What does Super Manipulator ability really do?

from GalCiv2 Forums

I was fascinated by Darth tech tree especially for the War Profiteering. But, i don't get what's special about the Super Manipulator ability. I can get the same but even more benefit with Super Diplomat ability. I even make custom race that use Super Breeder one and i can still wreak havoc just fine on Suicidal. So, is there any special benefit to Super Manipulator that can't be used elsewhere?

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Reply #1 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

It's probably more that the AI is set to "want" to manipulate others.  The Terran (Super Diplomat) "can", but that is up the player.  An AI Terran probably won't.

In general, the mechanisms behind the Super Abilities is not well understood.

 

Reply #2 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Super Manipulator is indeed a very weak ability for the player.

For the Drath AI it does make sense because the Drath are, more or less, a civilization that is weak initially but seem to rise to considerable power once the first military buildup causes overall wars.

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Reply #3 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

BTW, a side note on wars.  The UP proposal "End all wars" ends wars between majors, but not those wars involving minors.  And Drath profit from minor wars, too.

 

Reply #4 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Yeah, Minors aren't included in the United Planets so most decisions shouldn't affect them.

Just to make sure that I understand this correctly - if a Major is engaged in a war versus a Minor civ then that proposal doesn't end this war? Or are only Minor-vs-Minor wars unaffected?

However, there "is" a UP proposal that would have done something far more valuable (taken from Cari's guide):

"15 Minor races are not allowed to be attacked"

but, unfortunately, doesn't work. <_<  

 

Reply #5 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Quoting Maiden666, reply 4

if a Major is engaged in a war versus a Minor civ then that proposal doesn't end this war? Or are only Minor-vs-Minor wars unaffected?

Nope.  Iconian vs. Carinoid continues on ad infinitum.  Minor v. minor wars are so rare I've never seen it happen.

Also never seen the "can't attack minors" event. 

[As an aside, in your FW mod the minors are much tougher yet much juicier.  I'm the only one of the three majors that attacked them, and once I got started it was hard to stop...]

 

 

Reply #6 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Quoting DMF, reply 5

Nope.  Iconian vs. Carinoid continues on ad infinitum.  Minor v. minor wars are so rare I've never seen it happen.

Ah ok, so the game definitely needs the two parties at the table to sign a peace deal B)  

Quoting DMF, reply 5

Also never seen the "can't attack minors" event. 

It's not even included in the game, but it's contained in the data-mining Cari published. But no subroutines embedded in the code.

Quoting DMF, reply 5

[As an aside, in your FW mod the minors are much tougher yet much juicier.  I'm the only one of the three majors that attacked them, and once I got started it was hard to stop...]

Yeah, we did try to make them stronger in the CU but it was not enough IMO. I've further boosted:

- Racial bonuses, also more individuation.

- Trade-ability base. Very early trade generates money & makes friends. Plus I find it unfair that they still build scouts and use them to scout for habitable planets when they will never colonize them. Wasted production.

- Restricted techtree barring them from useless stuff like influence etc. The Minor-techtree has also cut-down costs for some techs.

All in all they should gain strength quite early but as each game progresses, the power of multiple planets at hand should be enough to crack them.