the_spyder

Reply to What would you do with a class 26 planet? in Strategies GalCiv2 Forums

[quote]~15 Stock Markets Then guard it with your life because it will win the game for you.[/quote] This has always (since before computers were invented) been a curiosity to me. So I, as a happy little dictator, tax my poor citizens (read Slaves) at 60 or 70 % to sustain my empire. On top of that, I have Financial institutions on my planets. So I am drawing an accumulative 12% per institution income above and beyond that tax rate. If I do my math (12*15) or 180% on top of

Reply to Best Super Powers for Custom Race? in Strategies GalCiv2 Forums

[quote]I'm just some guy on the internet. [/quote] Or are you?

Reply to Zero Tax - Who knew? in Galactic Civilizations II GalCiv2 Forums

Yeah, I found that out with the Yor last night. It is an interesting phenomenon, which I plan on exploring further.

Reply to Best Super Powers for Custom Race? in Strategies GalCiv2 Forums

I have to agree that amongst the worst is the Drengin super dominator. Early on, you only get a very few ships. Later on, the ships are all but useless. As for best, as mentioned above, it depends on your play style, but I think that Diplomat and First Strike are both VERY powerful.

Reply to asking AI to surrender in Strategies GalCiv2 Forums

Tangentially related too this, is there a formula surrounding peace treaties? I have had a number of races that I have had on their knees, where they SHOULD be begging for peace, yet don't. I always figured it had something to do with relative mights of empires, coupled with the outcome of X engagements. Possibly some rankings thrown in there and maybe a calculation based on previous dealings with the "offending" race, but I can never gage if a race is going to ask/beg for peace. <br

Reply to Espionage and the Krynn Consolate in Twilight of the Arnor GalCiv2 Forums

[quote]...snip...By the time you get to that 29th spy, at 5500bc, per your example, you can easily be bringing in over 10000bc per turn. I know that some players can generate ~50000bc per turn, so this is really just a drop in the bucket in a robust economy. ...snip...[/quote] Obviously you and I play different strategies of gaming as I can not think of any instances where my economy was robust enough to be bringing in that much cash. LOL. Thanks though, for the advise. I wil

Reply to Espionage and the Krynn Consolate in Twilight of the Arnor GalCiv2 Forums

Thanks. that is what I was looking for. Much appreciated.

Reply to The Korx just surrendered to me. in Galactic Civilizations II GalCiv2 Forums

Yeah, it can sometimes be a boon or a bane. Had one game where one of the races surrendered like 10 planets too me. Not a one of them were economically balanced. Almost totally ruined my economy. Other times it is like mana from heaven. High research/econ planets just from the ether. Also, the event isn't always repeatable. I had one game where a race surrendered to one of my enemies. Game CTD (for unrelated reasons) and I had to reload. Next time, the surrendered to ME.

Reply to Painfully Inappropriate Random Events in Galactic Civilizations II GalCiv2 Forums

Most of the mega events can change the balance. As frustrating as they can be, that is the nature of it. Makes it challenging (IMHO). And fun. Jagged Knife is one of the tougher ones, but then you can't build an empire without scrambling some eggs. And there are a number of ways out, as described before. Personally I like the one where all of the empires gang up and go to war against you. That's fun.

Reply to Population Migrations in Twilight of the Arnor GalCiv2 Forums

I routinely use Colony Ships (and later Troop Transporters) to relocate colonists to my frontier worlds. But I would strongly reccomend that, as soon as possible, upgrade your colony ships to carry TWO colony pods and give it some better engines. Otherwise, you will be taking a LONG time getting anywhere. The great thing about this strategy is you can leap frog your colonies. And later on, you can convert any un-used colony ships into Transports.

Reply to need help. (dread lords) in Galactic Civilizations II GalCiv2 Forums

[quote]The latest example being Crysis, everyone has got to wonder if there's actually a highly complex plot devised by a mysterious conglomerate of Hardware_Software manufacturers to enforce consumers into a griddy spending pattern, constantly. Paranoia? Please do prove it, otherwise. Thus, the deception shown by the OP might not be soooo rare afterall in our modern world.[/quote] It isn't actually that highly complex. Ask any marketer. And as for who is at the head of that parti

Reply to Update next week in Galactic Civilizations II GalCiv2 Forums

I kind of like the Star Gate idea. Set them up as two way star bases. Something that you could research. A star base that could be destroyed? Maybe even something where you could charge for usage? Definitely something that had little or no defenses and needed to be defended. Just an idea.

Espionage and the Krynn Consolate in Twilight of the Arnor GalCiv2 Forums

I am looking for some assistance in how to play this. Basically, when I play, I usually play Drengin, or some other equally soldier heavy race that is really good with ground pounders, slowly stomping the rest of the civilizations under my jackbooted heal. Now I want to play a different style. So I tried the Krynn Consolate. The problem is, I can't get a handle on how to best use the espionage in game. Ok I get it that they are really good for short term strike

Reply to Attack or Defenses? in Twilight of the Arnor GalCiv2 Forums

I generally go 80/20 on my attack/defense strategy. I also try to go bigger ships earlier than my opponent. Then, if I still have some extra space, I do actually make use of +hp modules. I start off with missile and research straight through to Harpoon. Then I go bigger ships and some miniaturization. I throw in some Logistics as well so i can get more ships in than my opponent (and also invade planets with more than just 1k of troops). then I go defense. I focus on whatever defen

Reply to Floating an idea in Galactic Civilizations II GalCiv2 Forums

[quote]Well, you do at least have the option to turn off auto-upgrades and/or build the old version of buildings, right?[/quote] Yeah, but it's a dicey road. With larger empires, I don't want to have to manually upgrade every structure once a new tech becomes available. On the other hand, there are certain techs that I simply would never use beyond a certain point (due to cost/benefit). I am not saying that there is a mid-ground to find, but I want it, whatever it is. <br

Reply to Starting a new game in Twilight of the Arnor GalCiv2 Forums

So it depends on your ultimate goal. If you "Eventually" want to play the campaigns, best to get used to the base game. So pick a universe you like and conquer it to your heart's content, on DL. Then progress through DA and finally to ToA. You will find each game is different enough and unique enough that you will have to modify your strategies for each change of game. I personally was very intrigued by the changes that DA and ToA brought, specifically the changes that make the race

Reply to The Jagged Knife must die in Twilight of the Arnor GalCiv2 Forums

that is an excellent side effect. You can take planets that were formerly owned by another race without cost or penalty (other than the troops necessary to invade). Over all, I don't see the Jagged Knife as that bad. ::watches for the lightning bolt to hit::

Reply to Floating an idea in Galactic Civilizations II GalCiv2 Forums

[quote]Also if you trade a planet to another player would they gain a tech ?Can the code distinguish between a flip and a trade?[/quote] Would you want it too?

Reply to Thougts on tech cost in Galactic Civilizations II GalCiv2 Forums

[quote]I wonder if you could go through the game and just outright buy every technology you need, and just go all factories...[/quote] You probably could, with the exception of any race (tech tree) specific technologies that are in your own tree. But (a) it would be [B]hideously [/B]expensive, and (b) you would, by design, always be behind the tech curve, which I am not sure is a great thing.

Reply to Attack or Defenses? in Twilight of the Arnor GalCiv2 Forums

I also think that the more attack based approach may be your best bet here. Since you can't block everything that the enemy is throwing at you, best to go in and kill-em first. But consider researching some miniturization and possibly the next larger ship size to counter the opponent. Logistics may also yield the advantage you are looking for.

Reply to Floating an idea in Galactic Civilizations II GalCiv2 Forums

[quote]I'm new to the game, so there's probably an obvious answer to this, but under what circumstances would you not want another random tech?I can see techs I wouldn't end up using, but I have yet to notice one that I'd actively avoid.[/quote] I am thinking about Intense Farming and that line. Once you have farms set up to maximize your income/invasion/moral strategies, the last thing you want is some random scientist providing a way to improve the efficency of your farming. <br/

Reply to Thougts on tech cost in Galactic Civilizations II GalCiv2 Forums

I like this approach personally. The direction and idea of the original change all make sense to me. Lets hope that the Stardock guys chime in.

Reply to Update next week in Galactic Civilizations II GalCiv2 Forums

Personally I disable the Ascension victory. This victory condition isn't my favorite. What usually happens in games where it isn't disabled is about the time I am switching over from colony rush to tech advancement, I all of the sudden I need to go into war mode with whomsoever has chosen to ascend. While this may be as intended, it isn't what I play the game for. Which is why I love the guys at Stardock so much. They make customizable games for my taste.

Reply to Im just wondering about something (to do with mega events) in Galactic Civilizations II GalCiv2 Forums

Definitely, and I should have made it clear, go all offense. You aren't going to reasonably be able to create defenses that will stop the DL. But you can reasonably create offenses that will take out their ships. In most encounters, I made sure that I had more ships and REALLY high offense. My ship building was exclusively without defenses so i could squeeze in as many weapons as possible. Then I struck with two or three waves. if I didn't take out the ship in the first wave, second wave c

Reply to CTD when Zonelab runs in background in Bug Reports GalCiv2 Forums

Thanks. I got the "Game Mode" to work and haven't had a CTD since. ::knocks wood::