

Small and medium galaxies could scale ranges a bit to make them relevant for that galaxy size.

Paul.
Reply #5 from Stardock Forums Top
For me GC can better exploit its potentials in Huge/gigantig sizes.
The others are just trials.
Reply #6 from Stardock Forums Top
I would like to mention a problem wit5h ranges. When you're exploring and hits a point that gives you a free extra ship, this ship can be completelly out of range in any direction so it just get stuck there and becomes useless. It would be cool it another (bigger) ship could be used to bring this one to a base (tractor beam kind of thing).

Reply #7 from Stardock Forums Top
Or if a free ship would automatically go to the nearest point within its range, perhaps in "hibernation" mode?

Cheers,
Jack
Reply #8 from Stardock Forums Top
Actually, I have pointed the ship to a destination within my range (usually the nearest corner, there's usually a reason I am in tyhe area) and it moves quite obediantly.

Also noted in another thread, ranges do change with map size, I think it was 1 for ever 6 sector increase.
Reply #9 from Stardock Forums Top
I'm not in favor of having all ships have the same range. I think it adds some real strategic balance to the game.

For instance, I could have a ship with terrible range that is really tough for defending my home colonies.
Reply #10 from Stardock Forums Top
I totally agree. Starships come in various sizes & guises, with different capabilities & abilities: it would be simplistic to assume that they all would have the same range. I cannot but agree with any approach that introduces more diverse & complex scaling. >:(
Reply #11 from Stardock Forums Top
Different ships in the beta do indead have differing ranges, but I suspect that some balancing still needs to be done on them. Right now a survey ship gets a base range of 4, a scout gets 3, a freighter gets 5, a colony ship gets 1, a transport gets 0, etc.. Take a look at the files in the GalCiv\data directory with the file type "SHIP" for more examples.

Cheers,
Jack
Reply #12 from Stardock Forums Top
I have only played a HUGE map and they could travel much further than that. I'll have to check out a smaller map next game.
Reply #13 from Stardock Forums Top
Anomalyst,

On my gigantic galaxy I am getting 3 for colony ship, 4 for scout, and 5 for survey ship and star hawk. Brad told us that larger maps get base range +1 for every 6 sectors in length.
Reply #14 from Stardock Forums Top
In the game I'm playing now, I have a range of 7 from the closest colony with a survey ship (3 with a colony ship) in a gigantic galaxy.

Incidentally, I'll agree that some balancing in needed with ranges. I had my survey ship with a range of 3/4 of the galaxy before I had even encountered any alien civs or researched a single range increasing tech.
Reply #15 from Stardock Forums Top
I really like the ranges option, I get alot farther now.....But I would like to see the overall starting range shortened. Colony ships should only reach 1 or 2 sectors in any direction out from their home world before they are out of room.

This would force you to develop your core worlds to get the extra techs before you could go any further. The other ships, such as scouts and warships could go further.

I only wish you could guard uncolonized systems with your warships. That would really give the human player the ability to protect those special worlds and establish boundaries more effectively.