Low Class Planet » Forum Post by Akumaboi

Hi!

are they even worth colonizing?

Try and learn.

BR, Iztok

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It depends on whether you're refering to Dark Avatar or Dread Lords. If it's DA, then definitely. A PQ 1 planet can become at least a PQ 12 once you have a the right terraforming techs. In DL they're rather limited. And keep in mind that if you don't take those planets, some AI race will.

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are they even worth colonizing?

They are due to the fact that low class planets can most of the time be terraformed much more than planets with a higher starting class.
For instance a class 1 planet may end up beeing a class 16 planet after you have researched all terraforming techgnologies.
A planet starting at class 7 on the other hand, will never be terraformed into anything better than a class 10.

There has been some debate regarding wheter or not this is a good thing for the game. Some people thinks this is a nice touch that adds depth to the strategy of the game.
Others, like me, thinks that class 1 planets are just supposed to be crap-planets and more or less should stay that way or at least not turn into paradise-planets.

If you do not colonize but couquer a low-class planet, however, then it works differently since in that case, for some reason, the planet cannot be terraformed as much as all. (and it has nothing to do with the chosen invading strategy as the phenomena persist even would you flip a planet culturally)

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And keep in mind that if you don't take those planets, some AI race will.

AI never takes class 1 planets. They are available throughout the game for the human player to colonize.
With the current terraforming-system in place, AI:s should pursue class 1 planets more agressively and even give them priority over class 4-6 planets, I think.

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In DL I find that lower class planets come in three forms

Terraform friendly: Has 3 for four terraforming tiles per tech boosting there PQ from a 3-6 right up to a 12-16

Speialsation friendly: Nearly all of the tiles on the planet have bounses on them, usally has 1 terraform per tech so you can build a starport/super projects/other projects (the luckest I have been with one of these is a class 6 with 3 farming bounses adding up to 60bn food cap and three morale bounses, after terraform I got the population up to 52.5 bn without a starport before the people where VERY unhappy).

A floating stone: no terraform titles, no bounses. Like wisp. (I desided to experement with a low-class planet during a war with another empire. I invaded a floating stone and used mass drivers, gave it back to my opponent, invaded, etc. I got it to a class 2 before It stopped.

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ya im talking about dread lord

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If you've got the population to burn, I've found that colonizing a class-3 and then plopping a couple Xeno labs on it can get you a little free research. And then you can use an extra colony ship lying around to ferry population over to get it up to 6B. It isn't such an albatross around your neck that way.

In terms of terraforming very-low-PQ planets, that's very nice when you're Neutral, but if you're Good or Evil you can count on those low-PQ planets staying that way for a long time. You're better off letting the AI colonize those PQ2's and 3's and let them be an albatross around their necks instead. I might even go so far as to colonize PQ1 worlds with 1m population and present a white elephant gift to your best buddy.

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First, in DA the AI does colonize PQ1 worlds. It doesn’t do so frequently, but it does.

Also, as a neutral with 2 or 3 terraforming techs a PQ1 planet can instantly be a PQ16 to 19 (!!!). Granted, this is later in the game, but it is a nice way to influence bomb the AI. Normally a low PQ (or any) planet in AI territory will flip or be near revolt due to enemy influence. With enough cash you can colonize the planet, have it go to PQ15+ instantly with a good intrinsic influence, buy a few influence structures, and watch the AIs planets starting to flip. If you have lots of influence tech and a few influence resources all the better since this is a passive-aggressive strategy to control space, and net lots of tourism $$$. Instant terraforming is a very useful trait for neutrals even in DA. For good or neutral, as has been said, it is an expensive and long term investment.

You better be prepared to defend the planet, though, since if it is far from your sphere of influence the AI will pick it off since it likely has a lower population.

Hydro

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First, in DA the AI does colonize PQ1 worlds. It doesn’t do so frequently, but it does.

Do you have a screenshot or some evidence? I thought as you did at one point, but now I completely believe that I was mistaken. They'll INVADE a PQ1 that's been terraformed, but they will not EVER colonize a PQ1.

Again, I'd love to see if I'm wrong here. It would make the AI "smarter", to some degree.

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