Spaceward Ho! (4x Strategy by Ariton Games/Delta Tao) [Now Universal!]

[Mythbuster]

@Christopher: Any idea when you will go for the next (Beta) Version with the history & compare graph? And do you have any more plans for the next update?

Greetings from my holidays ...

Mythbuster

[Dave in the basement]

Originally Posted by Mythbuster

The game looks like it is simpler because of the graphics and due the fact that you can learn the rules easy within 15 minutes ... but be warned: The more you play it the deeper you can plan your tactics ...

Thanks for the reply, Mythbuster. I'll be grabbing this this weekend!

Dave

[christophercotton]

Originally Posted by Mythbuster

@Christopher: Any idea when you will go for the next (Beta) Version with the history & compare graph? And do you have any more plans for the next update?

Greetings from my holidays ...

Mythbuster

We are working on the iPhone version right now, and trying to get that playable. No timeframe on the next beta release, only time is when it is ready then we will ship it. But it will have the compare graphs.

[ArtNJ]

You should also add info on the setting choices. I dont remember what the various settings mean. I want to start with the same resources as the AI, which setting is that?

So I played a game at the default starting settings and I'm starting to feel I should abandon it because the AIs seem far behind -- I have 9/9 weapons and shields, 3 mini, money and metal, and I have only seen ships with 6/6. What is a good level AI to test how well you remember how to play?

[hippiefahrzeug]

I just went from default settings to IQ 80 (difficulty was a measly 47), low density spiral universe. Started expanding, everything went fine just as planned. Got cocky and built a 5 dreadnoughts 10/10 fleet to conquer the universe (surely, my enemies were still trying to figure out this fire thing). Got blasted out of existence against a 138 9/9 fighter fleet on my first encounter! Additionally, in the following turn another enemy took one of my finest planets in my outer spiral, which means that she had at least range 18. I hate Kathy.

Going to go back to default. That was much more satisfying experience. I want my computer stupid and obedient.

Originally Posted by ArtNJ

You should also add info on the setting choices. I dont remember what the various settings mean. I want to start with the same resources as the AI, which setting is that?

So I played a game at the default starting settings and I'm starting to feel I should abandon it because the AIs seem far behind -- I have 9/9 weapons and shields, 3 mini, money and metal, and I have only seen ships with 6/6. What is a good level AI to test how well you remember how to play?

[ArtNJ]

Relative to the earlier discussion of the AI, I just completed a game at 110 computer intelligence. At that level, the AI was sending out a single scout or fighter to worlds that it had already seen had enough sattelites to kill the scout. By that point, the AI already needed every ship and there was no point in sacrificing ships just to watch me.

Dont get me wrong, the AI does a fairly nice job of scouting to find your planets and raiding, and it also (generally) does a nice job of attacking in force. I particularly like that it will smash one of your planets and then retreat before you can get a counter force there.

But attacking fixed defenses with inferior forces isnt consistent with a truly smart AI.

I'll try higher than 110, but I suspect that gets into cheat territory since "100" normally signifies an unhobbled, full strength AI.

[Mythbuster]

Hi,
well, IQ goes up to IQ 200 ... and I think, that up to 160 there is absolute no cheating ... I had several games at that level and the AI had to discover every planet ... so I am sure, if the AI would know "the good stars" it would not send out ships to the bad ones ...

[Dave in the basement]

Hello all,

Just picked up the game, and I am in the market for beginner tips, having never played this (or the original) before. Any basic tips or strategies would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance for taking the time to help me out!

Dave

[christophercotton]

Originally Posted by Dave in the basement

Hello all,

Just picked up the game, and I am in the market for beginner tips, having never played this (or the original) before. Any basic tips or strategies would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance for taking the time to help me out!

Dave

One thing I've done that has helped, has been to all the computer to "auto play" for you. You can see what it would do, and it gives you some ideas about what you could do. Some of the very basics -- don't expand too fast. Every planet you colonize costs you money initially. Find the planets that are closest to 1.0g to colonize. Those will be your money makers. Find the planets with lots of metal and just mine them and evacuate them.

Also, reading http://deltatao.com/ho/ho4faq/ (even though it refers to the Mac version is very helpful) as is http://www.deltatao.com/ho/ho/

We are working on updating them, but right now more focused on trying to get the iPhone version done.

[christophercotton]

Originally Posted by ArtNJ

Relative to the earlier discussion of the AI, I just completed a game at 110 computer intelligence. At that level, the AI was sending out a single scout or fighter to worlds that it had already seen had enough sattelites to kill the scout. By that point, the AI already needed every ship and there was no point in sacrificing ships just to watch me.

Dont get me wrong, the AI does a fairly nice job of scouting to find your planets and raiding, and it also (generally) does a nice job of attacking in force. I particularly like that it will smash one of your planets and then retreat before you can get a counter force there.

But attacking fixed defenses with inferior forces isnt consistent with a truly smart AI.

I'll try higher than 110, but I suspect that gets into cheat territory since "100" normally signifies an unhobbled, full strength AI.

How many computer players did you play against? It turns out, that it varies the intelligence of the computer players in a range based on how many players you have set. There are 4 levels of computer intelligence. I think with 110 you are still just in the Average computer level.

Dumb, Average, Smart, Diabolical

Diabolical is the hard one, and the only one which gets the added knowledge handicap of knowing all the planets. Also, the game makes it interesting in that when you create a game, each computer AI also gets some random elements of how aggressive versus how defensive they are. And each computer player might also get a different style of attacking.