What will It Take?
 

Okay what will it take?

Am I going to have to splurge for free beer and pretzels? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon9.gif

Am I going to have to put my childhood collectable Shaft action figure with kung-fu grip at risk? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/shock.gif

Exactly, how am I to convince you to get your tail end over to PBW and sign up for my 1st Darwin's Legacy game? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...s/confused.gif

Hornet X1

hornetx1@excite.com

Re: What will It Take?
 

I don't count? *sniff* http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

-- Z.
fearless newbie

Re: What will It Take?
 

Too restrictive.

"* Diplomacy should be handled in game once your respective empires have met.

* Treaties "above" Trade and Research Alliance are not allowed under normal circumstances. You will be kicked for violation."

Those two mainly. Diplomacy via in-game only is *far* too freaking slow http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon9.gif that and I can see if you don't want to allow Partnerships, but why not Military Alliances?

Don't like the no gifting or trading either, but eh.

Phoenix-D

Re: What will It Take?
 

If enough people dislike a house rule I am willing to change it. I could alter the email rule and allow a military alliance.

I am willing to put them each to a vote in the game forum or here and I am more than open to suggestions.

I am personally still against wide open trading but might be convinced to allow gifting of ships for a more limited tech exchange where an opponent might have the opportunity to steal tech gains for themselves.

Their is a tendency for wide open gifting/trading to be abused. Maybe a gentlemen's agreement for equal value trades?

I dunno but post ideas here if you want.

Re: What will It Take?
 

Okay, If you find some of the game house rules problematic but your interested in the game concept, please post it here and we can vote on it and change it.

Brought to my attention so far:

1) Email Diplomacy: Originally, I wanted to limit its use in order to add some extra role-play tension where you would have to plan with an ally in the existing game message delay limits, simulating empires communicating over vast distances. However, if it hurts the game too much from a playability standpoint it can be changed.

2) Military Alliances: I waffle on this issue. Allowing them takes away somewhat from the "Against" vote in the Galactic Council but it makes things easier when deploying fleets. With out it, you would have to build your own resupply bases in an ally's territory, maybe on a small moon. I wanted to make it a little harder for people to team up and simulate the real world a just little better. (not much I know but a little). However again if it hurts too much from a playability standpoint it can be changed. It might be fun to write about establishing a base in a foreign land far from your home.

3) Wide Open Gifting/Trading: This is an every player for themselves game and I wanted to make it harder to and limit your ability to help another player. Their is a strong tendency to team up and I wanted to curtail it somewhat. Below I noted a couple of ideas to open things up a little. (ship trading?). I am open to suggestions here.

Opinions?

Hornet X1

hornetx1@excite.com

Re: What will It Take?
 

Well, this could make the game MORE restrictive, but since you've set it to 5000 racial points it shouldn't be too bad.

What if you made a rule that EVERYONE had to take a racial tech, that would certainly cut down on the usefulness of tech trading (but would increase the usefulness/likeliehood of ship trading). And it still leaves 3500 points for other stuff.

I'm thinking of joining, as soon as I decide what the heck to do with 5000 points http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: What will It Take?
 

Max out aggresiveness and defensiveness. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif Then take Advanced Storage and Hardy Industrialists.

Re: What will It Take?
 

Hardy industrialists is for suckers.

HI = 1000 points = +25% construction

Adding points to construction trait:

First +20% @ 25 points/% = 500 points
Then, the next 5% @ 100points/% = 500 more points

Total 1000 points, + 25% construction. However, adding that way affects planetary and space-based construction. HI only improves planetary.

I'm more of a propulsion experts fan (as you'll know from the game we've just met each other in Mr. Fyron http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: What will It Take?
 

Although I agree with you totally about agressive/defensive. I'd also probably pump maintainence up too.

And organic tech is always so fun to play around with.

Re: What will It Take?
 

Surprisingly, the game is only 3 players away from being ready to start.

I have updated the game description based on player input provided here.

1) Email diplomacy is now allowed.

2) Gifting is allowed, but direct trading and gifting of tech is still restricted.

3) Applied a new organization scheme for the game description.

Come On !!! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

You know deep down you really want to join up.

Your inner mini evil galactic dictator tells you so! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

******

Batman,

I will need Zetor's opinion before making the racial tech requirement you suggest since he might have to redo his empire. It could be fun.

On race design - nothing stops you from taking both hardy industrialist and 1000 racial points in construction. Religious tech might be an alternative to the aggressiveness trait. Just a little food for thought.

Hornet X1

hornetx1@excite.com

Re: What will It Take?
 

Yeah, taking points in construction and taking Hardy Industrialists is the only situation that I would take HI.

If we do the tech thing, maybe we could have everyone be randomly assigned a tech. (I'm sure one of the PBW admins would do this for us.) This, of course, only works if we have a small enough # of people.

Re: What will It Take?
 

Don't worry about me, I always use racial techs, in fact I build my races around 'em http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif (I think racial techs are one of SE4's biggest strengths, in fact)

-- Z.
ruler of the happy fun schizophrenic psycho people
"You're *sad animals*, do you want to *spread the wax*?"

Re: What will It Take?
 

What would people say to reducing the score display from all to allied (or even 'none')?

I always find it a little unrealistic to show total score (because people can draw conclusions about your offensive/defensive capabilities too easily from the # of ships/units/planets/systems etc)

Re: What will It Take?
 

Fine by me -- I'll get creamed either way, newbie that I am. <g>

-- Z.
of high self-esteem

Re: What will It Take?
 

Planetary space yards are just so much better than orbital ones. Build a space yard on every planet with 3 or more facility slots, and you wont be missing the orbital yards. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif I forgot to mention the Construction bonus too. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif Nothing beats a planet with a base 45% bonus to its construction rate.

Re: What will It Take?
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Score display set to None is one of the single worst things you can do in setting up a game.

Re: What will It Take?
 

How so? It makes things more realistic, if nothing else.

Re: What will It Take?
 

So you think you wouldnt be able to see anything about an empire that you were friendly with? I think your traders that go into their space would be able to notice something.

And in terms of gameplay, it is very annoying to not be able to see how far ahead of the competition I am. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: What will It Take?
 

Well, its a question of degree. Being able to tell exactly how many ships, planets etc an empire has is, to me, a little silly.

It takes away the bluff as a political tool. I can't say to you "Back off, or I'll bring in my fleet of 25 ships" if you can tell I've only got 12.

I don't mind score display:allied so much, although that can be abused too if your allies pass information to your enemies. Of course, that just means you need to pick your allies better.

Speaking of allied score display, you and I are in handsome positions in Sci-Fi bonanza eh Fyron? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: What will It Take?
 

I don't like Score = all.. WAAY too much info shown http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Allied is OK, tho I prefer None.

Phoenix-D

Re: What will It Take?
 

Ok, glad to see I'm not alone in my paranoia. I don't want people looking over my empire in detail.

If a game of Se4 was a hick-town, I'd be on the porch with a shotgun, and I'm not even the most paranoid person I know.

Re: What will It Take?
 

At the time of this posting we are now 1 player away from the minimum required to start.

*******

Batman, Pheonix D,

If you look at the "Background" information at the bottom of the game description, you will see that the sphere artifacts provide an in-game reality explanation for the score display being set to "all". I do not know if you have seen a rather old animated movie entitled "Heavy Metal" but it is the spiritual inspiration for the sphere artifacts. They exist to cause havoc by teasing you with information about enemy capabilities and your inferiority as much as anything else in the game. (A spur to action)

I will admit that in-game scores have a tendency to mess up with time. (At least they went haywire in my Last game.)

It makes me wonder if I should activate the statistics option provided by PBW instead and let the server display scores for the game? Maybe selectable? Can I change the specific statistics displayed while the game is running.? Maybe the number of bases for a few rounds, then population for a few. Literally, tease players with info but never give quite enough. I would do that randomly.

About the race tech - I lean toward telling players to simply choose the race benefits which fit their race background the most. For example, It should be obvious that I selected crystallurgy from my shipset selection. If they happen to have a rare tech either racial or researched then their equipment is just that much more valuable in trade. So be it.

Opinions Anyone?

Hornet X1

hornetx1@excite.com

Re: What will It Take?
 

I just signed up, I love the rp possibilties with this one. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon6.gif

Nodachi

Re: What will It Take?
 

Last Chance!

Much to my surprise, the Game is now one slot from the maximum number of players allowed.

*This is the Last call for players and your Last chance to join up.* http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/shock.gif

Some of you are missing out on a game that could be more than just memorable. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Hornet X1

hornetx1@excite.com

(edited out a typo)

[ June 18, 2002, 06:50: Message edited by: Hornet X1 ]

Re: What will It Take?
 

Joined.

Hopefully Geo or others can upload my shipset so that I can use it ingame.

Re: What will It Take?
 

Terran, you can upload your shipset yourself..just go to the section you download the races from at PBW and hit the upload button http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Phoenix-D

Re: What will It Take?
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">What? You are 0.8k ahead of me? How dare you! You shall die for this! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif j/k

Oh, btw, the Zanar'ri are not as nice as the Klingons. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

[ June 18, 2002, 08:46: Message edited by: Imperator Fyron ]