This study is to try to compare multiple races against each other in a controlled setting. I plan on doing more tests not only of other races but to try to maximize each races output in the test for better comparison.



Note: because each race may vary in performance based on galaxy setup, some races may be unduly penalized in this study.



[HR][/HR]Global Settings

Shape	Spiral - 8
Empires	8
Size	Huge
Age	Normal
Difficulty	Normal
Game Speed	Normal
Seed	6723275

For each race the start was redone until one hero had both Administrative and Corporate attributes to reduce the random hero factor.



Each test is ran through the completion of turn 50, All direct metrics(FIDS) were measured on turn 50, all derivative metrics(knowledge, population, Hero Levels) were measured on turn 51.



Each test is documented on a Google spreadsheet linked to their names.



Classes: (This is the primary growth medium for the race)

• Military Growth
  
  
  Cravers
  
  
  
  Hissho
• Non Military Growth
  
  
  Horatio
  
  
  
  Sophons
  
  
  
  United Empire
  
  
  
  
  

[HR][/HR]Study - One - Non Military Growth

During this study population growth was prioritized then the strength of the individual faction being used. The following priority lists are tailored to each faction.



Sophons

Priority List(Growth / Science)

[LIST=1]

Gain / Level Administration Heroes

Max Happiness w/o losing dust

Industry [HeavyIsotopeRefineries]

Colony Ships / Food Exploitation / Sustainable Farms

Minimal Defense Force

Nonbaryonic Partices (Specific Tech)

Applied Casmir Effect(Specific Tech)

Luxury Resources / Strategic Resources

Relativistic Markets(Specific Tech)

Graviton Manipulation(Specific Tech)

Exploration & Expansion Tech(Tech Tree)

Galactic Warefare(Tech Tree)

[/LIST]



Sophons faction strength is cheap growth and enhanced science.



Horatio

Priority List(Growth / Heroes)

[LIST=1]

Gain / Level / Clone Administration Heroes

Max Happiness w/o losing dust

Industry [HeavyIsotopeRefineries]

Futuristic Game Theory(Specific Tech)

Colony Ships / Food Exploitation / Sustainable Farms

Minimal Defense Force

Applied Casmir Effect(Specific Tech)

Nonbaryonic Partices (Specific Tech)

Luxury Resources / Strategic Resources

Relativistic Markets(Specific Tech)

Graviton Manipulation(Specific Tech)

Exploration & Expansion Tech(Tech Tree)

Galactic Warefare(Tech Tree)

[/LIST]



Horatio have a slight food advantage but mainly their strength lies in the ability to clone heroes and to quickly access enhanced numbers of Heroes. This requires a significant investment towards academy technology early on.



Empire

Priority List(Growth / Industry)

[LIST=1]

Gain / Level Administration Heroes

Max Happiness w/o losing dust

Industry [HeavyIsotopeRefineries]

Colony Ships / Food Exploitation / Sustainable Farms

Compact Fusion Reactors(Specific Tech)

Applied Casmir Effect(Specific Tech)

Luxury Resources / Strategic Resources

Minimal Defense Force(Higher Priority if early pirates)

Nonbaryonic Partices (Specific Tech)

Relativistic Markets(Specific Tech)

Exploitative Algorithms(Specific Tech)?

Graviton Manipulation(Specific Tech)

Exploration & Expansion Tech(Tech Tree)

Galactic Warefare(Tech Tree)

[/LIST]



Empire strengths are, industry, economy, and extra health on ships.



Unfortunately the industry advantage is not very useful early on as it requires a large investment in technology to reduce unhappiness and then building what was researched in every system. Likely their tax / industry mechanic is a decent advantage late in the game, but it does little in the beginning. The Empire's only early game advantages seem to be starting with N-Way Tech and a slight bonus to economy.



[HR][/HR]Test Links

Reworking...

[HR][/HR]





Overall Conclusions

05/11/12

As of yet I don't have enough evidence to make a fully informed opinion.



As I add more races to compare and further information at turn 50+ I will add to this section.

Seems like a really slow start... I suppose I'll have to fiddle with the galaxy to test.

Hmm, those Horatio numbers look mighty low - I loaded up a turn 50 save on one of my huge galaxy normal speed games and at turn 50 I had over 130 pop, 4k Fids and 450 knowledge.

I checked a sophon save and that was higher than yours too but not by very much.



I would go through your saves and figure out what you are doing differently to me but I can't be bothered right now :P

Maybe it is just better starting conditions but I feel that Horatio is generally the fastest expander.

Horatio plays slow, but gets unstoppable at later stages.

Anyone is welcome to use the start save and rules I used, and post their results. Though I ask if you do, please post intermediary and final saves along with it, or better yet a full spreadsheet(though I know that is a large chore since I did it) as well.



Honestly, I'm not fond of Horatio so its very likely I'm influencing the results.



Either way I plan on redoing the Horatio Test at least one more time if not more to try to get better results, from the same start.

Had a quick go using your settings and seed with Horatio.

Had 97 pop 204 knowledge and 2800 FIDS this time - main reason for being lower than my other game was I started 3 systems over from one craver AI and 5 systems from another which stopped my expansion early and I had to switch to military.

For me to use that info I need at the very least the turn 40 and turn 50 saves.



And it would help immeasurably to have a bit more information on how you prioritized your Hero abilities tech etc.

save1 save2 Here is a couple of saves, I think one might be a turn early/late. Also hope the links work as I've not used google docs before :P



This game I was only building colony ships with my first two systems (except maybe 1 ship) all my other systems I was leaving to develop up. I kinda screwed my knowledge by getting distracted by cravers and not getting the +40 on system buildings as early as I usually do. Pretty sure I also messed up my tax by forgetting to put it back up when I finished researching the first happiness tech but I hope it gives you an idea.



My general plan was get first hero in 2 turns, get second at around turn 4 by cloning the first then the 3rd i got a bit later by cloning again - to give me 3 admins. Other than that it was pretty much build colony ships till I ran outta room then develop my main 2 systems a bit, then a mix of colonies and military.

Ok Fluffybunny, not sure what you did but that's not the galaxy I played I suggest downloading my start save for Horatio and using that to start. Because the galaxies are not identical starts the game is nigh useless for comparison, though I will try a study using the strategy you outlined.



I decided that I need to do multiple studies doing each type of race using as close to the same strategy as possible for each class of race.



Classes: (This is the primary growth medium for the race)

• Military Growth
  
  
  Cravers
  
  
  
  Hissho
• Non Military Growth
  
  
  Horatio
  
  
  
  Sophons
  
  
  
  United Empire
  
  
  
  
  

I have started this from scratch and will be re-posting a study using a single method for non military growth races. This may take a while so please be patient.

I recommend looking at the 30 turn challenge thread in the main forum if you havent already, my build order has been changing constantly since trying it and i am way outproducing what I did before. Currently we are getting up to around 50 pop on turn 30 with Hissho on a small map and it keeps getting better as people figure out refinements to thier starting strats.



The next part is going to turn 60 and we are looking at pops in the hundreds already.