Only a handful of game developers have shaken the norms of video game genres by introducing unique twists to their genres. Game franchises likeXCOMhave repeatedlydeconstructed the strategy genreby adding new features that spice up the gameplay. Another game that is starting to shake up the city-building genre isIXION, a space-themed city-building game.
But the twist inIXIONis that it’s also anunforgiving survival gamethat will test a player’s ability to endure deep space. And while the game does provide slight insight into certain features, none of them prepare players for the cold harsh reality of space station management. To dodge an untimely “Game Over” screen, players would do well in avoiding some rookie mistakes.
6Placing Buildings Randomly
Those who are new to the city-building genre might assume that building placement bears no effect on gameplay, but inmost complex city-building games it does. As players can expect, building placement matters inIXION, most importantly because it affects morale and energy output. For example, placing an Electronic Factory next to Living Quarters will negatively impact the morale of crew members.
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And if morale (or trust) gets to 0, the entire space station will mutiny, rewarding players with an unceremonious game over. While placing buildings, players should ensure that the Morale Indicator is Green or Yellowish Green, which indicates that it will have less of an impact. Additionally, every facility requires a Road and any facility missing a Road will automatically turn Red.
5Always Choosing the “Good” Option
As players progress through theirIXIONplaythrough, they’ll come across random events that prompt them to pick a choice. These events can either benefit or hinder a player’s space station, from finding a hidden resource cache to losing a chunk of the population. And while these events add to replayability (similar to some roguelikes), they also force the player to make tough choices.
At first glance, players may be drawn to the “good” or “safer” option, but these options aren’t always as beneficial as they seem. That’s because most of the better choices take far longer to complete, and aren’t cost-effective. So, sometimes players should choose the “worse” option while exploring, since they are completed faster and aren’t so expensive.
4Investing in the Wrong Tech
Perhaps one of the hardest resources to gather inIXIONare Science Points, since there are only a handful of ways of obtaining them. But, a common mistake rookies make is wasting them on the wrong Tech. For example, some players may initially invest all of their points in Science Ship or EXP Engine, which are things that aren’t necessarily needed in the early stages of the game.
Instead, players should use most of their initial Points on Tech Lab since it provides a stable income of Science Points. While the Science Ship also provides Science Points, it costs resources to send out, while the Tech Lab only requires a minimal amount of resources. But, of course, players should invest in Science Ship once they have the Tech Lab leveled up.
3Ignoring Trust and Stability
Trust is gained (and maintained) by satisfying the needs of the crew, like hunger and comfort. Meanwhile, Stability is increased by having a well-maintained Hull and placing Memorials around the Station. But many new players may ignore these stats since they aren’t too noticeable (the indicator is next to Hull Integrity). As already mentioned, placing certain buildings next to each other will bring down Trust, but another factor that affects this stat is the lack of proper housing.
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Players should ensure they provide crew members with the best Quarters (Optimized and Domotic), an idea similar to those seen in otherfactory-themed video games. Additionally, Memorials (which boost morale) cost nothing to upkeep and require no power, making them the ideal facilities to maintain a good level of Trust.
2VOHLE-ing Too Often
Players can locate new planets filled with ripe resources by using the VOHLE, a type of intergalactic space jump. Most novice players will quickly use the VOHLE System as soon as they deplete a resource. But the issue is that every time the Tiqqun uses the VOHLE System, its Hull deteriorates and loses durability.
Once the Hull reaches 0, the entire space station will explode, leading to a game over. So, players will want to ensure they repair the Hull with Alloy after every jump. Additionally, once players have a steady source of Alloy, they can activate Auto Hull Repair by installing an EVA Airlock. Players can see the state of the Hull by looking at the Red Indicator at the top of the screen.
1Poor Resource Management
As players can expect, maintaining a steady flow of resources (Food, Alloy, Silicon, etc.) isn’t easy in deep space, especially while keeping a whole colony happy. While this feature adds an extra layer of immersion (something other simulation games have been doing), it also presents lots of challenges for the player. One common mistake players make inIXIONis spending resources on facilities or repairs that aren’t crucial for survival.
For example, players shouldn’t waste resources on Cell Housing since it provides very little benefit to crew members (and the player), despite having more room capacity. Additionally, players should balance their resources throughout all Sectors, instead of keeping them all in one Sector.
