Any tips?

[Robil]

I really like this game, but I feel like I'm terrible at it! Really struggling to get three stars to unlock the campaign. I'm playing on the difficulty one up from the easiest. Anyone have any general tips for building good empires?

[borixon]

You might want to check out Pinstar's video on the topic:
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2383241680

There's also a nice channel for beginners on our Discord - you'll find many tips and friendly advice there :)

[Robil]

Originally posted by borixon:

You might want to check out Pinstar's video on the topic:
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2383241680

There's also a nice channel for beginners on our Discord - you'll find many tips and friendly advice there :)

Thanks, I'll give it a watch!

[GameDragonZero]

A few core things I found:
1) Uncover as many planets as you can at the start.
2) Look for "triads" of planets - three planets that can set up an exchange. That's a good way to start, play, and sets you up to develop larger "loops"
3) If you feel stuck in any one area of the map, go to another.
4) It's OK to have separate networks - but link them up eventually when you can to max out.
5) Don't ignore research.

[curiousepic]

I whipped up a Guide this morning: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2508361293

[The Renderer]

Most important is probably happiness since it's a global multiplier for your end score (which equals stars). So make sure you can always make your planets at least one step up from the initial state, else don't colonize them.

[squished]

Credit to Tubers from another thread, following these tips are crucial to doing well in the game.

- avoid unhappy planets like the plague. Only colonise if you have a plan to provide for that colony, unless you really have no other choice

- it’s good to build one lab early on, even if it’s low rank, so you can start accruing science.

- Time is the most precious and limited resource you have. Use it carefully.

- as a corollary, only destroy asteroids for money when you’re low on funds and there are still a good few months left in the year. Don’t waste time doing it when you could be colonising or exploring.

- Only choose techs that will have a benefit to your current empire. It’s better to hold on to your science while you wait for an opportunity rather then spending it at random.

- the preview button (middle mouse) allows you to visualise at a glance possible colony loops. Use it whenever you discover new planets.

-when clicking on a colony, you can see which resources it will demand when it levels up. Try to plan ahead for those needs.

[Triplefox]

My biggest tip is to focus on growing the economy by building with an eye towards more total resources, i.e. if you have an option between 1 of resource A and 2 of resource B, you should favor B unless you need to account for a shortage. Try not to build in places where you aren't seeing this profit - it can put the run in a death spiral. (Easier said than done since you never have perfect map knowledge.)

Aiming for profit across the whole empire is the starting point for having a research hub: surpluses = an opportunity to accelerate research. A surplus also helps out in the later game as you open up more options to convert resources or further pump up output. Ideally you have enough good connections that most of your planets get to Prosperous just by adding some upgrades. If you have to manufacture a lengthy or roundabout connection using a late-game tech, you're probably spending three months and a pile of cash to do it, which can really hurt.

[Polylog]

What others have said plus, there are extremely different styles enabled through perks and tech. In my early successful runs, I went ultra heavy into energy and snowballed from there. This is fairly easy if you can start the game with +10 tech (or +1 tech/4 planets discovered) into the solar panels. I combined that with Silthids for lots of tech and Ba'quar for lava energy and later the tech that gives more resources if supplied with energy. (I guess in a month or two we will all love at how obvious and simplistic this strategy is. But it works.)

In my recent game, I went a completely different route and combined aphorians, lots of planet improvement projects and the +35% income from planets with improvements perk. This snowballed my income like crazy and allowed me to go really heavy on expensive improvements and buildings. I covered the research through labs and I got my additional resources from the +1 people on people planets and +1 green/blue on planets that already produce green/blue. And I covered food with food converters. Late game, I was able to add tons of inverted slipways and some fusion power for tons successful and prosperous planets.

Anyways, this will read super stupid and simple for an expert, but I'm just discovering these different styles and it is a lot of fun. When you select your council, plan out a few really strong combos and then try to make it happen. In structures, don't hesitate to take the +tech choice. Sometimes resources can save your bacon, but more research options very rarely do anything for me because I cannot get all the research I want as is (picked my races because I like their options and I cannot get everything as is).
But also keep in mind that you need to get there. So make sure you don't run out of cash and you have a way to progress your tech early. Very often I pick Vattori in my council because they are the only ones that offer tech acceleration in perks and research options. I was hesitant to Aphorians, because I didn't see money doing a lot. It does. Opens so many options to play with projects - and those save a lot of time compared to colonizing planets.

[Wexmajor]

Vattori help a lot with learning the ropes, definitely keep them on your council as a beginner. Runs without them are perfectly viable as well once you know what you're doing but you'll need to actually focus on building research rather than getting it almost handed to you.

If I'm playing without Vattori on Challenging, I focus exclusively on economy for the first 5 years, then I set up a lab worth at least 3 research, then focus on building up my economy for another 5 years, then set up as many labs as I can anywhere I think I can get at least 3 research out of each one. If I'm playing with Vattori I don't have to think about any of that, lol.

As far as settling new planets, it's okay to have unemployment or no exports as long as you have a plan to fix it using late game tech. Resource shortages on the other hand you better have a plan to fix very soon after settling the planet because you will earn a permanent penalty if you leave those sit for too long.

[GxM42]

Question: What happens if you send two of a resource to a planet that only needs one. I've found that the game lets you do it. Do you get any benefit?

[CosmicImplosion]

Originally posted by mjacobsca:

Question: What happens if you send two of a resource to a planet that only needs one. I've found that the game lets you do it. Do you get any benefit?

For a planet to be "successful" you need to establish a minimum number of trade routes (as well as satisfy resource needs), so you might not benefit early on, but you will need to do it later. Better to use the resource to bring a "struggling" planet to "established" if you can.

[kory]

Originally posted by mjacobsca:

Question: What happens if you send two of a resource to a planet that only needs one. I've found that the game lets you do it. Do you get any benefit?

In addition to helping get planets to prosperous, any trade route does produce money for you, so there is some immediate benefit in terms of yearly income.

[devotion]

Ruins are crucial to the midgame, when you're still needing breakthrough solutions to small puzzles around your empire, and you do not have the techs that give you late-game flexibility (trade hub, planet-destroyers, planet switchers, and slip relays). Don't box in a ruin without a source of population! And, generally, you want to do at least one task for each council race in order to enable all options on ruins.

Don't underestimate the power of planetary project and structure technologies. As a beginner I didn't have any idea just how much income I could have by the midgame; a challenge in the endgame is converting all your resources, including money, into victory points. Projects are particularly potent as they take no time to build.