Archive for the ‘Mars Colony’ Category

How To Win As Sejong In Civilization 6 – TheGamer

Sejong is the most famous ruler in Korea's long history, known for his reforms and the development of the Hangul alphabet, which is still used in modern Korea some six hundred years later. In Civilization 6, he supplements Korea's famously Science-heavy gameplay with periodic bursts of Culture, letting players rush down both research trees simultaneously!

Related: Civilization 6: Tips For Playing As Theodora

If you've got the Great Builders pack as part of the Leader Pass DLC, you're probably eager to recreate the glory of the Joseon Dynasty. This guide has everything you need to win games as Sejong!

Korea has always been a Science powerhouse in Civilization, so it's no surprise that Sejong excels when his empire is cranking out new Technologies.

Sejong's leader ability is different from most because it only triggers once per Era. Whenever Sejong researches his first Technology from a new Era, he immediately gains Culture equal to twice his current Science output. This incentivizes you to maximize Science in every city - not hard at all while playing Korea!

Even with turbocharged Science, the extra Culture burst will, in most cases, just finish the Civic you're currently developing. It's especially handy in the late game, since you'll want powerful Policies to fuel your space race!

Korea has a slightly different approach to city layouts thanks to its Three Kingdoms ability. Farms produce one extra Food for each Seowon they're adjacent to, and Mines do the same with Science. In a perfect world, you'll be able to build your Seowons one tile apart, with Farms or Mines in between, to maximize this bonus. In practice, though, the restrictions on Seowon placement can make such a layout tough to achieve.

The Hwacha replaces the Field Cannon and is available earlier, being unlocked with the Gunpowder Technology. Like the Field Cannon, the Hwacha is a Ranged Unit, not a Siege Unit - an important distinction when you're trying to conquer a city!

Hwachas aren't any more powerful than Field Cannons, and are actually weaker if they get caught in melee, but their earlier availability and lower costs to produce and maintain make them a nasty surprise for anyone who picks a fight with Korea in the mid-game.

Mass-produce Hwacha when they become available, then consolidate them into Corps and Armies to earn Civic boosts as the game progresses.

The Seowon is Korea's not-so-secret weapons, the cornerstone of their gameplay. These centers of learning are the game's best Campuses, with half the cost to build and a flat adjacency bonus of four.

Seowons don't get any extra adjacency from terrain, but they do lose a point of adjacency for every District next to them, so be sure to build them away from your urban centers! Instead, build Mines and Farms next to your Seowon to get the full bonus from Three Kingdoms.

Unlike normal Campuses, Seowon can only be built on hills. Remember this when deciding where to settle your cities - if there's only one hill on otherwise flat land, settle the city in the lowlands and save the hill for the Seowon!

Related: Civilization 6: Tips For Playing As Ramses

It's important to plan out your cities ahead of time using map tacks (available near the mini-map in the lower-left corner of the screen) ahead of time in any game, but for Sejong it's absolutely critical. Korea thrives by making full use of Seowons and Three Kingdoms, so know where your research districts, Farms, and Mines are going as you settle your initial cities.

Volcanoes and Flood Plains, though dangerous, make great spots for Seowon, since the fertile soil nearby will further enhance the Seowon's Farms! Governor Liang can protect the city from natural disasters with Reinforced Materials if they start to become a problem.

Send out Scouts to try and make contact with another Civilization as soon as possible, since this triggers the Eureka for Writing. Once you have that Technology, build your Seowons and start your race to the stars.

Every city that can have a Seowon should have one, with Harbors and Commercial Hubs to fund your empire's growth. Gold can be used to keep your army ready to defend against attackers, or to buy Builders to ensure your tiles are improved. Korea should have no trouble getting the boosts for Apprenticeship (build three Mines) and Feudalism (build six Farms), both of which are among the most imporant early-game steps in Civ 6.

Once you have your engine going, larger cities can make good use of Theater Squares. You're not trying to compete with other Civilizations for Culture; rather, the Theater Squares are there to keep you on-track with Civics, with help from Hangul.

Granada is a great City-State to take as a vassal if they're available - their Alcazars provide both Culture and Science if built on high-Appeal tiles, and they double as forts if you find yourself facing an invasion!

Sejong's primary Victory Condition is always going to be Science - Korea isn't generally geared for anything else. Throughout the game, you should do everything you can to maximize your Science output; Research Alliances, City-States, and Wonders are all great ways to make this happen. Natural Philosophy and Rationalism should be taken as Policies the moment they're available and kept for the rest of the game.

Rush down the Technology tree to unlock Rocketry so that you can build Spaceports. Prepare your largest cities by making sure they have fully-upgraded and powered Industrial Zones to handle the massive projects they're about to undertake. Gaining suzerainty over Hong Kong is a good play as well, since they reduce the cost of city projects for their overlord.

While you're developing the tech to go into space, use Sejong's Culture boosts plus the extra that you're getting from Theater Squares and a Cultural Alliance to switch your government to Communism as soon as possible. The Class Struggle Civic is boosted by having three Factories, so this ties in nicely with the Industrial Zones you're building. Communism provides a bonus to both Production and Science, making it perfect for a Space Race Victory.

Once you've got a Spaceport, dedicate everything you have to the Space Race Projects; Launch Earth Satellite, Moon Landing, Mars Colony, and finally Exoplanet Expedition. Recall your Traders to the main Spaceport city (usually your capital) as they finish their routes and send them on routes that will provide high Production to speed the process.

When the Exoplanet Expedition launches, dedicate every city with a Spaceport to building LaGrange and Terrestrial Laser Stations. These are expensive, costing large quantities of Aluminum and Electricity, respectively. Trade for Aluminum if you have to, while your Builders construct renewable energy sources to power the Terrestrial Stations.

Upon reaching the Future Era, push for the Synthetic Technocracy government, which provides extra renewable energy and a Production bonus to city projects. If you have a fully-upgraded Government Plaza, you can use Communist Legacy in one of your Wildcard slots to keep the Production-per-Citizen bonus from your previous government as well!

Once your Exoplanet Expedition completes its journey, you'll be able to claim victory!

Next: Civilization 6: Tips For Playing As Ludwig

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How To Win As Sejong In Civilization 6 - TheGamer

Occupy Mars: The Game – A Challenging Journey to the Red Planet … – GLYFE Nation

The day has finally arrived for humanity to embark on a new adventure colonizing the Red Planet. On May 10th, 2023, Pyramid Games will release Occupy Mars: The Game in Early Access on Steam, GOG, and the Epic Games Store. This open-world, sandbox survival game will challenge players to face the harsh environment of Mars and overcome the obstacles that stand in the way of successful colonization.

Occupy Mars: The Game is an open-world, sandbox survival game that revolves around Mars colonization. Players will have to contend with Mars challenging conditions, such as limited resources, energy, oxygen, and water. Managing these resources carefully and planning the missions subsequent stages will be critical to the success of the Martian colony. A single error could lead to disaster, so responsible resource management and strategic planning are essential.

In the game, players will have to manage their supplies, ensuring they have enough resources like water, oxygen, food, and energy to survive. Building and upgrading the base is crucial to maintain smooth operations, even in the face of unpredictable Martian weather. Before constructing a base, players must find suitable terrain with minimal adverse conditions, such as access to underground ice resources and a relatively flat surface.

Occupy Mars: The Game features a realistic day and night cycle, allowing players to experience the true atmosphere of life on Mars. Solar power will be vital for survival, so players must ensure their base has enough solar panels and batteries to store auxiliary power during the dark hours. On Mars, sunsets and sunrises appear blue, adding to the games immersive quality.

As players race against time to address outages and malfunctions, theyll need to hone their skills to respond quickly and efficiently. An impressive garage of vehicles, like quads and rovers, will be available to traverse the Martian surface. These vehicles can be upgraded and modified, making them invaluable tools for research and exploration.

Occupy Mars: The Game invites players to embark on an unforgettable journey to colonize the Red Planet. With its challenging gameplay and immersive Martian environment, the game promises a unique and thrilling experience for players ready to take on the ultimate test of survival and strategy.

Platforms: Microsoft Windows

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Occupy Mars: The Game - A Challenging Journey to the Red Planet ... - GLYFE Nation

Five SF Stories About Moon Bases and Lunar Settlements – tor.com

Artist rendition of Lunar Colony exterior. (Credit: NASA; art by Rick Guidice)

Earlier this month, many of us were thrilled to learn that four astronauts had been selected for a mission to orbit Earths Moon, followed by the Artemis III Moon landing mission set to launch in late 2025. Although robot explorers have been sent to the Moon, humans last visited the Moon in 1972. Thats a hiatus that reminds me of the gap in visits to the South Pole, which went unvisited between 1912 and 1956.

However, just because humans were not visiting the Moon in actuality didnt prevent SF authors from imagining what it might be like were humans to establish an enduring presence there. Indeed, the lack of actual Moon bases permitted imaginations to roam freely, as these five examples should make clear.

Humans brought their vices with them when they settled the Moon. As a lunar cop, Lieutenant Anna-Louise Bachs job means investigating the same sorts of crimes she would face were she working in a Terrestrial city of a previous century, However, increasingly sophisticated technology introduces complications no 20th century investigator had to unravel. Take, for example, the Barbie Murders.

The Temple of the Standardized Church uses surgery to remove the genitals of devotees and transform them into identical copies, one virtually indistinguishable from the next. Uniformity comforts the faithful. When a serial killer begins targeting members of the church, uniformity complicates investigation. Bach is nothing if not determined, however, and will go to great lengths to arrest the guilty party.

has advanced surgical technology which is able to reshape flesh at whim. It does not, however, appear to have anything like DNA testing, which would have simplified matters greatly. It does have offensive slang terms, an example of which would be calling the Temples member Barbies, a term unauthorized by the faithful and by the Mattel company

On an unrelated note, the 1980 collection The Barbie Murders was later retitled Picnic on Nearside.

Teen Matt Roney lives on a developed Moon: a nation that won its independence decades ago, a world that is part of an interstellar trade network. Although Matts father might point out how limited lunar resources are, no Lunarian is homeless or hungry. This does not mean they are all happy.

Some teens might complain that everything of significance has been accomplished, that there is nothing left for them to do. Matts problem is exactly the opposite. Many alternatives present themselves. To choose one means rejecting all the others. How then can Matt be certain he will select the best alternative?

This being a John M. Ford novel, the author has lovingly worked out the intricate details of lunar infrastructure, then included in the novel only those details about which the characters would logically reflect. He trusted readers to fill in the blanks.

If you arent interested in blank-filling, Fords essay To the Tsiolkovsky Station provides more details. It can be found in the NESFA-published volume, From the End of the Twentieth Century.

Tae Toenji believes she knows how to make lunar tourism pay where all previous efforts have failed. Her key insight: wealthy couples will pay exorbitant fees for lavish weddings. A lunar wedding facility could cater to the hyper-rich at hundreds of millions of yen per person! Since Tae is only thirteen, others will have to handle the heavy lifting of turning her vision into reality.

Taes grandfather Sennosuke Toenji, chairman of Eden Leisure Entertainment, contracts the task to Gotoba Engineering. Engineer Aomine Sohya is selected for a central role in the decade-plus projects, possessing as he does (or so his boss believes) an ideal combination of talent and expendability. Can Taes vision be made reality? People like Sohya will find out.

One of the things that jumped out at me on reading this was that many characters are well aware that the financial case for a lunar wedding chapel is tenuous, although they are careful to ensure the CFO is kept in the dark about that. Page later I discovered that the actual goal of the project is not the stated goal and since that true purpose is a spoiler, I will restrict myself to a simple But surely, therapy would been more cost-effective?

In this ongoing webtoon, the world effort to save civilization was 10/11th successful. Only a small fraction of the approaching asteroid impacted on Earth. Of course, 1/11th of an apocalypse is still terrible. Resupply missions to the Moon colony will be affected, so it is decided that all the lunar staff will return to Earth before the impact.

One staff member, Moon Yoo, is left behind. He is overlooked, which is understandable, because he is introverted, lacks friends, and is so retiring as to be unmemorable.

Yoo is trapped up on the Moon. He briefly considers ending it all but discovers that available methods either do not work or scare him. Of course, he need not die immediately. The lunar facility is automated and filled with more supplies than Yoo can consume in decades. Yoo settles into a life of boredom and melancholy.

Unbeknownst to Yoo, his travails are intermittently transmitted to a recovering Earth. For the people of Earth, the fragmentary messages paint an inspirational picture of a heroic figure struggling to survive on the hostile Moon. Thats not how it seems to him.

This webtoon has a certain melancholy charm, like the manga Girls Last Tour.

A meteor impact has devastated much of the Earth and catastrophically affected the climate. Runaway greenhouse effects will turn the planet into a new Venus. Very luckily for humanity (and such species as we might see fit to preserve), the process is slow enough that

A functioning Moon colony is key to successful Mars colonization. Protagonist Nicole Wargin is a key player, both in her own right as one of the Lady Astronauts that give this series its title (this is the third book) and also because of her influence on her highly-placed, ambitious politician husband. When sabotage threatens the lunar space program, Nicole gets to develop a whole new skill set: counter-espionage.

Who would sabotage the colonization effort? Not all of Earths remaining human inhabitants are on board with the efforts to colonize Mars. Many groups suspect (with good reason) that they will deemed surplus to requirements and left behind. Saving some is better than none is probably a lot more convincing to people who think they will be part of the rescued remnant than those who are convinced that they will be left behind to die.

***

There are, of course, many post-Apollo Moon base stories I could have used but didnt (Bovas Millennium, for example, or Ruschs The Disappeared, for another). If I missed one of your favourites, feel free to mention them in comments below.

In the words of fanfiction author Musty181, four-time Hugo finalist, prolific book reviewer, and perennialDarwin Award nomineeJames Davis Nicoll looks like a default mii with glasses. His work has appeared in Interzone, Publishers Weekly and Romantic Times as well as on his own websites,JamesNicollReviews(where he is assisted by editor Karen Lofstrom and web person Adrienne L. Travis) and the2021 and 2022 Aurora AwardfinalistYoung People Read Old SFF(where he is assisted by web person Adrienne L. Travis). His Patreoncan be found here.

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Five SF Stories About Moon Bases and Lunar Settlements - tor.com

Stranded: Alien Dawn Review (PC): One of the Best Colony … – autoevolution

Developed by Haemimont Games, the same studio behind city-builders Surviving Mars and Tropico 5, Stranded: Alien Dawn requires less expertise from players, even on the hardest levels of difficulty. Although it doesn't go as deep as Rimworld when it comes to the building options, the game is easier and more streamlined to accommodate all kinds of players.

In Stranded: Alien Dawn, you guide a group of survivors who have just crashed on an alien planet. It's the same scenario that many of these games have used in the past, but since this is a full-fledged sandbox experience, there's not much of a story behind it. Before you jump into the game, though, Stranded: Alien Dawn lets you define the parameters of your scenario and choose the group of survivors to take with you on an alien planet.

It might not seem so at the beginning, but this is a very important part of the game since each survivor comes with their own skills, strengths, and weaknesses. This is one of those games where people start crying if they only eat emergency rations scavenged from your crashed ship for a very long time. Some might be vegans, while others require meat from time to time.

There's a lot to consider when choosing the planet where you want to start building your colony. Some have been overrun by lush vegetation and have the perfect climate for growing various types of crops, while others are arider and lack many of the basic resources and conditions that a starting colony might need.

Photo: autoevolution

I've played through multiple scenarios, and I have found that the best strategy is to build my first colony as close to the crashed ship as possible to cut down on the time required to move all the scavenged resources. Sometimes it can be just a temporary base if the terrain isn't suitable for building a much bigger colony, but it saves a lot of time to have a deposit near the ship.

Time is one of the most valuable resources in Stranded: Alien Dawn. There's no certain recipe for success in this game, you just have to figure out for yourself what to build and research first. Well, except for shelters for your survivors, which should be the first thing you build after you land. Food is the most important resource at the beginning of the game. A large amount of emergency rations can be scavenged from the ship, but your survivors will need some cooked meals too from time to time.

Keeping your survivors healthy and happy is one of the many things you need to pay attention to in Stranded: Alien Dawn. Survivors can have breakdowns for various reasons, especially if they are overworked and don't have enough entertainment (or not at all). I was surprised to see how my first colonists could find relaxation and refreshment in the simplest ways. Singing or just watching the local flora and fauna can provide much-needed moments of respite.

Although you'll be starting with small shacks without roofs, a pretty vast research tree will help you build the colony of your dreams. In between bug attacks, breakdowns, and random exploration events, your colonists can research various technologies that will help raise their quality of life and, of course, their chance of survival.

Photo: autoevolution

The game certainly lacks narrative elements, but it makes up for it with a great overall presentation. Perhaps more scenarios would've increased its replayability, but I'm not truly worried about that because Stranded: Alien Dawn does feature support for mods. I can't wait to see what the community comes up with in the coming months.

Its only fault is that the endgame quickly turns into a tower defense if you don't play with the "pacification" option enabled. Also, there are no other humans or alien species on any of the planets in the scenarios, just flora and fauna.

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Stranded: Alien Dawn Review (PC): One of the Best Colony ... - autoevolution

Expand Your Bookshelf With These 8 Interstellar Books Like The Expanse – Book Riot

Ill never forget the first time I heard about The Expanse. It had been few years ago, and we were just getting to the end of a long and dreary winter. A hint of spring hung in the air, yet I still hadnt shaken off the last dregs of the retreating cold and dark season. One of my co-workers at the time asked me if Id ever heard of the TV series The Expanse, based off the books by James S. A. Corey. When I replied I hadnt, he told me to check it out. I remember writing the shows name on a little sticky note at work and tucking it away to look into later. When I finally sat down to watch the show, I was completely drawn in, lost in space in the most perfect way. Im forever thankful for that friends recommendation and for not losing that sticky note. Its led to me looking for even more books like The Expanse.

James S.A. Coreys The Expanse series includes nine books, a number of spin-off stories, and six seasons of the show adaptation on Amazon. The premise involves a future where humans have expanded beyond the Earth to the Moon, Mars, and the asteroid belt beyond, and these settlements have become locked in a perpetual power struggle for dwindling resources and control of the solar system. Amidst all this, Jim Holden and his crew make a dangerous discovery near Saturn, while detective Joe Miller attempts to track down a missing girl in the Belt.

I love everything about this series, which is why Ive been craving more books like The Expanse. The political intrigue between Earth, Mars, and the Belt paired with the underlying mystery keeps the suspense thick, but its the characters that elevate the series from great to exceptional. Earther captain Jim Holden, Belter engineer Naomi Nagata, Belter detective Joe Miller, Earther mechanic Amos Burton, Martian pilot Alex Kamal, UN diplomat Chrisjen Avasarala, Martian marine Bobbie Draper I love each and every one of these characters, and I could go on with more. These characters find a way of sticking in your heart, and you cant help but root for them no matter how many odds get stacked against them. In celebration of how much I love this series, Ive compiled a list of eight books like The Expanse for my fellow fans.

If youre seeking a book with the feel of The Expanse, look no further than this epic space opera series by Arkady Martine. It promises so many of the elements that make The Expanse great, including tense political intrigue in space, dark mystery, and endearing characters. Mahit Dzmare is an ambassador for a small Mining Station who has just arrived in the center of the Teixcalaanli Empire. When she discovers her predecessor dead, Mahit begins investigating.

Speaking of political intrigue in space, after you finish A Memory Called Empire, check out this gripping series by Megan E. OKeefe. The key players of this novel include siblings Sanda and Biran Greeve. In the midst of an interstellar war brewing, sergeant pilot Sanda gets shot down only to wake up 230 years later alone on a ship with a mysterious AI for company.

Something I love about The Expanse is the dynamics between people in close proximity aboard spaceships. Combine that with the heady rush of traveling to a new planet and youve got this suspenseful read by Vietnamese American author Lena Nguyen. Plus, this one also involves mysterious symptoms arising in the crew members, which feels a bit reminiscent of the strange effects of the protomolecule on people in The Expanse. Psychologist Dr. Grace Park has joined a crew traveling to a cold new planet. Her assignment: study the 13 crew members onboard. Forewarning, tensions are about to get very high onboard.

This gorgeous graphic novel by Tillie Walden also focuses on the interactions between people aboard spaceships, but in a much more cozy way than We Have Always Been Here. I think my absolute favorite aspect of The Expanse is the found family in space feel that we get with the charismatic crew of the Rocinante, and this is just the book to read if you dig that too. Like The Expanse, this book opens with a crew out in deep space salvaging ships and features a poignant romance narrative. Mia has just joined the ships crew with hopes of finding the girl she fell in love with at boarding school.

This sci-fi book by S.B. Divya is perfect for fans of the badass Martian marine Bobbie Draper in The Expanse. Like Bobbie, Welga Ramirez is an ex-special-forces-turned-bodyguard. The year is 2095, and people have now become dependent on pills to help them compete against AI in the economy. Ramirezs plans for retirement get stalled when her client gets murdered by a mysterious group known as The Machinehood.

If you got drawn into the dark dynamics of the overpopulated Earth in The Expanse, youll want to check out this emotional sci-fi novella by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, author of Mexican Gothic. Despite the crushing realities of her life in Mexico City working odd jobs and as a friend-for-hire, Amelia still maintains hope of one day escaping and reaching the human colony on Mars.

Interested in the space mystery themes of The Expanse? This compelling book by Micaiah Johnson is one you cant miss then. In the future, humans have unlocked the secrets to multiverse travel. The only catch is you cant visit a world where an alternate version of yourself still lives. Cara finds herself in a unique position to travel to 372 worlds, since her doppelgngers seem to be dying off left and right.

And last, but certainly not least, I decided to close with this thought-provoking and intriguing sci-fi read by one of my favorite authors, Emily St. John Mandel. If you fell in love with the moody detective Miller in The Expanse (I know I did), then youll want to get lost in the pages of this book next. In the year 2401, Gaspery-Jacques Roberts works as a detective in the Night City on the moon. Gasperys agenda? Investigate a strange anomaly appearing across time on Earth, including the years 1912, 2020, and 2203.

The Expanse is one of my favorite series, and I hope Ive shared some of my love for it with you. If youre ever in need of a pick-me-up like I did that winter years ago, I hope these books will bring you just as much joy as The Expanse did for me. For more related reads, you may also want to peruse these awe-inspiring space operas. Before I sign off, Ill leave you with this powerful quote by Naomi Nagata in Season 6 Episode 6 of The Expanse, The universe never tells us if we did right or wrong. Its more important to try to help people than to know that you did.

To get even more recommendations based on your favorite shows, your least favorite tropes, or any other elements of your unique reading taste, check out TBR: Tailored Book Recommendations, where our professional book nerds match you with books youre sure to love.

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Expand Your Bookshelf With These 8 Interstellar Books Like The Expanse - Book Riot