Alpha Centauri 2

Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri & Alien Crossfire => Command Nexus => Topic started by: Mart on December 03, 2015, 04:16:29 PM

Title: Special/Experimental PBEM, Huge map, minimizing micromanagement
Post by: Mart on December 03, 2015, 04:16:29 PM

Setting up a multiplayer game, which would be experimental, but I guess, it will be same as regular one, an interesting game.

Huge map, either regular ratio or in this new ratio 102x90.
We could play map visible (when you see shape of continents "grayed out")
Blind research proposed ON
Victory conditions all except cooperative.
And all SPs, even Cloudbase Academy, so we would see how all SPs "behave" under this new special rule.

Special rule is something I tried in a SP game (AAR, not continued presently):
All bases except HQ base would need to be in Governorship mode.
It would be possible to turn -->off-->on quickly to trigger its action, but generally all the time, all bases except the HQ would need to be governed by AI.

This would make for interesting strategy, and possibly limit the micromanagement. We would see. I would like to play in this game too.

Title: Re: Special/Experimental PBEM, Huge map, minimizing micromanagement
Post by: Kurvivor on December 03, 2015, 05:36:52 PM

Sounds interesting
Sign me up

Title: Re: Special/Experimental PBEM, Huge map, minimizing micromanagement
Post by: Mart on December 10, 2015, 09:07:46 PM

We could play 3 human players, but if no one more joins, we could play only 2.

Title: Re: Special/Experimental PBEM, Huge map, minimizing micromanagement
Post by: Kurvivor on December 17, 2015, 07:19:57 AM

I will ask around a little

Title: Re: Special/Experimental PBEM, Huge map, minimizing micromanagement
Post by: Kirov on December 17, 2015, 11:06:18 PM

I can give it a try, if blind research worked so well, why not the governor. One thing - I have this impression (long time since I checked) that you can choose between a general gov and one of those discover/explore/build/conquer ones. Am I right? If yes, which one do we go for?

Title: Re: Special/Experimental PBEM, Huge map, minimizing micromanagement
Post by: Mart on December 17, 2015, 11:47:05 PM

There is also this detailed screen for governor, so I will have to check it actually and propose something. You can turn on/off many things for governor what he can/cannot do.

In general, I think, it might be the rule, that any governor must be in state "turned on" at the turn end except for one base (HQ base). Also, not that we could choose different base each turn. Let's say, if we relocate HQ base, then we could (or have to) switch to that base. Otherwise, we need to stay with our original base.

---
And yes, it could be any of the four directions too: build, conquer, discover or explore - does not matter which one, just "turned on."

Title: Re: Special/Experimental PBEM, Huge map, minimizing micromanagement
Post by: Kindem on December 23, 2015, 07:58:15 PM

Hello,
I can give a try, sign me up please.

Title: Re: Special/Experimental PBEM, Huge map, minimizing micromanagement
Post by: Mart on December 24, 2015, 05:22:39 PM

Ok, I checked how governor settings work. It is a bit of explaining.

- The settings are not always triggered by changing options. I noticed, for example, a facility can remain in build queue after the option "governor may build base facilities" was turned off. However, change of objective fixes the problem. This is only to state this kind of behaviour. If we want to force on governor certain production items, this is something to remember.
- Governor can be turned ON, with all other options OFF, but this defeats the purpose of this experiment.
Therefore, I would propose the following rule.

Proposed rule:
1) Player can control fully only his/her HQ base (the base where Headquarters is located). In case such base is lost, hq destroyed, etc., a new base is chosen and must remain that selected base for full control as long as possible (until lost or another HQ is built in some base, this or another). This selected base cannot be changed to another base "at will."
2) In all remaining bases player cannot choose build queue items, he cannot also use saved build queue lists. Only Governor can select building items.
3) In these all remaining bases, Governor must be turned ON. However, player can choose priorities, one, all or none.
4) From Governor options ALL must be selected EXCEPT:
- Governor may use multiple priorities
- Governor sets new units to "fully automate."
- Governor may produce secret projects
- Governor may HURRY production
These four options may be ON or OFF, as the player desires.

This is for discussion.
We need also to select a faction (for balance maybe, no aliens, please)
And find CMN

Title: Re: Special/Experimental PBEM, Huge map, minimizing micromanagement
Post by: Kurvivor on January 25, 2016, 06:41:02 PM

Let us presume all agree to the terms outlined.
When can we start?

Title: Re: Special/Experimental PBEM, Huge map, minimizing micromanagement
Post by: Mart on January 25, 2016, 07:35:23 PM

We need to select a faction.
And also find CMN
Unless, we try game generated save. Which may be interesting, though dangerous to place 2 humans so close to each other, as in ISPG.

I will select my faction last.
(maybe no aliens, please)

Title: Re: Special/Experimental PBEM, Huge map, minimizing micromanagement
Post by: Misotu on January 27, 2016, 09:19:09 PM

I'm probably too late, but I'd be interested too if you have room ...

Title: Re: Special/Experimental PBEM, Huge map, minimizing micromanagement
Post by: Mart on January 27, 2016, 10:51:59 PM

Yes, you are welcomed to join.
We have a very slow start though... :)

Title: Re: Special/Experimental PBEM, Huge map, minimizing micromanagement
Post by: Misotu on January 28, 2016, 12:53:43 AM

No problem   :)  We retired people are very patient!

Title: Re: Special/Experimental PBEM, Huge map, minimizing micromanagement
Post by: Kurvivor on January 28, 2016, 08:22:25 AM

I will take Deirde then

Title: Re: Special/Experimental PBEM, Huge map, minimizing micromanagement
Post by: Misotu on January 28, 2016, 04:23:36 PM

If they are not already spoken for, I don't mind playing PK.

Title: Re: Special/Experimental PBEM, Huge map, minimizing micromanagement
Post by: Mart on January 29, 2016, 04:40:45 PM

Kirov?
Kindem?

your faction choices?

Gaians and Peacekeepers are taken.

Now, the difficult part... finding CMN.

Title: Re: Special/Experimental PBEM, Huge map, minimizing micromanagement
Post by: Buster's Uncle on January 29, 2016, 07:40:40 PM

Shall I try to get sisko and/or t_ras interested in CMNing?

-It won't work, but I can at least get their attention...

Title: Re: Special/Experimental PBEM, Huge map, minimizing micromanagement
Post by: Mart on January 30, 2016, 04:31:22 AM

What would be sufficient, is starting a game and doing 2 things only:
- check if players are far away enough
- set difficulty for all 7 factions

This is minimal, that is required. Passwords could be set by players themselves, but then they could be sent to someone for keeping them.
So maybe someone else could try to set up such game.

Title: Re: Special/Experimental PBEM, Huge map, minimizing micromanagement
Post by: Mart on February 05, 2016, 07:42:10 PM

Ok, the new pbem game "January Game" seems to do fine with just generic start. How about we do the same? We could default the difficulty at librarian (no tweaking in scenario editor needed in that case).
Any opinions?

Title: Re: Special/Experimental PBEM, Huge map, minimizing micromanagement
Post by: Misotu on February 05, 2016, 07:45:47 PM

Yes. As a victim of the "January Game" random start, I'm totally ok with it *except* that I insist on having ONE SQUARE worth 2 food. Just one. It's not a lot to ask ... I could want a special, or a monolith. But hey, I'm ok with pain.  :D

Title: Re: Special/Experimental PBEM, Huge map, minimizing micromanagement
Post by: Mart on February 06, 2016, 12:15:55 AM

We can select at least medium erosion and dense cloud cover. This would produce moist environment.

Title: Re: Special/Experimental PBEM, Huge map, minimizing micromanagement
Post by: Misotu on February 06, 2016, 11:44:45 AM

Sure. I don't want to overdo it, but when your best square in your HQ is 1 food 1 min things move on very, very slowly!

OTOH I've played plenty of random starts in SP and a start this bad is pretty rare, it has to be said.

Title: Re: Special/Experimental PBEM, Huge map, minimizing micromanagement
Post by: Mart on February 06, 2016, 02:45:16 PM

In civ, there was this event: a friendly tribe. In Master of Orion 2, there was also like: lost colony, which were giving a city/colony, or actually settler/colony instantly.
In such cases, it seems that exploration and counting on nutrient bonus or monolith from unity pod is the way to go. And since not many colony pods can be made quickly, exploration can be enhanced. I use this strategy for such a case.
Weather Paradigm seems a must.

Title: Re: Special/Experimental PBEM, Huge map, minimizing micromanagement
Post by: Kirov on February 08, 2016, 03:23:00 PM

Gimme Data Angels and I'm good to go!  ;b; Sorry for not looking at this thread for a while.

Title: Re: Special/Experimental PBEM, Huge map, minimizing micromanagement
Post by: Mart on February 08, 2016, 08:30:58 PM

I have just received a message from Kindem, and he will not participate in this game. So there is 4 of us. I also choose the faction:

Kurvivor   Gaians
Misotu     Peacekeepers
Kirov       Data Angels
Mart        Believers

I think we can try to start the game the same as in "January Game"
And in Yitzi 3.4, but I will modify alphax.txt, so that we have vanila settings:
drone rule 0
copter reactor move points increase 2

There is a way to enforce proper scenario alphax.txt loading by the game on several different players computers, as long as all players have this folder structure:
 /scenarios/{scenarioname}
We will have the same folder {scenarioname} so it should work. I will add some txt file with label, so with CTRL+F4 we will be able to check, if the game recognizes this properly.
Anyway, this is just a way of convenient having specially assigned alphax.txt for a specific game without need for manually replacing it each time one is playing.

3 AI factions?
How about this:
- Hive
- University
- Cybernetic Consciousness

Title: Re: Special/Experimental PBEM, Huge map, minimizing micromanagement
Post by: Misotu on February 08, 2016, 08:41:07 PM

Looks fine to me ...

Title: Re: Special/Experimental PBEM, Huge map, minimizing micromanagement
Post by: Mart on February 08, 2016, 09:14:38 PM

I just tested generating a game.
3 factions started on small continents/islands, size for several bases not overlaping much, although one of them was connected to southern polar cap land and got no unity foil. Two factions got unity foils.

Do we want to try this?

Also, I will turn off commlink for human factions before contact. Is it ok?

Title: Re: Special/Experimental PBEM, Huge map, minimizing micromanagement
Post by: Mart on February 08, 2016, 09:17:42 PM

One more thing:
how about we play on librarian? There would be no difficulty setting needed.

Title: Re: Special/Experimental PBEM, Huge map, minimizing micromanagement
Post by: Kurvivor on February 09, 2016, 06:42:38 AM

I am OK with that

Title: Re: Special/Experimental PBEM, Huge map, minimizing micromanagement
Post by: Misotu on February 09, 2016, 12:47:17 PM

Of course, we just had a bit of a disaster over at January   ;lol

Can I just ask:  Map size, you said either huge or a special. I'm not sure which is larger but I vote for the largest in the hope that it will minimise the chance of people being right on top of each other!

I'm good to go, anyway.

Title: Re: Special/Experimental PBEM, Huge map, minimizing micromanagement
Post by: Mart on February 13, 2016, 08:37:39 PM

Game launched here:
http://alphacentauri2.info/index.php?topic=17507.new#new (http://alphacentauri2.info/index.php?topic=17507.new#new)

Please note, that in order to use "common" alphax.txt you need to place unzipped "governors" folder in scenarios folder.
But it cannot be doubled governors: ....(our folder with terranx.exe).\scenarios\governors\governors\alphax.txt
but:
....(our folder with terranx.exe).\scenarios\governors\alphax.txt

when loading game, you should then see special welcome message
also when hitting ctrl+F4, there should be confirmation

Title: Re: Special/Experimental PBEM, Huge map, minimizing micromanagement
Post by: thedarkestcolors on February 25, 2016, 04:38:18 PM

as far as I understood, you are restarting.. if so, do you have room for the hives? I'm fairly new to the game..
If I understand correctly, some file needs to be placed in a fixed path. That may or may not be a problem. I would have to try. I'm using linux, its prop. ok since a c: drive is simulated.

Title: Re: Special/Experimental PBEM, Huge map, minimizing micromanagement
Post by: Mart on February 25, 2016, 06:59:10 PM

We already started, but I was thinking of another experimental game, since this sharing of modified alphax.txt works. I should post it soon.

You use Linux, having Wine? or using game compiled for Linux?

Title: Re: Special/Experimental PBEM, Huge map, minimizing micromanagement
Post by: thedarkestcolors on February 25, 2016, 08:55:15 PM

No prob. just read something that you are thinking about restarting because sthg. went wrong, so I thought I ask, next one then.
Doesn't have to be experimental for me (though the forced governors sounded like it could be easier for a freshling, since the veterans can't just do things the way they are used too)

Using wine. So far it works splendid. Not a single crash. All graphics work (unlike some other civ games where e.g. civilopedia, statistics & research tree don't work )..
I didn't even know that there is one compiled for linux.

Title: Re: Special/Experimental PBEM, Huge map, minimizing micromanagement
Post by: Mart on February 26, 2016, 03:06:20 AM

Quote from: thedarkestcolors on February 25, 2016, 08:55:15 PM

No prob. just read something that you are thinking about restarting because sthg. went wrong, so I thought I ask, next one then.
Doesn't have to be experimental for me (though the forced governors sounded like it could be easier for a freshling, since the veterans can't just do things the way they are used too)

You could also start a game yourself, asking others to join your MP game.
Playing with settings that are standard and choosing game parameters that you know better from singleplayer can help in first MP.

Quote

Using wine. So far it works splendid. Not a single crash. All graphics work (unlike some other civ games where e.g. civilopedia, statistics & research tree don't work )..
I didn't even know that there is one compiled for linux.

I tried wine too some years ago, when I was using Linux for some time. And it worked very well.
Bad thing is, we would not have Yitzi upgrades there. And all those bugs, that have been removed by exe modders would be there again.
This is what I found:
http://www.lgdb.org/game/sid_meier%E2%80%99s_alpha_centauri (http://www.lgdb.org/game/sid_meier%E2%80%99s_alpha_centauri)

Title: Re: Special/Experimental PBEM, Huge map, minimizing micromanagement
Post by: DrazharLn on February 26, 2016, 08:16:00 PM

There is a recent .deb (debian package) of the game going about, too. But the .exe patches won't work with it, so it's mostly of interest for reverse engineering.

Title: Re: Special/Experimental PBEM, Huge map, minimizing micromanagement
Post by: Kurvivor on February 27, 2016, 10:03:12 AM

Quote

Bad thing is, we would not have Yitzi upgrades there

Why?
I have installed yitzi's patch - and it works fine

Title: Re: Special/Experimental PBEM, Huge map, minimizing micromanagement
Post by: DrazharLn on February 27, 2016, 04:24:38 PM

exe patches don't work on the linux native build.

They may work on the Wine build (which you're using).

Title: Re: Special/Experimental PBEM, Huge map, minimizing micromanagement
Post by: thedarkestcolors on February 28, 2016, 12:27:33 PM

Quote

They may work on the Wine build (which you're using).

(Its not a special build its the regular windows version)
They seem to work. At least after adding yitzis I see that there is Pracx, but the AI still refuses to terraform anything. Maybe AI Terraformers and ColPods should be born with Mindworm immunity, though ideally that would be vs. Planet-Mindworms only.

Title: Re: Special/Experimental PBEM, Huge map, minimizing micromanagement
Post by: Mart on March 01, 2016, 02:09:22 AM

Presently, when wine works so well for SMACX, and it is easily available from GOG for windows, dedicated Linux native build is not the only option to play on linux. And having exe modders changes can be valuable to some players.
Though, I am curious, if linux build has some alternative files, like graphics, etc. It could have, maybe some earlier version of some screenies.

The next experimental game I am thinking, 3 changes:
- Cloudbase Academy moved in tech tree and more expensive.
- Colony pods made costing more, like basic cp 120 minerals! That would make spamming bases less attractive strategy.
- crawlers moved to later tech with engineered units path. Technology would be later, though Industrial Automation would have crawlers pre-designed, more expensive. This would make instabuilds more difficult.

Those would be my proposed changes.
Game would be for up to 4 players.
Remaining players could propose up to 2 additional modifications to the alphax.txt rules. Also in general form, e.g. requiring changes in sveral places of the file, etc.

Title: Re: Special/Experimental PBEM, Huge map, minimizing micromanagement
Post by: DrazharLn on March 01, 2016, 10:28:46 PM

Quote from: thedarkestcolors on February 28, 2016, 12:27:33 PM

Quote

They may work on the Wine build (which you're using).

(Its not a special build its the regular windows version)

Sorry, I misspoke. Yes, I meant the regular windows version.

@Mart,
I don't know if it has any unique art. <naughty> You could acquire the linux version yourself by searching for it on torrentz.eu. </naughty>