Poor early tech trees

[haphazard1]

I started a game of MOO to shake off some rust; it has been a while since I last played. Initial signs were very promising, with the only world in range turning out to be a fertile jungle 100. Scouts were sent out to check the region, and results were mixed: a line of three habitable worlds to the south were all 5 or 6 away, while the one range 4 world to the north was tundra. There was also a barren 5 to the northwest. Some potential useful real estate, but I was going to need range 5 plus some planetology to get it.

I did some normal early development, and then opened tech to see what my prospects were. Oh boy.... No early clean up techs. No range 5. No Controlled Barren. Not looking good. Terraforming+10 was something useful at least. I continued developing my two worlds and pushed to the next rungs of Planetology and Propulsion. No Controlled Tundra or Dead, and no Range 6. No access to more worlds until the third rung, and by now I was seeing Alkari ships to the northwest.

I was hoping for a simple, smooth game to get back into MOO. It doesn't look like that is going to happen. Also, this galaxy has Psilons, Klackons, and Humans out there somewhere. Fun fun. Welcome back to MOO, I guess?

[SpaceOWL]

Time for one long-range colony ship!
What race are you playing with? I know 5 races you are not playing :-)
Impossible+medium? IIT9 is in? What do you have available in the tech tree so far? What turn are you in?

[haphazard1]

Yes, a long range col ship looks like my best bet. Going to be a painfully late expansion. At least my second world is excellent.

I am playing the Meklars (bit of practice before the upcoming SG, hopefully), medium galaxy, impossible. The tech choices have mostly been non-existent so far -- lots of single option rungs. Let's see, Computers had my only choice with ECM1 and BC2. Construction was IIT9 (very helpful for the cyborgs) then Duralloy, Propulsion was Range 4 then Inertial Stabilizer, and Weapons had Gatling Laser. Planetology was Terraforming+10 followed by Death Spores. Pretty thin as far as choices so far.

I have barely started, only got about 35 turns in before July 4th activities interrupted. Hopefully I can get some more turns in later today. Those three habitable worlds to my south would make a huge difference if I can get them, and there is an ultra poor to my east that could at least grow some pop. I don't like my chances of keeping the Alkari off the barren world, assuming they have the tech to colonize it.

[SpaceOWL]

I think Meklars are not so much harmed by a late start if they have big planets to work with, but no range + no engines is a hard blow...
Well you can either put some 1700bc in a huge or some 3k at duralloy to have large LR colships. I think the first option will get you there faster. You just need the first Col to be huge.

[rgp151]

I started a game of MOO to shake off some rust; it has been a while since I last played. Initial signs were very promising, with the only world in range turning out to be a fertile jungle 100. Scouts were sent out to check the region, and results were mixed: a line of three habitable worlds to the south were all 5 or 6 away, while the one range 4 world to the north was tundra. There was also a barren 5 to the northwest. Some potential useful real estate, but I was going to need range 5 plus some planetology to get it.

I did some normal early development, and then opened tech to see what my prospects were. Oh boy.... No early clean up techs. No range 5. No Controlled Barren. Not looking good. Terraforming+10 was something useful at least. I continued developing my two worlds and pushed to the next rungs of Planetology and Propulsion. No Controlled Tundra or Dead, and no Range 6. No access to more worlds until the third rung, and by now I was seeing Alkari ships to the northwest.

I was hoping for a simple, smooth game to get back into MOO. It doesn't look like that is going to happen. Also, this galaxy has Psilons, Klackons, and Humans out there somewhere. Fun fun. Welcome back to MOO, I guess?

I typically don't bother with Tundra or Dead unless I have a specific need for them. I'll skip as many Controlled Environment techs as possible to Radiated unless I happen to have a specific need among my early planets.  
I never build long range colony ships. I think just putting those points into research is better to research your way out of it. But yeah, this can be a tough position. Can require going heavy into Computers to try and spy your way back to par once you make contact.