What's the sensor range of a planet?

Can someone explain how the sensor range of a planet is determined? In my current 1.4 game i have planets with sr of 15 (some seem to have even more) and others with sr 5 and some are just in between. Is this dependent in pg or pop or certain buildings?
I have the Eyes of the Universe wonder btw.
How am i supposed to keep my ships out of sight from my enemies when i don't know what they can see?

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AFAIK the sensor radius of a planet is 4, for the human anyway. For the AI it's very dependent on the level you're playing at. I've seen Brad mention that at the 200% bonus level it's not clear if the AI has any fog of war whatsoever.

It does seem that over time a planets apparent sensor radius will increase to the 15 that eyes of the universe gives to all ships, but I think this is just because that planet is frequently produing ships. You can also see this effect by leaving a ship in one place for a long time. Once the ship is eventually moved the clearing in the fog of war remains.

I don't know if you really can know where the AI's can see and where they can't see. It does seem that the AI's do seem to know where to put their ships so that you can't see them. It does seem a little unfair. I deal with this by having fast ships that I can keep back from the border but still reach deep into enemy territory at a moments notice.

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Sensor range needs to go much farther out for planets. Having blind spots in a secured area with no serious distance between planets is annoying. Perhaps sensor buoys could solve the situation? It's something that should be addressed in DA.

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With eyes of the universe giving all ships a sensor range of 15, it doesn't require that much to post a set of picket ships that allow you to see everywhere. If you make these ships as scouts with no weapons they don't bother the AI. Of course when war does break out these do get killed pretty quick.

I do agree that it would be nice if your sensor range applied to planets as well as ships, not really sure why it doesn't.

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Generally when trying to get rid of fog of war between my planets I do as Mumblefratz does and set pickets.

These are simply cargo ships full to the brim with sensors. It does get very expensive though, especially when they are destroyed early on so it pays to keep them closer in.

Another aproach is to build a starbase, say an economy starbase, next to the planet and upgrade its sensor all the way.

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Philocthetes

Join Date 10/2003

+153

I do agree that it would be nice if your sensor range applied to planets as well as ships

I agree also--it seems that planets should be sensor-equal to ships *at least* when they have a starbase!

My core response to this problem (the seeing AI actions part) is to be sure to get Eyes of the Universe, but I supplement with pickets to some extent. I really miss the GCI sensor drones and the old sector sweep automation, which somehow got merged into autoexplore.

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The fact that planets don't have a sensor range of 15 like ships/starbases when you have the Eyes of the Universe used to really bug me. The reason some of your planets probably seem to have a range of 15 is because you have ships in orbit. Regardless, the planet itself has only short range.

However, it is what it is. FWIW, I rationalized this by thinking that only in orbit modules have the ability to sense that far. I think of it like the Hubble telescope. There is too much atmospheric noise, light pollution etc. for ground-based units to obtain the same sensitivity. So, following that logic, only spacebound vehicals get the 15 range bonus.

I know, not entirely logical when the Eyes of the Universion is a ground based structure. Doesn't change anything but but makes me feel a *little* better

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The reason some of your planets probably seem to have a range of 15 is because you have ships in orbit. Regardless, the planet itself has only short range.

Nope. I hardly ever have ships in orbit.

It does seem that over time a planets apparent sensor radius will increase to the 15 that eyes of the universe gives to all ships, but I think this is just because that planet is frequently produing ships. You can also see this effect by leaving a ship in one place for a long time. Once the ship is eventually moved the clearing in the fog of war remains.

That's odd. If you have been seeing a certain sector for long enough, you don't have to look there anymore to know what is happening there? This doesn't make any sense at all (at least to me.)

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That's odd. If you have been seeing a certain sector for long enough, you don't have to look there anymore to know what is happening there? This doesn't make any sense at all (at least to me.)

Yes it is odd, but I've definitely seen it happen. I end up with fast scouts that have decent but not ridiculus range. When I'm done exploring all the area I can reach at the time, I park my scouts at the edge of the map at the limit of their range. Once I capture some planets that extend my scouts range, I then explore the new area.

Anyway, this involves these scouts sitting at the edge of the map for long periods of time. It's definite that even once I move these ships the clearing in the FOW remains for quite some time. What I don't remember noticing is whether or not it eventually closes up.

As far as making sense, I don't think it does either, it's just an artifact of the game.

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