Newbie Questions

New to 4x games

from GalCiv2 Forums
Alrighty, I've played all the tutorials, but I still have a few questions since I'm new to 4x strategy games.

1. If I build an improvement on a planet, does it affect my whole empire or just that planet? For example, if I build an economic improvement (market) on a planet, will my net income increase? If this is so, why even create specialized planets if all the improvements affect me as a whole isntead of affecting individual planets? Also, am I correct in assuming that a planet with a lot of factories will be able to build ships faster than one without a lot of factories?

2. I always seem to be low on money. I bring the tax rate up when I'm the dictator at the beginning of the game, but after voting starts, I can't keep doing that or I risk another party winning the elections. Any tips on how to keep the cashflow strong?

3. How come combat view doesn't initiate 100% of the time? Is this a bug with the game? I have it turned on, but sometimes it won't go into combat view during fleet battles and sometimes it will. Kind of weird.

I have more questions, but I can't remember them so I guess that's it for now.
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Reply #1 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
1- No, planetary improvements only affect the planet in question. And yes, lots of factories = more production points = faster ship production.

2- To get lots of taxes you need people, the more people = the more revenues. The more economic bonus buildings (I.E. markets) the more taxes from the same amount of people. Also, moral buildings are great to keep your approval up and thus, your tax rate up.

Secondly, make sure you're not building space ships all the time on all your world : you're paying money for that production. Keep your social spending down too, since you're -always- paying for that production. If you want to build something faster, use the "concenrtate production" icons at the top of the colony screen.

3- In your game options, there's something called "View battle only if both are fleet" - uncheck that. This will let you see fleet battles when you are attacking a single ship or a starbase.
Reply #2 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Ah thanks.

So even if I have a planet full of markets, it won't neccessarily increase my net income?
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Reply #3 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Why build instead of purchase stuff when I build something it takes a long time and when I buy it its immediatly available. Will I run out of money too quick if I just buy everything? Is there ever a good time to buy instead of build something? (ie buildings on planets, or ships).
Reply #4 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Buying will cost more than building, so it is not always a good idea.

Good times to buy instead of build are

* You are at war and need ships right now
* New planet, so building is going to take ages.. buy a couple of factories and everything else will be quick
* You are extremely wealthy

and I am sure there are other times you may find.

You can also build for half the time, and then buy. You will only purchase the left over amount that hasn't been built yet. So you get your ships slightly quicker, and costs a bit more but not as much as buying it on day 1.
Reply #5 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
So even if I have a planet full of markets, it won't neccessarily increase my net income?


Market will help the planet that it is build on, so revenue from that planet would be higher.
Those markets will not help another planet, so the revenue on other planets would not be higher.

Net income = Revenue (planet with market) + revenue (all other planets)
thus.. It WILL increase your net income. It will not increase your economy bonus overall, though.
Reply #6 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Ah, so what's the importance of a planet's revenue as opposed to my net income? It's not like I use a planet's revenue to buy anything. Doesn't the planet's revenue just add to my net income and in turn lets me buy more stuff? I think I'm missing something here.

It might have something to do with the economy bonus that you talked about, which I have no clue how it functions.

I know I'm being such a newbie and I should go read the manual (but it's kinda long) =P
Reply #7 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
It does increase your net income. That's all there is to it.

Economy bonus is essentially just a modifier to cash. +20% econ = +20% cash. Nifty, no?
Reply #8 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
your net income is all 3(or 4) income sources: Taxes, tourism, Trade and sometimes, Tribute.
Taxes comes from all your planet's taxes. Each planet's taxes are modified by the economic buildings on it.
Each planet's tax is also influenced by any economics bonus your race or your starbase gets you.
Tourism is based on your influence - it's usually a negligible income but it still helps.
Trade comes frmo freighter - both the ones you set up and the ones the computer set up.
Tribute is a special event from the united planets - usually it's when a special tax is propsed and passes on colonies and starbases from other powers but built inside your sphere of influence.

These 4 source aggregate to make your total revenue.

Opposing this is your total spending. This is, again, an aggregation of every planet's individual spending, your warship's maintenance, your production spending (Military, Civic, Research) and etc.

So income - spending = Net income.

does it make sense now?