Borg Uplink Ship Building different for AI than Us Humans

posted on June 19th, 2009, 7:22 pm

Hope this is not discussed already.  If so please point me to answer.

I am trying to learn the Borg, but am confused with ship building.  Seems the only way to build ships is to have construction ship build an uplink.  Then configure uplink into desired ship.  Then seems the ship "consumes" the uplink and moves away. The construction ship must make another uplink again.  This makes ship building slow, since you cannot queue up 6 ships, like other races can, while you refocus on battle.

However, all that being said, I turned off shroud and fog, and played against computer as Merciless.  I am seeing the computer builds research station first, researches first collective module.  Then computer builds ONE uplink using construction ship.  Then that ONE uplink can create multiple ships over and over and over again??? I have tried to duplicate what the AI is doing, but it never works.  The uplink keeps getting consumed when the ship is built. 

Someone PLEASE help me get this secret of how to make Borg Uplink not be consumed, and act more like the other races Shipyards and build multiple ships. 

Thanks.

posted on June 19th, 2009, 7:24 pm

Doesn't work, only the AI can do it. You'd have to make the Uplink into a regular yard.

posted on June 19th, 2009, 7:36 pm

Tyler,

So you are saying that the developers purposely gave the AI such a huge advantage.  Wow!

I have no idea how to make the Uplink into a Yard as you say.  But if the only way to build ships is my micromanaging them with construction ships making one by one by one by one by one uplinks and having to configure each and every one BEFORE it can start firing a single shot??? 

That is significant disadvantage to any borg human player, and significant advantage to Bord AI. 

Not sure why there is not some level that we humans can Research (could be extremely costly) that will allow us to do persistent uplink shipbuilding.


Very interesting.

posted on June 19th, 2009, 7:37 pm

I didn't say they purposely put it that way, the AI just works that way.

posted on June 19th, 2009, 7:47 pm

Yes, you cannot reconfigure the Borg uplink system without some serious changes: it is designed on purpose because the Borg lack elsewhere on micromanagement and thus would become the "build and forget" faction if this change was implemented. Plus, it is a unique method of construction

The AI unfortunately at the moment cannot be changed to do the same thing as the human system (there have been several threads on this matter) but I think the Devs are eventually planning on changing it... eventually.

posted on June 19th, 2009, 7:52 pm

Ok then Sir.

My apologies if this is a common topic. I searched for it before I posted, but must have missed it.

I guess I will seek to master some other Race then, since all other races can, as you say, set and forget shipbuilding without issues.  Feds can build ten ship yards and have 10+ ships queued up to build in each yard automagically and once they come out of the shipyard they are battle ready immediately.

But I will let this one go, and just try to figure out some other race.  And leave the Borg for other players much smarter than myself.

Thanks.

posted on June 19th, 2009, 7:59 pm

No need for the snide remarks mate; consider this:

The Borg rely on module construction for a single ship, much as the other factions rely on different ships of the same class (I.E. two different destroyers). How would you plan on implementing the 30 different combinations of Borg Assimilator into a shipyard for instance? That's just the gameplay difficulty. Now lets consider the tactical effects of this. Borg vessels are not fragile. They don't need to be microed with the same enthusiasm as say... a Rhienn swarm moving about at long range, or a quick dash with Sabers and Canaverals using Blackout one at a time. Concentrating on a battle as the Borg is much less difficult (even after building the Transmission Matrix) and thus by giving them a "build queue" would mean the Borg player has even less to concentrate on. For instance, one incredibly valid strategy is simply to Build Assimilators over and over with the same module configuration. Furthermore, the Borg build many less ships than the other factions, so the need to have a build queue is even further lessened. Hope that clarifies things a little bit (of course, all in my own opinion).

posted on June 19th, 2009, 8:04 pm

Let me clarify.

Definately was not trying to be snide, and my apologies if it came across that way.  I just write very factual and direct, so it can seem that way.

I definately appreciate all that the FLOPS team has done to breath new life into the Armada 2 product, and I have a lot of fun playing with friends and even my kids.  So my sincere gratitude. 

I only meant that all you described is a bit too much for my senior brain to handly.  Any race can be dominant and can be played well.  My brain just cannot adjust to this method of ship building.  Nothing against you guys. 

My sincere thanks again.

posted on June 19th, 2009, 8:10 pm

Ah ok: usually when people say something similar to "And leave the Borg for other players much smarter than myself", I interpret that as suggesting that I/someone else was being interpreted in an unfriendly manner. Darn internet and the lack of emotional conductivity.  No harm no foul 

posted on June 19th, 2009, 10:07 pm

i see whats bein said but think the scout cube and a scout sphere should be avail to be built from the nexus to make it easier for human players as a bit of compromise but i like borg ai the way it is,except holding beam on bases not bein used,but am happy with player ship building just an increase in variations (sphere or cube) of ships and maybe a one off command cube,or maybe a cube has a sphere eject from it like first contact and can be used to attack or gain experience to be absorbed back in collective to add to borg improvements on the next ship?!,
i like the game alot though just a couple tweaks needed for me,enjoy it alot