Does anyone actually use the autodesigner?

from GalCiv2 Forums

In my opinion the autodesigner for ships is more or less worthless, primarily due to its ignorance of any components besides weapons and defenses - no engines, no sensors, no hull modules, nothing. I usually just turn it off to avoid clogging up my shipyard screen with designs I'll never, ever use. I've come to suspect it's similiar to how AI opponents design their ships, which make their horribly slow speed a little more comprehensible.

So I'm curious - does anyone on here actually bother to use it?

4,640 views 6 replies
Reply #1 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Yes, I do.  For the early designs where you have no options anyway.  A no engine design with the max guns is fine for system defense.  Once I start planing offense, I design ships myself.  Speed for interceptors and commerce raiders, heavy defenses and Fleet Modules for the command carriers, etcetera.

Reply #2 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

The advantage of the auto design is that if your stargates is building it, it will automatically build the upgraded design when it becomes available.

 

The auto design doesn't take advantage of the offensive / defensive modules though.   I'd like to see an auto design that makes use of these.  Xalanx defence, Thulon etc.

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Reply #3 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

I don't bother. I like an unique design of my ships, and even tiny stupid 0 engine constructor must be nicely done :D

Reply #4 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

If you create a new ship style using templates you've already done, and then select it for your race, then your ships will already look the way you want them to be, because the auto-designer uses the core ships as the basis for its designs.

Reply #5 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

I mostly design them myself, but the auto designs do sometimes have advantiges. Sometimes it puts more stuff on a ship than you have miniaturization for}:) . Also they can look cool, just not in the same whey as a player designed ship.

Reply #6 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

 

I made a rule for myself that I always trade the one before latest propulsion and logistics to the ai if I am trading for anything.  This helps to overcome the slowness of their ships with the autodesign.  The logistics also helps them with fleet sizes.  But if I am not one ahead of the particular race then I don't trade like this.   

Try it, you will find that it makes the game more competitive.