How well does the auto-build work?

[Groogo]

Is it possible for the game to auto-build colonies in a worthwhile way? How much of the minutia of colony management can be automated usefully?

[BuildTheWall]

The game likes to auto designate my colonies as factory worlds when I have no industrial districts, no civilian industries, and have built a ton of generator districts. It's still not usable.

[Groogo]

Originally posted by BuildTheWall:

The game likes to auto designate my colonies as factory worlds when I have no industrial districts, no civilian industries, and have built a ton of generator districts. It's still not usable.

Thank you.

[ScreamCon]

Mixed bag. I recommend against simply as you might have a strategy or ratio the auto builder doesn't do.

Its a mixed bag also because it might use up or not make enough of a resource.

[mss73055]

If you leave it on from the start it spins out of control.
You need to give auto-designate and the gouvernors a clue on what to do.

[HappySack]

While not the best, you would have to be insane if you think micromanaging 10+ planets for the rest of the game is a good idea.

With some babysitting and enough minerals it isn't too outrageous to let it govern your colonies.

[Zane87]

Originally posted by HappySack:

While not the best, you would have to be insane if you think micromanaging 10+ planets for the rest of the game is a good idea.

With some babysitting and enough minerals it isn't too outrageous to let it govern your colonies.

Frankly I rather manage 20 or more planets myself (uniforming most of them to a certain type like mineral world/energy world) and just resettle from time to time (if auto resettlement doesn't work) instead of letting the AI ruin my perfectly fine colonies.

Don't care if it takes longer but I can't stand the inefficiency of the planet AI.

[Kalluil]

Using the Automatic planet manager tool is like letting your crack head nephew manage your finances. It destroys mid to end game economies, especially on larger maps where managing dozens of planets sucks the life out of your soul.

[ScreamCon]

Originally posted by HappySack:

While not the best, you would have to be insane if you think micromanaging 10+ planets for the rest of the game is a good idea.

With some babysitting and enough minerals it isn't too outrageous to let it govern your colonies.

I've done 50 with ease soooo
Just look for unemployed symbols and only restructure worlds based on what you want with unemployed

Its actually easy as once you layout the districts they stay set that way the entire game after unless you do something about them.

The right tab can be made to show just the planets with the tab selections, making a task to look through the planet list as your fleets are moving. Unless you play speedy rabbit mode, in that case automated is required just due to having no time.

[Ryika]

Planet automation is fine, as long as you set the desired designation on each planet before turning it on. Obviously won't come anywhere close to player-managed planets, but it's good enough to use later in the game.

[Kalluil]

I am also including the AI that manages civilizations that somehow process thousands of mats each month without any mines or discernible source of mats. They you take over and your economy is ruined.

[Sam]

Originally posted by HappySack:

While not the best, you would have to be insane if you think micromanaging 10+ planets for the rest of the game is a good idea.

i allways manage all my planets myself and
sometimes i have up to 40 planets.