Turn 1 (after we've assigned things to happen)
Now is the time for a new beginning. Finally we will leave our own solar system for the first time and explore the space around our home. The Martynov has identified 2 solar systems within one sector of Sol, and sensors show no alien ships as yet. The absence of potentially hostile alien ships and our own thirst for knowledge has led us to send the Adams in a different direction than the Martynov. Together they will look for potential colonies, before the Martynov heads off into deep space to look for alien cultures.
We've taken the dilithium refinery offline to allow those workers to move into the universities, as well as pulled a few farmers in from the fields. Now our research structures are fully operational, and we've tasked them with researching biotechnology full-time. We'll move on to other areas of study later.
Finally, our industrial capacity is woefully small, so I've ordered the purchase of additional factories.
Turn 2Aliens!
Admiral Jarod Cain made first contact with the first of possibly many alien races. Thankfully they're peaceful and friendly.
The Mintakans are still in the bronze age technologically, but since we have absolutely no regard for the natural development of alien cultures then we're certainly happy to thrust them into the space age with diplomatic overtures and trade. They're reasonably open to us diplomatically, so hopefully a trade agreement should be easy to agree on. We've already sent them a missive.
Turn 3They Martynov identified a nearby neutron star, and we bought another factory. We're continuing to explore while we wait for a reply from the Mintakans.
Turn 4Success!
The Mintakans have agreed to a friendship treaty. This will allow us to establish trade routes with their homeworld. Or rather, trade route, we can only send one trade route to any given alien system. At the moment Sol only has the population to support a single trade route, so this is adequate.
Gameplay: The Diplomacy ScreenThe diplomacy screen allows us to assess our relationship with alien races, accept treaties, and offer treaties of our own. The bar below the racial picture indicates how much that species likes your race. Every race has a default favor towards your race, and that can be increased or decreased by player action. In this case the Mintakans are receptive, which is about as good as it gets (other than the Vulcans and Betazoids, they love the Federation and come "cordial" by default). We can boost our relationship slowly (while making money) with active trade routes. Alternatively we can send a bribe for a big boost to our friendship. Bribes never backfire, unless you can't capitalize on them.
There are 3 (technically 4) treaties you can have with minor races. A friendship treaty allows you to open trade routes and nothing else. An affiliation allows you to build outposts and starbases in their home system, and make use of any pre-existing shipyards to expand the operational range of your ships. Finally, a membership treaty basically makes them a member of your empire, and you can control their home system as you would any colony. Or you can go to war with them.
The Mintakans started off receptive, which is above "neutral" and is good enough to make friendship treaties a given. Most minor races we meet will be neutral, and some will be worse. Neutral races have a chance of refusing friendship treaties, but will occasionally accept if you get lucky. Otherwise we'll be obliged to bribe them or invade them. The Federation do much better when bribing.
The big benefit of minor races is that they come pre-settled. Normal colonies take dozens of turns to be worth their while, but a minor race system comes stocked with farms, factories, and most importantly people.
Finally we've made some measurable technological progress! Now we can upgrade our automated farms and reach our maximum population. There was a little excess research done this
year(??) fuck-it turn, so we poured it into propulsion research.
We've completed our survey of the immediate area, and apparently there's only one uninhabited system within range of the Adams. With the approval of admiral Jarod Cain we'll begin terraforming operations immediately.
The Martynov is now being sent into the unknown. Hopefully other nearby aliens are as friendly as the Mintakans.
Finally, an update on our own production.
We've spent the last 4 turns purchasing mass replicators, bringing our total to 11. I'm planning on spending most of our treasury on immediately upgrading our automated farms. That will allow us to get to our maximum population while keeping up with the construction of more factories.
For RealsWe've focused on exploring the local neighborhood for suitable systems to colonize, this time our choice is easy, but Malurian is not such a bad system. The maximum population for this system is 90, with a maximum growth rate of 0.5%. It's unimpressive, but there's a surprising amount of hope here.
The presence of an O-class planet means we can build an aquaculture center at Biotech 3, which combined with federation replicators at Energy 5 means we can feed the entire population literally for free. (Each building provides +50 food). Plus the presence of barren planets gives us wind turbines for +50 energy at no cost, and it makes this system a candidate for the Genesis Research Station. Unlocked at Biotech 4, this gives us a 100% bonus to Biotech research when active. The presence of dilithium is just icing on the cake, as we can send it to larger systems like Mintaka for shipbuilding there.
Plus, a lower population cap means we can get to developing the system past subsistence quicker, even if that means it will have a smaller impact on our later empire.
As a rule of thumb, the best systems to colonize have the highest population maximum. Beyond that, J-class, P-class, and O-class planets unlock special buildings that can help our economy. Energy bonuses aren't particularly important, and they're about as common as dirt. Food bonuses, on the other hand, are incredibly valuable. First, they reduce the population needed to maintain your workforce, but more importantly they only occur on M-class, O-class, and L-class (jungle) planets. These also support higher maximum populations, so it's an indication of a more productive system in the long term.
In terms of the next steps. We're currently researching propulsion to expand the maximum range of the Martynov, and next it's on to Construction. Upgrading factories is both incredibly difficult and incredibly rewarding, we should get on it as soon as possible.
Beyond that, it depends on who we meet when we keep exploring.
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Topic: Lets Play: Star Trek TNG Birth of the Federation: Turns 173-175 *WE'RE BACK* (Read 58455 times)