Doctor J

Reply to Smiting my Allies in Sins of a Solar Empire Sins Forums

Thanks for the laughs. It was sort of a serious point, though. Sr. Fraser was right. They were fighting each other. I picked the strongest threat to me first, occupied his home system and one of his other earth worlds with forces they could not contend with, then betrayed him. I can't remember if during that awful act on my part if the other AI guy broke it off with me or not, but I ended up squashing him too before it ended. Is there or will there be a way through bu

Smiting my Allies in Sins of a Solar Empire Sins Forums

Yesterday I finished playing a single player game in a free for all with 9 AI opponents. It was fun, but there was something not quite right about it.... For almost the whole game I was at peace and trading with 2 other AI players. At the end, I had completely taken 3 star systems, one of my allies had taken one small system, and the three of us shared on system (I presume the one they had started in. I got rid of their less-than-friendly neighbors.) Anyway, to 'win' the game I

Reply to 20,368 ships (lots of images) beta3 testing in Sins Modding Sins Forums

Cyan Ambassador Splitzen: "Just where do you think you're going? It had better not be to Vespa!" (Tunes in command central of the Cyan Colored Empire: "Good Morning Deputy Minister. This is Fleen Splitzen, Ambassador to the Red Empire. I regret that I am taking an extended leave of absence effective immediately. On a personal note, I'll be sure to pay you that 10,000 credits I owe you when I get back from leave. (lol)."

Orbital Refinery in Sins of a Solar Empire Sins Forums

What, exactly, does it do and how does it work? I've built a couple but it isn't clear to me what they are for. Also, is there a way to get crystal in late-game when the 'roids are all tapped out? Thanks

Reply to SHIPS GONE MISSING!!! in Beta Feedback Sins Forums

I'm confused. Do you mean they are gone, as in they are no longer usable by you again ever? Or, do you mean if you are zoomed in close enough to actually see the ships they dissapear, but the game still tracks 'em, and they arrive where they were sent and you can still use them to kill stuff? I certainly haven't had a problem with wholesale loss of ships. I've misplaced one here or there, but its usually because it was once part of a group and I gave a group command, o

Reply to Manual Thread in Sins of a Solar Empire Sins Forums

A great idea! Thanks! I'm not really a multiplayer sort. I get to play in 20 minute bursts here and there, so it makes playing other wetware a problem. In player vs. AI games I've found it very effective to cluster planetary defenses near a jump point. Even if its the wrong jump point, the AI seems to go right for the gauss cannons. The system defense bombers take out the seige frigates and the gausses do the rest. Sometimes, if the invading force is large, the system

Reply to Is this game for me? in Sins of a Solar Empire Sins Forums

I suppose one of the pitfalls of playing a game in Beta is you form opinions of it, even though it isn't all there. You've already purchased Sims. Maybe the best thing to do is wait unitl next year when its done, then give it another try. I'll bet it will seem like a whole different game.

Reply to 2 small targetting bugs in Beta Feedback Sins Forums

I noticed something similar to assault fleets failing to destroy an enemy structure. It happens in systems where another player has mined out an asteroid completely. Your fleet will not destroy the structure. I guess it doesn't matter, unless the enemy's depleted mining structure can 'spy' on what's going on in the system. I haven't played multiplayer, so I don't know what other players can see when there are multiple players with structures in one system. Maybe someone else can shed so

I always feel like a Harpy in Beta Feedback Sins Forums

One thing I found a little frustrating about GC2 was I would spend time designing cool ships then play the game zoomed out with all ships as icons because playing as a harpy made commanding the empire easier. I'm finding I do the same thing with Sins. Is there a cure for this condition, or must I continue to suffer with it? Watching the epic space battles in a Sims game zoomed up close is fun, but I can't enjoy it as much mid gam

Stardock - Ironclad development question in Sins of a Solar Empire Sins Forums

I've been around Stardock for the realease of both GC games, so I think I recognize a few Stardock avatars in the forums responding to questions and such. Certainly Frogboy, and maybe a few others. Just out of curiosity, how involved is the Stardock team in testing and preparing Sins? And is that level of involvement typical for a developer - publisher relationship? Like I said, I'm just curious. I've always liked Stardock and from the posts of their principals they seem to be

Reply to Sins Beta 3 - Gameplay Feedback *POST HERE* in Sins of a Solar Empire Stardock Forums

I'm late to the Beta testing, only on my third game. I'm very impressed with Sins - It has a lot of the fun of a RTS game without the horrible, repeated clicking. There are two odd things in the gameplay that I wanted to point out. In the first two maps it seems like the other player has a small force (2 or 3 frigates) at all nodes adjacent to mine right from the start. They always smack down my poor scout ships. It just seems odd to me that the opponent would have such a presence in the system

Reply to Galactic Civilizations II: Free gadgets! in GalCiv II News GalCiv2 Forums

These are nice, Roman! Thanks. I'm having a problem with the calendar, though. Something I did switched it to a minimal mode that just shows the date. If I click the tab, it dissapears altogether. Can't seem to get back to displaying the whole month. Even if I can't fix this, these are nice. Sorta makes me want to get some of the skinning tools Stardock sells.

Reply to researching is not worth it in Research GalCiv2 Forums

Really? I find that the aliens usually won't trade warfare-related techs with me, even if we're on good terms. Not researching would leave me vulnerable. Of course, my overall strategy involves staying ahead, or at least competitive, technologically. I'm sure there are other approaches.

Reply to Moon orbit in Game Talk GalCiv2 Forums

Um, uh-huh. Well, it's a little known fact that Avatar Frogboy, long before he met his wife, while in high school, once saw an Aussie gal he quite liked. In honor of her memory, he made the GalCiv II universe as it would be viewed by an Australian, which is down upon the Earth from the direction of the SOUTH pole. This, of course, meaning that the moon would rotate in the opposite direction, just as water swirls in the toilet bowl in reverse when down-under. Lawd hep us.

Reply to Do you usually build 'Battle Stations' for your Resource Starbases? in Galactic Civilizations II GalCiv2 Forums

I put as many guns on em as they can hold, then protect them with a bunch of ships. Generally, no one messes with my starbases. Really, consider them as an investment that you want to protect from every wannabe punk who comes around with a gat and an attitude.

Reply to What's throttle frame rate do? in Galactic Civilizations II GalCiv2 Forums

Keeps your computer from lighting on fire and exploding.

Reply to Piracy!! ARRR!!! in Galactic Civilizations II GalCiv2 Forums

Oh! Arrr! How about an option for a defeated Emporer to take some or all of his scattered remaining fleet and funds and build a pirate outpost? Well, maybe not. I suppose in the grand scheme of things the life of piracy is do0med to fail, as the conquering empire's navy will eventuallly have time to spend wiping you out, and with only trade-route booty (which would be tiny in comparison to the economy of a planet) to spend on research and production you wouldn' t be able t

Reply to Help me quit my annoying habit. in Galactic Civilizations II GalCiv2 Forums

Nah, It works the other way for me. "Am I really SURE I'm done? Oh, wait! I didn't check planet So-and-So. Oh, yes I did. Is my research right? Yes. Taxes? Yes. Oh, doo. I wanted to design a new ship. Ah, that can wait. YES I"LL MAKE DINNER IN A MINUTE! Oh, hell where was I? I'd better check all my planets again. What happened to that border patrol? Oh there it is. Was that Drengin fighter there before? Hmm.... Quite sure I don't have the "Press End Turn Too Soon" Disease.<

Reply to Using Aliens to take Resources in Game Talk GalCiv2 Forums

It wasn't range. The location where I turned the ships over to the torian was only about 10 movement units (a parsec?) from Toria, the green loser's homeworld. I should note that, at the time, the Drengin were assaulting one of the Torian's planets, and it's possible that the Torian placed a higher priority on defending his planet than whacking the base. Still doesn't explain the failure to group the ships though. I checked his research level on logistics and it was equal to mine, so

Reply to Minor Civs: Befriend or Conquer? in Game Talk GalCiv2 Forums

Befriend them, then conquer them later. Even if you are good. It is for their own protection. Really! (You don't want the drengin to conquer them and have to deal with them as neighbors now would you?) And yes Tycow, you keep the tech. It's just sharing for cash when tech-trading is concerned.

Reply to Can you lend me a hand with some n00by questions? in Galactic Civilizations II GalCiv2 Forums

I'm not entirely sure Duckof Doom is right about the influence starbases. They clearly do radiate influence to some extent where you place them. They apparently also ADD to your overall influence. So, if you are going for the influence victory you could theoretically build a bunch of influence starbases deep in your borders (so you can defend them better) and pull off an influence win. Ah, imagine all those little green Torian kids rushing to your homeworld's orbiting fun-park for vac

Reply to Can you lend me a hand with some n00by questions? in Galactic Civilizations II GalCiv2 Forums

I'm not entirely sure Duckof Doom is right about the influence starbases. They clearly do radiate influence to some extent where you place them. They apparently also ADD to your overall influence. So, if you are going for the influence victory you could theoretically build a bunch of influence starbases deep in your borders (so you can defend them better) and pull off an influence win. Ah, imagine all those little green Torian kids rushing to your homeworld's orbiting fun-park for vac

Using Aliens to take Resources in Game Talk GalCiv2 Forums

A few days ago (sorry couldn't find the original post in all the clutter) there was a suggestion that you could move some war-ships and a constructor near a starbase owned by one alien, give the war-ships to another alien with which the first alien was at war, and the second alien would then promptly use the gifted ships to destroy the starbase, letting you move in with your constructor to take the resource. Sorry, doesn't (always) work. I tried it twice against the Drengin, by giving

Reply to Wow... I can't believe the negativity in Galactic Civilizations II GalCiv2 Forums

I totally agree with you. Well, except that it really bothers me that all nine planets of OUR most holy solar system are not shown orbiting SOL. I really just can't take THAT oversight. Geez. It's probably a good thing to let whiners vent. If they can't vent, they'll just go hurt a kitten with a fork or something. But it would be a good thing if SD would hire an intern to shuffle all the whiney posts into a special folder so the rest of us can get down to the business of communicating

Reply to Questions about my current game tactics.... in Game Talk GalCiv2 Forums

Wife won't understand. Better love on her some. Buy her dinner, clean a room or two, then say, "Whew, all that buying stuff and cleaning and loving on you has made me tired. Mind if I go play on the computer a little while?" Once she says 'yes' you are in until you pass out. Once you have slept you have to start over. If you are playing at a harder difficulty level they won't like transports near their planets very much. Depending on your military might they may or may not attack you