Complexity of Economy

[MushrooMars]

So, I've been playing FA for a few years now, still a semi-competitive casual. I can't say I'm consistent, but I can say I know my stuff about FA. And I must say, after this long playing the game, I am damn tired of upgrading Mexes and building rings of Mass Storage around them.

What really pushed this for me was TA - I played it for my first time about a week ago, and I must say, even though the game is 16 years old, the economy is still better than SupCom's. For those that don't know, there are only two types of Extractors - regular, which optimally produces +2 mass, and the Moho, which optimally produces +6 mass. Metal Storage does nothing but store metal. Factories, Engineers, and some units also add to metal/energy storage.

Am I the only one that things this is a better system than SupCom's?

[Wakke]

I definitely agree on the mass storages. Their role as actual storage gets blurred in Sup Com; they've become a 'must-build' thing. Should give no or very little bonus to mass extractors imo.

[Nombringer]

I agree about the mass storage become redundant but I fail to see how what you have is 'better'.

I have never played TA so could you explain how the differences effect the economy?

[Mad`Mozart]

I think it's a really nice bonus for team games where you have limited number of mass points. You still must build them in team games, mainly due to the fact that if you go all offensive and will not upgrade your eco, you will be left behind and more or less useless to your team (untill you get your stuff going). As for ladder games, i don't even bother building storages around mexes, heck, i dont have time for that and, what's more important, there are lots of mass points all over the map which you have to fight for. So storages are definetely not a must-build thing.

[Nombringer]

But the fact that they have a direct impact on mass INCOME is the issue

[Mad`Mozart]

And why is that?

[Nombringer]

Because they are meant to store mass... not produce it

[Golol]

i like the mass storage thing.
because of it, there are basically 5 tech levels for a mex.
t1, t2, t2 with storage, t3 with storage, t3
i think that adds complexitivity to the game.
if we'd remove that how should the system be?
+9 mass for a t2 mex is too much and +27 mass for t3 mex but if you use just keep the income the same it will be hard to get much mass leading to long streched games.
for sure only in the maps were you are limited to a few base mexes and a few others.

[Mad`Mozart]

Because they are meant to store mass... not produce it

Remeber the adjacency feature of this game

[Nombringer]

The problem is that they are not used for there intended purpose

Adjacency should not be the primary reason