Influence questions for Stardock...If any one is there.

Because player answers seem to be split.

from GalCiv2 Forums
1. Do influence starbases eminate influence themselves or boost the influence of planets or both?

2. If the answer is "both" then is more influence produced by having a lone starbase in an opponents territory affecting its planets or by boosting my planets influence? Wich is more effective?

The written manual is unclear. It states as follows.
Starbases: "...or the bonus it extends to nearby colonies or ships." "Players can see the area of effect of Starbases by clicking on the Starbase. Any module that effects influence, manufacturing, economics, or trade will work only in the area of effect." "These Starbases can extend bonuses to ships or colonies up to eight parsecs away."

Influencer Starbases: "Influencer Starbases improve your influence in a given area by the percentage of the accumulated modules. Its effect is defined by the area effect of the Starbase." "When added up, these modules can expand the borders of your influence far beyond the base reach of your colonies. With enough upgrade modules, you can use Influencer Starbases to cause colonies to rebel and join your civilization. To cause a colony to rebel, you have to apply four times the native Influence."

Now see my questions above again.

-Wade

8,347 views 14 replies
Reply #1 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Influence questions for Stardock...If any one is there.

Because player answers seem to be split.

I nead a definitive answer so that I can continue playing.

-Wade
Reply #2 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
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Reply #3 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
the manual is anything but unclear, to me that makes perfect sense, everything it said was AREA OF EFFECT. it effects what is inside the circle, when it says it can expand your influence borders past its reach, it means when yuo see the colors on the map and those borders that show up, it can expand them . it is really clear in the manual "
Any module that effects influence, manufacturing, economics, or trade will work only in the area of effect.


it works if it is in the area, giving bonuses to planets, ships, influence, whatever, depnding on the type of base and what is in its AOE


"Influencer Starbases improve your influence in a given area by the percentage of the accumulated modules. Its effect is defined by the area effect of the Starbase


in a given area.... defined by its AOE the starbase itself generates influence in its AOE, and if it is over one of your planets and an enemy influence base is next to one of your planets, it doesnt increase planet influence but it counteracts the enemy influence because you have both enemy and your influence working on the planet. for example if the enemy base is 1x the native influence and yours is too it is equal to having no enemy influence on it (unless the are enemy planets close by acting on it too)

my suggestion would just be to play more anyway, because in my head i know exactly how they work and what they do, if i havent explained well enough to make it clear for you im sorry because i understand it, and all i have done is play and i've figured it out, so id suggest just play more and you'll catch on eventually

Reply #4 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
My understanding, from GCI and GCII, is that each square has an "influence rating" from each race; even if the borders are extended by only one, influence still exists from others. Putting up an Influence Starbase increases the amount of influence in each "square" for your race. For example: In a square, Drengin have 200 IP, I have 144 IP. But if I have an AOE from an Influence Starbase there, with modules increasing it by 100%, I'll have 288 IP and the border will move. Influence is not "all or nothing" despite the colored boundaries on the map.

If the AOE is over a planet, it will increase the influence score in the planet's square, but nothing else IIRC. The bonus is computed based on the ending influence value in the square.
Reply #5 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Starbases do generate influence themselves, in addition to boosting influence in it's an influence starbase.

Experiment #1: Start a game at gigantic/cakewalk. Design a constructor with enhanced range, and send it off and build a starbase. Notice the influence display

Experiment #2: When at war with an AI, destroy a starbase near its cultural boundary. Notice that the boundary sometimes moves.
Reply #6 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Ok.So if your starbase is not overlapping one of your planets is it eminating its own ifluence? If so, then is this influence as effective as if were instead providing a bonus to your planet?

-Wade
Reply #7 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
When at war with an AI, destroy a starbase near its cultural boundary. Notice that the boundary sometimes moves.


But was this influence from an enemy planet in the area of effect?
Reply #8 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
It won't create its OWN influence but will only magnify existing IP. As mentioned above, start a giant map and send a constructor to a distant empty square and check the IP readout, it should show 0 for you if you have yet to build anything else (try and keep your pop down as well). Then build an ISB and check the IP readout. It should NOT have increased. If it has then it will be generating its own influence.
Reply #9 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
So like I said. Player answers seem to be split.

-Wade
Reply #10 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Since I just assimilated the Torians with Influence alone I will tell you what I know for certain.

**Influence starbases generate influence around them. I assimilated a Torian planet off in the corner way outside my influence area of any planets and you can see a "hole" cut it the opponents area of influence as you upgrade it the "hole" grows in size.

**It doesn't bolsters your planets influence BUT it does counter opponents influence of your planets.

These are the FACTS that I know for certain.

Reply #11 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
OK. Thanks ROBO. I'll accept this for the time being. It sounds legitimate. As well as some of the other posters.

-Wade
Reply #12 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
It won't create its OWN influence


You're wrong; all starbases emit a weak field of influence. If you build a cluster of 4 influence starbases deep in enemy territory, and max them out, you will find that they are magnifying each other's field of influence.

Starbases do not change the IP production of a planet.
Reply #13 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I think the answer has already been stated by albion. The starbases will increase your influence points in that area. The key to understanding this is that each race has influence outside of its borders (and inside the borders of others), so influence starbases will help you turn planets/move borders in areas where you already have some influence and do very little in areas halfway across the galaxy.

You can see this if you invest in some espionage for your influence target. Once you reach a certain level (I've forgotten which one) you can see planet info, such as economy and influence. The first number listed is the planet owner's influence at/from that planet while the second number in parenthesis is your influence on the planet. If you're still confused about this experiment some in a small/cakewalk game and see if you can make sense of it.

Reply #14 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I just did an experiment. I noted my influence produced at my homeworld by moving the pointer over the influence score at planet view. I contructed 2 constuctors and built an influence starbase with an influence module added. I ended turn. Went back to planet view to note score again. Nothing changed.

So... Influence starbases due not boost planet influence. They either boost a "squares" influence or produce their own influence or both.

-Wade