I started to pose this question on the DA forum, but decided it was subtle enough to warrant the attention of the pros here. It involves better understanding of how the overall productive capacity of a colony (its GNP, if you will) can be used to the fullest extent in situations.

Let's say that at a point in a game you want the absolute maximum investment in research that your race can get. And let's assume you have moved the slider to 100% research and 0% social and military, and clicked on the planet focus bullseyes for all-out focus on research. A simple question arises: can you still add something to your research effort from a given colony by either leaving the starport idle, or by not having any social building project in progress, or both? If the colony is not building a ship, and not building a factory or research center or anything, does that mean it is doing a little extra to speedup your research?

If after setting the slider and planet focus bullseye appropriately for maximum research, your colony shows 0 shields and 0 social production and 37 flasks, say, then maybe the answer to this question is obvious...nothing can be gained by leaving the starport idle and not scheduling any social building projects. But maybe not...there could be some effect by the mere fact that there is something in the pipeline for ships and social improvements as against nothing.

But I've noticed that quite often even with the slider set to 100% and the focus bulleye set to mazimize one of the three, the others do not drop all the way to zero. So, still talking about maximum research, let's say that after settng the slider and focus bulleyes for research, you still have 6 military, and 5 social units. If you don't make your starport idle and delete all social projects, over a long enough period of time a ship and factory will eventually be produced...some of your GNP is going into these. Can you channel that into research by leaving those pipelines empty?

The same kind of question might be asked in terms of maximizing shipbuilding or social building instead of research.

I won't be offended if you think I'm getting down to too fine a point. Thank you your replies.

Just posted 11.5k game. Come on, evil must prevail! Whoops, there are an infinite number of monkeys at the front door wanting to talk to me about this Shakespear draft they've typed up. Will start another game later, but. . . the monkeys are persistent.

Dax

yeah i posted a 14.5K last night and am working on another one now. We should have it once the weekend is over.

No, some major degradation took place. we are down from 3.079 million to 2.930 million.

The B.C. Space Orcas are now at the moment, 3.299 million to our current 2.930 mill.
But make no mistake, we are gaining on them.

Hey, Neilo, the link in the OP still goes to our old eAmped forums. I'm assuming its that way because the new forums aren't done yet or something?

I have also noticed that my "Senator" status has recently been removed (not that it matters much)... but that's pretty evil I must say.

Sorry Particle...you have been re-instated.

Hey we have even sacked our Prime Minister before...but don't let that put ideas in your head!!!

ROFL!

Thanks Neilo, I was just curious as to what was up with that.

Just finished a 130k game... that should help  

130K Great effort mate!!

Rosie O'Donnell clone!!!!

Geez...i just threw up all over my monitor!!!! You can keep the Altarian Slave...just keep those Rosie clones away from me......

Arggghhhh!!!! (goes running to hide behind the emperor's throne.)

ideas in my head? perish the thought.

we've all have had a GC itch lately after a lil bit of a vacation. I know Piznit has a few games ready.