Thoughts about the space elevator.

[This PC]

I think it's a bit OP ? I feel it trivializes the game as soon as you have it up.

My first few games were always a struggle for resources, and now it's a struggle to rush the elevator, and then I start outsourcing 4 times for 2b at once and expanding at a crazy pace because at that point everytime I am missing anything it's a matter of an hour of in-game time to have it in stock.

Anyone else feels like it might need to be retooled a bit for balance ?

[baddoggs]

If you are "rushing" a tech then it is not a "game" fault.
try showing some restraint.
That being said, i have found a TON of exploits in this
game.

[This PC]

Well why would you not if it allows you to do everything else, at the same time, and faster lol ?

See my point ? Whatever you want to do, making the space elevator first will almost always get you there faster if it's end-game..

[SmugJack]

Most of the Wonders are broken, they are supposed to be. They all give insane perks in their own rights. What sponsor(s) are you playing?

[This PC]

I play a custom sponsor inspired by europe. It's not "cheated" though, and I don't feel that playing a base sponsor would radically change my direction ? I will try though and see how it goes.

[Eagle_of_Fire]

What I think is that it doesn't make any kind of sense. A space elevator to get stuff to and from space? Sure. But why or how is it magically tranported back or from Earth without a rocket?

???

[baddoggs]

Originally posted by Eagle_of_Fire:

What I think is that it doesn't make any kind of sense. A space elevator to get stuff to and from space? Sure. But why or how is it magically tranported back or from Earth without a rocket?

???

Why a federation starbase in orbit with hundreds of replicators.

[Eagle_of_Fire]

Yes, for quite a small fee of course. And fuel free to boot.

[SmugJack]

Originally posted by jdtuggey:

I play a custom sponsor inspired by europe. It's not "cheated" though, and I don't feel that playing a base sponsor would radically change my direction ? I will try though and see how it goes.

It is true that sponsors won't change how good the wonders are but some of them you won't find the rush strategy to be easy. For example, the true hardest sponsor, Church of the Ark. You will find that decisions you make have far greater impact but it still only applies to the early game.

Personally, I have a problem with the breakthroughs. Some I feel belong in the tech tree like Forever Young so I don't become a psychopath late game. Then there are some that are boring like Hive-Minded.

[baddoggs]

Given you can only transport 1 thing 1 way i don't see the space elevators as that OP
Things like the pipe and cable upgrades are more so,(from my perspective) actually
saving heaps on repairs and upgrades. They make succsess pretty much certain.
To the point where i have only built the elevatof once. By the time i usually get the tech
finishing the game is usually a mere formality.

[This PC]

I'm not saying not building it is not a legit strategy, just saying that indeed building it really changes the dynamic of the game since you can export multiple chunks of 2,500M worth of rare metals within a sol, and then use that money to outsource all of the tree and buy all the materials you need to build all the other wonders.

Something you cannot really practically do when you have the rocket mechanic... :x

[baddoggs]

I tend to agree generally speaking. I was however speaking from my personal perspective.
I have no problem building a strong economy, i do infact set that up quite early in the game
and do it carefully. By the time i get the tech for the elevator i usually have more credits
than i can spend so it is not so useful to me personally. I will often have 3-4 rockets cycling
rare metals by Sol 25-30. Sometimes depending on the map/resorces it can take a little
longer but not much.

[This PC]

Oh yeah you're forgetting, you get a better price on the materials you buy on the elevator. *_* So not only are you getting them instantly, you get them cheaper... Hmmm... :p

[Ogami]

Originally posted by Eagle_of_Fire:

What I think is that it doesn't make any kind of sense. A space elevator to get stuff to and from space? Sure. But why or how is it magically tranported back or from Earth without a rocket?

???

I understand it that way, the elevator has a big Earth owned starbase at the end, filled with materials and such. If you sell something it goes to the starbase and you get your credits, while they send down any materials you need from their storage. I imagine a constant stream of Earth owned rockets flying from and to the starbase to collect and deliver materials.

Thats why you cant get everything from the elevator, just most things.

[Ozgamer]

Anno 2205 has a space elevator as well, i used it a whole bunch of times... I havent got to the space elevator as yet.

[Emmote]

Originally posted by SmugJack:

Most of the Wonders are broken, they are supposed to be. They all give insane perks in their own rights. What sponsor(s) are you playing?

I'd say the only OP wonders are the Mohole and Space Elevator.
Project Morpheus and the Telescope are ok but by the time you can build the telescope you've probably researched nearly everything so the bonus to research is kinda wasted.

The Geoscape dome and Artificial Sun though are terrible. Geoscape dome has less building space than a Mega Dome. A lot less. And the Artificial Sun can be beaten on power by having just 4 Fusion Reactors which are cheaper to build.

The Excavator has its uses but I generally find that by the time I'm able to build it I have a ridiculously huge stockpile of concrete or waste rock that I simply don't need it.