Stars = Natural Warp Inhibitors

I don't think you can vary the speed reduction in that way, but it is already possible to build that function into starbases. The range of effect and speed decrease can be set to whatever you want, within certain limits.

I think they might be doing something like this with asteroid fields in Dark Avatar.

Sounds pretty cool, but an 8 square radius seems too big for the smaller galaxies or close stars.

Considering that each of the smallest squares is a parsec and a parsec is 206265 AU's (3.26 light years) across while our solar system is about 80 AU's in diameter. This means that 2500+ of our solar system can be easily placed in a straight line in a single parsec (2500 squared arrayed in a single plane of a parsec!!!). That means the game's display of a planetary system should not be taken literally, but as an abstract representation. But trying to apply stellar physics to this is unrealistic. 8 squares from a star is 26 light years, and stars don't really exert that much gravity across that many light years.

Consider this; stars and other gravity wells don't slow things down, they actually speed things up, particularly if that thing has its own propulsion. In fact, the US space program relies heavily on this 'slingshot' effect. So the barrier effect you are looking for stars to produce is unrealistic.

I think a better way to control the speed aspects that players utilize is to make the AI place more value on the that aspect of ship building. Another thing sorely lacking in the AI is the value of sensors. I am not even talking about Eyes of the Universe here, but in all the games I have played the AI *never* researches Sensor techs. The AI loses because it is blind without sensors. Speed + Vision means the enemy can't sneak one past you as you can easily overtake them, and it allows you to charge through thin spots in your opponents lines.

As it is in so many things, Speed Kills, and in this game it kills the AI.

Cheers,
Reavers

I like the idea, and like many other aspects of the game it doesn't have to mesh with reality.

And yes stars do slow things down, in fact all gravity wells do if your trying to leave them. The slingshot effect works not because it has propulsion but because the object saps a little bit of the rotation from the object. HUGE object emparting 0.000001 of its rotation to a small 40kg object is going to speed it up alot.

you have the size of the solar system wrong

it is a min. 1.5 light years across if it was only 80 au's the last planet that they just found would be outside of it on part of it's orbit

Considering that each of the smallest squares is a parsec and a parsec is 206265 AU's (3.26 light years) across while our solar system is about 80 AU's in diameter. This means that 2500+ of our solar system can be easily placed in a straight line in a single parsec (2500 squared arrayed in a single plane of a parsec!!!). That means the game's display of a planetary system should not be taken literally, but as an abstract representation. But trying to apply stellar physics to this is unrealistic. 8 squares from a star is 26 light years, and stars don't really exert that much gravity across that many light years. Consider this; stars and other gravity wells don't slow things down, they actually speed things up, particularly if that thing has its own propulsion. In fact, the US space program relies heavily on this 'slingshot' effect. So the barrier effect you are looking for stars to produce is unrealistic. I think a better way to control the speed aspects that players utilize is to make the AI place more value on the that aspect of ship building. Another thing sorely lacking in the AI is the value of sensors. I am not even talking about Eyes of the Universe here, but in all the games I have played the AI *never* researches Sensor techs. The AI loses because it is blind without sensors. Speed + Vision means the enemy can't sneak one past you as you can easily overtake them, and it allows you to charge through thin spots in your opponents lines.

Yeah cause ya know Stardock was shooting for realism in this game.  

Yeah cause ya know Stardock was shooting for realism in this game.

Considering that useable planets are at minimum 6.5 light years from the sun.

I like the idea, and like many other aspects of the game it doesn't have to mesh with reality.

True, like ummm.. an alien race for instance?

if it was only 80 au's the last planet that they just found

Let's get this straight.... Dwarf Planet. (Sorry couldn't resist)

Well we do have starbase modules that increase ship speed for your own ships within the sphere of a starbase correct? So why not implement some type of decrease ship speed within the sphere of a starbase for the Civs who do not own them? It would be a module, of course, that can be added as you research the tech. This could be a patch fairly easily I would think since most of the mechanics seem to be already in place. Also would be playable on the Metaverse if done in this fashion. Not to mention it would give the starbases yet another useful function.

If I am wrong about any of this it is because I have been up for 48 hours and am not thinking straight.

That means the game's display of a planetary system should not be taken literally, but as an abstract representation. But trying to apply stellar physics to this is unrealistic. 8 squares from a star is 26 light years, and stars don't really exert that much gravity across that many light years.

"Parsecs" in the game are adjusted parsecs based on hyperdrive efficiency (hyperdrive works far better in deep space than it does around large gravity wells). So the tiles on the map are only actual parsecs in-between systems.

Another thing sorely lacking in the AI is the value of sensors. I am not even talking about Eyes of the Universe here, but in all the games I have played the AI *never* researches Sensor techs. The AI loses because it is blind without sensors.

The AI doesnt need sensor techs at higher difficulty levels unless they nerfed this in one of the later patches. Nothing like watching my 15 sensor scoutship wiped out from something it didnt see.

Nothing like watching my 15 sensor scoutship wiped out from something it didnt see.

Wich obviously brings this back on topic, if the AI can pick off my scouts from out of my sensor range means they are using thier speed.

For me I have the AI beat on speed early game but mid game I'm out teched on speed and then I come back in the loop. In all reality a speed ship should be out teched as it using space for engines instead of weapons/defense. So part of the problem is you out teched the AI and if it did have the engines it would be hurting even worse as its ship would be even weaker. Where speed is really handy is going in taking out a weak fleet and then upon seeing a losing/pyric battle you retreat. Programming the AI for a strategic fallback would be very hard. And I do occasionally do get outrun on a retreat but usually that's because it is my outdated fleet and my new one is on the way or soon to be.