WHAT Am I Doing Wrong?

[Ceomandala]

Ok... so I am playing on easy mode - EASY MODE! This is my third playthru, choosing different countries each time, hoping the results will be different. Right now, I am at Utilities level 6, and I have a water score of about - 450. That's MINUS 450. Suddenly nothing is working because there is no water. (tho I am LITERALLY surrounded by rivers and lakes - how dumb is that?!)

I can't trade science points with another country cause nobody knows who I am and I have NO IDEA how to foster relations with another country because there is no diplomacy with any country until they somehow... magically(?) appear on the diplomacy screen?

Speaking of trading, yes, I have a marketplace and a trading pier. I get messages that the trader has visited, but I see ZERO proof that I got money or shirts or ANYTHING from the trader. Does the trader only have zero or one shirt to sell me, or like 100? Is there honestly a trade or is it just a message to make you feel good about building those trade buildings?

MEANWHILE, I am constantly getting messages that every resource I am mining and wood is at max capacity! SO...
1. I have the max of ores/wood, but can't sell/trade them to anyone but the game has to constantly remind me of that fact over and over and over and over and over and over.
2. I am needing clothing and bread but the trader NEVER sells me any (nor buys my 2K wood/iron/copper/coal/whatever)
3. I have no water and building things to use the ores just makes more factories flash the 'I need water' messages
4. Third game already where the result is exactly the same. So I am at least consistent in my failure. First game I quit with a stunning negative monetary value to boot, lol.
5. I have zero military, but lucky for me, I can tell the game my neighbors are peaceful - one less stress while I try to get the non-military part of the game down.

I am willing to learn HOW to play successfully. The only vids I've run across never address no water, no trading issues, so I'm lost. Constructive help is much appreciated.

[Big Poppa]

Yea there are no clear indications of what is happening with anything. I think i am done until they get some patches out.

[Builder_of_Worlds]

Your tenacity, Ceomandala, at trying to beat the game is commendable, thumbs up for your resolve. From your description, I'll try to understand where you're stuck and offer assistance that might help:

1. Water issue – there are two water producing facilities, basic water pumps and water purification plants. First one is dependent on natural water deposits (expendable), the other one is placed near any kind of water and produces large quantities (non-expendable). Purification plant is further down the path of utilities development branch, so attempt to develop in that direction. If along the way you also get breakthrough development point, spend it there.

Since water isn't stored, in early game try not to build non-essential water pumps, just as much as you need at the moment. Also, put upgrades to water pumps as is recommended for any other production building too.

Conserve the water early in game and don't expand too much the production of stuff that is heavy water dependant. Once you get to water purification plant, then go wild.

2. Trading – markets operate through smugglers and they have low volumes to sell, and resources they sell are completely random in each smuggling run. For more serious trading, build trade port or airport. There, you select the resource, then set the amount – important is that whatever you've set and the quantity - is the quantity of that resource you wish to hold in your depots at any given moment. That means trade port will, in each cycle, attempt to buy that resource if you're lacking, or sell if you have excess. Trade ports also trade majority of all resources and quantities go much higher. If you wish to exclusively buy, then also check „lock selling“ and viceversa to exclusively sell.

3. Monetary issues – pure money is earned only through taxes. You have 4 citizen classes, each has their own housing buildings (single one and a highrise). Each citizen class needs certain resources, luxuries and public services to be happy and in high morale. But if they are in high morale, amount of money you'll receive from each housing unit will be in the thousands. Manufacturers and other higher classes will need more various resources to be happy, but if they are met, money yield is even higher. To check their demands, click on each of housing units (for each class) and go through all three categories of their needs (basic needs, luxuries needs, public services). First class, laborers will need just a couple of things, manufacturers much more various stuff, and so on with technicians and specialists.

Now, some would say – great, then just build a thousand housing units and collect a huge tax. That oversimplified method won't work because if you suddenly stuff thousands of people in your city, but don't have enough resources and work for majority of them… they will be unemployed and unhappy, thus making riots and chaos.

The trick is balance, balance for everything in this game.

Hope this helps. I can suggest also that you hop into our Discord, there are many people there that mastered the game and also found some interesting tricks along the way…
https://discord.gg/6FfVfPfDNz

[Ceomandala]

Originally posted by Builder_of_Worlds:

Your tenacity, Ceomandala, at trying to beat the game is commendable, thumbs up for your resolve. From your description, I'll try to understand where you're stuck and offer assistance that might help:

1. Water issue – there are two water producing facilities, basic water pumps and water purification plants. First one is dependent on natural water deposits (expendable), the other one is placed near any kind of water and produces large quantities (non-expendable). Purification plant is further down the path of utilities development branch, so attempt to develop in that direction. If along the way you also get breakthrough development point, spend it there.

Since water isn't stored, in early game try not to build non-essential water pumps, just as much as you need at the moment. Also, put upgrades to water pumps as is recommended for any other production building too.

Conserve the water early in game and don't expand too much the production of stuff that is heavy water dependant. Once you get to water purification plant, then go wild.

2. Trading – markets operate through smugglers and they have low volumes to sell, and resources they sell are completely random in each smuggling run. For more serious trading, build trade port or airport. There, you select the resource, then set the amount – important is that whatever you've set and the quantity - is the quantity of that resource you wish to hold in your depots at any given moment. That means trade port will, in each cycle, attempt to buy that resource if you're lacking, or sell if you have excess. Trade ports also trade majority of all resources and quantities go much higher. If you wish to exclusively buy, then also check „lock selling“ and viceversa to exclusively sell.

3. Monetary issues – pure money is earned only through taxes. You have 4 citizen classes, each has their own housing buildings (single one and a highrise). Each citizen class needs certain resources, luxuries and public services to be happy and in high morale. But if they are in high morale, amount of money you'll receive from each housing unit will be in the thousands. Manufacturers and other higher classes will need more various resources to be happy, but if they are met, money yield is even higher. To check their demands, click on each of housing units (for each class) and go through all three categories of their needs (basic needs, luxuries needs, public services). First class, laborers will need just a couple of things, manufacturers much more various stuff, and so on with technicians and specialists.

Now, some would say – great, then just build a thousand housing units and collect a huge tax. That oversimplified method won't work because if you suddenly stuff thousands of people in your city, but don't have enough resources and work for majority of them… they will be unemployed and unhappy, thus making riots and chaos.

The trick is balance, balance for everything in this game.

Hope this helps. I can suggest also that you hop into our Discord, there are many people there that mastered the game and also found some interesting tricks along the way…
https://discord.gg/6FfVfPfDNz

Thanks - appreciate the response. I am headed to Discord to learn more... but here is a fyi for you - your sentence "Purification plant is further down the path of utilities development branch, so attempt to develop in that direction. If along the way you also get breakthrough development point, spend it there."

That really caused a big question mark above my head! ?
I have never heard of a develop point - that I control? To me, going from Utilities lvl 6 to lvl 8 for the water building is just something I have to wait thru to happen. I've never heard of 'attempt to develop in that direction'. THAT's why I am MORE than happy to peruse your Discord - so much to learn!

Thanks so much for pointing me in a good direction! Your being here means alot to me - Thanks!

[Kryten]

I think "develop in that direction" means to build more buildings that give those points, so the waiting for the next level will be shorter.
I never seem to have gotten any of those "breakthrough" points tho in the two games that I have started so far. is there something I can do to get them, or is it random?

[Dr. Insoluble]

Originally posted by Kryten:

I think "develop in that direction" means to build more buildings that give those points, so the waiting for the next level will be shorter.
I never seem to have gotten any of those "breakthrough" points tho in the two games that I have started so far. is there something I can do to get them, or is it random?

This game could likely use a manual. I created my game before the most recent update and noticed this thread searching for a solution for my water problems, and saw that you can boost research. In the Research and Development panel there appears to be a "Breakthrough" count at the top-left. If you expand Utilities or other research areas, there is a small button on the left that you can click on that will use a Breakthrough and add points to that area. The number of points seems to vary, although I don't know by what.

It should be enough to get me to Utilities 8 and the purification plant, although I'm a bit tight on glass so it'll be a bit tricky. I think this'll work, although I could also explore editing the save file, although I don't know what would be a "fair" amount to match the most recent patch.

[Ceomandala]

Originally posted by Dr. Insoluble:

Originally posted by Kryten:

I think "develop in that direction" means to build more buildings that give those points, so the waiting for the next level will be shorter.
I never seem to have gotten any of those "breakthrough" points tho in the two games that I have started so far. is there something I can do to get them, or is it random?

This game could likely use a manual. I created my game before the most recent update and noticed this thread searching for a solution for my water problems, and saw that you can boost research. In the Research and Development panel there appears to be a "Breakthrough" count at the top-left. If you expand Utilities or other research areas, there is a small button on the left that you can click on that will use a Breakthrough and add points to that area. The number of points seems to vary, although I don't know by what.

It should be enough to get me to Utilities 8 and the purification plant, although I'm a bit tight on glass so it'll be a bit tricky. I think this'll work, although I could also explore editing the save file, although I don't know what would be a "fair" amount to match the most recent patch.

THANK YOU so much!! I never notice those 'Breakthru' points! So here is where I stand...
I need a point value of 10,240 points to hit level 8 of utilities so I can get the 'Water Purification Plant'. I am at 7,027 points (just hit lvl 7). I gather 126 points per day, so my 'Breakthru Points' value is a laughable 338 points. I need 3,213 points, lol. I DID go to the Discord and get some good ideas, so I have lotsa clothes and bread now, but at lvl 6 AGAIN I ran out of water and had to stop a bunch of stuff that used water.
This has officially moved to the 'this game is not fun' column for me. It's not like I am playing on a desert map, there's water all around me. Heck, even the Egyptians had irrigation thousands of years ago, and we have nothing but a few wells in the 1920's that run dry fast?
I'm done. Changing my review to thumbs down and celebrating with a big, cold glass of water! I'm just disgusted at this whole process and then the dev acting like the 'Breakthru Points' actually amount to anything!

[Doomed]

I still can't place a gravel pit lol. Everything says I can build it but it won't place down. I also can't play the tutorial to learn because it crashes while loading 100% of the time.
Not sure if I should refund or keep trying.

[Kryten]

Originally posted by Dr. Insoluble:

Originally posted by Kryten:

I think "develop in that direction" means to build more buildings that give those points, so the waiting for the next level will be shorter.
I never seem to have gotten any of those "breakthrough" points tho in the two games that I have started so far. is there something I can do to get them, or is it random?

This game could likely use a manual. I created my game before the most recent update and noticed this thread searching for a solution for my water problems, and saw that you can boost research. In the Research and Development panel there appears to be a "Breakthrough" count at the top-left. If you expand Utilities or other research areas, there is a small button on the left that you can click on that will use a Breakthrough and add points to that area. The number of points seems to vary, although I don't know by what.

It should be enough to get me to Utilities 8 and the purification plant, although I'm a bit tight on glass so it'll be a bit tricky. I think this'll work, although I could also explore editing the save file, although I don't know what would be a "fair" amount to match the most recent patch.

Thank you! I totally missed that. That might be the reason why even the "peacemaker"-level AI was so much more advanced in military than I was :D

[Dr. Insoluble]

Originally posted by Kryten:

Originally posted by Dr. Insoluble:

This game could likely use a manual. I created my game before the most recent update and noticed this thread searching for a solution for my water problems, and saw that you can boost research. In the Research and Development panel there appears to be a "Breakthrough" count at the top-left. If you expand Utilities or other research areas, there is a small button on the left that you can click on that will use a Breakthrough and add points to that area. The number of points seems to vary, although I don't know by what.

It should be enough to get me to Utilities 8 and the purification plant, although I'm a bit tight on glass so it'll be a bit tricky. I think this'll work, although I could also explore editing the save file, although I don't know what would be a "fair" amount to match the most recent patch.

Thank you! I totally missed that. That might be the reason why even the "peacemaker"-level AI was so much more advanced in military than I was :D

No problem! I'm playing with mostly normal settings but less aggressive / easier AI and they're ahead too. Not sure if I'm developing my city or military properly, I guess. I did notice that you can trade research with other AI players, so I'm trying to swap my apparently excessive Transportation points for Military now.

[cobra_overseergames]

Originally posted by Ceomandala:

THANK YOU so much!! I never notice those 'Breakthru' points! So here is where I stand...
I need a point value of 10,240 points to hit level 8 of utilities so I can get the 'Water Purification Plant'. I am at 7,027 points (just hit lvl 7). I gather 126 points per day, so my 'Breakthru Points' value is a laughable 338 points. I need 3,213 points, lol. I DID go to the Discord and get some good ideas, so I have lotsa clothes and bread now, but at lvl 6 AGAIN I ran out of water and had to stop a bunch of stuff that used water.
This has officially moved to the 'this game is not fun' column for me. It's not like I am playing on a desert map, there's water all around me. Heck, even the Egyptians had irrigation thousands of years ago, and we have nothing but a few wells in the 1920's that run dry fast?
I'm done. Changing my review to thumbs down and celebrating with a big, cold glass of water! I'm just disgusted at this whole process and then the dev acting like the 'Breakthru Points' actually amount to anything!

Just to help you a bit, if you didn't use any of the Breakthrough points while playing the game then you should be having a couple of them, so that certainly helps, especially as you say that your daily points production is on 126.

But on the good side, with today's patch we did implement an option of infinite resources. You can set that option on the Difficulty screen, right after choosing the flag, and there under Ore Richness you can slide that slider toward the infinite option.

I do hope this helps a bit with Water consumption and more chill gameplay.🙂