Sub Pulse issues

[Rich.h (OP)]

I have got a multi NPR sol game setup and started, but I have run into a problem already. It seems that if I try to go for any time advance of 8 hours or more then around 3/4 of the time it gets interrupted with the first event being "sub-pulse length adjusted due to potential fleet interception". Now I can only guess this means there is a possible conflict about to happen and as such the pulse length has been reduced to allow for the needed combat procedure. However I am playing with a 15 year enforced peace and this is the first month of the game. I have tried changing the sub-pulse length to something longer instead of automatic, and also tried using auto turns. Both seem to have zero effect and I at at a point where I am lucky if I get even 1 day of time advancement happening, since I am trying to do basic things like build ships and research etc I am left with more clicks than I think my mouse has left on it's warranty to even get through the first two months.

Have I missed something obvious or is this simply how slowly multi NPR starts go and thus are generally unplayable unless you also start out with ships from the beginning to do something with?

[TheDeadlyShoe]

i have had an issue like this before.  go to 'sensors' in the system map and disable sensors for the system. give it  a couple 5-day cycles.  after that you should be ok to re-enable sensors if you want.

[Rich.h (OP)]

i have had an issue like this before.  go to 'sensors' in the system map and disable sensors for the system. give it  a couple 5-day cycles.  after that you should be ok to re-enable sensors if you want.

Works prefectly thank you, I am curious though to what exactly it does. I noticed that when I apply this everything vanishes from view other than populations I already knew about (which still show up as an EM/TH signature). Does this mean the same thing is happening to the NPR's also? Does this option essentially do a wave of the wand of space magic and chuck us all out of phase from each other so we continue to build up peacefully until the curtain is lifted once more?

[TheDeadlyShoe]

Yes! It disables all sensor checks by every faction in that system.  My belief (aka unsubstantiated guesswork) is that a gamestart NPR is stuck trying to conduct an intercept at gamestart, and disabling the sensors renders that intercept moot.

More typical use of this option is to shut down sensors in a busy but safe system in order to speed up game processing.  Sensor checks are probably the chuggiest thing in Aurora, even with transponders enabled.

Another way to use sensor disable is to handwave 'neutral areas' while fighting AI-controlled NPRs.  For example, after a homeworld peace expires, you could disable sensors in the Sol system and say that warfare is prevented there by treaty.  The AI won't really understand this, but it's a decent way of engaging in conflict with Sol powers without going truely apocalyptic. 

However, sensor disabling should be used with caution. There is a very real risk of eliminating Fun™ situations, like the 500,000 tons of space insects that just invaded my home system.  There is also a vanishingly low chance of an NPR popping up a closed jump point in that system.