Kirov VS Kata PBEM

[Kataphraktoi]

Darsnan has graciously agreed to CMN this game, so we should discuss the game settings.

...post your game options (world size, water versus land level, NL intensity, Faction preferences, etc.), or just send me a PM with the options (and have Kirov either E-Mail me or PM me his password preference as well) and I'll get to it as I get time. I'll also think about what units I think think AIs should have, so I'll give you that list beforehand so you can definatively say yes or no to the proposed units before I build the game.

[Kataphraktoi]

My thoughts would be along these lines;

Huge map
Native Life:Average Or Abundant
Land\Water ratio:Either 30-50% or 50-70% (I do like good continents )
Cloud cover: Dense
Unity pods: off or greatly reduced (I like pods but i understand they can be too good)


An AI that isnt just ripe fruit to be exploited is nice as well, although if they tech up too well then probing them would be too good of an option. About secret projects, maybe the CBA\EG should be removed from play.

Factions: I was thinking of playing Sparta

[Kirov]

You woke up Darsnan from his slumber!  Truly, the Prophecy was right. We must not fail to take this opportunity.

But are we sure we want a huge map? I've always considered SMAC to suffer from so-common 'snowball effect', where the better player can climbs up to a get-away point after which nobody can touch him, and very often this takes place even before any serious confrontation. The bigger the map, the worse this case, obviously. Of course, your playing Sparta can change a lot. Do you want it to make a builder vs. fighter on Huge or am I to take some Miriam or someone like that?

[Kataphraktoi]

You are probably right about that, because of that snowball effect the game becomes more about drop orbital warfare. Its the usual TBS problem of armies becoming obsolete before they arrive. Lets make it Large then? But one thing about the huge map is you can just put the players closer together so they are same distance as a Large, but maybe that just leaves alot of dead and pointless map space.

Take any faction you like, but maybe not Zak. Free Drones, Hive, Morgan wouldnt be too out of line, depending on your faction affinity. Or Lal, Aki, etc.  I had a builder strategy in mind for Sparta but it cant compete with the best Zak can bring.

[Kataphraktoi]

And here we go 

[Kirov]

Fantastic! As is tradition, good luck and have fun.

Scient's patch and stockpiling on, am I right?

[Kataphraktoi]

Yup.

And im pretty sure the savegame attached to your last post is a gaian midturn save 

[Kirov]

I'm afraid it's not. When I click the end turn, the game jumps to make next turn already! Checked in two copies. You ever heard of something like that? I'm afraid we need to contact Darsnan about it.

[Kataphraktoi]

So i loaded the game at 2101, sent to you, and its 2101 on your turn and then endturn button makes a 2103??

Yes we will need to post there about it. Im a bit confused at the moment what the problem is so as to say some intelligible about it though

[Kataphraktoi]

Can you not open the save game you just posted with your own password? It says gaians ingame

[Kirov]

Yes, my password works, I reached '04 or '05. Simply put, it looks like a passworded single game. I don't want to try it any further not to get any undue advantage. And no, I haven't experienced or heard about anything like that and my other saves work fine. So as I'm surprised as you are.

[Kataphraktoi]

Ok,i made a post

BTW isnt it your turn to play in the waterworld pbem? Your the technocrats

[Darsnan]

OK, I downloaded the save Kirov posted and was able to duplicate the issue.

I'm uploading a save a few more turns in from the scenario I generated this from (i.e. sort of a fresh start), and in which I played a few more turns into the game without issue (i.e. I get prompted for both players and their passwords). Can you download this and see if the issue continues or not with this version of the game?

Also, I am using scient's patch dated 3/27/09. Is this the same version you all are using?
 If not can you post it so I can ensure I am using the same executable?

Otherwise I don't know what's going on here - never had this issue before. :-/ We'll have to figure out a workaround, which may be that I just play an extra turn for everyone to clear this hurdle.

D

[Kataphraktoi]

Here we go again, but this time the free minerals get wasted on scout patrols, not scout rovers as intended...oh well.

[Kirov]

I have the same, scouts instead of formers, so it's equal.