Tips for new players

[Rajhin]

My game was slowing down on the span of few turns until it is unable to proceed for more than 5 seconds, no errors, time just doesn't advance for more than 5 seconds anymore.
Anyone know what can be the problem? I didn't even leave the Sol yet, I don't think it's the NPRs or anything.

[Haji]

It is almost certainly an NPR. Those intervals happen during fighting, for example, when missiles are bearing down on a fleet and are within detection range. There was a 'bug' that made the intervals infinite, but it may have been resolved. Anyway, you just have to try and cope with it for several hundred ticks. If it's not resolved by then you'll probably have to restart the game. Using auto-turns should help.
Aside from NPRs I have no idea what may be causing it. I never had a problem like that when I was starting my games without a starting NPR.

[Rajhin]

Didn't fix it so I just started anew.
Can someone tell me what does it mean if I can order a ships to refuel at colony even though the planet I am sending them is empty?
I sent the survey ship there too with passive scanners and nothing was revealed.

[ExChairman]

There is a way around the slow spams, if you are in space master mode go to System map (F2) and to your left you find contacts, fill in the space time bubble, and advance time 20 minutes or what ever you want...
Usually works for me

[Havan_IronOak]

Hi all, I'm pretty new to this game, I like to do conventional starts and so far I've found out that you can make Diplomatic teams and they gain skill from practicing with themselves on Earth... This probably isn't a big tip but I overlooked it for awhile, does anyone know any other things to do at the beginning of a game to help yourself out later?

A shameless plug for a section I'm developing on the wiki http://aurorawiki.pentarch.org/index.php?title=One_Newbie%27s_Guide_to_a_Conventional_Start

I'd love for anyone and everyone to read it and add comments and suggestions and additional tips to this thread http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=8283.0

[TCD]

Running "Replace All" from the commanders screen (with SM mode on) gives you more sensibly aged commanders- my senior Rear Admiral was 21 before, the new senior admiral was 34 afterwards. Bi boost for RP.

[Irishpolak]

Hello!  I've got a few newbie questions I can't seem to find answers to.

1) I've created orbital habitats with 100 sorium harvesters each, and moved them in orbit of a super jovian with around 85m units of sorium.   Is there any way to see the fuel that they created?  And while I'm on this note, do the orbital habitats need fuel storage themselves in order to produce fuel?  I've noticed that the amount of sorium decreases, but I can't see the fuel, is it lost to oblivion?

2) Slightly related, but I created a new orbital habitat with actual fuel storage in case that was my issue, but I can't make it unload it's fuel.   Currently it's in orbit of Earth, and holding millions of gallons of fuel hostage.   How do I make it release it's fuel before tugging it to a sorium source?

3) I've been contemplating making extensive orbital habitats loaded with sensors, plasma carronades, CIWS's, and perhaps some missile launchers, then dropping it off at strategic jump points to catch enemy ships when they enter the system.   Is this at all a plausible idea?  Or would this just jeopardize what would inevitably be a massive investment of resources?

4) As for terraforming, my current method is several large orbital habitats that get tugged around to the location I want them to terraform.   The only problem is, this takes a lot of time to drag the massive habitats into position.   Would I be better designing smaller habitats and mass producing them, or perhaps designing some self-propelled terraforming ships to have a more flexible option? 

[littleWolf]

Use tankers for 'refuelling' from harvester and delivery fuel to colony/fleet. 

[TheDeadlyShoe]

3.) They are impractical if you have maintenance on.  They can work if you have maintenance off, although theyd be inefficient.

4.) There isn't really a right answer to this, although if you research enough into low multipliers for engines you can make extremely cheap high fuel efficiency engines that are relatively inexpensive to add to terraforming or fuel harvesting platforms.

[Titanian]

1) Harvesters need some kind of tank to put the fuel into.

2) In the Class Design window, in the top right, check the tanker box to mark the class as tanker, then you can order it to unload fuel at colonies and you can order other taskgroups to refuel at it.  Or you unload it via the Individual Units window, misc tab

[83athom]

1) I've created orbital habitats with 100 sorium harvesters each, and moved them in orbit of a super jovian with around 85m units of sorium.   Is there any way to see the fuel that they created?  And while I'm on this note, do the orbital habitats need fuel storage themselves in order to produce fuel?  I've noticed that the amount of sorium decreases, but I can't see the fuel, is it lost to oblivion?

Fuel gathered from orbital refineries are placed directly into fuel storage. They do require fuel storage to store the fuel.

2) Slightly related, but I created a new orbital habitat with actual fuel storage in case that was my issue, but I can't make it unload it's fuel.   Currently it's in orbit of Earth, and holding millions of gallons of fuel hostage.   How do I make it release it's fuel before tugging it to a sorium source?

You have to tag the design as a tanker in the ship design window, the top right corcer, for it to get those orders.

3) I've been contemplating making extensive orbital habitats loaded with sensors, plasma carronades, CIWS's, and perhaps some missile launchers, then dropping it off at strategic jump points to catch enemy ships when they enter the system.   Is this at all a plausible idea?  Or would this just jeopardize what would inevitably be a massive investment of resources?

That is currently not plausible, but will be in the next version.

4) As for terraforming, my current method is several large orbital habitats that get tugged around to the location I want them to terraform.   The only problem is, this takes a lot of time to drag the massive habitats into position.   Would I be better designing smaller habitats and mass producing them, or perhaps designing some self-propelled terraforming ships to have a more flexible option?

All depends on preference. Larger single units are most cost effective, but they do take longer o get into position.

[Detros]

Especially if you have multiple (war)ships around in one system be warned not to turn too many settings on. Multiple sensor data, orbits and fleets info shown at once can noticeably slow loading of System map will all those calculations what show where.

Beside other more clear stuff you can hide also all those pesky civilians so they don't clutter your System map. Use Contacts tab on the side.

[Chaney]

Hey guys! Loving the same so far but I do have 2 questions.

1) Is there an easier way to zoom to planets? For example if I have miners on an asteroid and its been emptied double clicking on the asteroid in the summary tab does not bring me to it, instead I have to go to all bodies and scroll through the whole list of asteroids until I find it, surely there is a better way that I am missing out on? I want to do this to check where the asteroid is and whether its worth it to get freighters to remove the miners.

2) What kind of automation can you get to with mining? If I put a load of miners on a ship and put a conditional order to mine the nearest asteroid will it just automatically go mine everything and put the minerals in storage? In which case I can just add a mass driver later or put a freighter on some form of condition order?

Thanks for the help!

[ORCACommander]

there are some options under the display tab but i normally use the colony interface for any interactions.

i never got into mining ships. the conditional order will have it go to the nearest one with minerals and mine it every time so it may not go after which rock you want. it will transfer to cargo so make sure it has orders to return when full and unload