Couple quick easy questions.

[Dalakaar]

Heyas, played earlier this year in EA1-2 (iirc). Giving it another try. Couple easy questions, firstly, what is a Cluster Galaxy? I've actually already tried searching for this a few different ways and not really getting anywhere.

The second question, which might get answered by the first, is where did you find your info as I'd love to look em up myself from a reliable spot.

Cheers!

[Torchfire]

(Astronomically) A type of galaxy where the stars are bunched together into a "cluster", instead of forming a central core with "arms" going out of it.
In game terms, the stars are all similar distance from one another.

You could always try playing the game with a cluster galaxy, if you want to know what is it. Or just search the forum for old threads.

[Spud Dastardly]

In a cluster galaxy, all races start in their own little pocket of ~10 star systems. The clusters are connected only by unstable warp lanes, which you need a midgame technology (multistate insulator) in order to traverse. This way no one meets anyone else and no wars start until mid game, and whoever gets the technology first has the advantage.

I found this info by playing the game :p

Here's a screenshot of a cluster galaxy:
http://i.imgur.com/7bB02KP.png

[Roderick]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_cluster

[purdueguy]

+1 to Spud Dastardly - that's exactly right. It gives you a very different game experience as you are essentially protected from the other AI until you research multistate tech.

Beware that the AI might get it before you and be able to travel to your cluster but you can't go to theirs...although I've yet to really run into that (worst case they had it 10 turns before me).

[mangopurple]

Cluster sucks when you get pirates spawning from a system guarded by monster/ orion.

Cluster still fun though.

Spiral also has some of the 'Unstable Warp Points' that require the same mid-game tech to traverse as cluster galaxies' Unstable Warp Points.

[Davor]

While I hated cluster galaxies at first, I think I will need to give this a try. While the game is not perfect, I think this is a good option to think of a cluster as a solar system and the solar system as a planet with moons and the unstable star lanes is the tech that you discover to visit other solar systems or Interstellar travel.

Yes it's not perfect but what I was looking for in the begining since I always hated the idea in almost every 4X game you always coloinze another solar system even before you colonize your own system.

Down side is the over all galaxy is small, and I really wish they had cluster galaxies with worm holes. Not sure if this changed but if it did I would be playing a lot in this galaxy