New player, struggling to understand movement

[Garuda]

Hi guys,

Played my first game with full tutorial. Followed all the advice and got annihilated in less that thirty years when an alien race dowed me and a doomstack arrived more than four times the maximum size of my own fleet power. Which I thought was somewhat harsh for a first game under tutorial.

Anyway, started again. United Nations of Earth again. Doing a bit better this time but quickly hemmed in at the edge of the map. Here's my problem though: I have colonised the neighbouring Alpha Century and Procyon systems. I can move freely between Sol and AC but can no longer go to Procyon. The tool tip states something like 'no path'. I check Procyon and an alien neighbour has constructed an outpost. This same race has closed their borders to me.

I built a space port at Procyon and built 3 corvettes bringing me to my maximum fleet size. I dow the aliens and destroy the outpost but my main fleet is stuck at AC. It can freely move between AC and Sol but still cannot go to Procyon nor can it enter alien space in order to attack them. The aliens arrive at Procyon and destroy everything there but I cannot go to defend it. I am at war and have destroyed the outpost but still get messages saying either no path (to Procyon) or closed borders (to the enemy's home systems)

1. What is happening here? Why can my fleets not go to Procyon (my own star system), and why can I not enter enemy space when at war with them?

2. Also, I thought you couldn't build an outpost in a system already colonised by another race? I tried this out to see and sure enough I get a tooltip to this effect? How did the aliens build an outpost in a system I already own?

Any help would be most appreciated please.

 

[Jabby]

What ftl?

 

[Amaror]

A screenshot of your current galaxy map and what ftl method your using would be helpfull.
If you are using hyperspace travel, then there might not be a suitable path of hyperlanes to Procyon.
It you are using warp-travel you can technically go to every star, but only if it isn't too far away. The engine only has a certain travel distance it can jump, so maybe procyon is just too far away from the other stars you can jump to.
If you are using wormhole-travel than maybe your wormhole station was destroyed or you haven't build a wormhole station that's situated to reach Procyon.

 

[Garuda]

Err, the default one for the UNE - warp drive I think. Have to say I didn't take much notice (but it's definitely not the worm hole one).

However, before being denied access to my own star system my ships have already freely travelled there, (I've surveyed there and systems beyond too) and colonised the system itself, but now my fleets will no longer go.

I'll do my best with a screenshot later. But on that subject: How do I take a screenshot and can I post it here direct or do I need to host a screenshot somewhere?

 

[The Founder]

I'll do my best with a screenshot later. But on that subject: How do I take a screenshot and can I post it here direct or do I need to host a screenshot somewhere?

In Steam, Hit F12.
The it is "Upload a File", just right of "Post Reply".

 

[Jabby]

Also, I thought you couldn't build an outpost in a system already colonised by another race?

You shouldn't be able to. Bug?

 

[Diezy]

I'm guessing that their border cuts between Sol and your destination. If they have Closed Borders, your warping between stars cannot pass through their borders. Same goes for Hyperlanes and Jump Drives. There's got to be some other way around, though! Normally they'd get to another star, -then- to Procyon from a different angle that is not blocked by borders.

If you're not of a Xenophile/Pacifist type, or got Xenophobe, you can set First Contact to Aggressive, if you see them start working on a Frontier Outpost with bad placement, you can send a Corvette in to intrerrupt their work [Evading Hostile Fleet]. Afterwards hope your borders expand into that system, so they don't start building another after estabilishing communications. Doubt it'll help so much this playthough, but good to know for next time! ^_^

Also you can tell if a star is within someone elses' borders, even before estabilishing communications, the hex around the star is of a different color. Also at the bottom of the screen it shows a ? where the country flag should be!

Also Wormholes are great if you don't want to care about closed borders, as they can just skip over their closed borders.

 

[Garuda]

Okay let's try this....


Bah, failed.

I've managed to get a post of sorts up below though.......

 

[Arnovitz]

I would strongly recommend playing on a hyperlane only map. This will let you get accustomed to the game since all empires will be using the same FTL method.

 

[Garuda]

Okay first two shots show my empire is split by the odd situation in the Procyon system whereby a neighbouring alien empire has come along and built an outpost even though I have colonised there.

The last shot shows the messages I get when trying to travel from Sol or Alpha Centuri to Procyon or to the neighbouring aliens. the messages remain the same whether at peace or at war with them and even after the outpost is destroyed.

Any ideas how I can get my ships moving again please?

 

[flazeo255]

Looks like a bug since contested areas should not be affected.

 

[The Founder]

There are two likely causes:
- Range. Warp has a limited range per jump. On Spiral Galaxies that will actually limit your mobility early game. Sol is the closest one and it might just be out of range. Keep in mind that distance is measured between points on a 2D plane. How high/low it is from that plane does not mater.
- Pathfinding bug. I had a few times that the pathfinding bugged out. Like charting a course around the entire galaxy, for something that is only 2 jumps. Manually queuing the jump step by step helped in those cases.

 

[prismaticmarcus]

Have Hissma closed their borders to you as well?

 

[aono]

Hmmm... I believe problem is with actually built outpost in Procyon - I believe the empire that built it closed borders for you as well?.. so system isn't counted as "yours" or "theirs", but their diplopolitics works. Because, as I understand engine, by no means it could happen.

 

[Starburst]

Judging by how squished Procyon's border is, I would guess that Hissma has a frontier outpost at Sceptrum. If they also have closed their borders, that would prevent you from being able to reach Procyon from Sol. At least, until you can research warp drive upgrade. If this is the case, and if you can't improve relations with Hissma, you'll have to go to war with them and take out that frontier outpost so you can fly through Sceptrum.

Edit:
Also, when you select a fleet you will see an orange dashed circle that shows how far you can go in a single warp jump. The green dashed circle is your sensor range.

 

[Garuda]

Have Hissma closed their borders to you as well?

Yes. They have.

I've started a new game, so that's three attempts now and I find that every alien race you meet very quickly closes its borders and sets relations into the negative. Are there any friendly types in the galaxy?

Judging by how squished Procyon's border is, I would guess that Hissma has a frontier outpost at Sceptrum. If they also have closed their borders, that would prevent you from being able to reach Procyon from Sol. At least, until you can research warp drive upgrade. If this is the case, and if you can't improve relations with Hissma, you'll have to go to war with them and take out that frontier outpost so you can fly through Sceptrum.

Ah. So the problem may be that to travel from Sol to Procyon direct is too far for my warp drive and I need to travel through one of Hissma's systems as a 'way point'? I'll check that out.

It still doesn't explain how Opelglec built an outpost in a system I have colonised. Unless perhaps they began construction before my colonisation was complete? Would that still be WAD?

Also, when you select a fleet you will see an orange dashed circle that shows how far you can go in a single warp jump. The green dashed circle is your sensor range.

Thanks. I didn't know that.

 

[The Founder]

I've started a new game, so that's three attempts now and I find that every alien race you meet very quickly closes its borders and sets relations into the negative. Are there any friendly types in the galaxy?

The two main types of Issues are Ethos and border Friction. Ethos leads to a AI personality types, wich influence the severty of border friction.
The main divide is on the Xeno-axis. You could basically call it he "Diplomacy" ethos axis.
Secondary divides are on the Materialist/Spiritualist and Individualist/Collectivist axis.
Pacifist/Militarist only realy maters for Federations.

You need to get the other side friendly enough that they will accept any trust building deal with you. When in doubt, bribe them. Once you do build trust, your diplomatic relations will skyrocket.
Having a common rival (like the local Fanatic Purifier or a generaly despised empire) helps a lot.

 

[prismaticmarcus]

so will this all this in mind you need to think ahead when you meet people. 'do i want this empire for me or against me?' 'how will that affect my expansion?' 'how do i keep these people (or whatever they are) on side?'

know what i mean? see if you can make friends with hissma. or declare war on them.

 

[The Founder]

so will this all this in mind you need to think ahead when you meet people. 'do i want this empire for me or against me?' 'how will that affect my expansion?' 'how do i keep these people (or whatever they are) on side?'

know what i mean? see if you can make friends with hissma. or declare war on them.

That, but with a bit more detail:
If those are the stock Hissma, they should be Collectivist, Fanatic Pacifist. Wich means every year of peace makes them stronger and stronger, they are not going to attack you but they will look for Defense pacts. Consider using Tributary Rush against a pacifist, fanatic one in particular.

Overall that position right next to the galactic border and 2 Fallen Empires was pretty bad. I would propably consider just restarting that game anyway.

 

[Arizal]

Shouldn't it be possible to travel from one part of an empire to another when the movement doesn't imply to stop in another system controlled by a rival or an empire which closed borders to us? I don't really see why worholes should be able to do it while warp and jump drive wouldn't be. Aren't they all in a kind of hyperspace?