Re: Belter

From: hlavaty@crvax.sri.com ("James Hlavaty")

Date: Wed, 23 Oct 1991 23:53:00 +0000

In article <19734@venera.isi.edu>, rlewis@venera.isi.edu (Roger Lewis) writes...
>I was just wondering if anyone on the net plays "Belter"
>(a pbm game run by Classified Information).
>
>I just started it a month ago, and any tips on strategy would
>be greatly appreciated.
>
>rlewis@venera.isi.edu
I started playing belter several months ago and have become quickly addicted to
the game.  I have been playing pbm games for over four years and this one is a
real gem.  Cheap too!  I'm still a new player (like yourself), but here is what
I have been doing:
	1) Spend the research to increase your Production technology.  This
	makes your factories produce more for the material you input them.
	2) Increase the size of your factories, and then your colony so you
	can bring more workers in.
	3) I have avoided mining the asteroids that are mostly propellant.  You
	start with plenty and don't use it that fast.  One mine should be
	sufficient.
	4) Definitley work on your Asteroid Analysis, Mining, and Movement
	ratings.  They seem to be essential to finding the good asteroids,
	mining them efficiently, and getting the material from them cheaply.
	5) I have also spent research on Nuclear, which occasionally randomly
	affects a particular area but sometimes doesn't do anything.  I think
	this is a good thing long-term, however.
	6) I research with money = 10 times # scientists.  With good factory
	production money doesn't seem to be much of a problem.
	7) It seems inevitable that you will run out materials early.  As soon
	as you find a trade station in the belt, start buying all the materials
	you need to keep your factories going at max capacity each turn.  One
	item that burned me:  you actually send a freighter over to the trade
	station (unlike earth), so make sure your movement range is enough to
	get you to the trade station.
	8) My major regret so far is not doing Asteroid Analysis research from
	the first turn on...

Hope this helps and good luck!

jim hlavaty

References

Belter
rlewis@isi.edu (Roger Lewis)
Wed, 23 Oct 1991 03:44:50 +0000