(What does a SuperTerminal do again?)

[Spikey00]

Being its usual, the search feature of the forums don't return anything, even wildcarded with asterisks, so I have to ask again what do Super Terminals do?  I remember they have some sort of influence on the AI Progress, and it's not great if you hold one forever--but the finer details and the strategy behind it escapes my mind.

Thanks!

[BoinKlasik]

-New expansion-only ship: AI SuperTerminal.  When humans capture the planet on which this resides, they gain direct access to the core network of the AI network, where they can greatly damage the AI's processing capabilities.  Every 30 seconds, this simultaneously increases the total AI Progress by one and reduces the AI Progress by two.  This leads to a net reduction in AI Progress, although if left going long enough it will increase the AI Progress Floor in an undesirable manner (see the hover text over the AI Progress meter at the top of the screen for more info). While this reduction is occurring, AI ships will spew out of the SuperTerminal at a rate proportional to the total current AI Progress Reduction.

from the full patch notes x4000 attaches to each new zenith patch notes for future reference.

[Spikey00]

Ah, excellent.  Thanks for your help.  (:

[Fiskbit]

Spikey: Just FYI, the search bar takes into account the page you're currently on as the root page to search from, so if you search from the main index, you'll likely get more results than if you were in, say, the bug reports forum.

[Spikey00]

Oh... well, that's probably why.  Thanks for the information, Fisk.  (:

[FFLaguna]

So, can somebody explain again what a SuperTerminal does, exactly? I don't understand the nuances. :/

[Spikey00]

To my assumption,

The Super Terminal decreases the AI Progress at a set amount for every duration it is held, but spawns out AI ships in accordance to the total AI Progress lost?

[Fiskbit]

While it's held, it both decreases the ai progress and increases it. You're allowed to decrease ai progress in general, but there's a base amount that you can't go below, which typically increases as ai progress goes up. So, here, the progress lowers by 1, but the base value it can't go beneath raises by 1, as well (if not that number, than something similar).

That's my understanding, anyway.

[HellishFiend]

In layman's terms, it lowers the AI progress, but will eventually eliminate your ability to lower ai progress by destroying data centers later in the game.

[Lancefighter]

can you turn it on and off?

[x4000]

can you turn it on and off?

Well, you don't actually control it yourself, so you can't adjust it like that.  It still belongs to the AI while you control the planet it is on, but then you capture the planet and its effect starts taking place.

BUT, if you want to "turn it on and off" in one sense, you can just relinquish your own control of the planet -- destroy your command post -- and that will turn it off without destroying the superterminal itself.  So, while you can't pause the superterminal, you can use it for a while and then pause it in another sense.

Good question!

[FFLaguna]

I would prefer a pause-able SuperTerminal, since it doesn't take anything away from any intended effects, and it certainly makes for less weird microing.

I also suggest having a pause-able Golem, even if it just lowers energy usage from 400,000 to 200,000 or something, for example.

[x4000]

A superterminal is not your ship; you can't pause enemy ships. Golems are superweapons that are meant to be used, rather than stored. They're just a different sort of mechanic than most other ships. They have a plethora of passive effects that would be too easy to abuse if they could be paused, anyway.