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Slow start on TL3

 
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Slow start on TL3 - 6/12/2020 11:42:45 PM   
Hellkyte

 

Posts: 18
Joined: 6/11/2020
Status: offline 		So I really like slower games, and I really like the lower tech level, but I'm having a really hard time combining those in this game. Comes down to the lack of power. Maybe I've missed something, but it seems like the opening of a TL3 game gets defined by discovering power generation. Without that the early expansion is wildly constrained. It's hard enough on a normal game, on a slower game its absolutely vicious.

I'm thinking that the base TL3 should include some kind of power generating option.
Post #: 1
RE: Slow start on TL3 - 6/12/2020 11:49:14 PM   
ramnblam

 

Posts: 199
Joined: 6/9/2020
From: Australia
Status: offline 		In my current game on epic speed, it did take me a while to get the power generation techs but I was lucky to find a few bonus hexes that gave me power. I think they should be more heavily weighted towards being discovered or something.

(in reply to Hellkyte)
Post #: 2
RE: Slow start on TL3 - 6/12/2020 11:49:27 PM   
Jdane


Posts: 456
Joined: 6/5/2020
Status: offline 		There might be room for improving the balance there, I tend to agree.
You might have to resort to some budgetary shenanigans to ensure you can secure a power tech earlier than sooner.
Edit : Assuming the RNG didn't grace you with a power hex perk as ramnblam just pointed out.

However I feel it depends also on the amount of resources available from the start. If you lack metals for instance, you don't have an incentive to develop mining and industry real quick, and thus can make do with the power provided by the free LE reactor quite some time.

< Message edited by Jdane -- 6/12/2020 11:50:23 PM >

(in reply to Hellkyte)
Post #: 3
RE: Slow start on TL3 - 6/13/2020 12:04:10 AM   
Laiders

 

Posts: 123
Joined: 6/8/2020
Status: offline 		What do you spent power on early?

Seriously I conquered a minor and a major (who had eaten the three minors on our border but all villages) and aggressively developed my infrastructure in my current game without building power gen. I don't think I have hexs giving power but I may have conquered some and not noticed. I don't think so though because, when I checked half-way through my conquest, I noticed my power was stuck at 30 and my assets were somewhat, though not badly, power-starved. I had power tech so I fixed it within a couple of turns but still... you can do a lot without much power. Just have to economise on industry and use infantry instead of vehicles more. Now that I think about it, it might have been the industry I conquered in one of the former minors that completely broke my delicate energy balance.

No energy early can be rough but so long as you discover the tech (don't even have to research it), you should be okay. It's really only a problem if you accidentally grief yourself by opening half a dozen fields without a discovered energy tech.

That said this is all on regular and normal speeds. In theory epic regular should play the same but higher difficulties will need more optimal play.

Finally I swear it has been mentioned somewhere that Vic is thinking about adding this and certainly the idea has been floated a lot so it may come.

< Message edited by Laiders -- 6/13/2020 12:05:03 AM >

(in reply to Jdane)
Post #: 4
RE: Slow start on TL3 - 6/13/2020 12:10:14 AM   
Jdane


Posts: 456
Joined: 6/5/2020
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: Laiders

(don't even have to research it)


Do you imply it's because then it's the matter of a couple turns to build a power Asset and solve any issue?
(Strike this, you would need at least a couple turns to research the blueprints first, unless you're blessed by the RNG or very talented, let alone build the facilities.)
If not, will you please elaborate ? Because I would be missing your point.

Otherwise avoiding overproduction by throttling down for instance farms and ice mines is an effective way of managing energy if running them at full capacity is not needed, but it seems almost a little too obvious to mention.

(Granted, one could miss the feature if they are not paying that much attention to the user interface.)

< Message edited by Jdane -- 6/13/2020 12:15:53 AM >

(in reply to Laiders)
Post #: 5
RE: Slow start on TL3 - 6/13/2020 12:19:34 AM   
Laiders

 

Posts: 123
Joined: 6/8/2020
Status: offline 		My point is locking energy tech in early is essential at the moment. Vic may address this.

Researching it and building it may be less essential depending on priorities, map luck and play style. Having access to it is absolutely critical and all shenanigans to ensure you discover it before opening new fields must be exploited to the fullest possible extent.

That's what I mean. I pretty much always research it as soon as I discover it and finish my current econ tech but there may be situations were I do not do that. I might, for example, take sealed roads over power early in some situations because sealed roads can be much more immediately necessary.

(in reply to Jdane)
Post #: 6
RE: Slow start on TL3 - 6/13/2020 12:22:12 AM   
Jdane


Posts: 456
Joined: 6/5/2020
Status: offline 		Okay, I see it now and agree. Thanks.

(in reply to Laiders)
Post #: 7
RE: Slow start on TL3 - 6/13/2020 12:24:25 AM   
GodwinW


Posts: 511
Joined: 6/5/2020
Status: offline 		It's cool how different starting experiences are.

Some starts you have terran open air farming with plenty of rain and some mountains with, oh hey, a few hydraulic power plant hexes as well (my current one).
In other starts you're on a lifeless surface where you cannot find metal nor power.

And still being able to win despite those challenges using all the tools in the game, that's addicting!
For me personally it's still way too early to talk about balance in this regard. If everyone lacks metal and power but scrapes by, you could still win maybe. Or maybe not. But I don't have enough experience in such situations yet.

(in reply to Jdane)
Post #: 8
RE: Slow start on TL3 - 6/13/2020 12:27:15 AM   
Cornuthaum

 

Posts: 91
Joined: 6/7/2020
Status: offline 		Artillery and power plants should be TL0/starting techs. The former because militia already have access to them at game start, the latter because it is completely crippling in an actually-game-ruining way not to have any power generative option.

(in reply to GodwinW)
Post #: 9
RE: Slow start on TL3 - 6/13/2020 12:31:13 AM   
Laiders

 

Posts: 123
Joined: 6/8/2020
Status: offline 		Technically arty are T0. You just don't have a model for them.

Hard agree on arty. It's kinda nonsensical you start with artillery militia but somehow have no artillery designs yourself. I would not extend this any further. Players should not start able to build tanks with a low tech start. Sort of agree on power but it would have to inefficient, expensive or both. Like power plants and solar should still feel like a very real upgrade and a preferable option.

(in reply to Cornuthaum)
Post #: 10
RE: Slow start on TL3 - 6/13/2020 12:45:51 AM   
Jdane


Posts: 456
Joined: 6/5/2020
Status: offline 		Militia arty should have a chance to blow up each time it's used, because it's makeshift.

But that would be somewhat suicidal from a commercial perspective.

quote:

ORIGINAL: SomeSteamUser
my TROOPS went to BATTLE and BLEW THEMSELVES UP!!!
THIS is SAD
0/10 instant refund


< Message edited by Jdane -- 6/13/2020 12:48:24 AM >

(in reply to Laiders)
Post #: 11
RE: Slow start on TL3 - 6/13/2020 12:47:56 AM   
Jdane


Posts: 456
Joined: 6/5/2020
Status: offline 		- Gosh is this forum pitiless. Please disregard my fail. -

< Message edited by Jdane -- 6/13/2020 12:49:03 AM >

(in reply to Jdane)
Post #: 12
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