Re: PBW PvK Proportions Game #2
 

Thanks again Fyron, and yeah, sigh, ah well, at least one of the two values works backwards. I think maybe I tested that way back when I put the planet unhappiness on the system fac in the older Version, and then like so many details, I forgot it. Of course, lots of little things changed with each Version of the game, so it's really nice to have a current report about it.

AlarikF, yes, it will be possible to add some things as the game goes on, as long as the players agree to add them.

PvK

Re: PBW PvK Proportions Game #2
 

I might be interested in joining...

Re: PBW PvK Proportions Game #2
 

Good. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: PBW PvK Proportions Game #2
 

I have created the game on PBW, titled "PvK's Proportions Game #2", so people can sign up.

Hopefully I can even finish the new mod Version tonight.

Maybe people should post the minimum number of players they feel we should have before we start the game, too.

PvK

Re: PBW PvK Proportions Game #2
 

Count me in!

However, I wouldn't mind seeing a slightly larger map than what's described - I like a bit of room to explore and offer strategic depth http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Still, I'll go with whatever you decide.
Can't wait to try out the new mod changes!

-Hippo

Re: PBW PvK Proportions Game #2
 

Cool. I am thinking basically everyone will be 4 warp jumps from almost everyone else. This means everyone will have two adjacent colonizable systems, and one colonizable system that is equa-distant from other players, two warp jumps away. However there may be some non-colonizable systems, systems with just one planet, etc., to give weird maneuver and exploration options, and maybe some very distant systems people could go for too, with some planets, but mainly everyone will have pretty good access to most or all other players and the easily available planets, so there will be plenty of opportunity for conflict.

This is a counterpoint to PvK Proportions Game #1, where the map is large and several nations have no access at all to others without travelling very long distances through each others' space, and everyone had several systems they could colonize. I actually really like the map we got in many ways, with its seas of no connections, the weird Krsqk cluster hidden in the corner with only one quadrant-spanning connection to the far corner, and so on, but it definitely "slowed" interaction between players, which I think has a lot to do with why we had so many drop-outs, and why it's been as peaceful as it has.

Anyway, comments and requests are welcome.

PvK

Re: PBW PvK Proportions Game #2
 

Here are my notes on the empire cost changes in 3.0:

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">code:</font><hr /><pre style="font-size:x-small; font-family: monospace;">
--------------------
Empire Cost Changes:
--------------------
* Lowered value of &quot;Advanced Power Conservation&quot; to 900 points.
* Lowered value of &quot;Supply Guzzlers&quot; to -700 points.
* Lowered value of &quot;Natural Merchants&quot; to 1500 points.
* Renamed &quot;Propulsion Experts&quot; to &quot;Transcendental Navigation&quot; with a new
description, since it has a bizarre disproportionate effect.
* Added a new &quot;Propulsion Experts&quot; trait, which is a new racial tech
area that provides better propulsion components.
* Renamed &quot;Mechanoids&quot; to &quot;Plague Immune&quot; and dropped cost to 400 points.
* Physical Strength values lowered.
* Intelligence costs tweaked. &quot;Dumb&quot; races get more points back.
* Cunning adjusted per PvK Balance Mod.
* Happiness and Environmental Resistance values slashed, but Happiness
ranges increased, in light of research into lack of effect of racial
Happiness.
* Reproduction maximum increased. Now limited only by cost.
* Aggressiveness and Defensiveness adjusted per PvK Balance Mod.
* Political Savvy adjusted per PvK Balance Mod.
* Resource extraction aptitudes left as in Proportions 2.5.3.1.
* Construction Aptitude adjusted per PvK Balance Mod, except positive
threshold. Also extended allowed minimum range to 25.
* Repair Aptitude adjusted per PvK Balance Mod, with increased min and
max values.
* Maintenance Aptitude left as is, because it uses SJ's base-100 system.
</pre><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">PvK

Re: PBW PvK Proportions Game #2
 

Nice PvK !

About the fighters: Just increase the hull cost by a few minerals or whatever, that will make it harder to mass them !

Re: PBW PvK Proportions Game #2
 

I'm aware of the fighter issue, and have something in the works, but it's not done yet. I figure it would be best to get it in before starting, so it may be Monday before it's ready, as I have other tasks I need to do today and this weekend.

I more or less agree with your comments on the fighters in 2.5. They are too good too early, meaning fleets should bring interceptors with them, etc. It worked sort of on a World War II or modern naval air analogy (or Star Wars, or Battlestar Galactica, or...), but that does mean mostly requiring fighters to deal with other fighters.

My current approach is to slash the combat modifiers they start with, and move the availability of higher-powered weapons to higher tech levels. So the first fighters you can get are more like armed shuttlecraft, - auxiliary weapons that can help but that can also be dealt with by ships. The higher tech levels will still be quite strong, but by those tech levels, ships have better combat mods and defenses available too, and the higher-tech fighter components will also cost more. Also, since there will be a greater change in performance with technology, amassing fighters during periods of peace should be less effective, since the older fighters should be outmatched by newer models. That's the theory - I think I can come close to pulling it off, but it will take some effort.

I'm already doing the fighter/bomber split - I'm not sure what the torpedo bomber distinction would be, unless you mean planet-only or planet/ship weapons opposed to ship-only weapons. That's already in there.

PvK

Re: PBW PvK Proportions Game #2
 

More testing on planet happiness ability:

I built a faciltiy with -20 planet happiness. The planet quickly dropped to angry mood, never below. Then I built one with +10, nothing changed for 10 turns of waiting. I built a second +10, nothing changed very fast. Then I built a third +10, and the mood increased quickly.

This confirms that facilities with the planet happiness ability stack with each other. You can build two of the same facility for double the effect. A negative facility and a positive facility add together, not one replaces the other. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Note that for the system happiness ability, only the best ability in the system is used.

[ August 06, 2004, 19:48: Message edited by: Imperator Fyron ]