How to play?

4X strategy game from Proxy Studios

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TokyoDan
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How to play?

Post by TokyoDan »

I read the so called manual. Seems these 'professionals' don't know the difference between a manual and a novel. I also searched high and low for a tutorial or walkthrough on how to play.

So how does one play this game?

i trying to be nice here when I feel like jumping up and down, cursing, and calling the people who put this game out all kinds of nasty names. So unprofessional to have such a complicated game without a good tutorial or manual.
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SKRen
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Re: How to play?

Post by SKRen »

As it stands they assume you at least have experience with 4x games to navigate the UI and drive basic goals. Any time something new comes up they do have a notification pop up on screen telling you what a new thing does and if you missed any you can find them in the Compendium. I agree that some things need to be more obviously explained but currently the game does have a simplistic tutorial of sorts.
TokyoDan
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Re: How to play?

Post by TokyoDan »

Thanks.
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SephiRok
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Re: How to play?

Post by SephiRok »

We would love to hear what you think was not explained well enough so we can do a better job at it.
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TokyoDan
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Re: How to play?

Post by TokyoDan »

I don't even know where to start. So I tried to read the manual (it shouldn't be called a manual) but it is just info about the story and factions. Anyway it is bedtime for me. The next time I try to play I'll make a list of where and how I get hung up.

Thanks
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Magneto70
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Re: How to play?

Post by Magneto70 »

Maybe I can jump in.

I have also some questions. Especially concerning the improvement of hexes. For example: When I build a farm on a forest hex, is the forest destroyed ? I agree with TokyoDan, that the manual is no manual. A manual need to explain the game and it´s mechanics, should include unit and building lists, a list of the alien units, a list of the different landscapes and its production values, and the special resources.

Thank you
Megas
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Re: How to play?

Post by Megas »

Yes. Any improvements destroy the forest.
You can have only one improvement per tile.
Special features don't count as improvements though so you can build improvements on them.
Wizard-Bob
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Re: How to play?

Post by Wizard-Bob »

Good evening.

As others have posted, the first foray into this game leaves one wondering where to start. I purchased the game today (via Steam) and on first launch, there is no "Tutorial Mission". There may be hints in the game once I start one, but decisions need to be made now, such as starting faction, difficulty, world shape, etc. As a very seasoned vet of 4x games, I don't need much hand-holding, but being able to load a pre-made "Tutorial Save Game" would certainly have been welcomed.

As an aside, I agree with the other posters that the "manual" is not a manual at all - it is some (very welcome) back-story to the game. I appreciate the document, but between having neither a true "manual" nor a "tutorial" to start with, bewilders me.

Thanks in advance for the efforts that I am thirsting to enjoy!
-WB
jesse9705
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Re: How to play?

Post by jesse9705 »

If we're on the topic of the manual, I think they should've included a modding tutorial with some basic tutorials(I had to learn through rummaging through their XML, simple, but there's some things I can't yet do.)
CB60
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Re: How to play?

Post by CB60 »

Megas wrote:Yes. Any improvements destroy the forest.
You can have only one improvement per tile.
Special features don't count as improvements though so you can build improvements on them.

Good to know. Does that include suburbs too?
Muffey
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Re: How to play?

Post by Muffey »

I'm a new Pandora player (experienced with others) and I'm confused about the 'growth' of cities.

I'll confirm others first impressions - the manual / non-existant tutorial is an issue. I've basically tooled around, created a couple of units, researched some bits and bobs, but I'm not really very sure on how to encourage my initial cities growth. I managed to get one hex 'grown' but a nearby AI player has perhaps 3 or 4 already, and I'm already getting tips saying I'm behind on stuff...

Also, having let my 'former' loose with 'Do what you think is best' it has reduced my forests and built mines (apparently now making my populace unhappy because I have increased my pollution). I'd probably not have done this had I known.
Zak0r
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Re: How to play?

Post by Zak0r »

I assume you're referring to the city border growth. It works like this:

You start with 7 tiles (city + 6 surrounding). When your population is bigger than the number of tiles the city has you will automatically get the tile you chose with the flag. Normally this starts at pop 8 (it can start earlier if some tiles are blocked by a hive). So if you want to expand your city borders fast you should not build an early second city (to avoid migration) but research and build the Wendo appartments, city planning or build a suburb to compensate the morale losses from lack of habitat. This strategy is recommended if you have bonus resources within 3 tiles of your city. But you will still need to expand at some point because the growth gets faster and you probably won't reach the tier2 habitat building in time.

I personally never use the auto former function because humans will always act smarter. It depends a little on your faction but in general cutting all forest at the beginning is not recommended because you will lose out on pollution (=morale). Especially Terra salvum should plant forest instead of mining hills (they get 2 minerals from forest) but the auto former routine doesn't reflect this.

In general you should aim to get as many +3 tiles as possible from your land. Mines on mountains and farms on green or tropical plains. Other tiles should get forest at the start. If you have no mountains you might have to mine a hill or two though to get some minerals until you establish another city in the mountains for minerals. Later when you research pandoran construction you can replace the forest with the improvements fitting to the city's specialization and purifiers to compensate for the pollution if needed. Also don't forget roads for movement between your cities.
jack54
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Re: How to play?

Post by jack54 »

Does an improvement (mine, farm, forrest) have to be inside the city limits to have an effect?
Zak0r
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Re: How to play?

Post by Zak0r »

Most of them have to be within your borders to have effect (suburbs, energy park, purifier, forest) or be accessible for your workers. However, if you're using your formers for gathering resources you can do this outside of your borders and farms and mines will increase the output.
jack54
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Re: How to play?

Post by jack54 »

Thank you...That helps.

I was building too far away and connecting with roads.
Xilmi
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Re: How to play?

Post by Xilmi »

Yes, the "Manual".
I wanted to look something very specific up on it.
It is how exactly Trade-Income is calculated.
Not only did I not find this information, I saw that the Manual is not about game-mechanics at all. It's just a compilation of background-stories for the different factions.

As someone who has played lots of other Civ- and 4x-games before it's pretty intuitive but for someone new to the genre, I can totally see that they are getting lost quickly without a proper guide.

Most of the things I had questions about could only be found out by trying.

btw. I still wonder what the requirement for growing Fungus is. On some squares I can grow it, on others I can't. I'd really like to know how I can tell without having to send the former first.
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