Waterworld!

[ete]

Flood bug avoided (started with randomized map): Hope so, used an existing map as base so can't be certain, but it seems good quality and waterworlds won't be as damaged by floodbug anyway.
All banned Secret Projects set to destroyed: MCC
Requested alphax changes: CBA->Orbital Spaceflight. Copter base movement -> 4. I'm lowering eco-damage to happen significantly less often too, 1/5 of usual, but you'll still get normal number of worm pops.
Difficulty: Transcend
Force current difficulty: ON
Human starting bases: One, at good location.
Human starting units: 2 Sea CPs, 2 gun foils, one transport foil, 2 sea formers (3 for atlants)
Human starting techs (check for selectable techs like Uni): Defaults plus doc:flex and cent eco, inf net for atlants.
Human diplomatic relations: none
Human explored areas: just near current base
AI starting bases: 17 Bree bases across the map evenly scattered nearish each human, each with a HQ. Have fun with that .
Seed AI enhancements built (Forests etc): Fungus. They get 2 mins/1 nut for it.
AI starting units (include Morale): One scout patrol per base for police.
AI starting techs (check for selectable techs like Uni): defaults.
AI diplomatic relations: Hates/is at war with everyone. Not impossible to make friends with, but you'll have to try very hard.

Game settings
ALL victory types allowed
Intense rivalry ON
All other settings OFF

Rules
Follow standard rules: http://alphacentauri2.info/index.php?topic=1519.0
Announce SPs the turn before they complete (when it's turns to go 1 or 0).
Use my modified alphax.txt. Back up your original.
Upgrading crawlers before adding them to hurry secret project is NOT allowed. Upgraded crawlers may not be cashed in to speed up production.
scient's patch should be used for play.


How long are you willing to wait for a turn without explanation before the person gets eliminated/turn skipped? Also, I propose that if someone is going to be away for a week+, they find someone to step in temporarily rather than stalling the game.

Anyway, download the CMN3 pack, unzip it directly into your AC folder after backing up your alphax.txt (rename your one alphaxold.txt or something), and play . Kirov's first.

Turn order:
1. AI - Bree
2. Kirov - Technocrats
3. Kataphraktoi - Seamen (Aquatic Drones) - EST (-5 GMT) (typically am on anywhere from 6-10 AM in the morning to 10 PM to midnight)
4. Geo -  Atlantians
5. Vishniac - Submariners (Aquatic Hive) - CET (can usually play from 6PM to midnight)

[Kataphraktoi]

7. Upgrading crawlers before adding them to hurry secret project allowed. - Do you want that allowed? I'm of the opinion that it's kinda an exploit, and makes SPs one turn things which are kinda cheap, rather than major investments for a faction.

1+ vote allowed

Do you want Yitzi's patch or scient's? Yitzi's currently has one annoying bug, but fixes several others, and he's working to fix the extra minerals lost on switching production bug. Pick one early (before eco damage) and all stick with it.

+1 scient.

How long are you willing to wait for a turn without explanation before the person gets eliminated/turn skipped? Also, I propose that if someone is going to be away for a week+, they find someone to step in temporarily rather than stalling the game.

xenobanana

[Geo]

1) no upgrading with the purpose of insta-building a secret project.

2) Scient's

3) concencus vote among remaining players for booting a non-responsive player, but give it a 10 day wait.

[Kirov]

ete, this alphax doesn't seem to work. I used 2 copies for that and got an error with CTD. Are you sure it's fine to use scient's? Your alphax seems to be based on Yitzi's patch, with the additional variables and stuff.

[Kirov]

It works with Yitzi's patch alright. Remember that going to the production screen in midproduction takes away several minerals, even if you don't change anything. Clicking 'Cancel' seems to prevents this, but you still lose the minerals if you do want to change the production, even with the first 10 minerals or between Projects. Yitzi says he'll try to do something about it.

[Kirov]

I completely forgot - thanks to ete for the game, and good luck and have fun to you all! The map seems like a cool place already.

[ete]

Consensus on scient's, so remove these lines from the new alphax.txt and it should work with scient's.

(click to show/hide)

8        ; Bonus borehole ecodamage {-32768 to 32767}
6        ; Bonus mirror ecodamage {-32768 to 32767}
4        ; Bonus condenser ecodamage {-32768 to 32767}
0        ; If non-zero, borehole count per base is squared when determining ecodamage {under -2 billion to over 2 billion}
0,       ; If non-zero, bonus ecodamage is not affected by PLANET rating or clean minerals {under -2 billion to over 2 billion}
16,      ; Starting "clean minerals" {-32768 to 32767}
1,       ; CM per fungal pop {-32768 to 32767}
1,       ; CM per relevant facility {-32768 to 32767}
5,       ; Extra "virtual minerals" per relevant atrocity/missile {-32768 to 32767}
0,       ; If non-zero, fungal pops reduce the effects of atrocities/missiles but do not increase CM {under -2 billion to over 2 billion}
0,       ; If non-zero, ecodamage is based off Planet Busters rather than major atrocities {under -2 billion to over 2 billion}
1,       ; Mineral divisor for ecodamage (applied before clean minerals) {1 to 32767}
3        ; PLANET multiplier at 0 PLANET rating {-128 to 127}
1        ; Minimum PLANET multiplier {0 to 127}
6        ; Maximum PLANET multiplier {minimum rating to 127}
300,     ; Ecodamage divisor {1 to over 2 billion}
0,       ; Extra ecodamage per base {-32768 to 32767}
10,      ; Upgrade cost per row of new unit (plus per square of rows if not prototyped) {-32768 to 32767}
0,       ; Upgrade discount per row of old unit {-32768 to 32767}
0,       ; Upgrade cost per 1/16 square of new unit rows {-32768 to 32767}
0,       ; Upgrade discount per 1/16 square of old unit rows {-32768 to 32767}
10,      ; Upgrade cost per weapon difference {-32768 to 32767}
10,      ; Upgrade cost per armor difference {-32768 to 32767}
10,      ; Planetpearls multiplier {-32768 to 32767}
-1,      ; Nutrients granted by condenser {-128 to 127; negative numbers add +50% instead}
2,       ; Bonus speed per reactor for needlejets {-128 to 127}
2,       ; Bonus speed per reactor for copters {-128 to 127}
2,       ; Bonus speed per reactor for gravships {-128 to 127}
2,       ; Bonus speed per reactor for missiles {-128 to 127}
8,       ; Unit cost rules {0 to 4 for basic formula; add 8 to include reactor-based additions to chassis cost for sea and air units, and 16 to use the variant form of the rules.}
0,       ; Convoy resource penalty  {-128 to 127}
0,       ; If non-zero, recalculate base statistics after each change {under -2 billion to over 2 billion}

Bear in mind Yitzi's working on fixing the main bug that seems to be an issue, and if you want to switch to Yitzi for other bugfixes that will work fine so long as there's not been eco damage.

Let's say 10 days without a turn unannounced=kick player (if other players don't grant an extension). And any break of over a week=must attempt to find a replacement player to stand in while they're away, ideally try to find replacements for 4+ day breaks.

Also, Seamen=Drone and Submariners=Hive. You all got your first picks for factions.

And that's one each way for allowing crawler upgrading. If it's a tie, I'll pick, but let's hear the other two votes.

No prob Kirov . I used an existing water map as a base, which saved a lot of work. I mostly spent time making land less appealing (fungus!), moving the nexus, and making start locations more balanced.

[Kataphraktoi]

Ok, just like to make sure im not messing the game up here;what i did was make a scenario folder, put the files you gave in it, removed those lines from alpha and loaded the savegame from within that folder. All looks good. Ill play the sav in a moment and upload

[Geo]

Seems to work here (I removed Yitzi's extra parameters in Alphax first) with a scenario folder.

ete, could you post the *whole* faction play order please? I seems to have the Angel graphics at my end, and want to try to get that right.

[ete]

@Kata: That's slightly different from how I did things (replacing the original alphax.txt) but afaik your method should work. If your graphics start messing up, try just dumping the faction files+alphax.txt in the main AC folder after backing up your alphax.txt.

@Geo: Turn order (only including factions used, let me know if you need others (6 and 7th).. but they should not matter)

Bree
Technos
Seamen (drones)
Atlants
Submariners (hive)

[Geo]

When dropping all the files in the main folder, I have a bad technology key on Cornering the global market.

Tried to take a screenshot, but it pasted black in my graphic editor.

[Kataphraktoi]

Try opening paint.exe prior to running the game, then ctrl-alt-deleting out with the screenshot and pasting it in. (if your on win7 a different process may be needed, but thats what works on my pc)

[Vishniac]

NOT allowing crawler upgrade for SPs.

The game seems to work fine. Good.
I'll use the Mart operation about faction colors later.

The map is interesting but seems very large. (HELL, 29 turns to the next tech at the end of my turn?!?  )
We need some strict turn discipline to make the game going fast.
10 days for no-response booting is ok but in this era of connexion I expect everybody at least to post to say "I'll be away 2-3-4 days, don't worry!". It takes 1min. Only guys run over by a car or getting an heartstroke will be excused. Remember it may be only a game but it is also a solid time-investment.
  Ok? 

[Kirov]

Yet again had to use Yitzi's, had the same problem as before and as Geo. Geo, could you please upload your alphax without Yitzi's parametres? I'm quite sure that's the culprit.

[Kirov]

Ok, just like to make sure im not messing the game up here;what i did was make a scenario folder, put the files you gave in it, removed those lines from alpha and loaded the savegame from within that folder. All looks good. Ill play the sav in a moment and upload

I checked it and while in theory it should work, it doesn't with my game (again, two copies). To check what alphax version you're using, go to F1 and see preqs for CBA. If it's MMI, you're using your main folder alphax. If you can manage to tap alphax not from the main folder, tell me exactly what you're doing, because I can't.

And yes, faction files should go into the main or you won't get proper graphics.

I'm fine with any arrangements as to booting.

Vishniac, 29 turns?? It means that you have way too many techs already. But to be serious, yes, you play the Hive, starting with several techs and with no energy in your base tiles - you'd better harvest energy tiles ASAP.

ete, could you put the turn order in the first post? I lost the count who's who.