12-29-2021, 02:29 AM
That's a nice summary, RktSci - thank you!
I've had a few reports of difficulties copy/pasting the HTML report to Word, so I'm pleased that you managed to get it to work adequately. I think a soft copy is great to work from, though I tend to use the antique PBM method of actually printing my turn and making all my notes directly on the paper, typing it in later from there. It also has the sometimes-trivial advantage of being able to take it with me and work on it away from home.
I might add a few more thoughts... for instance, when typing in your actions also open the Cash Flow window next to it. Then you can monitor your spending dynamically as you type (especially when PI is low, such as at the beginning of the game).
Also, I typically start a game with a basic map, such as Shuttles, and then add things to it as the game progresses to show me what is most interesting for that position. Eventually, the map gets pretty crowded but I can always create alternate versions for different purposes (economics vs. military, for instance) or sometimes delete parts of it after they're no longer necessary.
When setting up my initial Colonies I'll have the map draw a big box around my Home World showing how far away my shuttles can reach, so I don't send them too far. After Developing, it will display the boxes around other Production Centers as well. And the Shuttle map normally shows not only shuttles in progress but also newly-created shuttles as you type them into your turn, so you can easily see if you're sending two together or something too far away, though you'll have to request the map refresh itself to see those that you've just typed in. This also helps me tell if I've covered all the places I want to shuttle to in this turn. The Destinations map is also handy for this sort of "coverage" determination, since it only shows a single turn's movement.
Scouting routes I like to display right away because I believe in strong intelligence-gathering from the beginning of the game. After all, if I spot a Production Center in the first several turns of the game then it's bound to be someone's Home World that will obviously become a primary target later.
When conflicts start, having the map show me where intrusions are (usually with a little red ship symbol) helps me visualize where I need to concentrate my attention. And after I have fleets out roaming around, I'll display those on the map as well so I'll know from where I can draw reinforcements.
Late in the game, when I've scouted a large portion of the galaxy, I'll open up a Zones map to show me where all my opponents' territories are - this is more visual than just seeing the colored stars with space between them - which helps me choose who will be my next target and how to effectively deal with them.
There's a ton of fun stuff that can be done with the tools available. Enjoy finding out what works best for you.
I've had a few reports of difficulties copy/pasting the HTML report to Word, so I'm pleased that you managed to get it to work adequately. I think a soft copy is great to work from, though I tend to use the antique PBM method of actually printing my turn and making all my notes directly on the paper, typing it in later from there. It also has the sometimes-trivial advantage of being able to take it with me and work on it away from home.
I might add a few more thoughts... for instance, when typing in your actions also open the Cash Flow window next to it. Then you can monitor your spending dynamically as you type (especially when PI is low, such as at the beginning of the game).
Also, I typically start a game with a basic map, such as Shuttles, and then add things to it as the game progresses to show me what is most interesting for that position. Eventually, the map gets pretty crowded but I can always create alternate versions for different purposes (economics vs. military, for instance) or sometimes delete parts of it after they're no longer necessary.
When setting up my initial Colonies I'll have the map draw a big box around my Home World showing how far away my shuttles can reach, so I don't send them too far. After Developing, it will display the boxes around other Production Centers as well. And the Shuttle map normally shows not only shuttles in progress but also newly-created shuttles as you type them into your turn, so you can easily see if you're sending two together or something too far away, though you'll have to request the map refresh itself to see those that you've just typed in. This also helps me tell if I've covered all the places I want to shuttle to in this turn. The Destinations map is also handy for this sort of "coverage" determination, since it only shows a single turn's movement.
Scouting routes I like to display right away because I believe in strong intelligence-gathering from the beginning of the game. After all, if I spot a Production Center in the first several turns of the game then it's bound to be someone's Home World that will obviously become a primary target later.
When conflicts start, having the map show me where intrusions are (usually with a little red ship symbol) helps me visualize where I need to concentrate my attention. And after I have fleets out roaming around, I'll display those on the map as well so I'll know from where I can draw reinforcements.
Late in the game, when I've scouted a large portion of the galaxy, I'll open up a Zones map to show me where all my opponents' territories are - this is more visual than just seeing the colored stars with space between them - which helps me choose who will be my next target and how to effectively deal with them.
There's a ton of fun stuff that can be done with the tools available. Enjoy finding out what works best for you.