10-05-2001 01:52									#31
	Support Apolyton, buy Alpha Centauri

Net Maverick --

Concerning whether I fill my continent with bases...

I would have to say that I try to fill my continent with bases. Generally if your starting continent is too big to fill with bases your more than likely sharing it with a faction that will inevitably become agressive. In this situation I'd try to turn that faction into a submissive to benefit from trade energy and tech. In the unlikely event that I have the continent to myself I'll try to fill it in growth spurts. Depending on the facion I'm playing, the initial growth should be between eight and tweleve bases. After those are established I'm able to handle the inefficency drones and so build more to fill in any gaps.

Unfortunately I haven't accquired enough MP experience to tell you whether or not this is the most effective method. Against the AI you ought to fair quite well.

	10-05-2001 01:59									#32
	Avatar Enlargement: We've got the solution

I again want to thank WhiteElephants and all those who took the time to share their experience.

	13-05-2001 06:09									#34
	Support Apolyton, buy Civilization 2

Ned: I don't pretend to understand the mineral ecodamage formula half (or a quarter, looking at a current thread!) as well as you do. All I would say is that these facilities are expensive ... I know they work, but I'd still go energy because it's cheaper and more effective in my experience. In SP, you get the time to experiment, but I have never seen anyone build many of these facilities in an MP game, even one that ran to transcendence.

Sikander: Yes, most of my workers produce enough nuts to support themselves early-mid game and then I get most of my specialists from orbitals. You can't work any kind of formula for the number of specialists per base though - it varies wildly according to terrain, commerce and improvements.

Regarding finding the time to play MP - now this I understand. And so does my husband, poor man But if you *do* find the time, I look forward to trying to out-energy you on Chiron

	13-05-2001 11:36									#35
	Lose 30 kilos (of popups)

Misotu, I find it somewhat amazing that the ED formula set forth in the Datalinks is valid only early in the game, prior to Tree Farms, Hybrid Forests and Centauri Preserves. I wonder why they never mentioned the more critical aspects of the formula that actually permits one to build up ED protection.

As to being expensive, some are. Hybrid Forests and Temples are. But Centauri Preserves are relative cheap. You can probably set aside 4 or five bases that do nothing more than build one each turn and then sell it thereby building faction-wide ED protection.

Also, I tend to play on custom very large maps so that I get into the late game before I can conquer all enemy factions. Until I understood the ED formula, I would often have to sell my Genejack and then Robotic Assembly factories in order to stay under the ED limit. No more. I now plan ahead and constantly build up my ED protection.

Since I do not play multi-player, I have no idea how this new information on ED protection will alter such games. But don't be surprised by someone overwhelming you with very expensive units that could only be produced in large numbers by bases with very high mineral production enabled by high ED protection. Ned

	18-05-2001 08:57									#36
	Got spare money?

Ned: I have to say that reading your posts about mineral-related ecodamage has already had an effect on my game. I allowed a damage-related fungus-pop in one of my recent games and, indeed, the clean mineral production per base rose and continues to rise as I build tree farms. This is an immensely valuable piece of information because often times I build bases with *buckets* of forest, so high mineral output is unavoidable. Many thanks

This is in a current MP game, so I'm *delighted*

However, the impact of this overall on MP is pretty limited. Huge maps are rare, because a game on a huge map with more than 2 players will last far too long. So I have to tell you that, mineral production notwithstanding, I am confident that I can out-run a mineral-based player in MP. My <8> or <10>/tachyon/perimeter/creche/aero/sensor will withstand most things until blink. And by the time they have blink, I've transcended ...