Really unhappy

I really had high hopes for this expansion but for me I really think they tried to hard to make it different.  I have a love affair with the thalan race and I really feel they are getting the short end of the stick.  I am not sure how different the other races play compared to there former selves but this is not the race I use to play.  I have a super ability that is only half useful (super hive gets to build factories faster....wait we don't get factories until later in the game). I have no way to focus on research and for the first 200 turns I get 1 social building the embassy.  This is a race that was one of the best at production and expansion for early game rushes now the only way I have been successful is by going for a influence win.  Give me back my old Thalan race and take away this travesty please.
13,932 views 13 replies
Reply #1 Top
Make a custom race called "Ancient Thalan" and adjust it so that it plays as much as the former Thalans as possible? Not exactly the same, I know, but as close as it gets.
Reply #2 Top
I have dabbled in trying to do that but in reality it isn't the same. It is funny that I bought the expansion but still find myself playing dark avatar.
Reply #3 Top
The races are highly moddible and the tech trees also. If anything in my games, The Thalan is too powerful as they usually are a frontrunner or first tier race as some call it. I think very few would argue they are still one of the most advantaged races in the game.
Reply #4 Top
I have not talent when it comes to modding but I am sure I am not the only one that feels this way about the thalans. As for them being a front runner in your games what difficulty are you playing because I think as you go up in difficulty so does there social, military and research percentage which will naturally ease the handicap the player thalan has.
Reply #5 Top
I think the thalan are still a great race. The industry and research buildings you first research as absolutely insane.
Reply #6 Top
Were the Thalan adjusted between February and launch? I played them recently and found them a lot easier to handle than during beta.

Specifically, it seems like tech costs were reduced significantly for the early pre-industry/economic/research techs.
Reply #7 Top
I made some similar remarks about the Thalans (also my favorite) during the beta. But with tech trading off, I'd almost, but not quite, say they're overpowered now, at least on larger maps and with Creativity. And I've definitely seen them being dominant as a computer civ.

I think the most important thing to keep in mind with the new Thalans is putting that Hyperion Matrix on at least a triple-research bonus tile, but not on your homeworld. It might mean you have the thing in mothballs for a while, but it will almost instantly create a second capital and the base 48 RP will pile up quickly, especially if you spent ability points on research and/or chose the Technologists.
Reply #8 Top
Were the Thalan adjusted between February and launch?
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Most definitely. I wasn't paying close attention to the costs, but the tree gained essential starbase modules and advanced governments.
Reply #9 Top
Maybe I am just stuck in the old way I played the thalan race but it is really hard for me to change the way I like to play them after 100's of games as the old them.
Reply #10 Top
Were the Thalan adjusted between February and launch?Most definitely. I wasn't paying close attention to the costs, but the tree gained essential starbase modules and advanced governments.
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Good stuff - I was really hoping they'd get something.

I think part of the difficulty I had at first was how they played vs. everyone else, but part of it was the lack of essential techs, and part of it was just plain having to spend forever getting to the point where you could be competitive. I don't know if the tech costs were explicitly reduced, but it seems easier to deal with now.
Reply #11 Top
just plain having to spend forever getting to the point where you could be competitive.
End of quote


For some of us, this is pretty much a core strategy. Because I'm still a rube when it comes to conquest victories, my only hope of "winning" is to stay in the middle of the pack until at least mid-game.

If I fail to get enough military soon enough, I end up as someone's appetizer on their way to total conquest. If I get too strong too soon, I usually get caught with my military pants down b/c my strongest curves tend to be tech, population, and production.
Reply #12 Top
I'm not sure I adequately communicated what I was trying to say if you're taking what I said as being the same as the usual build up strategy.

What I meant was you that had nothing to work with and had to spend ages researching enough technology just so you could have a good economy, some production on more than one planet, and some research on more than one planet. When I played Thalan in beta, I literally had nothing to do beyond building a colony ship every few turns until the rush was over and clicking "next" until I got lucky enough for Creativity to proc and grant me the tech that would've otherwise taken a very long time.
Reply #13 Top
I think I get it. Was I confusing "be competitive" with "have lots to do in a turn?"