 Some answers about common MT questions... (long) |
Wed, 13 August 2003 15:05  |
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Trying to collect and organize some information in one place on what the MT does to annoy us so.  Will refer people elsewhere for some details, but try to cover the generalities and identify the mysteries (for those who feel like exploring).
(1) What is the Mystery Trader (MT)?
The MT is a random Stars! event. IF the game does not allow random events (comet strikes, artifacts, etc.) then the MT will NEVER appear in that game.
Beyond that the MT is a mysterious vessel that enters the galaxy broadcasting a willingness to trade something to you in exchange for 5000kt of minerals (in a single fleet). Since it's broadcasting you always know where it is on the map (though other things on your scanners might occasionally obscure it.)
(2) When does the MT appear?
Appearance of the MT is a random event for that year. However, it seems that there is a validation check involved as well. This is possibly tied to year (2440 is the earliest I've ever seen an MT appear), and possibly some threshold of technology, resources, or minerals among the races in the galaxy.
The MT will enter from a border traveling at a speed between Warp 8 and Warp 13. Later random events might cause any given MT to change course, speed (faster or slower) or both. Claimed correlations between speed changes and imminent interception by a race are believed to be greatly exaggerated. :~ [Note: a Warp 7 MT has been reported, but is believed to be a Warp 8 or higher MT that slowed down due to another random event.] The MT will cross the galaxy and eventually exit.
Minefields do not affect the MT. 
There is also a random event that will cause a previously exited MT to cross the galaxy again (the "entry" message is different.) This may or may not be lauded depending on what it is carrying and your previous luck in trading with it.
(3) What happens if I try to attack the MT?
It ignores warships. Unless they're carrying/escorting 5000kt of minerals and you haven't traded with that MT yet. In which case it will trade with that fleet (see below). Claimed correlation between annoying MTs and subsequent huge comet strikes on homeworlds are still being investigated. 
(4) How does trading with the MT work?
You have to intercept the MT with a fleet containing 5000kt (or more) minerals. The MT will absorb this fleet (i.e. it is destroyed) and give you something in exchange. MTs move before your fleets do; so the trick is to be in position to get in your move that year where the MT will be *after* it moves. The general rule of thumb is to get ahead of it with enough fuel to move fast enough to catch it even if there is a speed change.
Attempting to intercept the MT with multiple fleets will not work. One will be absorbed, the rest will not be able to trade.
Interception of MT occurs *before* fleet merging. You need to have the 5000kt in one fleet the turn before interception. Intercepting and merging the same turn will not work. (Unless the MT is going slow enough you can keep up with it the next turn.)
(5) What do I get from the MT?
A given MT is giving out one of three things (and this appears to be set when the MT is generated - this is an exception noted below.)
(a) You get a unique part or hull type that you can build and use yourself if you have sufficient technology. There are detailed lists and discussion of these parts elsewhere.
(b) You get some technology levels.
"Some" levels is dependent on some additional factors. First, it *decreases* based on your total number of tech levels. Second, if you bring additional minerals you a bonus technology level per additional 1200kt you bring. This tops out at 9800kt of minerals traded. It is possible for the MT to give you zero tech levels. This also happens if you meet a "technology" MT when you already have max tech.
[Note: Research has not generated a widely accepted set of data on what the exact breakpoints are for the total tech penalty. My opinion is that the initial number you get is random, then the bonu
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[Updated on: Sun, 17 August 2003 09:35] by Moderator
Time flies like an arrow.
Fruit flies like a banana.
- Groucho MarxReport message to a moderator
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| Re: Some answers about common MT questions... (long) |
Thu, 30 October 2003 06:11  |
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| iaznab |
 | Crewman 3rd Class |
Messages: 6
Registered: March 2003
Location: South Africa | |
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A long time ago I did some MT testing and read up on the FAQ's available at that time - here is what I remember: There is a random chance every year for an MT to appear, if and only if some player in the galaxy has more than 40 tech levels, and the year is 2440 or later. The MT accepts minerals from 5000kt+.
In previous patches, you were able to catch the MT with battle fleets i.e. if you had a fleet of 5000+kt mass you could catch the MT with it, but this was removed in the J patch I think.
For TOY traders, if you catch them you get the part. If you already have the part, you get nothing new.
For TECH traders, the amount of techs depend on your current tech level, as well as the amount of minerals you give the trader.
If you have less than 60 total tech levels:
You get 6 techs for the first 5000kt minerals, and then an extra tech level for each extra 1200kt minerals up to a maximum of 9800kt minerals (i.e. a maximum of 10 tech levels)
For 60-69 total tech levels:
You get 5 techs for the first 5000kt minerals, i.e. your total maximum goes down to 9 tech levels for 9800kt minerals)
For 70-79 tech levels:
You get 4 techs for the first 5000kt minerals, and 8 for a maximum of 9800kt minerals.
And so on and so forth.
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| Re: Some answers about common MT questions... (long) |
Wed, 07 January 2004 08:32 |
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 Robert |
 | Lt. Junior Grade |
Messages: 393
Registered: November 2002
Location: Dortmund, Germany | |
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Did some quick test, and it seems to me that:
- up to 59 techlevels you get 6 levels and 1 for each 1200kT up to 9800kT
- from 60 levels on get 1 less level from the first 5000kT, and 1 for each separate 1200kT, up to 89 levels (where you get 3 levels for 5000kT and 7 levels for 9800kT), so it is always worth it to give the bonus if you got less than 90 techlevel.
- from level 90 on you get 2 levels of tech, regardles of giving 5000kT or 9800kT!!! this is valid up to at least 102 techlevels.
- from some point between 102 and 108 techlevels (i guess 105) you get only 1 level regardles how much mins you give the MT.
so:
- if you have less than 90 techelvels, give 9800kT
- if you got 90 or more techlevels, give him 5000kT
Maybe this is not completely correct, but what my short (2 hours) test showed me...
(I am not completely sure about the breakpoint, my excel sheet i did during the tests show a breakpoint between 59 and 60, and another one between 80 and 81... maybe one of them is wrong?
maybe sometimes it is before finishing the next 10, sometimes after that...)
May this be useful for someone...
Robert
[Updated on: Wed, 07 January 2004 08:35]
2b v !2b -> ?Report message to a moderator
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| A note on trading MT parts |
Wed, 25 February 2004 18:34 |
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For any of you that have wondered, it IS possible to send somebody else an MT part via scrappers. (I do it all the time in my testbed).
What I have found is that to virtually guarantee that the 2nd party gets the part, you need to send 167+ scrappers. This will pretty much guarantee that the part is received. However, ALL the ships will need to be scrapped in the same turn (i.e. scrap fleet, split all). If you plan on doing this make sure that an additional 167+ fleets won't take you over the 512 fleet limit!!!
Ptolemy
Though we often ask how and why, we must also do to get the answers to the questions.Report message to a moderator
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| Re: A note on trading MT parts |
Thu, 26 February 2004 04:04 |
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I haven't tested using something like a frigate hull and building 84 ships for scrapping with 2 toys per ship though it may work. As I recall, the chance of gaining the part was somethng like a 1.6% chance. I do know that in my testbed it always has worked with 165 scouts but has failed with anything fewer. Ive seen the part transfer on the 164th scout also.
I'm not using the full blown downloadable testbed - I built this one myself so all races don't yet have all the toys.
One note on transferring the parts - don't scrap the ships without the tech to build the part or may end up getting tech and not the part.
Ptolemy
Though we often ask how and why, we must also do to get the answers to the questions.Report message to a moderator
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| Re: Some answers about common MT questions... (long) |
Mon, 08 March 2004 14:45 |
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| Hyena wrote on Mon, 08 March 2004 11:23 |
The 9600 minerals trick works only if the MT is a "tech" MT, right? Does that mean you need to wait until someone else interacts with it and tells you they got tech levels before you know to load 9600 minerals?
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Yes. Or you make the willing risk that it'll be a tech MT and you have the minerals to spare.
- Kurt
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| Re: Some answers about common MT questions... (long) |
Fri, 06 August 2004 01:20 |
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| mlaub |
 | Lieutenant |
Messages: 744
Registered: November 2003
Location: MN, USA | |
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Hmmmm...I didn't see anyone post this. Fairly certain it is accurate.
M.T. Tech levels
Minerals in kt
Tech Levels 5k 6.2k 7.4k 8.6k 9.8k
<60 +6 +7 +8 +9 +10
60-69 +5 +6 +7 +8 +9
70-79 +4 +5 +6 +7 +8
80-89 +3 +4 +5 +6 +7
90-99 +2 +3 +4 +5 +6
100-109 +1 +2 +3 +4 +5
110-119 0 +1 +2 +3 +4
120-129 0 0 +1 +2 +3
130-139 0 0 0 +1 +2
140-149 0 0 0 0 +1
150+ 0 0 0 0 0
-Matt
[Updated on: Fri, 06 August 2004 01:21]
Global Warming - A climatic change eagerly awaited by most Minnesotans.
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| Re: Some answers about common MT questions... (long) |
Fri, 06 August 2004 01:55 |
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| perece |
 | Crewman 1st Class |
Messages: 20
Registered: July 2004
Location: Moscow, Russia | |
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It is really strange... Am I only one managed to discover that tech MT isn't giving You exact number of techs, but "inserts" some amount of resource investment into some fields of research?
To discover that I'm saying about, create a test game as JOAT, all tech expensive starts at 4. Don't invest into research, build alchemy after mines/factories (so all techs will require same amount of resources to get next level). When MT appears, catch it (better with max load). and after it gives You X techs, open research dialog and switch between fields where you gain equal number of techs and notice the difference in amount needed for next level.
Then restart from scratch and do some research, gaining no level but minimizing "res need to complete" in each field to, say, 10.
and start building alchemy after You got that (it will ensure You're investing no resources into research). And catch another MT with same amount of minerals. How many tech levels it give this time?
Sure some MT's can appear carrying anything other than tech, just skip to next one if this happens
As I figured not just from that testing, but from my numerous 'training' games against AI, tech MT gives You fixed amount of resources inserted into Your research (but it still depends on amount of minerals shipped), divided randomly between several Your research fields. And in the late game, when it says "give nothing", You still boost Your research. this means just that such amount of resources inserted into research isn't enough to give You tech immediately.
When MT gives You 4 techs and You realize after that, that only 5 resources needed to make, say, ener 11 and You didn't invest anything in ener after researching 10, say that MT give You 5 techs.
SMTP /Perece/.
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... but it has been a long time since I had several MTs in a game, so I might be wrong ...
sorry but yes I have to complain (or grip? what was it? 
)
is "you would have gotten a really cool ship but alas you don't have any free slots" (or something like that 
)
Re: Some answers about common MT questions... (long)
