Ships built have zero fuel

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All Forums >> [New Releases from Matrix Games] >> Distant Worlds 1 Series >> Tech Support >> Ships built have zero fuel

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Ships built have zero fuel - 10/8/2011 1:24:06 PM

adamsolo

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Sometimes newly built ships have 0 fuel on them. I have plenty of caslon. Is this a known bug? (Playing RotS 1.508)
Thanks.

< Message edited by adamsolo -- 10/8/2011 1:25:22 PM >

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RE: Ships built have zero fuel - 10/8/2011 2:10:06 PM

Data

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The place where you build them has caslon in storage? Having plenty of caslon and having it where it matters are two different things. And the ships have caslon based reactors or hydrogen ones?

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RE: Ships built have zero fuel - 10/8/2011 2:21:56 PM

Bingeling

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I agree with the machinery above, I doubt there is a bug. This is common. A major ship building planet swallows huge amounts of fuel while in action, and can run itself and its immediate surrounding dry.

Likewise a big fleet doing a drive by refueling could leave a spaceport dry for a "long" time.

Having new ships limp to a somewhat nearby gas mine is not an uncommon sight. Build lots of gas mines, and consider deploying resupply ships in areas with huge fleet activity (or with common fuel problems).

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RE: Ships built have zero fuel - 10/8/2011 3:50:56 PM

adamsolo

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My planet had caslon, but probably not much (around 800 of it), that was most likely the problem, thanks.

"Having new ships limp to a somewhat nearby gas mine is not an uncommon sight."
Yes, it's happening the same here. Colony ship get's built in planet, colony ship heads to gas mining station nearby to refuel. There is a swarm of freighters in line waiting to refuel there too.

In space ports I get the same lack of caslon problem. Sometimes private folk build dozens of freighters at once and drain my space ports caslon supply. I tend to have large space ports from the beginning (with 10 construction yards), now I see it can be a problem.

So the solution seems to be to build more caslon gas mining stations (my engines run on caslon). I have 10 construction ships in auto. They didn't build enough gas mining stations now I see. Are 10 construction ships too few for a small to medium sized empire? Or the AI doesn't seem to handle fuel extraction as it should be? Lack of caslon is like an epidemic in my empire. Still getting used to all this fuel micromanagement. I like the idea but it consumes a huge portion of gameplay time

By the way, only one mining base allowed at each gas cloud or gas giant right?

< Message edited by adamsolo -- 10/8/2011 3:54:52 PM >

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RE: Ships built have zero fuel - 10/8/2011 5:05:06 PM

Data

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Right and 10 CS are more than enough, it is indeed the AI problem here. You'll get less headaches using Binge's ideas and taking control of a couple of CS to manually build some more mining stations at caslon sources.....those should be near by space ports so that you don't run in to that other AI problem where you have plenty resources but freighters don't move them properly.

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RE: Ships built have zero fuel - 10/8/2011 5:32:51 PM

adamsolo

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Data

[...] it is indeed the AI problem here [...] so that you don't run in to that other AI problem where you have plenty resources but freighters don't move them properly.

Sounds like a lot of AI problems to me. It's a pity. I'm enjoying DW RotS, however the game becomes very complex do manage in late games, everything crawls and I have the feeling that hours pass by quickly (which normally is a great sign) but I'm not doing anything. Just getting Kaltor warnings (so annoying), pirates raiding, ships need refuel, colony ship has no fuel, get them to refuel (but quick fuel button leads them further than they should), open expansion planner, direct colony ships, direct construction yards, witness 3 new techs, one more pirate, one more kaltor ... Wait! 2 hours have passed and my empire didn't moved an inch?

It's just me or RotS feels like a huge time sink?

< Message edited by adamsolo -- 10/8/2011 5:34:22 PM >

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RE: Ships built have zero fuel - 10/8/2011 6:50:28 PM

Data

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It depends on a lot of factors, I tend to finish the game by then so as to avoid them all. Keep in mind that all this was and still is developed by one man, Elliot.

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RE: Ships built have zero fuel - 10/8/2011 9:15:50 PM

adamsolo

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Playing feels like a job. But if your dream is to manage an interstellar empire than it's a lot of fun :)

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RE: Ships built have zero fuel - 10/8/2011 9:16:21 PM

Bingeling

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Generally... when you have some 33% victory condition met, it is about time to quit anyways. At a time the game is little challenge and more chore.

When it comes to gas, I have done the following:

Notice when you select a planet, you got the quick buttons? One is "queue a nearby constructor to build a gas mine here" or something (if it is a gas source). Whenever I place a colony, I do that on a fuel source in the system. If there is none, I pick the closest I know. When I conquer a colony, I make sure to populate the gas giants in the system (I have of course killed the bases of the former owner). I very rarely take manual control of constructors, but I use this feature a lot. Pay a bit attention if the enemy kills lots of bases during war. Replace the fuel sources they killed...

As you get ready to switch to hydrogen, do the walk around your system and build hydrogen mines. Using the above method.

I don't find the few secs used to manual book mines for fuel sources tedious at all.

About only time I do manual constructor work is when I find an ultra rare source and need a mine. I grab whatever is nearest, send it, and queue it to build a couple of defensive bases afterwards. Then I just set it auto so it will do whatever it feels like when done.

The kaltor's don't resupply themselves as far as I know. Ones you got decent ships (and fighters), make sure to kill them as they show themselves. Maybe leave the huge crowds in gas clouds until that time. Pirates are annoying and hard to get rid of. As you get powerful, do try to cover as much area as possible with long range scanners, it should push pirates further away.

As for ships with fuel issues. If you follow the tip above it should not happen until you got very large fleets. Once you start using fleets with 4 capitals and 8 cruisers or such things, use resupply ships as much as possible for those. They can easily run gas mines and space ports dry if they arrive low on fuel.

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