Favorite Standard Races (MOO2)

Ironwood · December 16, 2001, 05:55

Hello all. I recently recieved my free copy of MOO2 from Gamespot (had to bug them about it), and was thinking about something. What is your favorite standard race, and why?

Yes, yes, I know. Nobody uses the standard races. Custom made is the hippest and coolest thing around.

Nevertheless, were you to, for some insane reason, use a standard race, what is your preference. Note that I usually prefer playing the standard races, simply because I like the archtypes.

My personal Fav has got to be the Humans. Yes, I know they're boring regulars without strange and unusual powers, but they're also the best at my favorite aspect of the game (something that was left out of Pax Imperia 2, which was basically MOO2 + "real time" - coolness): alien management.

I love the fact that you can conquer, for example, a Trilarian base (Aquatics) (doesn't even have to be the whole empire), and start putting them on your planets, thus increasing each planet's overall potential. Add Skarrans (Subterranian), and population density increases even more. Top it off with Silicoids (Lithovores)to colonize those high potential floating rocks you've been ignoring, and you've got just about every ecological niche colonized. Unlike some, I actually like starting with the Silicoids right next door.

Combine them all in one big, happy, human originated (though no longer strictly human by any means) Federation, with the research and trade bonuses, and fast assimilation, and you've got something that's not only highly productive (and more so than your neighbors), but is also something straight out of Utopian science fiction.

As you can tell, I'm more interested in the sense of the dramatic I can get from the games I play than in maximizing my score, or even in winning all the time. I've played about four games since I got the game, and I'm up to playing Medium now (Easy was, well, easy!)

loinburger · December 16, 2001, 23:05

Psilons, the only Creative race. But I don't think I've ever actually used them except in my first game (when I had it on "easy" and custom races weren't available).

Urban Ranger · December 17, 2001, 08:13

Either Psilons, or the one with telepathy.

You can build an integrated empire with any races as long as you don't kill them off. Humans aren't any good at conquering people.

It's easy to start next to the Silicoids on Easy. Wait until Hard.

Zealot · December 17, 2001, 09:18

Hard?!? I want them right next to me on impossible! They're a sweet race to blitz on impossible! I usually get them with the subterranean bonus! Or with +50% pop growth! But I hate when they use their +6 race bonus on unification. Then they are just ordinary, since I'm always unification. Unification rocks!

About the custom races, I used to use the psylons, because I didn't know how to play without missile bases and dauntless guidance system. So I had to be creative. Now that I do, I just don't care.

I also played with klakons, just for fun. They are really good on production, since they are unified, and have a +1 on industry. But that uncreative penalization can really spoil a game...

Ironwood, try to play with this race:

Unification
Telepathic
Rich HW
Large HW
Ancient Artifacts
--------------------
Low-G HW
-3 spying
-2 ground combat

Now tell me if this race doesn't rock!

Ironwood · December 18, 2001, 19:26

I'm sure you can really rack up the points with that race.

What I'm planning on trying is this:
Melkar Picture (only because I don't want to eliminate the possibility of playing against humans)
Unification
Cybernetic
Repulsive
Anything else needed to balance it out.

Yes, I'm still playing an established sci-fi concept; anyone want to guess?

Urban Ranger · December 19, 2001, 12:04

The Borg

k.k.fly · January 16, 2002, 06:01

Sakkra!!!!!

faster population = more economic power = more production = more research = more colonists to transfer onto new systems.

Ironwood · January 16, 2002, 16:49

Or, you can conquer a *single* Sakkara base as humans, start transfering Sakkara colonists to your other planets, and get both the benefits of highly prolific breeders, subterranians, and Democracy. MUCH more economic power. Add Trilarians to the mix, and you've got even more populous planets, all living under a Democracy.

k.k.fly · January 17, 2002, 02:13

well, everybody can conquer everbody's. We are discussing about races' distinct characteristic.

Ironwood · January 17, 2002, 16:10

I should know, I started the thread. And Democracy is the human's intrinsic characteristic.

john_deimos · January 30, 2002, 14:00

Klackons are my favorite. They have a cool pic. I know that the uncreative trait sucks, but thats what makes it fun. Stealing and trading technology helps you get the tech that u can't research. Also the industry and farming bonus is big and the fact that they are the only race that is of one mind makes it great for the bonuses.

john_deimos