Repeated intro
Hello (soon-to-be) world conquerors
What changed
0 fixes4 additions2 changes0 removals
addedMINE + EXTRACTOR LEVEL 2First, I mentioned that there are mines and extractors, and while the main difference so far has been the resources required, this continues with the upgrade branches. An upgrade to level two requires 7 titanium for the mine – yes, there's our beloved titanium again, so anyone who thought I was creating an artificial debate about whether titanium is needed early in the game, here you go again! But let's take a look at the extractor: here, level two requires 4 copper and 4 silicon. Oh dear, I've done it again, introduced a new resource, silicon. It can be produced mainly on desert worlds and is also needed for solar cells (we'll come to that later) and processing (again, I'll have to put you off until later). But let's assume we have the necessary resources.
addedMINE + EXTRACTOR LEVEL 2So what have we gained now? Our building has reached level 2 out of a maximum of 4, which means our production has doubled (200% production). Let's upgrade to level 3 (which requires steel and crystals for the mine, and steel and stretching wood for the extractor. More on processing later). As you might guess, production doubles again. If we had 1 iron at the beginning, we now have 4 (400% production), and there is still level 4, which would turn the 4 iron into 8, but this upgrade level is really more for the late game, with its neutron dust and maligon glass costs...
addedMINE + EXTRACTOR LEVEL 2Yes, here they work until the drill groans. It really is as it sounds: 20% more yield in exchange for higher energy consumption and more environmental pollution, both of which I will discuss in more detail later, but it is also linked to a different resource profile. Only 5 titanium left for the mine, but 3 copper are added. (Of course, you can also use copper for mines :) ) Or, finally, no more silicon for the extractor, but copper instead! 7 pieces to be precise. But what if I want to continue using silicon?
changedMINE + EXTRACTOR LEVEL 2There the extractor only needs silicon! Seven pieces in total, and it's the same story with the mine. What's special about this branch is that, in addition to resources, energy is also produced here, but the output is reduced by a considerable 25%.
changedMINE + EXTRACTOR LEVEL 2And then there are species-specific upgrade branches, as well as other more specialised options for the late game...
addedMINE + EXTRACTOR LEVEL 2So let's take an overview of what a mountain with a base production of 1.5 iron can yield. Level 1: 1.5 iron, that's clear. Level 2? The standard branch yields twice as much, i.e. 3 iron. Overclocking branch? 220% of base production, i.e. 3.3 iron. The energy branch would yield less, only 175% of the base production, but that's still 2.6 iron. The combination branch, well, it depends: it ranges from 2.4 iron with no other adjacent mines to 4.2 iron with 6 adjacent mines. And now upgrade to level 3, where a percentage is added to the existing one, so if the mine has been producing 200% of the hexagons production so far, the overclocking branch adds another 250% on top of that, making it 450%: 6.7 iron. However, if it was already overclocked before (220% production), then it is 470% or 7 iron, and I'm not going to calculate every combination, but I think the way forward is clear: always upgrade! And there is even more production to be had if the citizen on the tile is satisfied. (In extreme cases, this could increase the 7 iron to 10.5 iron, or reduce it to only 3.5 iron if you do it wrong...) Wait, what? A citizen, which citizen? You never mentioned that! That's right, so I'll make up for that in the next part of the economic overview.
Ultakia changes
addedFirst, I mentioned that there are mines and extractors, and while the main difference so far has been the resources required, this continues with the upgrade branches. An upgrade to level two requires 7 titanium for the mine – yes, there's our beloved titanium again, so anyone who thought I was creating an artificial debate about whether titanium is needed early in the game, here you go again! But let's take a look at the extractor: here, level two requires 4 copper and 4 silicon. Oh dear, I've done it again, introduced a new resource, silicon. It can be produced mainly on desert worlds and is also needed for solar cells (we'll come to that later) and processing (again, I'll have to put you off until later). But let's assume we have the necessary resources.
addedSo what have we gained now? Our building has reached level 2 out of a maximum of 4, which means our production has doubled (200% production). Let's upgrade to level 3 (which requires steel and crystals for the mine, and steel and stretching wood for the extractor. More on processing later). As you might guess, production doubles again. If we had 1 iron at the beginning, we now have 4 (400% production), and there is still level 4, which would turn the 4 iron into 8, but this upgrade level is really more for the late game, with its neutron dust and maligon glass costs...
addedYes, here they work until the drill groans. It really is as it sounds: 20% more yield in exchange for higher energy consumption and more environmental pollution, both of which I will discuss in more detail later, but it is also linked to a different resource profile. Only 5 titanium left for the mine, but 3 copper are added. (Of course, you can also use copper for mines :) ) Or, finally, no more silicon for the extractor, but copper instead! 7 pieces to be precise. But what if I want to continue using silicon?
changedThere the extractor only needs silicon! Seven pieces in total, and it's the same story with the mine. What's special about this branch is that, in addition to resources, energy is also produced here, but the output is reduced by a considerable 25%.
changedAnd then there are species-specific upgrade branches, as well as other more specialised options for the late game...
In the last part of the economic overview, we constructed a simple building, and I calculated that 10 iron would be required to build a mine (assuming it is located on a tile that requires iron rather than titanium for construction). And now, of course, the thinking begins. So you want to build five mines per round, right? If you need to produce about 50 iron per round, does that mean you need about 50 tiles?!!! You can certainly do all that, but fortunately there are better ways to produce a lot of resources on just a few tiles, namely building upgrades, which I would like to discuss in more detail below:
Steam post image Steam post image
First, I mentioned that there are mines and extractors, and while the main difference so far has been the resources required, this continues with the upgrade branches. An upgrade to level two requires 7 titanium for the mine – yes, there's our beloved titanium again, so anyone who thought I was creating an artificial debate about whether titanium is needed early in the game, here you go again! But let's take a look at the extractor: here, level two requires 4 copper and 4 silicon. Oh dear, I've done it again, introduced a new resource, silicon. It can be produced mainly on desert worlds and is also needed for solar cells (we'll come to that later) and processing (again, I'll have to put you off until later). But let's assume we have the necessary resources.
So what have we gained now? Our building has reached level 2 out of a maximum of 4, which means our production has doubled (200% production). Let's upgrade to level 3 (which requires steel and crystals for the mine, and steel and stretching wood for the extractor. More on processing later). As you might guess, production doubles again. If we had 1 iron at the beginning, we now have 4 (400% production), and there is still level 4, which would turn the 4 iron into 8, but this upgrade level is really more for the late game, with its neutron dust and maligon glass costs...
But now it gets really interesting, because research can unlock alternative upgrades! So how about:
The overclocking branch?
Steam post image Steam post image
Yes, here they work until the drill groans. It really is as it sounds: 20% more yield in exchange for higher energy consumption and more environmental pollution, both of which I will discuss in more detail later, but it is also linked to a different resource profile. Only 5 titanium left for the mine, but 3 copper are added. (Of course, you can also use copper for mines :) ) Or, finally, no more silicon for the extractor, but copper instead! 7 pieces to be precise. But what if I want to continue using silicon?
Then perhaps the energy branch would be something for you?
Steam post image Steam post image
There the extractor only needs silicon! Seven pieces in total, and it's the same story with the mine. What's special about this branch is that, in addition to resources, energy is also produced here, but the output is reduced by a considerable 25%.
Steam post image Steam post image
And for those who are looking for the perfect building layout, they should take a closer look at the combination branch. 40% less production at the start, but +20% production per adjacent mine or extractor. So, starting with three adjacent mines (out of a maximum of 6), it's already worth it (120% production), and then it's better not to decide to only hydroponic farms adjacent to them. In terms of resources, a mine requires 5 titanium and 3 iron, and an extractor requires 4 copper and 4 iron.
And then there are species-specific upgrade branches, as well as other more specialised options for the late game...
So let's take an overview of what a mountain with a base production of 1.5 iron can yield.
Level 1
1.5 iron, that's clear. Level 2? The standard branch yields twice as much, i.e. 3 iron. Overclocking branch? 220% of base production, i.e. 3.3 iron. The energy branch would yield less, only 175% of the base production, but that's still 2.6 iron.
The combination branch, well, it depends
it ranges from 2.4 iron with no other adjacent mines to 4.2 iron with 6 adjacent mines. And now upgrade to level 3, where a percentage is added to the existing one, so if the mine has been producing 200% of the hexagons production so far, the overclocking branch adds another 250% on top of that, making it 450%: 6.7 iron. However, if it was already overclocked before (220% production), then it is 470% or 7 iron, and I'm not going to calculate every combination, but I think the way forward is clear: always upgrade! And there is even more production to be had if the citizen on the tile is satisfied. (In extreme cases, this could increase the 7 iron to 10.5 iron, or reduce it to only 3.5 iron if you do it wrong...) Wait, what? A citizen, which citizen? You never mentioned that! That's right, so I'll make up for that in the next part of the economic overview.
Enjoy the day!
-a wild Giratakel (Simon Alber)
