Interesting Start with a Certain Evil RNG Thrown in

[Vyndicu]

So far I decide to make the first race my "pet" and promote as much tech/growth as I could. This is on combat easy although so I wasn't too focus on combat mechanic this time around.

Several interesting condition showed up that totally threw me a curve ball. First off one planet started with 100 million while everyone else is at 50 million or smaller which is weird. The pet race I sponsor started out with 1 million population (totally under-insect here!) on a Gas Giant planet.

So for for most of the early game I grind influence to offset the -100 "you tricked us!". Most of the early game offensive action were concerned with stealing tech then gift it to my pet race.

Eventually after a long time my pet race actually held on it's own very well. That 100 million planet? Grew to 5 billion while my pet race only managed to get as far as 1.2 billion with 27 empty moons. Environment definitely hurted my early federation members. But I manage to nab 5 members just through sheer influence (including burlak which was still under attack from 3 federation members!).

At this point I could not figure out how to break the last remaining alliance. The crazy part is those two guy actually "hate" each other at -500 and can't even stand up to the full might of federation plus my flagship. I have enough money for diplomacy "encourage other race to join federation action" option but somehow not one of them were eligible despite one only have a small population 200 million vs another population 5 billion.

I am pretty sure something wonky is going on because 5 full armada at perpetual war would make the smaller member considering quit the anti-federation alliance at least. Four of my federation member that has a major industrial output were at war with the 5 billion faction and hold space superiority over them.

I definitely recommend for combat hotkey to make Q "stand still" and Q "hold fire" differential because I accident order to "stand still" and "hold fire" at the same time when I didn't want to. At least make movement hotkey/stance hotkey different to minimize overlap hotkey. QWRT for movement and ASDF for stance for example.

For GUI elements, You know the planet detail screen where it list all planet building/moons/planet surface area etc... I feel like it is missing a minor thing. What IS currently under construction at the planet's location? I would often get notification that outpost are being built (science, industrial, and military) but I can't find them in any of the detail window. Is it something that exist as NYI (not yet implemented) thing?

Other than one minor fatal error popping up I really enjoy playing as it is. I do definitely like to see more polish on some of the rougher edges.

[alocritani]

I would often get notification that outpost are being built (science, industrial, and military) but I can't find them in any of the detail window. Is it something that exist as NYI (not yet implemented) thing?

outpost are built on asteroids belt (belt half way between the star and the most external planets) or on ice belt (belt at border of solar map) : they appears as new buildings on solar map
That's the reason why they are not listed on planet details: they are not on that planet.

[PokerChen]

I don't see these outposts in the belts in this version - probably a bug somewhere, wither they're building them and failing to place them, or they are hidden from us, or the notification is wrong.

Need to quick test by helping a race construct an outpost.

EDIT: Quick tested, you actions will build an outpost.

[Vyndicu]

outpost are built on asteroids belt (belt half way between the star and the most external planets) or on ice belt (belt at border of solar map) : they appears as new buildings on solar map
That's the reason why they are not listed on planet details: they are not on that planet.

I sponsor a race outpost (indirectly by expanding land mass and what not) building and whenever I see a hostile race build outpost. It say something about "capturing" one for your own use so I went over there and could not find anything under hostile action.

I don't think you can "move" to ice belt or asteroid. Although "exploring" nearby ice belt seem to work fine for artifacts etc...

[PokerChen]

 It'll be cleared up once Chris fixes the bug - the outpost is a separate object on the starmap, you'll need to hire goons to get it under the 30 months requirement for you to help, and the race has to have enough resources. Chris's screenshots today contain outposts: Acutians and Skylaxians each have 2 in the second screenie posted.

 When you visit it, under hostile actions will be two things: attack defenders, and take over outpost (must clear all defenders via option 1 first). If you don't see that then it's a bug.

[Vyndicu]

It'll be cleared up once Chris fixes the bug - the outpost is a separate object on the starmap, you'll need to hire goons to get it under the 30 months requirement for you to help, and the race has to have enough resources. Chris's screenshots today contain outposts: Acutians and Skylaxians each have 2 in the second screenie posted.

 When you visit it, under hostile actions will be two things: attack defenders, and take over outpost (must clear all defenders via option 1 first). If you don't see that then it's a bug.

Building is not the problem here. I often see an event notification that an outpost has been built on the right sidescroll bar. Sometime even two outpost by a single planet in a row. Those evil amoral robot builders!

Beside doing the manual "help build outpost" action. I don't think there is any difference between you helping out or the races doing it on their own. I will go back in and test see if anything show up if I actually get involved with the outpost construction.

Look like helping out put them on the map but when various race do it on their own. It doesn't show up at all.