Spending starting RP

[LizardSF (OP)]

After the Fifth Terran Republic went down to economic and military defeat a mere 8 years after its founding (the last words of Captain Sarah Adams of the First Exeter Wing were "Where are all those missiles coming from? Why isn't our point defense firing on them? And God dammit, doesn't anyone know how to turn on the long range sensors?") I decided to found the Sixth Terran Republic on the ashes of the old.  I wanted to design my own starting techs, so I turned off "Computer picks starting technologies", and now I have 120K research points and no idea how to spend them.  If I start a project, it seems to generate its own RPs from the labs instead of draining the ones I've got.

[shadenight123]

After the Fifth Terran Republic went down to economic and military defeat a mere 8 years after its founding (the last words of Captain Sarah Adams of the First Exeter Wing were "Where are all those missiles coming from? Why isn't our point defense firing on them? And God dammit, doesn't anyone know how to turn on the long range sensors?") I decided to found the Sixth Terran Republic on the ashes of the old.  I wanted to design my own starting techs, so I turned off "Computer picks starting technologies", and now I have 120K research points and no idea how to spend them.  If I start a project, it seems to generate its own RPs from the labs instead of draining the ones I've got.

you need to go SM mode and instant get tech. it will bring down the points you have.

[LizardSF (OP)]

Thank you very much.  I thought SM mode was for "cheating" and wouldn't spend the points.

[Girlinhat]

SM Mode apparently lets you spend over your limit, but will also subtract from the starting RP if any is left.  Once you get down towards 8,000 RP left you need to be careful you don't overspend.  It will still let you, but that feels a bit cheaty.

[Charlie Beeler]

Suggestion,  build a spreadsheet of the tech you want to "buy".  Make adjustments until you have a tech mix you like and then use that as your template for what you actually spend your RP's on.

SM Mode is not a cheat. It is a tool that can be abused to cheat. 

[Steve Walmsley]

SM Mode apparently lets you spend over your limit, but will also subtract from the starting RP if any is left.  Once you get down towards 8,000 RP left you need to be careful you don't overspend.  It will still let you, but that feels a bit cheaty.

Aurora is primarily a solitaire game so SM Mode is there to allow you to setup whatever scenario you want to play. You can spend over your limit, which is a guideline rather than a hard and fast rule, if you wish. It depends on the challenge you wish to set yourself. I suppose you could massively overspend and make the game a walkover but what would be the point?

Steve