How do I compare engines?

[Prince of Space]

(BTW, will civilians migrate to the Moon, or other colonies, on their own? Or do I have to ship everyone?)

Civilian shipping lines will build their own colony ships if there are at least two populations. Then they will start shipping populations from Source colonies to Destination colonies. I find that seeding the destination colony with infrastructure and a starter population is a good spur to get the shipping lines to start building their fleet. I dont think they will build ships if you dont get the ball rolling initially.

[83athom]

Good points, although I wouldn't be able to ship infrastructure from the Moon unless I terraformed it. I mean, that's why I'd have to send infrastructure there in the first place, right?

You can always ship infrastructure from any location, even those that require infrastructure themselves.

(BTW, will civilians migrate to the Moon, or other colonies, on their own? Or do I have to ship everyone?)

Civilian shipping lines will create their own colony ships if you have somewhere for them to go to and they will move migrants to/from places without orders (make sure to designate colonist sources and destinations in summary window, civilian tab).

Of course, in the next system, there's a good candidate for colonization (slightly less hospitable than the Moon, with few resources, but there are good mining prospects in that system). So I wasn't thinking of wasting time with the Moon. Still, I'd like to get the civilian economy doing something as soon as possible, and it's going to be awhile before I get jump gates built.

I would still colonize both.

(Actually, there's a better planet for colonization in a different system right next to ours. But it's got an alien population. And they seem to have military ships. They didn't shoot at my ship when I discovered them, and I've got my diplomats working on improving relations, but maybe I should start to think about defenses, huh? LOL)

Prepare your butthole son.

[Mastik]

(BTW, will civilians migrate to the Moon, or other colonies, on their own? Or do I have to ship everyone?)

Population and Production window, goto civilians/Ind Status tab.  Look for the civilian colonization status near the bottom.  This way your civilan transport fleets will move people around for you.

[WCG (OP)]

...make sure to designate colonist sources and destinations in summary window, civilian tab.

Thanks! I would have missed that.

Speaking of missing things,... when I started the game, it asked me if I wanted to pick the starting technologies myself. I said yes, but I never seemed to get an option to do that. I started with basic techs, anyway - I mean, it wasn't the conventional start (which I've seen on YouTube) - so I just shrugged it off.

However, I've been reading some tutorials. Was I supposed to go into cheat mode to give myself starting tech? I've had a bunch of starting research points listed on the research window, but no indication of what I was supposed to do with them (or how). Does the game ordinarily pick starting technologies other than what you always get by doing the Trans-Newtonian start, then?

I won't mess with it now, either way. I was just wondering.

Also, I was wondering if I should select zero non-player species at the start of the game. There would still be aliens, right? Just not right next door? This is fine, the way it's worked out this game, but I think I'd prefer to expand a bit before encountering an alien civilization. (I'm not much of a wargamer. Exploration interests me more than waging war, though I need the threat of that, too.)

But that's how I'd do it, right? I wouldn't want to screw it up, on a future start.

Thanks!

[Iranon]

Yes, you are expected to assign those RP yourself with Spacemanster.

When you find a habitable planet, there's a (selectable at game start) chance that it spawns a NPR.
It's not quite the same as a starting NPR because it naturally didn't have time to spread.
Starting NPRs expand, and can unlock more NPRs which then do their own thing before you stumble intot heir system. Great for more dynamic play, not so great for a smoothly progressing game.

You can find an NPR in the next system regardless of whether you had starting NPRs, that's not really a consideration. What matters is whether you are willing to risk significant slowdown for a chance to see more fully developed NPRs.

[WCG (OP)]

You can find an NPR in the next system regardless of whether you had starting NPRs, that's not really a consideration.

OK, thanks.