GOTM December 2018, Morgan's Merchant League

[Mart]

GAME OF THE MONTH
DECEMBER 2018



Morgan's Merchant League

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Morgan Industries, Mission Year 2150

Morgan left the meeting room and took an elevator to his apartment.

This day was particularly difficult. His analysts reported news about University of Planet starting a new Secret Project, so-called The Virtual World. They discussed for long time possible implications of Zakharov completing his new endeavor. And his effort towards The Merchant Exchange was still in danger, he did not know, how much Roze was close to completion of her Merchant Exchange project, which she started already 15 years ago. The Exchange must be in Morgan Industries! He cannot allow the main stock exchange of the Planet to be outside of his faction. And Roze, an escapee from his own corporation, the one in whom he placed so much trust and hopes for the future considering her computer systems skills, was now showing her strength. Sinder Roze won the Planetary Governor elections in 2141. He even helped her, for a good bribe, ofcourse, yet it was completely uncertain, what danger she poses in the future.

However, now it was late evening, and Morgan was very tired. He took a look around his luxurious apartment. Hmm, it could be better. As far as he knew, it was the most luxurious in the whole corporation. And actually, no other faction could afford such luxury. So it was the best apartment on Chiron, but not good enough for Nwabudike Morgan. He had better one on Earth. So here, he has to have a better one than that one on Earth.

He made a drink with Morga-Cola from the finest fruit tincture he traded with Believers. They had it from Unity Supply pods, and naturally, such luxurious Old Earth Merchandise had to find its way to Morgan Industries. He instructed his diplomats to search for such opportunities when dealing with other factions on Chiron. The drink was excellent choice, he felt, he could do something else today. Thinking about merchandise from Earth, there was something more, acquired recently, an old computer game "Patrician III." The economic game, which simulated Hanseatic League during middle ages in Europe. He could play for some time.

After several hours, Luebeck was prospering, it was the best town in the game! He was its Lord Mayor and soon Alderman of the whole Hanseatic League. Small consolation for his lost elections in 2141! Ha ha ha! Morgan laughed. He lost real elections on Alpha Centauri for Planetary Governorship and now he plays an old and outdated graphics, computer game to get even. Pathetic.

And what if he actually won on Chiron such trading merchandise "game"? Yes, that's the idea. He can give it a go for a hundred years. Morgan Industries will be the best faction in Planetary Commerce till 2250. Other aims can wait. He is going to be immortal anyway, so it will be like nothing. Pure joy for an economic tycoon like him.

Tomorrow! He will summon his economic council and seed the idea...

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Installation
The attached files are game save files, so you can just open them in the game.
There are Transcend and Librarian difficulty versions for both vanilla (official Firaxis, GOG, PlanetaryPack, any exe mod not changing alphax.txt) or Yitzi patch, marked with [Y3_5]

Scenario Objectives
- Obtain the largest number possible of "Commerce Points" on F8 screen of AC Score in the MY 2250.
- You cannot win the game by that time by any other Victory condition, you must also prevent any AI from achieving any victory.

Contest

If you wish to enter contest,
- Submit MY 2250 save turn.
- Commerce points on F8 screen are used for ranking.
- Standings for Librarian and Transcendence difficulties will be held separately.
- Submissions after deadline are ranked in Consolation Standings.

Submission Deadline:
April 3rd, 2019.
30 days after the next GOTM is posted, but not before the last day of Fabruary 2019. [/s]

[Mart]

Starting placement of Morgan Industries.






In 2141 there were held elections for Planetary Governor.





Submissions, till 2019.03.10
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Kirov, 471 (condition, see thread)

[Kirov]

I have just noticed this GotM. Can you extend the deadline? Are there any contributors?

[Mart]

I have just noticed this GotM. Can you extend the deadline? Are there any contributors?

No, but for a moment I thought this post was a submission.

The deadline will be around 30 more days, I think, cause we plan to start a new GOTM now in March.

[Mart]

Deadline updated. The March GOTM is posted just now.

[Kirov]

My result is 471, although I have no idea if it's good or bad. Did you play until this point and have some reference?

I did notice changes to the tech tree, but what baffled me most is that I had a super hard time trying to induce Golden Age. Like, FM + 60% PSYCH and still only 4-5 bases had it. Moving the slider didn't produce the effects I'm familiar with. Did you change anything in this department?

[Mart]

No, I played only up to 60 turns, not 100 yet.


Changes to tech tree? Maybe it is the difference SMAC-SMAX ? Because, there should be none, these are just .sav files. But there is difference between vanilla and expansion regarding tech tree and it like Planetary Economics (?) I think, just around economic victory and Global Trade Pact (?).

[Kirov]

Oh yes, and I was wondering about that (i.e. that a sav file shouldn't affect the tech tree). What happened was, I picked one of my versions of SMAC and applied the Spanish translation (since I've been learning it). It was some copy set aside for modding purposes (e.g. with the MCC removed, but I thought it was your idea). After a while I had to move back to a normal copy due to constant crashes, so I finished it normal.

It wasn't a huge difference. It sure invalidates the result, but I bet it wouldn't be that different. If any contester shows up, I can do a replay.

A quick tip - if you forgo the Merchant Exchange, you can adjust your Project to IA completion and get the PTS. It allowed me to win the election in 2165.

[Mart]

I placed this score in submissions, with a (condition) note. A replay would probably give you even higher score.