Biosphere - planetquality 72 for everyone?

Zylla

Join Date 03/2006

Biosphere - planetquality 72 for everyone?

Playing Drath and Alterians for a while I discovered an interessting exploit (or at least I think it is).
Biospheres, a structure that improves the planetary production by 10% and adding 3 to the plantes quality, can be razed and rebuilt like other structures. However, the bonus of 3 to the planetquality is NOT a bonus on first built only.
As a result you can max out all your planets to a quality of 72.
As the result is "slightly" overpowering id appreciate this to be fixed as iam too weak to resist the temptation

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Oh man, couple this with being able to do multiple buys on the same planet from the civ manager screen, and depending on how much money to have, you can get that 72PQ planet in 1 turn.

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Weidbrewer

Join Date 03/2006

+19

Ferrel: Oh man, couple this with being able to do multiple buys on the same planet from the civ manager screen, and depending on how much money to have, you can get that 72PQ planet in 1 turn.

I noticed that one as well, but wasn't going to mention it. I didn't want it to go away.

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plus, it's hard not to use something like that once you know it's there. It's like that fleet movement bug in DA that that let you give any fleet infinite move. If it means stopping the loss of one of your nice (possibly PQ 72) planets, it's really hard to not to cheat a little if an exploit is readily available. Just think of the billions of lives at stake.

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Add to that the scoring system of the Metaverse, which is tied directly to population and income / research, and this bug needs to be right on top of the list for the next patch.

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Or is it a Feature?

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I noticed that one as well, but wasn't going to mention it. I didn't want it to go away.

That kind of thinking is the reason some exploits take a long time until they get fixed.

If something is a bug, it should be fixed, especially if it's exploitable like this one. Unfixed exploits screw up the metaverse and (in this case) the racial balance.

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Weidbrewer

Join Date 03/2006

+19

If something is a bug, it should be fixed, especially if it's exploitable like this one. Unfixed exploits screw up the metaverse and (in this case) the racial balance.

Well, for those of us that (until recently, in my case) never play metaverse games, that wasn't an issue.

In other news: Lighten up.

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Maybe I am talking out my but based on the comments here, I don't see this as a whole "Game Breaking" exploitable bug. Sure, I am positive there will be people who will play around with it. And like the OP said, I am sure that someone will think it a neet idea to have PQ 72 planets. But at the end of the day, in order to really benefit from this (more than 2 or three applications) you really have to pump a LOT of resources (either time or money or both) into making it happen. And I am thinking that, in most cases, that expendature is going to be prohibitive in the extreme, to the point of preventing the player from doing something else that might be as good as or better for their score. And so it (almost) balances out. I could be wrong.

For instance, I don't see rules being posted in the Meta-verse stating "No Biospheres" because it is game breaking bug. And I don't see anyone posting "Yeah, your score doesn't count because you used Biospheres" either.

Is it (possibly) a bug? i.e. not the intention of the DEV? Possibly. Does it mess with the game balance? I am not the best one to say, but based on what has been posted here, I am thinking probably not. Is it a curiosity? Definitely. Am I going to run out and play either of the "Benefitted" races "Just because of this 'Bug'"? No. Will I or others construct a strategy just around this? I am thinking the best players have FAR better strategies. But let's hear from them.

All IMHO. Please others who know the game better please chime in here.

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Weidbrewer

Join Date 03/2006

+19

the_spyder: Maybe I am talking out my but based on the comments here, I don't see this as a whole "Game Breaking" exploitable bug.

Pretty much. I tried a game doing this (None metaverse, don't worry) and, in order to effectively do this, I had to put my civ on hold and allowed everyone else to get really strong. It was a major uphill battle at the end.

A.) It really seems like a fun little curiosity to me and others in this thread.
B.) It actually takes it's own major strategy to implement effectively, so it could really be just another game tactic.
C.) If it is a major bug, I'd hardly put it at the front of the list to fix. It doesn't appear that the AI picks up on using it, and it doesn't actually break the game. I'm sure there are other bugs that can't say both of those things.

I am thinking the best players have FAR better strategies.

Yeah, there are a LOT of strategies people have out there that would crush this one.

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I noticed that one as well, but wasn't going to mention it. I didn't want it to go away.That kind of thinking is the reason some exploits take a long time until they get fixed.If something is a bug, it should be fixed, especially if it's exploitable like this one. Unfixed exploits screw up the metaverse and (in this case) the racial balance.

I have reported the multiple buy bug and got acknowledgment that it is indeed a bug. I'm assuming it will be addressed.

WWW Link

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One of the FIRST things I did was try this exploit when I bought Twilight and I have to say I agree with WEIDBREWER in terms of falling behind technologically/economically/militarily compaired to other races to build up my planets. I had to break away many times from my building up high PQ planets and evolve the same way as the other races just so I didn't fall too far behind and get shafted my anyone else.

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I wouldn't really call this a bug. I would define a bug as an unintended behavior that negatively impacts the gameplay experience. This may be unintended, but it certainly doesn't impact anything at all- IF YOU DON'T USE IT.

I would only call this an exploit under certain, very limited circumstances. In a tiny/rare galaxy, where everyone had 2 or 3 planets, then having a few extra tiles could make a difference. In the larger galaxies, it wouldn't give any sort of advantage whatsoever. While you are busy building new tiles on your planets, the AI will be getting along with the game, and will be busy kicking your ass.

As far as the metaverse goes, I couldn't see this little curiosity giving a player any sort of real advantage, for the reason stated above. Who cares anyway? The metaverse is so fouled and corrupted now, that using this couldn't possibly make things any worse. Ever notice how all of the highest scores are evil? This is a result of those players exploiting the mcc bug. Just as steroids were the bane of professional baseball, the mcc is the bane of the metaverse. No record in baseball in the last ~10 years is above suspicion, and I seriously doubt that any evil high score in the meta was gained without the mcc. I did notice, the last time that I looked, a good and a neutral up there pretty high. Kudos to you two. You earned those scores honestly. As for the rest of you...Your mother was a hamster, and your father smelled of elderberries.

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WIllythemailboy

Join Date 03/2006

+70

As far as the metaverse goes, I couldn't see this little curiosity giving a player any sort of real advantage, for the reason stated above. Who cares anyway? The metaverse is so fouled and corrupted now, that using this couldn't possibly make things any worse. Ever notice how all of the highest scores are evil? This is a result of those players exploiting the mcc bug. Just as steroids were the bane of professional baseball, the mcc is the bane of the metaverse. No record in baseball in the last ~10 years is above suspicion, and I seriously doubt that any evil high score in the meta was gained without the mcc. I did notice, the last time that I looked, a good and a neutral up there pretty high. Kudos to you two. You earned those scores honestly. As for the rest of you...Your mother was a hamster, and your father smelled of elderberries.

Admittedly I am not one of the highest scorers (ranked 58th on character in question) but I do not use the MCC, ever. My typical race build doesn't need the economy, and does need to be able to flip planets. For that character, I play all evil all the time. I just don't grind score nearly as efficiently as others. I'm quite happy to see it get fixed.

As to the planet bug, I could see some limited circumstances where it would be abused for point grinders. A planet with a massive research bonus, or even ship bonus. Not that it would be cost effective to crank it all the way to 72, but getting a PQ 8 with great bonuses to a PQ 20 would be a HUGE difference.

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Sir_On_The_Edge

Join Date 07/2006

A bug is an unintended and unwanted behaviour, from the point of view of the developers.

^my definition

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I do not use the MCC, ever.

I respect you for this. I have never used it in any game that I have played. I have never used any exploit in any game to gain advantage. I am honest in my private life, and I am almost neurotically honest in my gaming. These aren't meta games, so no one would know but me, but still...

This is not to say that I think that any of the high scorers are being dishonest in any way. I believe that they are all players of the highest calibre. It's a dog eat dog world there at the top, and they are simply using all of the tools at their disposal. I don't hate Barry Bonds because he used steroids, but I will never accept the fact that anyone has beaten Hank Aaron's home run record.

There is no doubt that this is a bug. It was a simple oversight; they just forgot to add the "indestructable" tag. It is easily fixed. It's just that I am surprised that there is this much discussion about this small thing, when so many other major exploits have been allowed to stand for considerable lengths of time.

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What's this MCC bug you guys are mentioning? Assuming you mean mind control center but I don't know what the bug is.

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What's this MCC bug you guys are mentioning?

The Mind Control Center is a planetary improvement that is unlocked when you research Xeno Ethics and choose evil. It is supposed to increase the chance that a planet will 'flip' to you. Up until the latest builds of TA, it did not. In fact, it decreased the chances of flipping. This was a bug, but it isn't THE bug. When you built the MCC, it would give you a 100% boost to your galactic economy. This was unintended, and was a huge crutch.

Again, it has been fixed in the latest builds, but as far as I know, still stands in DA.

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Heh, it took two and a half years since the first class 72 planet was found for another to pop up.

I feel downright special!

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!Warning! !Noobie question! !Warning!

Can you steal that technology by invading / diplomacy?

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Edited

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Neilo

Join Date 04/2006

+128

Heh, it took two and a half years since the first class 72 planet was found for another to pop up.

Has it really been that long Feud? I still remember that, in fact if i look hard enough i might even have the save that you posted.....Hmmm a whole map filled with class 72's...

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Or is it a Feature?

If by "feature" you mean "bug", then yes, it's a feature.

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Again, which races can do this?

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Neilo

Join Date 04/2006

+128

I know the Altarians can and someone else too. Arceans perhaps.

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Drath

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