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Terror Stars = One Trick Pony?

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Terror Stars = One Trick Pony?

from GalCiv2 Forums
So I spent all the time to research and produce a terror star expecting to be able to do something more with it than just blow up stars. Don't get me wrong, blowing up stars is neat, but I'm not really interested in disintegrating all of the enemy planets. I'm also not interested in having the whole rest of the galaxy mad at me.

What I would like to see is some way to make a terror star more useful in conventional warfare. Given the rather large research requirement and then production and startup time, it seems rather silly to have a giant ship that has no conventional weaponry and no defenses. Why not allow some customization of terror stars? Perhaps allowing terror stars to be equipped with military starbase modules to make them effective in normal fights and allow them to act as fleet support? To keep them from being to overwhelming you could make it so that the death beam is it's own module and adding the death beam means that no other modules can be equipped on the terror star except for defenses. I believe something along these lines would make them a far more attractive option for many gamers.
10,450 views 45 replies
Reply #26 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I'm not sure how what I wrote ended up being interpreted in so many different ways.

Why did I research terror stars?
Why not? Isn't that part of what a beta is all about? I want to see what everything is and how it works. If there's something I don't like, then I can offer suggestions regarding it. Stardock does well with player feedback, so I want to offer ways to make the game more interesting.

Am I after a super unit?
Actually if you read what I posted, I'm after exactly the opposite. The terror star basically is the game-ending super unit already. Aside from some possible modifications like armor or engines the terror star pretty much wins the game for you. What I want is something less devastating. After all the research and construction, all you can build is a giant ball of metal with a death beam in it. Is it so illogical to add conventional weapons or other starbase modifications to it?

If there's no possibility of modifying them in any way, I'd at least like to see an option to turn them off. You can turn off super abilities, you should be able to turn off super weapons.
Reply #27 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
bob, I think the replies mostly feel the opposite - that it isn't a gaming ending weapon precisely because it isn't fast enough and doesn't have defenses or conventional weapons, though if you can build one it's likely that you can win the game anyway.

I don't think it's illogical to expect that it should mount weapons, defenses and engines but it might be better (gameplay-wise) for it to not have those options. I do think it should be expanded on though.

And I totally agree with you regarding the variety of opinions this game evokes :)
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Reply #28 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Put one on a small map with rare planets and rare habitable planets...then watch as the biggest, most powerful civ with the most unstoppable military in the quadrant gets completely annihalated in 1 turn. Now tell me whether that isn't good? Whether it's the only thing it can do or not, Terror Stars are like your own Mega Event. If other civs don't like you for making Terror Stars, just blow up their star system to shut them up :) (just make sure you make a nice decoy first).
Reply #30 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I really would like Terror Stars to be effectively mobile Military Starbases.

Military Starbases are really (at least in my experience) good for defending your more important planets, and even then, it is pretty easy to just take out the Military Starbase first.

Having a mobile Military Starbase that can blow up planets would be an awesome end game weapon. :)
Reply #31 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Terror stars should be for destroying stars I think. Not for anything else. Most definately including Cultural Influence.

Maybe you should be able to use the threat of blowing up the star to achieve control over the whole system. Surrender or we'll blow up the star.
Reply #32 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I think having SOME military bonus would be good.. limited though...

Also having NEGITIVE cultural influence.. where people HATE you because you have a terror star nearby
Reply #33 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Maybe you should be able to use the threat of blowing up the star to achieve control over the whole system. Surrender or we'll blow up the star.
End of quote

And what if the enemy would reply:
'Go ahead, we don't need the star?' :-)
Reply #34 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I really like the idea of mobile starbases - be it TerrorStar or other. I wish that the Military Starbase could move with the appropriate modules - even if it was crazy slow (like 1 move per turn). Make it require a lot of techs and be very expensive. Maybe it takes 5 constructors to build the engines or maybe it can increase it's speed by 1 for every 10 constructors or something (with a limit of say, 3 moves per turn).

Also, have it so it can't attack with its weapons - only defend. And it can't "fleet". This way, your ships can stay with it to get it's bonuses, but the thing doesn't become indestructible. Also, perhaps it's affected by influence or could be captured.

Ok, I'm rambling at this point, but you get the idea.
Reply #35 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Also having NEGITIVE cultural influence.. where people HATE you because you have a terror star nearby
End of quote


Or at least produce a large negative hit on racial relations upon having one. We could call it "--Wonders WTF you plan on doing with that Terror Star".
Reply #36 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Or at least produce a large negative hit on racial relations upon having one.
End of quote


I like it, but it shouldn't affect your allies - just non-allies. For example, if Canada build a TerrorStar, I wouldn't be too worried. If North Korea did, I'd be a little more worried.
Reply #37 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
are you kidding? those canucks have wanted to blow us up for years now. just look at their exceedingly modest military, and it's obvious. they're planning a sneak attack! :LOL:
Reply #38 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
are you kidding? those canucks have wanted to blow us up for years now. just look at their exceedingly modest military, and it's obvious. they're planning a sneak attack!
End of quote


Nah, they're working on an influence victory. Think of it - every hockey rink is an influence starbase!

That, and they seem to have developed the Annoying Female Singers trade good - they keep spamming these things all over the place (Shania Twain, Celine Dion, Alanis Morissette, Avril Lavigne... need I go on?)
Reply #39 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Annoying Female Singers trade good
End of quote

LOL! Nelly Furtado as well I think?..
Reply #40 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Although I don't think Nelly's annoying, but she was born in Canada.. :-)
Reply #41 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I finally got to use terror stars, and they seem okay to me. You need to escort them, but they can cause more damage when they arrive than anything else in the game ever.

If they only have one trick, I can safely ignore them if I don't need or want that trick, too.
Reply #42 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I think AI awareness is an issue as well mainly because it knows everything your building and where - it would be nice to be able to build a TS in secret without any problems until its spotted - granted, it would be hard to keep something like that a secret - but it is a big galaxy.

It would be kind of cool to destroy an enemy scout before they found your big nasty secret in a quiet corner of the galaxy!   :LOL: 
Reply #43 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
That, and they seem to have developed the Annoying Female Singers trade good - they keep spamming these things all over the place (Shania Twain, Celine Dion, Alanis Morissette, Avril Lavigne... need I go on?)
End of quote


are you sure that's not an invasion tactic? break the enemy's willpower through bad vocalists before invading. :LOL: actually it's not a bad idea. ever heard of vomit beams?
Reply #44 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
are you kidding? those canucks have wanted to blow us up for years now. just look at their exceedingly modest military, and it's obvious. they're planning a sneak attack!
End of quote


A big sneak attack, EH?
Reply #45 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Also having NEGITIVE cultural influence.. where people HATE you because you have a terror star nearby


Or at least produce a large negative hit on racial relations upon having one. We could call it "--Wonders WTF you plan on doing with that Terror Star".
End of quote




Star Wars Rebellion or whatever it was called had something like this. The Death Star gave you a loyalty bonus in whatever sector it was but a huge loyalty penalty in *other* sectors after you used it.

Fear will keep them in line... but the more you tighten your grip the more systems will slip through your fingers.