[Suggestion] - Starting Resource Tweaks

posted on November 13th, 2011, 7:09 pm

Well, I'm not going to propose anything major here, but I was thinking that instead of starting resource options being "Normal," "Double," and "Unlimited," they should be "Normal," "Base Upgrades," and "Unlimited."

What is now the option to "Double" the starting resources, make it give you an additional 1,300 Dilithium and Tritanium and name it "Base Upgrades" or something similar to that and when the option is selected, each player gets only enough extra resources to upgrade the base immediately, maybe being required to use those extra resources to upgrade the base immediately.  Nothing other than normal starting resources is used anyways, so I doubt that it'll impact balance any.  Currently, the option gives you 2,000 Dilithium and Tritanium, and an extra 500 Supply (I think).

posted on November 13th, 2011, 8:52 pm

One question: Why?

Not everyone uses the extra starting resources to upgrade the starbase.

[godsvoice]

posted on November 13th, 2011, 9:03 pm

Last edited by godsvoice on November 13th, 2011, 9:07 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Yeah, whenever I do double resources star base upgrades are the last thing on my mind.

Generally it means an extra yard sooner, for twice ship production.

Or, an early second expansion. I try to expand 4 . 5 times quickly, double resources is really good with that, because you get the extra funds from expanding coming in, but have enough to start with that you can also do ship production, and a bit of tech up.

With normal settings, I'll build one extra construction ship. With double, it's generally 2 or 3 extra.

Double resources... gives you double resources. 8 000, 4 000. supply is 500.

posted on November 14th, 2011, 5:44 pm

There are many useful things you could do with 1300dil/1300tri. Upgrading the starbase is not among them.

posted on November 14th, 2011, 6:40 pm

As always, the only useful thing to do with resources is an offensive advantage!

posted on November 14th, 2011, 7:01 pm

Well, ... setting up an economy is just as much offensive advantage as it is a defensive one.

We're talking instant action though. It might be ok to upgrade the stations offensive once. That way you get the pesky little scout in one shot.

AI destroyers don't really go for your main base though. They go for your expansion (s).

I'd rather do a number of tech up, extra expansions, and more ships with double resources, then just put it all into my starbase.

If you took the 4000 dilithium and 2000 tritanium, and did nothing but build miners and refineries with it, do you know how much that would help you? Assuming you have 3-5 moon pairs close to you. After that, you'll be raking in resources, and when you actually need the star base upgraded because AI is swarming not only your expansions but your main base as well, then you can upgrade it, and still have a healthy fleet production underway.



Finally, more to the point and on a sidenote... no, the only useful thing to do with resources might not be an offensive advantage. 4000 dilithium and 2000 tritanium with double resources can be used for anything you'd like. Your suggestion however is to reduce that amount significantly, and force the resources to be used to upgrade your starbase (making it a force defensive, instead of truly optional). So I don't see the flexibility in your suggested tweak. Whereas the current version of doing things just seems plain better, regardless of whether it is offensively or defensively implemented. It is actually double resources, instead of 1300 1300, it is 4000 2000.

[Atlantis]

posted on November 14th, 2011, 7:45 pm

Last edited by Atlantis on November 14th, 2011, 7:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.

As always, the only useful thing to do with resources is an offensive advantage!

That is your opinion, not a fact. There are three people already in this thread whose opinions are different, so obviously it's not the "only" useful thing.

It's just pointless to enforce such a specific use into the name of something as 'open-functioned' as the starting resources. Best to keep it named "Double", because at least that's true for everyone.

Also, at the beginning of a game, what is your starbase likely to encounter? Scouts. And destroyers also just scouting. Can an non-upgraded starbase deal with that? Yes. Therefore it's a waste, in my opinion, to upgrade it at that point when you can be putting those resources into shipbuilding so you can protect your mining ships away from the base, and/or do some extra scouting and/or raiding of your own.

posted on November 15th, 2011, 12:01 am

That is your opinion, not a fact. There are three people already in this thread whose opinions are different, so obviously it's not the "only" useful thing.

Uh... I think he was kidding...

Yeah I'd have to agree there though, the extra funding is more useful if you can decide where to spend it. Creating a game option w/ default resources and an upgraded starbase wouldn't be that hard though, and might prove an interesting alternative if this is something you would want to do.