New SMAX game

[Armageddon]

I'm in!
And as I like Blind research in my SP games (always played it), I would try to do it with an MP game, too. I think the trading will become more important, and the faction leading could not be sure to keep the advantage. So I would like to have a try. If not Blind Research, I'm also in.

For faction choice, I like to try Pirates, the most unknown faction to me.

On the rules and setup, I go with Rym. I would like to get experience in different setup and rules, so I have no objections.

[Armageddon]

1) I like landmarks, too. You can find their functions both in the manual(s) and in the in-game datalinks, if that's what you mean. If you find the Unity Wreckage, make sure to explore all squares of it, since there are a number of goodies to be found randomly spread across it (four, I think).

2) Turning pods off is ok for me.

3) Starting next week sounds good to me.

4) The natural enemy thing seemed a good idea in theory, but this game is so darned well balanced!  Morgan can use Green politics, for example. Natural enemies make the most difference between two or more AI-controlled facs. I say we might just as well pick some factions that we think are cool. My suggestion is that you pick one AI faction each. That's ok by me.

5) Oh, and I agree that Bodissey is welcome to join. 

That's all okay.

If we choose an AI faction, I would vote for Pirates, because they have natural advantage (make them live a little bit longer), it is not easy to slave them early, and I like them in general. It's good to have a faction on the seas.
I wouldn't pick University (danger of tech slave to a human player) and UN (because of the double votes), while the other ones are alright. But if you will decide it differently in the end, it's also no problem for me.

[Bodissey]

Believers can become quite a pain -if allowed to grow-- with their attack bonus.
I also have suffered some Spartan rover rush by the AI so either faction would be cool.

[Armageddon]

Sounds good. Getting the warmongers into the game.
I would have a try with Pirates, Sparta and Believers, why not?
No risk no fun! (shiver....)

[Rymdolov]

Sounds good. Getting the warmongers into the game.
I would have a try with Pirates, Sparta and Believers, why not?
No risk no fun! (shiver....)

We don't want the AI:s to be pushovers, so that sounds very good to me. Two explorer factions and the Spartans, who can never be trusted at all, makes for a couple of facs who will at least not be eradicated easily or quickly.

[Rymdolov]

I think we could let Bodissey decide about the Bell curve. No random events, that is.

This is what the final setup will look like, it seems. Unless there are any final objections? If not, it's time to ask sisko to set up a game, gather passwords, etc, so that we are ready to start playing next week.

On a side note I think that players should announce expected abscences, but of course IRL interfers every now and then. Like it says in the forum's MP rules.

Also something else that I forgot...

Setup	Preferences	AI	Bodissey	Rymdolov	Armageddon	demiurg	AI	AI
-	Factions	Pirates	Drones	Cyborgs	Morganites	Data Angels	Believers	Spartans
SMAX	Game: SMAC/SMAX & patches	v5.0(XP patch)+unofficial patch(Scient)
random	Map: Random or not		random	random	random	random
Medium	Size		Large/Medium	Medium	Medium	Medium
average	Ocean coverage		average	average	as low as we can agree on	-
average	Erosive forces		average	average	average	-
sparse	Native life forms		average	sparse	sparse	-
average	Cloud cover		average	average	average	-
off	Unity pods: on/off		on	Different than the last game	Different than the last game	-
Transcend	Difficulty level		Transcend	Librarian or higher	Transcend	Transcend
on	Allow Victory by Transcendence		on	on	on	-
on	Allow Victory by Conquest		on	on	on	-
on	Allow Diplomatic Victory		on	on	on	-
on	Allow Economic Victory		on	on	on	-
on	Allow Cooperative Victory		on	on	on	-
on	Do or Die: Don't restart eliminated players	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
on	Look first: Flexible starting locations		on	on	on	-
off	Tech stagnation: slower rate of research discoveries		off	off	off	-
off	Spoils of war: Steal tech when conquer base		off	off	off	-
off	Blind research: cannot set precise research goals		off	off	off	off
off	Intense Rivalry: Opponents more aggressiv		off	off	off	-
on	No Unity Survey: World Map not visible		on	on		-
off	No Unity Scattering: Supply Pods only at landing sites		off	off	doesn't care	-
off	Bell Curve: No Random Events		off	off	doesn't care	off
off	Time Warp: Accelerated Start (on/off/custom*)		off	off	off	-
on	Iron Man: Save/Restore restricted to exit	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
off	Randomize faction leader personalities		off	off	off	off
off	Randomize faction leader social agendas		off	off	off	off
24h	Expected turn rate (usually 24h)		24h	24h	24h	-
7	Number of days to wait before turn is 'pushed'**		5	3		-

[Rymdolov]

Oh yeah, about the roleplaying thing. I think we'll start a turn tracking thread where we can also post fac leader journal notes, snapshots from life in our factions or whatever rp pieces we like. RP:ing should add extra fun to playing the game and make the game more fun to follow for interested non-players (BU and sisko ). It shouldn't be a cause of stress or pressure to write a lot when not inspired. So we'll keep it at the level with which each of us is comfortable at any given time.

To add some flavour you could change your profile picture to the portrait of the fac leader you're playing (as I have). It will also make it easier to follow who's writing what.

[Rymdolov]

To add some flavour you could change your profile picture to the portrait of the fac leader you're playing (as I have). It will also make it easier to follow who's writing what.

...unless this messes up your other TTT:s, of course.

[demiurg]

i really would like to but i have no clue how too

[Buster's Uncle]

Put on an avatar?  Go to your profile>Forum Profile (under Modfiy Profile)>check Choose avatar from gallery>Choose avatar from gallery.  If what you need ain't there, let me know.

[demiurg]

cheers

[Buster's Uncle]

 

As I said in Council Room yesterday, runnin' around the forum nekkid just ain't right.

[Bodissey]

Regarding the bell curve, I'm not against random events. I'd say there should be some element of surprise.

[demiurg]

I always liked random events

[Rymdolov]

Who says no to occasional bumper crops? 

I've changed the table to include random events (ie the Bell Curve option is off). Are we good to go, then? We'll have to wait for Arm.