Stupid computer thing

[manored]

I downloaded master of orion 2 and was strugling to get it to work... whenever I tried running the game, one of those "send relatory to" errors would occur, leaving no clue of what was wrong. By luck I noticed I little text-file looking with cd writen, and I remember of seeing in another error somewhere (lol) that it was important for something. I opened it and it has a single line here there was a failed and utterly ruined attempt to write the directory where the game was installed thanks to dos unability to read spaces... I fixed it and it worked! (After a few more troubles). Isnt something like that like very stupid for a computer to do? :)

[rattle]

Install it through dosbox.

Isnt something like that like very stupid for a computer to do?

No. DOS has a maximum of 8 characters for filenames/directories and 3 for the extension, so any game made for DOS will use these. You can shorten longer directories to the first 6 characters or first space + ~1 (~2 for the second result etc.), i.e. Program Files becomes PROGRA~1.

[Mars]

Isn´t Master of Orion 2 a windows 95 game?

[aegis]

isn't windows 95 a dos game?

[rattle]

The 95 version of it runs too fast.

[ZellSF]

Windows version is more buggy too, I think. Best way to play Master of Orion II is probably in DOSBox.

[manored]

The 95 version of it runs too fast.

Yep... somebody knows how to fix? :) The dos version seens to be broken, even after I tried running with dosbox

I wouldnt see trouble in directory shortening if it worked after doing so :)

I think in this case the problem might be that the setup was dos and so wrote the thing in that abreviated form, that the windows could not ready correctly... just a teory tough since I know few about computers :)

Edit: tried to install again using dosbox and the dos version is working now, and the best part is that I dont need to use doxbox to run it :) Anybody knows how to make shortcuts for dos?

Also, anybody knows what heavy point weapons are usefull for? Cause I dont see a point in then causing 1,5 more damage than normal if they occup 2x more space, cost 2x more and have half the range...

[Felix the Cat]

Too bad computers got rid of the "Turbo" button, that was one way to slow shit down...

[manored]

Too bad computers got rid of the "Turbo" button, that was one way to slow shit down...

I will suppose this is sarcasm? :)

I was born in a galaxy, where, for coincidence, im traped whiting 3 stars, as all others seen to be too far away for my scouts to cross (starting fuel is 4 parsecs if I remember well, +50% of the extended tanks, giving 6 parsecs) Ideas? :)

[rattle]

I can run it through dosbox just fine. Make sure you install it through dosbox and configure sound etc. You could just copy the entire CD in a directory which you have access to in dosbox (mounted) since the game copies only 85 of 340 MB, thus it would constantly need the CD (or image). You would only have to run the sound setup then.

Make sure you install the 1.31 patch too. There's also an inofficial fan patch out there for the DOS version exclusively, google a bit. Needs the official patch of course.

There is no way to fix the windows version or better, to get it to run slower. Maybe if you run it through a virtual machine like VirtualPC or something else.

I was born in a galaxy, where, for coincidence, im traped whiting 3 stars, as all others seen to be too far away for my scouts to cross (starting fuel is 4 parsecs if I remember well, +50% of the extended tanks, giving 6 parsecs) Ideas? :)

For your first game, use a custom race and clear your picks. Go with the creative pick, take the malus for ground combat. Bigger and rich homeworld can be useful too.
Also, don't start early, use the late start so you have a good deal of techs and two planets. Because you are creative you get all techs instead of a chosen one or one random (uncreative) which means, you will have shields from the beginning on which is simply awesome.

There are many good picks that work well.

Uncreative, Research -2, Spies +2, Feudal Regime, Subterrean, Telepaths or Ground Combat -2 are all very good picks which free up points and go in hand to hand.

Uncreative, less research points per scientist and the feudal regime cripple your own research but you'll be spamming spies and ships to make up for that. Feudal cuts shipcosts down to 2/3rd too which is awesome. You'll be stealing tech from all other races (be sure to assign spies to them in the foreign affairs screen) and you will never need any ground transports since telepaths can simply control planets without a defense force.

Anyway, the creative approach is always good for starters. Even with creative I usually take a feudal regime, ground combat -2 and subterrean or telepaths. Subterrean means you are going to have more population per planet which is great, telepaths are perfect to rush through the galaxy.

Also try out to conquer enemy ships by using tractor beams or immobilizing them somehow (stasis field etc.), or by using boarding ships. Scrapping enemy ships means you are going to get some of the new techs they've had in it. Which means if you manage to capture antaran ships early on (the secret super race which assaults the strongest player from time to time) you'll be miles ahead in tech.

Look on gamefaqs.com, there are some good race FAQs and strategies for MoO2.

[manored]

Thanks for the tips. I started with ominiscience, union and large home planet. Not an specially good combination but seeing everthing rocks :)

edit: Got raped on easy level :) Basically didnt had enough ships ready for combat then needed and so they blockaged my food producting planet... THE food producting planet

Im starting with dictadorship and lithivore this time :) Not needing food will make everthing a lot simpler :)

[rattle]

Lithovore is pretty useless in the endgame. You'll have about two farming robots in all of your colonies (or should have, that is) or about 3 colonists each colony, except for the ones with artifacts or other bonuses.

Another protip: before conquering Orion (the green planet in the the center of the galaxy) make sure you have three ship leaders and no one in the application queue blocking a slot so dismiss any there are, D is the hotkey to dismiss in the leader screen by the way.
You wouldn't want to miss out on something that's worth to rush for. Also saving before conquering Orion is of advantage .