MP Alliances functionality?
 

I believe we've addressed this before, but I can't recall the thread or its outcome:

Is there any possibility of tossing in a very basic MP allied victory functionality? I'd think it'd be so simple to implement -- a simple flag that toggles when two players send/agree to an alliance which totals their provinces/research/victory points into a single sum when checking for a win. If there are multiple flags between players, add all together for the determining factor.

Granted, that will require some player-regulation as quick alliances will lead to quick victories (esp. if capitals count as victory points) but even then, I think the option is better than not having it at all. I'm not asking for any SP enhancements like letting the comp ally. But it just seems strange to me that that functionality isn't there for Dominions. I recognize it's not completely thematic and perhaps that's the final answer, but I think the theme could be slightly twisted (ascension as a slightly weaker pantheon) in order to make room for a type of gameplay that players very much want in the game.

Thoughts?

Re: MP Alliances functionality?
 

I don't really see the point. If your already playing as an ally to another player, then surely your capable of deciding on a pre-set victory condition amongst the rest of your group?

Unless you have a real hankering for the ascension message http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

The problem with the suggestion is that your going to have players who want to ally but not have their resources totalled up, or players who want alliances in the game, but don't want allied victory to be possible, and a hundred and one other potential victory situations being requested.

Re: MP Alliances functionality?
 

Well, I think the biggest thing is just eliminating the math/uncertainty from the system. I look at the graphs and I can't say for certain whether three players DO have enough victory points/provinces/etc. to win. I'd rather the computer do the counting rather than ask each player to hand-count their provinces/VPs/etc. and then risk accusations of cheating, etc. on top of it all.

Re: MP Alliances functionality?
 

I think allied victory with VPs is rather questionable, and should only happen if it was agreed to be possible before the game started.

Allied victory, IMO, is when there is only one alliance left and they just agree "we won".

Re: MP Alliances functionality?
 

Like I said, it'd require some house-ruling so that a group of players didn't suddenly decide to end a game prematurely by allying out of nowhere. I'm not saying that it's an idea that wouldn't require some discussion. I'm just frustrated by the complete lack thereof at the moment.

Re: MP Alliances functionality?
 

Scoredump file shows the actual counts.

Same information as in the graphs, but gives the actual numbers.

Re: MP Alliances functionality?
 

I dont think many games go to completion anyway. They tend to end by majority vote on who won.

Of course if someone WANTS hard clear number then thats easy to setup. I could do that for any game running on my server. It just involves having the postexec command work the scores file.

Re: MP Alliances functionality?
 

Actually this is an interesting question. Team blitz games are extremely fun, its a shame that we cannot set up teams before the game and gain shared vision with our team mates, also our dominion strength wouldn't cause problems for our team mate's nation in that case etc. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/cool.gif

Re: MP Alliances functionality?
 

I'd like to see this. Story is null in most multiplayer components of strategy games anyway. For example, I can choose zerg while my partner chooses protoss, etc. even though the two are fictionally opposed to each other. There doesn't need to be justification for why a team aspect is available. It's purely for player enjoyment and could only benefit this game and the community. Whether the resources are there to implement it or not is the question though, and I doubt it.

Re: MP Alliances functionality?
 

It just seems that the resources should be fairly inexpensive. The team-algorithm would seem to be a string of pretty simple IF/THENs (IF player A flagged "team A" THEN add X, Y, Z from all other "team A" flags, etc.)

I could be totally wrong here, but a bare-bones system, I'd think, should be fairly easy to implement.