Anyone still play BOTF?
- Thread starter GeneHunt
- Start date
I keep playing the game.
I must have played 5 games by now and managed to win all of them, apart from 1 session when the Borg showed up very early.
I did compensate for that though as I loaded a previously saved game, sent a fleet to the Ktaria system (where the Borg previously attacked) and this time, the Sphere never showed up.
You know ... the 'Hard' setting became very easy for me to play.
I think I will mostly switch to Impossible as it improves the challenges even more and makes it slightly more difficult to spread out quickly.
Btw, I always start the game on development level 1 (for all races).
The opposing powers would essentially be in too much of an advantage if they started off with better developments.
I must have played 5 games by now and managed to win all of them, apart from 1 session when the Borg showed up very early.
I did compensate for that though as I loaded a previously saved game, sent a fleet to the Ktaria system (where the Borg previously attacked) and this time, the Sphere never showed up.
You know ... the 'Hard' setting became very easy for me to play.
I think I will mostly switch to Impossible as it improves the challenges even more and makes it slightly more difficult to spread out quickly.
Btw, I always start the game on development level 1 (for all races).
The opposing powers would essentially be in too much of an advantage if they started off with better developments.
I find it's much easier to beat the computer if all races start at development level 5, mostly because as you get more technology and make more developments, the harder it is for an AI to handle that (especially one written as badly as BOTF's). Plus, the AI never seems to build some of the strongest ships from certain empires.
My favorite type of game is this:
Small irregular galaxy
Small galaxies are nice for a quick game, unless you like epic. Since the game requires too much micromanagement, I prefer working small.
No minor races
Once you know how to manipulate them, minor races are too much of an advantage, especially if you get the Vulcans and they have class 9 structures capable of cranking out ships really fast. As soon as I'd get a developed minor race, the game was essentially over, which is boring.
Impossible difficulty
The AI just isn't smart enough to win when evenly matched, so you have to let them cheat. In particular, I love how the Federation and the Ferengi can build a monstrous fleet without going into debt.
Development level 1 for all
Unless I'm playing as the Ferengi or the Romulans. For the Romulans, I usually turn the computer to 2 or 3, and for the Ferengi almost always 3. The reason is that the Ferengi are a developmental powerhouse, and they're easily the best race for this type of game. The Romulans have the obvious cloak advantage.
Random events off
Random events in the game are almost always negative and it just becomes more frustrating. I don't need earthquakes, supernovas, embezzling, or class-M planets becoming barren. Plus, getting the Husnock, Crystalline Entity, or Borg just really throws off the balance of power, especially if they show up early.
I typically like playing this type of game as the Klingons as the game continues to be a challenge until you get Battle Cruiser II's. Every game always has this point where you just know that you won't lose, and I love the games where I think I'll lose, but come out ahead. Especially if I lose my home system and manage to take it back somehow.
What I noticed when playing on 'impossible' is that virtually all of the opposing powers seem to be spreading out much faster than the actual player, and there are Borg ships EVERYWHERE.
I mean, I was playing just yesterday a game on 'impossible' and defeated 6 Borg spheres ... with at least one more left.
The losses were minimal as they were unable to get to any of my minors or populated sectors ... and I was using 3 fleets of Surveyor's (Type II) in a ramming tactic. Worked every time, and I'd be left with only 4 ships in total out of 27 (but surveyors type II's are simple/fast to construct, so having 2 fleets of them in your primary systems along with an outpost is a good defense against the Borg ... although, not such a great defense against a powerful fleet of cloacked Romulan/Klingon ships).
Surveyors are great for initial development phase protection in numbers.
Back to my original point of the 'impossible' setting:
I mean sure, the AI is colonizing systems that have virtually no value (although anything below 2.5% or 3% in general of population growth is not really worth of colonization unless you need the extra scraping credits ... but you get very low amount of labor and inability to properly develop the infrastructure for power-needy structures such as shipyards).
You also leave the system vulnerable to lots of covert intelligence problems from opposing powers (that just love to use spying/sabotage) if you don't have enough labor pool numbers to cover the Intel (I usually construct 3 Intel banks for proper defense ... on 'impossible' though, i think you need at least 4 or 5).
Btw ... I'm playing with the Ultimate Dominion Mod III (latest).
I mean, I was playing just yesterday a game on 'impossible' and defeated 6 Borg spheres ... with at least one more left.
The losses were minimal as they were unable to get to any of my minors or populated sectors ... and I was using 3 fleets of Surveyor's (Type II) in a ramming tactic. Worked every time, and I'd be left with only 4 ships in total out of 27 (but surveyors type II's are simple/fast to construct, so having 2 fleets of them in your primary systems along with an outpost is a good defense against the Borg ... although, not such a great defense against a powerful fleet of cloacked Romulan/Klingon ships).
Surveyors are great for initial development phase protection in numbers.
Back to my original point of the 'impossible' setting:
I mean sure, the AI is colonizing systems that have virtually no value (although anything below 2.5% or 3% in general of population growth is not really worth of colonization unless you need the extra scraping credits ... but you get very low amount of labor and inability to properly develop the infrastructure for power-needy structures such as shipyards).
You also leave the system vulnerable to lots of covert intelligence problems from opposing powers (that just love to use spying/sabotage) if you don't have enough labor pool numbers to cover the Intel (I usually construct 3 Intel banks for proper defense ... on 'impossible' though, i think you need at least 4 or 5).
Btw ... I'm playing with the Ultimate Dominion Mod III (latest).
It is really, really, really too bad that a better amount of time and effort wasn't put into this game. On paper, it sounds so great, and copying the classic MOO-style setup is brilliant for a Star Trek: BOTF game. Heck, when I used to play Master of Orion I and II, I would pretend that I was a version of the Federation. I believe on of the flag colors copyed STar Trek-style ships to the extent the law would allow.
Well this thread got me to re-install the game so I've been playing it. But I've got a problem... I can't build advanced ships even though I have utopia planitia built. I've got the UDM installed and the latest patch. Is there some new requirement in the UDM for me to build sovereigns and defiants?
It's pretty annoying. I'm playing as the federation on impossible and got off to an awesome start having some powerful pro-federation minor races near me. I was actually able to extend my borders so that none of the enemy forces borders touch each other. But I've been playing for about 20-30 turns without getting any advanced ships and now the other species have caught up. It doesn't help that they all declared war on me at the same time. I really need to start pumping out the advanced ships.
It's pretty annoying. I'm playing as the federation on impossible and got off to an awesome start having some powerful pro-federation minor races near me. I was actually able to extend my borders so that none of the enemy forces borders touch each other. But I've been playing for about 20-30 turns without getting any advanced ships and now the other species have caught up. It doesn't help that they all declared war on me at the same time. I really need to start pumping out the advanced ships.
Sorry double post.
Using UDM on Vista Home Edition, no probs building Sovys or Defiants. Do you have the shipyard powered?
Yeah it's Sol and I have everything powered. I thought initially it wasn't working because I had more special structures than slots so I couldn't access some of them, but I scrapped some stuff to make room and it's still not showing up as buildible. I even scrapped the utopia planetia structure and re-built it. I've got 10+ dilithium, all my tech is at level 10 now and I'm getting beat up on all sides since my akira class ships can't stand up against the higher level dominion ships.
I'm getting the feeling my save is just corrupted or something, that just blows.
I'm getting the feeling my save is just corrupted or something, that just blows.
Running fine on Vista for me, but I haven't noticed that particular problem.
The Dominion War mod and unofficial patch have really done nothing for me. Notable issues are still overpowering in the game, and I've restarted games plenty of times already after getting fed up. I'm only a few steps away from uninstalling altogether.
The Dominion War mod and unofficial patch have really done nothing for me. Notable issues are still overpowering in the game, and I've restarted games plenty of times already after getting fed up. I'm only a few steps away from uninstalling altogether.
I like to play as Level 4 (any race) vs computer races level 5. Large Irregular Galaxy
Impossible difficulty. Many minors.
It can be a rough beginning depending on your proximity to another major race (or 2!! which usually results in a painful death!) but it can also lead to a quick victory and suppression of a major race if you keep up the pressure (even if it feels like your losing!!)
If I get to choose... I usually take cardassians
I love therir moral structure, the re-ed centers, the awesome scanner range from the covert sensor array + the obsidian order
Cardie Ships are laggards though , especially with speed ratings (Nothing over a 2)
but the key is utilize the "numbers" in the game to work for you and you will have the most dominant fleet imaginable!
I am up for a challenge any night if someone wants to try and play!
Gabehimself, Captjbird73 and Black Adder are you guys still out there to play!!??
It has been a long time since I was in a game against PC or person that I saw the losing end of the fight! (Gabe) you would be the last one back in 2003!
Impossible difficulty. Many minors.
It can be a rough beginning depending on your proximity to another major race (or 2!! which usually results in a painful death!) but it can also lead to a quick victory and suppression of a major race if you keep up the pressure (even if it feels like your losing!!)
If I get to choose... I usually take cardassians
I love therir moral structure, the re-ed centers, the awesome scanner range from the covert sensor array + the obsidian order
Cardie Ships are laggards though , especially with speed ratings (Nothing over a 2)
but the key is utilize the "numbers" in the game to work for you and you will have the most dominant fleet imaginable!
I am up for a challenge any night if someone wants to try and play!
Gabehimself, Captjbird73 and Black Adder are you guys still out there to play!!??
It has been a long time since I was in a game against PC or person that I saw the losing end of the fight! (Gabe) you would be the last one back in 2003!
You didn't like Gal Civ. 2?! I love that game!
All Seeing Eye
Admiral
I loved the game but ended up selling it. 
Wish i'd kept it now.
Wish i'd kept it now.
