|
Bandersnatch -> Notes for new players on Spices and Resorts (3/26/2011 6:57:38 PM)
|
Quite frankly, I’m astounded by the size and breadth of Distant Worlds. Its design is a masterpiece of work. The learning curve is not overly steep, but rather long and gradual. I’ve played maybe a dozen games, and each new game begins a learning session, and it gets better and better. My own gaming history began before there were computers. Back in those days electronic games joined the dart boards in many bars; particularly Pin Ball machines. Then came Asteroids, and Pac Man, and they showed up everywhere. My first computer was a Packard Bell 286; it had a color monitor, and a Dos operating system; Windows came later. It cost about two grand. Then came the 486 Dx2 66, I had to buy a modem and install it. AOL was the hot item. Gamers drove the development of bigger and better machines thereafter. (So much for nostalgia).
I thought I might be able to help new players with a couple of things I’ve just discovered; I know you old vets can ho-hum this stuff, but if you can add something, then please do.
I’ve never really known what to do with Korabbian Spice and/or Zentabia Fluid except to check the little box on the Empire screen to trade or not. If I liked them, I checked, if not, I didn’t. I had a tendency to hoard it. (In my last game I had both substances). During game play, I could not get any one of the twenty-one empires to accept a Fair Trade Policy. Then I thought of the text at the bottom of the Empire screen giving their reasons for liking or disliking me. One line said: “We resent you not trading (these substances) with us.” Well, they refused to accept my offer for a Free Trade policy, so to heck with them. Then I decided to try something new. Slowly I began checking the box to trade my rare substances with every empire. Before long they began asking me for a Free Trade Policy. Pretty soon everybody loved me. The upshot being: I felt safe in scrapping several fleets freeing me from maintenance costs, and my sinking income leveled off. Soon it began to rise. I won the game. (Random settings)
The second scenario involves the resort base. I always built these to hearten despondent colonies, or reward big populations with entertainment. Then during a game session I checked my Empire summary screen (F12) and took note there was a resort stat for income marked OK. In the past I thought it meant everything was okay. But I couldn’t figure out how it made money. Then I remembered seeing on the galaxy map (F5) info on scenic locations. So I clicked on the yellow dot near the edge of the map, and it took me to a neutron star. Wow! Then I sent a construction ship to build a resort base at the star. It didn’t take long for dozens of passenger ships to start docking, and then back away, holding for passengers at the resort. Since I had a construction ship there, I built a monitor base and a few research bases, and to be on the safe side, a defensive structure along with a couple of cruisers to patrol in case of pirates. Of course I repeated this at other scenic locations. I started watching the money roll in at my summary screen. I hope there aren’t any down sides to this, anyway, good luck with it.
Bander.
|
|
|
|
