Inigma's Custom Layout Guide for the Informationally Overloaded Emperor |
Hi. I thought I would share this here in the SEV forum FAQ. Let me know what you think. Feel free to modify it on the Space Empires Wiki
Taken From: The SEWiki SEV Strategy Guide - Inigma's Custom Layout Guide for the Emperor Suffering from Endturnititus
Inigma's Custom Layout Guide for the Emperor Suffering from Endturnititus
Knowledge is power. Information overload is helplessness.
Endturnititus is a condition one suffers when they find themselves fretting over hitting that "F12" key or "End Turn" button, thinking they "must be forgetting something." So they check and recheck and still upon ending their turn don't quite feel safe doing so. I don't know about you, but until I learned what I am about to teach you, I would always hit the "F12" key as if I was pushing the final button on a nuclear bomb that would ultimately wipe out my dear empire after spending countless hours crafting it together.
Knowledge is freedom from fear of the unknown. And the cure to the "restart-my-screwed-up-turn-from-a-saved-game mental complex."
The power of this game is its ability to easily gather useful information about your empire easily and so be able to micromanage it on the fly using custom reporting layouts and so at a glance be able to decide how to maximize your empire's resources.
The time taken to setup custom layouts in the reporting windows is well worth it. It will mean less time spent hunting for information, less time mulling over the bloated event log, less time making decisions, less frustration at your turn process, reduces overall confusion, prevents uninformed risky decisions, and prevents losing the game because you forgot to make use of resources you could have utilized (like forgetting to maximize an emergency build queue, or launching that drone that would have given you the sensor edge, or launching that vital sensor satellite that you have to now go back another turn to set up before moving your fleet onward).
The ability to go through the mundane tasks of your turn quickly so you can focus on the fun is a skill well worth learning to fully enjoy this game. Creating custom reports in the reporting windows is, I think, the greatest thing about the game as it makes it easy for you to make quick decisions concerning all your tasks without having to waste time data gathering. Having said that, as a newbie, not knowing what screens to customize and how to use these valuable tools is a cache 22 which I hope to prevent by giving you the screens setup I use below, and in the order I use them.
First some instructions.
===Report Layout Commands===
To set a custom layout in any of the following reporting screens, simply open the screen and click on "Layout," and then "Create Custom Layout." You can change the order of the layout of the categories from here.
To set a filter, click on the "Filter" button and select the appropriate filter(s).
To set sorting, click on the title of the category to sort by ascending order (Z-A). Double click category to change to ascending order (A-Z). To set multiple sorting stacks, click or double-click categories in order from least important to most important. Example: if you want to sort the three categories:
Size, Atmosphere, Mineral Content
by largest, breathable, highest mineral content with most breathable as most important, highest mineral next important, size last important then do the following:
Double click on Size (to sort from A-Z which is also Huge to Tiny), then double click on Mineral Content (to sort from Highest percent to Lowest percent), and then finally click on Atmosphere (to sort from A-Z which is CO2 to O2 or double click to sort from O2 to CO2). The result should have at the top of your list the most breathable, highest mineral, and largest planet. A very high priority target for colonization indeed.
The following below are the layouts I use. Feel free to use them to get started with designing your own.
====Systems (Shift + X)====
Inigma's Custom Layout Name: System and Planet Unit Status
Layout: System Name, Notes and Status Icons
Filter: Systems We Have a Colony In, Planets
Sort: A-Z by Name
Purpose: To see at a glance if there are units on planets that I've constructed that need picking up or launching (double click to go to planet and launch), or notes in a system I need to catch up on (right click on system name).
====Planets (Shift + P)====
Inigma's Custom Layout Name: Colonization Screen
Layout: Planet Name, Planet Size, Planet Type, Atmosphere, Mineral Value, Ship Enroute Name
Filter: Colonizable and Breathable, or Colonizable
Sort: A-Z by Name, then A-Z by Size (Huge first), then A-Z by type, then Z-A by atmosphere, then Highest to Lowest by Value
Purpose: To see at a glance top colony targets that have no colony ship enroute to them yet. The "Send Colonizer" button when enabled (you have to have a colonizer sitting around without orders) makes for a one-click Colonial expansion to those targets. I use the embedded quadrant map to ensure my colony targets are going to systems I want to own instead of halfway across the quadrant in enemy territory. The quadrant map lights up systems when I mouse over on planet names. Later in game, I sort by planet name as highest priority and therefore target systematically entire systems for backfill colonization in order to completely own them.
====Colonies (Shift + C)====
Inigma's Custom Layout Name: Colony Facilities and Unit Queues
Layout: Colony Name, Facility Space Used, Facility Space Total, Item Under Construction, Status Icons, Mineral Value
Filter: Our Colonies
Sort: Highest to Lowest by Facility Space Used, then by Highest to Lowest by Facility Total Space, then A-Z by Under Construction (showing empty "none" queues first); or Highest to Lowest by Value, then A-Z by Under Construction (showing empty "none" queues first)
Purpose: To see at a glance which colonies can build facilities, or which high value colonies can build resource facilities, or to see what colonies are simply free to build units, or need non-breathables removed (the dome icon shows up in the status icons for which the "Scrap Cargo" button is useful in releasing un-needed pop from their service to the Empire).
====Construction Queues (Shift + Q)====
Inigma's Custom Layout Name: Construction Queues
Layout: Queue Name, Item Under Construction Name, Queue on Hold, Queue Emergency Build, Item Under Construction Time Remaining
Filter: All Construction Queues
Sort: A-Z by Name, then Z-A by On Hold (showing On Hold items first), then Z-A Repeat Build (showing Repeat Build first), then A-Z by Emergency Build (showing Emergency Build first), then A-Z Time (showing no build first, and longest build last)
Purpose: To see at a glance my queues in order of priority - from highest to lowest priority: empty slow build queues, then empty emergency queues, then empty queues, then soonest queues sorted by emergency queues, then slow build queues, then lastly items on hold. Categorizing my queues in this way has reduced my decision-making time by almost 80%.
====Ships (Shift + S)====
Inigma's Custom Layout Name: Ships and Deployed Unit Status
Layout: Ship Name, Design Type, Damage, Status Icons, Supplies, Ordnance
Filter: Our Ships, or Our Units, or Our Fleets
Sort: Most Damaged to Least Damaged, A-Z by Design Type
Purpose: To know what ships at a glance need help, are mothballed, sentried, or need a fleet. I switch back and forth with the filter to show my units and manage unit, ship, and fleet interactions mostly through this screen initially, and then use the prev/next ship buttons over the quadrant map on the main game screen to "mop up" any ships I may have missed moving.
===Inigma's Turn Process===
Please read my Custom Layout Guide for the Emperor Suffering from Endturnititus above first.
1. (Shift + R) Set Research Spending
2. (Shift + D) Create new designs & upgrade queues (Shift + D)
3. (Shift + L) Read treaty offers (don't respond yet)
4. (Shift + I) Set Intelligence Defense Spending
5. (Shift + X) I launch any units (based on custom Systems report) and give them orders
6. (Shift + P) Send out the colonizers (based on custom Planets report)
7. (Shift + S) Give orders to ships, units, and fleets (based on custom Ship report)
8. (Shift + O) Check my resource levels to ensure I'm not going bankrupt
9. (Shift + Q) Give shipyard construction orders (based on custom Construction Queues report), switch over empty emergency queues to slow build if no longer needed
10. (Shift + O) Check resource levels again
11. (Shift + C) Give non-shipyard planetary construction facility/unit construction orders (based on custom Colonies report)
12. (Shift + E) Create/Respond to treaties
13. (Shift + R) Confirm research is set to what I want (always good to double check)
14. (Shift + I) Set Intelligence Spending (always good to double check and set offense spending last)
15. Now you can finally hit that End Turn button knowing you have covered everything!
Re: Inigma's Custom Layout Guide for the Informationally Overloa
Wow, this is a very well-done guide. Generally, the custom layouts are great at reducing the average time expended per turn down to about 15 or 20 minutes compared with the 40 minutes in Space Empires IV during the more complicated turns.
I'm not sure how many people use Systems but the Planets interface is especially helpful on large maps or in the lategame when you have to mix and match 3 different planet types. Does the game know to match a colony ship type (Ice, for example) with the proper planet type (Ice) automatically if you use the "Send Colonizer" button?
Colonies and Construction Queues are where the custom layouts shine. You can figure out where to put excess population, add system enhancement buildings (System Robotoid Factories or System Mineral Scanners for example) and be able to get fleets out of the gate as soon as possible.
Generally for Ships, I prefer to use the Orders filter with the "Experience" column added to know which fleets require re-training and to keep an eye on transports or 1-ship defense patrols but there can be some incredibly useful custom layouts for "Units" if you're using drones or fighters in security. Being able to dispatch an intercepting ship is very useful if an enemy decides to attack you with troop ships or mines.
Again, this is superbly done and just about anyone can take away a few useful things to reduce the pain they get in cutting down the time each turn takes up.
Re: Inigma's Custom Layout Guide for the Informationally Overloa
Yes the "Send Colonizer" button matches the correct colony type with the correct colony ship. If you lack the correct colony type, the send colonizer button does nothing. I found it very useful.
Also I figured I would put the Planets window to good use and save myself an extra couple of clicks in the Colonies window and just have the Planets window be my stored unit report.
That's right!
I'm glad you liked it. Its purpose is to give someone a start in designing their own according to their playing style, and I'm glad it easy to follow. 
Re: Inigma's Custom Layout Guide for the Informationally Overloa
Great guide!
Some thoughts:
- What is cache 22?
- Thank you for your tips, I wasn't using the Systems screen, most of the time I check if I have units to launch directly in-game, and automate pickup-launch for back line systems.
- Planets: I also use Ship name / location / arrival columns. Also, I domost of the colonisation in-game, since you can afford the extra micromanagement in the early game, and in the mid-game the "Send Coloniser" AI might decide to send a ship from the other side of the quadrant to colonise a planet.
- Colonies: Most of the time you don't need the facility space used/total columns, since the facilities are so cheap, you'll want to fill the planet ASAP. I use min/org/rad values, facilities, and under construction columns for quick retrofitting.
For the domed status, I prefer using the default "Races" layout, and check at the same time if they are all jubilant (or if they need more cops "helping" them to be).
- Construction Queues:
You don't need "Queue on hold" column, items usng it will be shown as taking themost time anyway. I also use the rate, repeat build and can buld ships columns.
- I don't use the ships screen, as it takes AGES to open and is not that useful anyway.
- So, how does this new "upgrade queues" order actually work? Will it cancel and restart ships already in construction?
Re: Inigma's Custom Layout Guide for the Informationally Overloa
It's a good guide, I definitely think that good column layouts are critical to managing the sprawling information of a growing empire!
I agree that the "On Hold" column is not required in the Construction list. The "Item under construction time remaining" becomes "On Hold" on those occasions. The space is better used for maybe "Status Icons" or "Facility Space Remaining" IMO. The "Emergency Build" is a good column though, it's empty most of the time but becomes "Emergency" or "Slow" when appropriate, useful since I use and sort by the "Construction Rate - Minerals" column, which always shows the natural rate, including population bonuses but NOT the effect of emergency build status.
---
My Ships List: (List on "medium" size, the smallest text that still shows ship pictures)
* Ship Picture
* Ship Class
* Ship Fleet
* Orders List
* Status Icons
* Cargo Space Used
Uses:
* Ship Class rather than Ship Name means the Class will stay up to date after retrofitting. You can double click an outdated class to jump right to a ship that requires retrofit.
* The list can be sorted by orders, the empty orders will rise to the top of the list. This is MUCH faster than hitting space several times to cycle ships!
* The list can be sorted by Fleet. Once you have multiple fleets around your empire, grouped like this you can check your fleets are well balanced and have the support / cargo / repair ships that they need.
* The status icons will quickly show damaged ships / low on supply / whether they carry sats / pop / troops etc.
Using this list I can avoid cycling through all ships without orders, just check on them in one place instead. It helps keep tabs on things once you have hundreds of ships, and you can see at a glance if for example one of your fleets has ended up with all the repair ships.
If these lists could be loaded and saved, it would save a lot of heartache at the start of each game, and they could be shared on the forums!
Edit: Also, I have used the "Colony Owner" column on the Planets screen in the past. Since 1.56 the Flag of the owner colony shows up on this screen correctly, which is great. I wish it could also show the shaded out flag, if the planet is not able to colonise due to treaties (i.e. another race has a planet in the same system). It would save those wasted journeys when you automate colonisation from the Planets screen.
Re: Inigma's Custom Layout Guide for the Informationally Overloa
Upgrade Queues will not cancel or update ships (or multiples of units as one line) in progress, unlike the Upgrade facilities button. It WILL change later build orders in the list. I've gotten into the habit on using smaller quantities of units and ships as single line orders to get the most use out of it. Really sucks when you are less than halfway through a build 100 troop or 3-5 ships when you get a research improvement you want to add to the design. If you do it in smaller quantities, like single ships or groups of 5-25 units (depending on construction rate), it's a one touch upgrade to every facilities list. You click on the obsolete design you want to replace and it brings up a menu similar to retrofit. You choose the design to replace it and presto - all construction queue versions not already in process of construction are changed.
Re: Inigma's Custom Layout Guide for the Informationally Overloa
Save your empire file, and next time when you load it, it keeps your report settings!
Re: Inigma's Custom Layout Guide for the Informationally Overloa
Inigma
I love your avatar
Groovy Baby Yeah!
Re: Inigma's Custom Layout Guide for the Informationally Overloa
very useful guide, thanks.
now really my question is why there are not 6-7 programmable small buttons to the right just bellow the mini-starmap to change custom layouts with a single click instead of clicking "Layout" then scroll and click to select one and then click again OK to finish, just counterintuitive.
Re: Inigma's Custom Layout Guide for the Informationally Overloa
Re: Inigma's Custom Layout Guide for the Informationally Overloa
yours is cuddly cute. 
Hehe cute? :coughs: that is a killer rabbit, look at the bones
Groovy Baby Yeah!
Re: Inigma's Custom Layout Guide for the Informationally Overloa
lol.
Re: Inigma's Custom Layout Guide for the Informationally Overloa
Telumehtar, you can right-click on the title line for a similar effect.
Have a question? Search the wiki first!
Re: Inigma's Custom Layout Guide for the Informationally Overloa
Imagine that... , this will make things much faster, thanks!
Re: Inigma's Custom Layout Guide for the Informationally Overloa
Useful stuff, Inigma, thanks. I have my own sequence I go through during a turn that is looser than what you have and relies largely on the turn news report, but the concept of custom reports sounds incredibly useful and worth trying. It would be especially good to have a "ship enroute" indicator for the planets report, as you've indicated can be done.
Good stuff.