Starbase ship assist bug

In order for a ship to gain defense assist bonuses, it must have at least 1 point of defense in any of the 3 defense types. In order for a ship to gain attack assist bonuses, it must have at least 1 point of defense in any of the 3 attack types.

Ah, so that's what my problem has been. Thanks for pointing that out, curttasker!

Well, I sure can use help. I've been messing with the game for a couple of days, and seem to be getting it understood. Do wish there was a better manual though that explained things clearly. Along that line, I'm sure designing one's own ships is simple, but I'm missingthe simple solution. Are there step by step instrustions someplace to design and save a ship?

I go to "new" and select a hull, and dthen add components. The total of the components is less than the space available, and then I save it. It tells me something like I can't use "core" stuff (don't remember it exactly). After selecting the hull I go to weapons, engines, defense, sensor and build the ship. I can't figure out what the second box is for. Clearly I can read what is in there, but when I select them they just move around in the box where the ship is. Somewhere there must be step by step directions.


Bottom line, I design it, it isn't overloaded, and it won't let me save it. Help.

Bill

Well, I sure can use help. I've been messing with the game for a couple of days, and seem to be getting it understood. Do wish there was a better manual though that explained things clearly. Along that line, I'm sure designing one's own ships is simple, but I'm missingthe simple solution. Are there step by step instrustions someplace to design and save a ship? I go to "new" and select a hull, and dthen add components. The total of the components is less than the space available, and then I save it. It tells me something like I can't use "core" stuff (don't remember it exactly). After selecting the hull I go to weapons, engines, defense, sensor and build the ship. I can't figure out what the second box is for. Clearly I can read what is in there, but when I select them they just move around in the box where the ship is. Somewhere there must be step by step directions. Bottom line, I design it, it isn't overloaded, and it won't let me save it. Help.

It sounds like you're tring to upgrade a 'core' ship design (constructor, colony ship, transport, etc). You can't do that. Open the shipbuilder. Hit New. Click on a hull type from the first tab. Click on the Engines tab. Double click on an engine type. Click on the Weapons tab. Doublt click on any weapons you want. Repeat for defenses and Modules.

Click Save at the bottom. Click in the 'Name' box. Hit the 'Del' key until you have cleared that text box. Type in a new name for the ship. Click in the desription box. Type in a new description for the ship. Click OK. You're done.

Make sure you access the ship design menu from the main screen. Trying to use it from the colony management window currently has a bug that prevents the 'name and description' save box from appearing properly.

Is that a feature or bug, curttasker, that you must have a type of module first to get the assist bonus? I would assume any 'assisting' would kick in regardless of whether I had a module of the same type. It is projected from the starbase right? Otherwise defense is a waste of time... again. Why did they even bother to put defense in?

Is that a feature or bug, curttasker, that you must have a type of module first to get the assist bonus?

That is by design.

Obviously the older ships lacked the technology to take advantage of the new defense, and it is built in to the newly built ships.

Question for CodeCritter, would upgrading the older ships to a slightly newer design give them the capability?

Make sure you access the ship design menu from the main screen. Trying to use it from the colony management window currently has a bug that prevents the 'name and description' save box from appearing properly.

I have not seen this bug.  I open my colony management window from the main map, go to Build Ship, then click on ShipYard, then click on New.  I design a ship, and hit Save.  The Name and Description box then pops up.  Is there something you're doing differently that reproduces this?

Question for CodeCritter, would upgrading the older ships to a slightly newer design give them the capability?

If you upgrade to a design that has a weapon, the starbase will now assist it with weapons if the starbase has a "weapon assist" module.

Likewise, if the new design has a defense, the starbase will now assist it with defense if the starbase has a "defense assist" module.

That is by design.

Is it also by design that this games has more problems than the psycho ward of Bellevue?

Stormbringer, I've had it with you.  I'm taking you down to a Visitor.  If you send me a polite e-mail in a week or so after you've had a chance to reflect on your attitude, I'll promote you back to a citizen.

Evil Stormbringer, this site is for players of GalCiv2 to communicate with each other and the hard working staff of Stardock. If you don't like GalCiv2, fine, go play some game that is 100% bug free, designed exactly the way you like. Oh but wait such a game does not exist!

Is that a feature or bug, curttasker, that you must have a type of module first to get the assist bonus? I would assume any 'assisting' would kick in regardless of whether I had a module of the same type. It is projected from the starbase right? Otherwise defense is a waste of time... again. Why did they even bother to put defense in?

Think of starbase assist as boosting the ship's existing weapons and defenses. If they don't have a weapon or defense, then there's nothing to boost.

I believe the design motivation was they didn't want ships getting weapons or defense bonuses when there was no weapon or defense already invested in the ship. You could basically build very cheap (especially in the case of no defense) hulls with an engine attached and convert them into killing machines early in the game when a low attack/defense value still goes a long way.

Stormbringer, I've had it with you. I'm taking you down to a Visitor. If you send me a polite e-mail in a week or so after you've had a chance to reflect on your attitude, I'll promote you back to a citizen.

Nice!

You could basically build very cheap (especially in the case of no defense) hulls with an engine attached and convert them into killing machines

Kultan, precisely! I find a group of 5, sometimes 10, planets clustered right and need to take them over (or even defend them). If the AI is busy or not paying attention you can drop 10 constructors into the area and build a military starbase... then those 15/20 semi-weak ships now can take on the whole area.

I just wanted to know the logic behind the 'bug' or design, and I guess it makes sense now. Just not as practical in my strategy anymore. Guess I have to find another way to come back into those games where I get pinned in a corner...

Also, thanks for the great game. I just wish the defense tech tree was more useful.