Terraforming Mars

[zazu (OP)]

Best way to Terraform Mars?

I tried adding greenhouse gasses and that raised the atmosphere level but I have no idea what else I should add or get rid of, gas wise.

[metalax]

You need to add at least enough oxygen to meet your minimum oxygen requirements. If you haven't altered anything from the default that should be 0.1 atmospheres. Next you need to add enough gass that the oxygen is less than or equal to 30% of the total, so you need at least 0.2334 atmospheres of other gasses. As you need to warm it up as well you can use CO2 for this.

The exact order of doing this can vary if you are trying to optimise your colony crowth, eg on very cold/hot worlds it is better to warm it up/cool it down, until you drop to a colony cost close to 2.0 before adding the oxygen.

[HaliRyan]

The two things you need to make a planet livable are an appropriate oxygen content and temperature. You can see both for your race in the top right corner of the system view window (yellow sun icon). Add Safe Greenhouse Gas to the atmosphere until you've got the right temperature, then add oxygen to your race's required level and you're good to go.

Note - Some planets will have hazardous gases you'll need to remove or a temperature you'll need to lower by either adding Anti-Greenhouse gas or removing any greenhouse gases already present.

[blue emu]

Add Safe Greenhouse Gas to the atmosphere until you've got the right temperature, then add oxygen to your race's required level and you're good to go.

I do it in the opposite order. I generally start by adding enough Oxygen to make the atmosphere breathable, then enough Greenhouse Gas to raise the temperature enough to make the world class-0.

[metalax]

The reason to add/remove the gasses to alter the temperature first if it is a high colony cost, is that the lack of a breathable atmosphere, too little oxygen/over 30%/poisonous gasses gives a fixed colony cost of 2 while high/low temperatures can be much higher colony cost.

[zazu (OP)]

Thanks for the clarification!

So I added like 500 infra to Mars, when I terraform it slowly does that mean that at some point that Infra can be re-used elsewhere? Because i noticed the cost was decreasing.

[TheDeadlyShoe]

Yes, though i generally ship in more colonists rather than move the infrastructure.   At least until terraforming is completely or mostly so.

[blue emu]

Thanks for the clarification!

So I added like 500 infra to Mars, when I terraform it slowly does that mean that at some point that Infra can be re-used elsewhere? Because i noticed the cost was decreasing.

Yes.

In fact, if you have a strong Civilian market sector, they will be producing additional Infrastructure and selling it on Mars, so that by the time that Mars reaches class-0 and needs no Infrastructure at all, you might have tens of thousands of units available there... enough to last your other colonies for much of the game.

[blue emu]

The reason to add/remove the gasses to alter the temperature first if it is a high colony cost, is that the lack of a breathable atmosphere, too little oxygen/over 30%/poisonous gasses gives a fixed colony cost of 2 while high/low temperatures can be much higher colony cost.

True, but since I (at least) usually colonize the available class-2 worlds before trying to terraform the less hospitable ones, the unbreathable atmosphere (usually due to lack of Oxygen) makes up the bulk of the colony cost... so I address that matter first.

[zazu (OP)]

Yes. 

In fact, if you have a strong Civilian market sector, they will be producing additional Infrastructure and selling it on Mars, so that by the time that Mars reaches class-0 and needs no Infrastructure at all, you might have tens of thousands of units available there. . .  enough to last your other colonies for much of the game.

Hmmm, I did a previous run of a game and then shipping lanes sprung up pretty quickly.

I tried to do the same but they don't want to buy a freighter even thought I already have some in my fleet.

I even subsidized them, what could be wrong? Just chance?

[blue emu]

They won't usually buy much until you have some colonies.

[Vanigo]

In fact, if you have a strong Civilian market sector, they will be producing additional Infrastructure and selling it on Mars, so that by the time that Mars reaches class-0 and needs no Infrastructure at all, you might have tens of thousands of units available there... enough to last your other colonies for much of the game.

It's actually even better than that. The infrastructure not only appears out of nowhere for free, but it actually makes you money doing so. Civilian freighters shipping infrastructure produce money just like any other cargo, making large amounts of money for both you and your shipping lines. And since it's such a short trip, it's an extremely profitable run. Colonizing Mars is a great way to get money in the early game, and beef up your civilian shipping sector in the process.

[zazu (OP)]

They won't usually buy much until you have some colonies.

I got Luna, Mars, Mercury and some random Asteroid right now.

I guess I'll just have to be patient

[blue emu]

You have PEOPLE on Luna, Mercury and an Asteroid? Or just automated mines?

When I mentioned "colonies", I meant "colonies with people".

[zazu (OP)]

You have PEOPLE on Luna, Mercury and an Asteroid? Or just automated mines?

When I mentioned "colonies", I meant "colonies with people".

Gotya, I'll need some people on my colonies

Thanks!