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[Flying Dice]

Also, note that you have only 1 armor belt and no PD whatsoever. Railguns, like all E/KW, are essentially knife-range weapons. The first missile that gets shot at one of those is going to tear straight through the armor and take something out. If you're going to arm your survey vessels, do it properly and give them defences as well. Just tacking on a couple weapons and calling it a day does nothing but hurt your speed, which in turn means that there are even fewer things you can run away from.

Personally, if I'm looking to give a survey vessel protection, I either minimize the size (my current ones are 800 tons) so that they can get pretty good speed from their single engine, or I give them a couple extra armor belts and a CIWS or two, or I give them armor, CIWS, and a decent number of box launchers loaded with shipkillers.

Though to be perfectly honest, the easiest way to keep survey vessels safe is to make them as fast as is practical and have them run for a JP as soon as they spot something. To that end, size 1 thermal and EM sensors are standard on every vessel I build that doesn't have better ones.

[gimlet]

I don't even put jump engines in survey vessels because they just get zapped so frequently, let alone expensive sensors and weapons.  Good lord, almost 1000 BP? I think that's about 1/3 my total budget for initial survey ships which would include 4 jump point surveyors, 4 geo surveyors and 2 jump tender/tankers (<300 BP ea for the surveyors, 500ish for the jump tenders).   Plus they get conscript crews, saving the regular crews for the combat fleet...

[Sirus]

What sort of penalties do you get from conscript crews, anyway? And is it possible for a conscript crew to become a "normal" crew? It'd be an interesting RP mechanic...

[Sheb]

I think they start with a training level of 0.

[Flying Dice]

It puts their initial training/readiness at -10%. Which of course doesn't matter for noncombat vessels. Anyhow, got my next-gen designs drawn up. A few years of production and I'll be ready to xenocide a star nation more than 4 times my size. I know, I know--massive WoT. But then, spoilers don't play nice with code tags.

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Independence class Carrier    65,600 tons     4444 Crew     18287.8 BP      TCS 1312  TH 14400  EM 3600
10975 km/s     Armour 15-144     Shields 120-300     Sensors 1200/1/0/0     Damage Control Rating 100     PPV 37.76
Maint Life 2.53 Years     MSP 8969    AFR 860%    IFR 12%    1YR 1951    5YR 29259    Max Repair 2400 MSP
Flag Bridge    Hangar Deck Capacity 10000 tons     Magazine 2184    Cargo Handling Multiplier 20   

Inertial Confinement Fusion Drive E3 (90)    Power 160    Fuel Use 30%    Signature 160    Armour 0    Exp 5%
Fuel Capacity 2,300,000 Litres    Range 210.4 billion km   (221 days at full power)
Epsilon R300/9 Shields (40)   Total Fuel Cost  360 Litres per day

Twin 10cm C3 X-Ray Laser Turret (4x2)    Range 192,000km     TS: 30000 km/s     Power 6-6     RM 7    ROF 5        3 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 2 2
CIWS-320 (6x10)    Range 1000 km     TS: 32000 km/s     ROF 5       Base 50% To Hit
Laser PD FC S08 96-32000 (1)    Max Range: 192,000 km   TS: 32000 km/s     95 90 84 79 74 69 64 58 53 48
Inertial Confinement Fusion Reactor Technology PB-1 (4)     Total Power Output 24    Armour 0    Exp 5%

Claymore-4 FM I (546)  Speed: 61,000 km/s   End: 6.8m    Range: 25m km   WH: 16    Size: 4    TH: 610 / 366 / 183

Active Search Sensor MR2304-R16 (1)     GPS 38400     Range 2,304.0m km    Resolution 16
Active Search Sensor MR23-R1 (1)     GPS 96     Range 23.0m km    Resolution 1
Thermal Sensor TH50-1200 (1)     Sensitivity 1200     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  1200m km

ECCM-3 (1)         ECM 40

Strike Group
24x Hawk Strikefighter   Speed: 28750 km/s    Size: 4
4x Crow Recon Fighter   Speed: 28750 km/s    Size: 4
8x Peregrine Heavy Fighter   Speed: 11500 km/s    Size: 10

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Hawk class Strikefighter    200 tons     5 Crew     79.5 BP      TCS 4  TH 115  EM 0
28750 km/s     Armour 1-3     Shields 0-0     Sensors 1/1/0/0     Damage Control Rating 0     PPV 1.2
Maint Life 15.01 Years     MSP 25    AFR 3%    IFR 0%    1YR 0    5YR 3    Max Repair 19 MSP
Magazine 8   

FTR Inertial Confinement Fusion Drive E420 (1)    Power 115.2    Fuel Use 4200%    Signature 115.2    Armour 0    Exp 80%
Fuel Capacity 25,000 Litres    Range 5.4 billion km   (51 hours at full power)

X/O Rail S4 (2)    Missile Size 4    Hangar Reload 30 minutes    MF Reload 5 hours
Missile Fire Control FC55-R16 (1)     Range 55.3m km    Resolution 16
Claymore-4 FM I (2)  Speed: 61,000 km/s   End: 6.8m    Range: 25m km   WH: 16    Size: 4    TH: 610 / 366 / 183

Small Craft ECCM-1 (1)

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Crow class Recon Fighter    200 tons     6 Crew     130.5 BP      TCS 4  TH 115  EM 0
28750 km/s     Armour 1-3     Shields 0-0     Sensors 1/1/0/0     Damage Control Rating 0     PPV 0
Maint Life 9.36 Years     MSP 41    AFR 3%    IFR 0%    1YR 1    5YR 13    Max Repair 96 MSP

FTR Inertial Confinement Fusion Drive E420 (1)    Power 115.2    Fuel Use 4200%    Signature 115.2    Armour 0    Exp 80%
Fuel Capacity 30,000 Litres    Range 6.4 billion km   (62 hours at full power)

Active Search Sensor MR23-R1 (1)     GPS 96     Range 23.0m km    Resolution 1

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Peregrine class Heavy Fighter    500 tons     21 Crew     102 BP      TCS 10  TH 115  EM 0
11500 km/s     Armour 1-5     Shields 0-0     Sensors 1/1/0/0     Damage Control Rating 0     PPV 6
Maint Life 7.46 Years     MSP 26    AFR 10%    IFR 0.1%    1YR 1    5YR 12    Max Repair 29 MSP

FTR Inertial Confinement Fusion Drive E420 (1)    Power 115.2    Fuel Use 4200%    Signature 115.2    Armour 0    Exp 80%
Fuel Capacity 60,000 Litres    Range 5.1 billion km   (5 days at full power)

R4.5/C3 Meson Cannon (2)    Range 45,000km     TS: 11500 km/s     Power 3-3     RM 4.5    ROF 5        1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
Fire Control S00.5 24-8000 (FTR) (1)    Max Range: 48,000 km   TS: 32000 km/s     79 58 38 17 0 0 0 0 0 0
Inertial Confinement Fusion Reactor Technology PB-1 (1)     Total Power Output 6    Armour 0    Exp 5%

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Scimtar class Battlecruiser    55,200 tons     5027 Crew     15138.65 BP      TCS 1104  TH 13760  EM 9000
12463 km/s     Armour 12-129     Shields 300-300     Sensors 240/1/0/0     Damage Control Rating 101     PPV 184.8
Maint Life 2.33 Years     MSP 3599    AFR 1160%    IFR 16.1%    1YR 899    5YR 13480    Max Repair 960 MSP
Magazine 2152   

Inertial Confinement Fusion Drive E3 (86)    Power 160    Fuel Use 30%    Signature 160    Armour 0    Exp 5%
Fuel Capacity 2,145,000 Litres    Range 233.1 billion km   (216 days at full power)
Epsilon R300/9 Shields (100)   Total Fuel Cost  900 Litres per day

CIWS-320 (4x10)    Range 1000 km     TS: 32000 km/s     ROF 5       Base 50% To Hit
Ballista S4 Launcher (24)    Missile Size 4    Rate of Fire 20
Trebuchet S10 Launcher (6)    Missile Size 10    Rate of Fire 45
X/O Rail S4 (48)    Missile Size 4    Hangar Reload 30 minutes    MF Reload 5 hours
Missile Fire Control FC414-R16 (1)     Range 414.7m km    Resolution 16
Missile Fire Control FC193-R16 (2)     Range 193.5m km    Resolution 16
Sabre-4 II (378)  Speed: 59,000 km/s   End: 33.9m    Range: 120.1m km   WH: 9    Size: 4    TH: 570 / 342 / 171
Thunderbolt-10 SBM I (64)  Speed: 39,600 km/s   End: 126.4m    Range: 300.3m km   WH: 16    Size: 10    TH: 264 / 158 / 79

Active Search Sensor MR921-R16 (1)     GPS 15360     Range 921.6m km    Resolution 16
Thermal Sensor TH10-240 (1)     Sensitivity 240     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  240m km

ECCM-3 (4)         ECM 40

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Sirius class Escort Cruiser    43,100 tons     3489 Crew     14347.5 BP      TCS 862  TH 9600  EM 1350
11136 km/s     Armour 9-109     Shields 45-300     Sensors 1200/1/0/0     Damage Control Rating 51     PPV 257.84
Maint Life 2.41 Years     MSP 6449    AFR 479%    IFR 6.7%    1YR 1524    5YR 22859    Max Repair 2400 MSP

Inertial Confinement Fusion Drive E3 (60)    Power 160    Fuel Use 30%    Signature 160    Armour 0    Exp 5%
Fuel Capacity 1,500,000 Litres    Range 208.8 billion km   (217 days at full power)
Epsilon R300/9 Shields (15)   Total Fuel Cost  135 Litres per day

Twin 10cm C3 X-Ray Laser Turret (4x2)    Range 192,000km     TS: 30000 km/s     Power 6-6     RM 7    ROF 5        3 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 2 2
Twin Gauss Cannon R5-100 Turret (12x10)    Range 50,000km     TS: 30000 km/s     Power 0-0     RM 5    ROF 5        1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0
CIWS-320 (2x10)    Range 1000 km     TS: 32000 km/s     ROF 5       Base 50% To Hit
Laser PD FC S08 96-32000 (1)    Max Range: 192,000 km   TS: 32000 km/s     95 90 84 79 74 69 64 58 53 48
Gauss PD FCl S04 48-32000 (3)    Max Range: 96,000 km   TS: 32000 km/s     90 79 69 58 48 38 27 17 6 0
Inertial Confinement Fusion Reactor Technology PB-1 (4)     Total Power Output 24    Armour 0    Exp 5%

PD AS Scanner MR576-R1 (1)     GPS 2400     Range 576.0m km    Resolution 1
Thermal Sensor TH50-1200 (1)     Sensitivity 1200     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  1200m km

ECCM-3 (1)         ECM 40

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Nemesis II class Missile Destroyer    27,900 tons     2764 Crew     7862.05 BP      TCS 558  TH 6400  EM 1800
11469 km/s     Armour 7-81     Shields 60-300     Sensors 240/1/0/0     Damage Control Rating 32     PPV 117
Maint Life 2.2 Years     MSP 2025    AFR 541%    IFR 7.5%    1YR 562    5YR 8433    Max Repair 960 MSP
Magazine 1156   

Inertial Confinement Fusion Drive E3 (40)    Power 160    Fuel Use 30%    Signature 160    Armour 0    Exp 5%
Fuel Capacity 1,095,000 Litres    Range 235.5 billion km   (237 days at full power)
Epsilon R300/9 Shields (20)   Total Fuel Cost  180 Litres per day

CIWS-320 (4x10)    Range 1000 km     TS: 32000 km/s     ROF 5       Base 50% To Hit
Ballista S4 Launcher (12)    Missile Size 4    Rate of Fire 20
Trebuchet S10 Launcher (6)    Missile Size 10    Rate of Fire 45
X/O Rail S10 (6)    Missile Size 10    Hangar Reload 75 minutes    MF Reload 12.5 hours
Missile Fire Control FC414-R16 (1)     Range 414.7m km    Resolution 16
Missile Fire Control FC193-R16 (1)     Range 193.5m km    Resolution 16
Sabre-4 II (114)  Speed: 59,000 km/s   End: 33.9m    Range: 120.1m km   WH: 9    Size: 4    TH: 570 / 342 / 171
Thunderbolt-10 SBM I (70)  Speed: 39,600 km/s   End: 126.4m    Range: 300.3m km   WH: 16    Size: 10    TH: 264 / 158 / 79

Active Search Sensor MR921-R16 (1)     GPS 15360     Range 921.6m km    Resolution 16
Thermal Sensor TH10-240 (1)     Sensitivity 240     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  240m km

ECCM-3 (2)         ECM 40

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Firebrand III class Frigate    8,350 tons     928 Crew     3730.5 BP      TCS 167  TH 2304  EM 900
13796 km/s     Armour 4-36     Shields 30-300     Sensors 120/1/0/0     Damage Control Rating 4     PPV 36
Maint Life 2.95 Years     MSP 1117    AFR 139%    IFR 1.9%    1YR 191    5YR 2864    Max Repair 461 MSP

Inertial Confinement Fusion Drive E4.2 (12)    Power 192    Fuel Use 42%    Signature 192    Armour 0    Exp 16%
Fuel Capacity 410,000 Litres    Range 210.4 billion km   (176 days at full power)
Epsilon R300/9 Shields (10)   Total Fuel Cost  90 Litres per day

30cm C8 X-Ray Laser (4)    Range 384,000km     TS: 13796 km/s     Power 24-8     RM 7    ROF 15        24 24 24 24 24 24 24 20 18 16
CIWS-320 (1x10)    Range 1000 km     TS: 32000 km/s     ROF 5       Base 50% To Hit
Fire Control S08 192-16000 (1)    Max Range: 384,000 km   TS: 16000 km/s     97 95 92 90 87 84 82 79 77 74
Inertial Confinement Fusion Reactor Technology PB-1 (3)     Total Power Output 36    Armour 0    Exp 5%

Active Search Sensor MR184-R16 (1)     GPS 3072     Range 184.3m km    Resolution 16
Thermal Sensor TH5-120 (1)     Sensitivity 120     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  120m km

ECCM-3 (1)         ECM 40

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Siren II class Missile Frigate    8,000 tons     786 Crew     2336.2 BP      TCS 160  TH 1920  EM 0
12000 km/s     Armour 4-35     Shields 0-0     Sensors 120/1/0/0     Damage Control Rating 22     PPV 36.8
Maint Life 1.51 Years     MSP 365    AFR 256%    IFR 3.6%    1YR 180    5YR 2706    Max Repair 192 MSP
Magazine 336   

Inertial Confinement Fusion Drive E4.2 (10)    Power 192    Fuel Use 42%    Signature 192    Armour 0    Exp 16%
Fuel Capacity 305,000 Litres    Range 163.4 billion km   (157 days at full power)

CIWS-320 (2x10)    Range 1000 km     TS: 32000 km/s     ROF 5       Base 50% To Hit
Ballista S4 Launcher (8)    Missile Size 4    Rate of Fire 20
X/O Rail S4 (8)    Missile Size 4    Hangar Reload 30 minutes    MF Reload 5 hours
Missile Fire Control FC193-R16 (1)     Range 193.5m km    Resolution 16
Sabre-4 II (84)  Speed: 59,000 km/s   End: 33.9m    Range: 120.1m km   WH: 9    Size: 4    TH: 570 / 342 / 171

Active Search Sensor MR184-R16 (1)     GPS 3072     Range 184.3m km    Resolution 16
Thermal Sensor TH5-120 (1)     Sensitivity 120     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  120m km

ECCM-3 (1)         ECM 40

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Valkyrie class Experimental Vessel    17,350 tons     1536 Crew     4278.5 BP      TCS 347  TH 4000  EM 3600
11527 km/s     Armour 5-59     Shields 120-300     Sensors 120/1/0/0     Damage Control Rating 46     PPV 96
Maint Life 2.3 Years     MSP 925    AFR 401%    IFR 5.6%    1YR 237    5YR 3555    Max Repair 192 MSP

Inertial Confinement Fusion Drive E3 (25)    Power 160    Fuel Use 30%    Signature 160    Armour 0    Exp 5%
Fuel Capacity 545,000 Litres    Range 188.5 billion km   (189 days at full power)
Epsilon R300/9 Shields (40)   Total Fuel Cost  360 Litres per day

CIWS-320 (2x10)    Range 1000 km     TS: 32000 km/s     ROF 5       Base 50% To Hit
Size 16 Plasma Torpedo Launcher (4)     Warhead 16     Speed 50,000 km/s     Max Range 8m km     Rate of Fire 145 seconds
Size 4 Plasma Torpedo Launcher (8)     Warhead 4     Speed 50,000 km/s     Max Range 2m km     Rate of Fire 40 seconds
Missile Fire Control FC34-R1 (2)     Range 34.6m km    Resolution 1

Active Search Sensor MR184-R16 (1)     GPS 3072     Range 184.3m km    Resolution 16
Thermal Sensor TH5-120 (1)     Sensitivity 120     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  120m km

ECCM-3 (2)         ECM 40

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Starling III class Fast Attack Craft    1,000 tons     117 Crew     502.5 BP      TCS 20  TH 384  EM 0
19200 km/s     Armour 1-8     Shields 0-0     Sensors 48/1/0/0     Damage Control Rating 0     PPV 4
Maint Life 5.5 Years     MSP 157    AFR 16%    IFR 0.2%    1YR 9    5YR 131    Max Repair 173 MSP

GB Inertial Confinement Fusion Drive E42 (1)    Power 384    Fuel Use 420%    Signature 384    Armour 0    Exp 48%
Fuel Capacity 70,000 Litres    Range 30.0 billion km   (18 days at full power)

R9/C8 Meson Cannon (1)    Range 90,000km     TS: 19200 km/s     Power 6-8     RM 9    ROF 5        1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0
Fire Control S03 48-24000 (1)    Max Range: 96,000 km   TS: 24000 km/s     90 79 69 58 48 38 27 17 6 0
Inertial Confinement Fusion Reactor Technology PB-1 (1)     Total Power Output 12    Armour 0    Exp 5%

Active Search Sensor MR23-R1 (1)     GPS 96     Range 23.0m km    Resolution 1
Thermal Sensor TH2-48 (1)     Sensitivity 48     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  48m km

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Tigris class Support Vessel    57,800 tons     1610 Crew     6151.8 BP      TCS 1156  TH 12000  EM 0
10380 km/s     Armour 3-133     Shields 0-0     Sensors 24/24/0/0     Damage Control Rating 16     PPV 0
Maint Life 3.58 Years     MSP 11064    AFR 1670%    IFR 23.2%    1YR 1327    5YR 19911    Max Repair 100 MSP
Hangar Deck Capacity 2000 tons     Magazine 2184   

Inertial Confinement Fusion Drive E0.3 (30)    Power 400    Fuel Use 3%    Signature 400    Armour 0    Exp 1%
Fuel Capacity 5,120,000 Litres    Range 5314.6 billion km   (5925 days at full power)

CIWS-320 (3x10)    Range 1000 km     TS: 32000 km/s     ROF 5       Base 50% To Hit
Sabre-4 II (146)  Speed: 59,000 km/s   End: 33.9m    Range: 120.1m km   WH: 9    Size: 4    TH: 570 / 342 / 171
Thunderbolt-10 SBM I (100)  Speed: 39,600 km/s   End: 126.4m    Range: 300.3m km   WH: 16    Size: 10    TH: 264 / 158 / 79
Claymore-4 FM I (150)  Speed: 61,000 km/s   End: 6.8m    Range: 25m km   WH: 16    Size: 4    TH: 610 / 366 / 183

Thermal Sensor TH1-24 (1)     Sensitivity 24     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  24m km
EM Detection Sensor EM1-24 (1)     Sensitivity 24     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  24m km

ECM 40

Strike Group
2x Peregrine Heavy Fighter   Speed: 11500 km/s    Size: 10
4x Hawk Strikefighter   Speed: 28750 km/s    Size: 4
1x Crow Recon Fighter   Speed: 28750 km/s    Size: 4

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Prince of Wales II class Recon Frigate    9,100 tons     918 Crew     5007 BP      TCS 182  TH 2304  EM 0
12659 km/s     Armour 1-38     Shields 0-0     Sensors 1200/1/0/0     Damage Control Rating 7     PPV 0
Maint Life 1.74 Years     MSP 2407    AFR 94%    IFR 1.3%    1YR 971    5YR 14567    Max Repair 2400 MSP

Inertial Confinement Fusion Drive E4.2 (12)    Power 192    Fuel Use 42%    Signature 192    Armour 0    Exp 16%
Fuel Capacity 370,000 Litres    Range 174.2 billion km   (159 days at full power)

Active Search Sensor MR2304-R16 (1)     GPS 38400     Range 2,304.0m km    Resolution 16
Thermal Sensor TH50-1200 (1)     Sensitivity 1200     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  1200m km

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Raven class Surveillance Frigate    9,000 tons     930 Crew     4001 BP      TCS 27  TH 71.04  EM 0
1644 km/s     Armour 1-38     Shields 0-0     Sensors 1200/1200/0/0     Damage Control Rating 11     PPV 0
Maint Life 2.9 Years     MSP 3057    AFR 58%    IFR 0.8%    1YR 538    5YR 8064    Max Repair 1200 MSP

Inertial Confinement Fusion Drive E2.55 (2)    Power 148    Fuel Use 25.5%    Signature 35.52    Armour 0    Exp 4%
Fuel Capacity 330,000 Litres    Range 258.8 billion km   (1821 days at full power)

Thermal Sensor TH50-1200 (1)     Sensitivity 1200     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  1200m km
EM Detection Sensor EM50-1200 (1)     Sensitivity 1200     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  1200m km
Cloaking Device: Class cross-section reduced to 15% of normal

[MehMuffin]

You created a new empire/race on the planet you wanted right? Then set the default empire to that new one? The SM race isn't designed for actual play and causes errors if used as such.

Oops. 
EDIT: How do I go about adding a new race?

[Flying Dice]

You created a new empire/race on the planet you wanted right? Then set the default empire to that new one? The SM race isn't designed for actual play and causes errors if used as such.

Oops. 
EDIT: How do I go about adding a new race?

Should be an option in the SM section of the system information window, IIRC.

[RedKing]

You created a new empire/race on the planet you wanted right? Then set the default empire to that new one? The SM race isn't designed for actual play and causes errors if used as such.

Oops. 
EDIT: How do I go about adding a new race?

RedKing's Semi-Illustrated Guide to Creating Your Own Alien Empire For Fun and Profit!

1. Create a new game. Be sure to select "Create Spacemaster Empire".

2. After selecting SM Race as default race (so you can navigate without throwing dozens of errors), turn on SM Mode and press F9 to go to the System Info window. Click on Create System until you get one you like, with a nice Nitrogen/Oxygen world (or Nitrogen/Methane if that's how you want to roll). Select the world and Click "HW Minerals" (so you can be sure of having some of everything, at decent accessibilities) and then click "Create Empire".

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

3. This will take you to the race creation screen. From here you can set your species name, government type, civilization name, and tweak all the starting modifiers like population, starting factories, research labs, shipyards, etc. You can also tweak most of your biological parameters, although the "midpoint" of your range will always be equal to the conditions on your homeworld.

Note: You *can* use this to place existing species as well (so for instance, you could select Human and have a splinter colony of Humans on an alien world as a seperate faction from Earth).

4. After your empire is created, press Ctrl+F2 and you can further customize your race, including portrait, ship icon, empire color, flag, and species characteristics (xenophobia, diplomacy, translation skill, etc.)

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

5. Typically, after I'm done I'll choose "Select Default Race" and switch to my new race, then delete the SM Race entirely, but you don't absolutely have to since the SM Race is just a placeholder and doesn't have any actual assets anywhere.

[Neonivek]

Wow, such pointless details given how the game BARELY has any visual representations as it is. But I can only guess one of those is for the Solar system view.

It does make me wonder if Aurora would break if it had a great UI, In game Tutorial, and some aspects of graphics. It won't have any of those of course, but I always wonder what it would be like.

[Flying Dice]

If it had graphics, I wouldn't be able to play it. My computer chugs enough running busy turns without having to render a bunch of little ships and planets. And frankly, I think the only way to get a UI that was easy to use right from the start (I assume that is what you meant by "great") would be to cut out a ton of features and detail. Aurora doesn't have dozens of windows to look busy, it has them because there's that much stuff that needs to be managed.

Maybe if it wasn't coded in VB3(?), heh.

Personally, I don't think that the details are pointless, either. The game was explicitly designed as an aid for writing AARs; the little details help immensely with worldbuilding. For that matter, I like being able to qualify what a world I've just colonized is like, what the conditions would be, etc. S'fun.

[Graknorke]

No they're not pointless details, those are the most important things in making a SM empire. Everything but step 4 is absolutely necessary. And none of those are the solar system view, one is the planetary resources view and the other is species details.

Also it does have a great UI and sufficient graphics. The UI is pretty much as intuitive as you can get (labelled buttons seperated into windows by function) and it doesn't really need so many graphics because it's a numbers game rather than a spectacle game.

[Flying Dice]

Heh, no. The UI is pretty terrible; you'll still be discovering new features months after you start playing. But there isn't really another way to do things, and once you learn it, it isn't too bad.

[Graknorke]

Sure, but the core features are easily noticable and the rollover text means it takes only a couple of seconds to better find out what a button does, which in my books makes it intuitive. If you can work it out on your won without the need for outside guides.

[Neonivek]

Heh, no. The UI is pretty terrible; you'll still be discovering new features months after you start playing. But there isn't really another way to do things, and once you learn it, it isn't too bad.

I love it when someone doesn't just outright say "You are the ONLY one with that problem". Did you ever know that your my hero? of one minute... >_>

No they're not pointless details, those are the most important things in making a SM empire.

Some parts are important details, others are pointless details mostly because you will never see them unless you go out of your way to see them and they also affect nothing. I am not talking about the important details, I am talking about the pointless details.

I reminds me when I looked at my solar system and noticed that inspite of the fact that the game came with files for every planet in the solar system, it didn't come with them preloaded so you had to assign them manually.

Aurora doesn't have dozens of windows to look busy, it has them because there's that much stuff that needs to be managed

Ohh I know. For some people Aurora is almost insurmountable and I remember that the VERY first barrier I had was just scanning a planet. What should have been easy "You ship, go scan this planet" became a very difficult task "You ship go to this planet, now scan... scan now... Uhh how do I can it? AHH!". Then I colonised Mars and had to do all this other stuff... lets just say that is as far as I got with Aurora.

But it keeps tempting me back... Dang it Aurora! No!

[Graknorke]

But the orders window shows you the queuing menu and has orders to make scanning a system incredibly easy (Scan nearest body on repeat), I don't understand how things that simple could ever be difficult... The only problems I've had have been to do with my own stupidity rather than issues with the interface, such as not giving my freighters enough cargo space to transport automines. That one got me good when I realised I had nothing left.