The perfect PBW game?

[Slynky]

Originally posted by geoschmo:
Maybe I'll just see if I can interest my next Koth opponent in this. Would make killing each other pretty interesting if we had to go through AI players to do it I think.

Offhand, I'd say that would be a bad idea. There is already an element of luck that skews games as is (systems, nebulas, breathables, etc.) without introducing another possible luck factor: ("Well, that sucked, the AI was right beside me but the AI in your area was 3 systems away") or, ("My AI attacked me right away while yours waited 10 turns to declare war"!). Etc.

Again, just an offhand thought.

[Gryphin]

You could use only one the sam AI for all of the AI players.

[Phoenix-D]

Or turn on Team Mode..

[Slynky]

Originally posted by Gryphin:
You could use only one the sam AI for all of the AI players.

But there is still a matter of proximity and inter-reaction. After all, I think it's a dice roll, for example, for them to declare war on you and attack. Of course, the madder they get at you, the more likely that will happen, but imagine one KOTH player meeting the AI and it attacks next turn and the other KOTH player gets lucky for 5 or more turns?

[tesco samoa]

geo very subjective.

i personally like 36 hours
proven players or brand new players ( a mix of that )
6 or more

Small map : 1 to 3 planet start
med map 3 to 10 planet start
large 10 planet start

The ability to adjust the turn limit by 12 to 24 hours when needed ( once in a while )

Max 2 player alliance victory or Last man standing

Role Playing

I do not like the end game ... Just the middle of a game... That is when it is fun.

And no talisman. As they ruin the game.

[Geckomlis]

We had the same issue when I played large, long-term, multi-player wargames:
More players = better games
More players = slower games
Slower games = loss of interest

The trick to keeping them moving at a fast pace and interesting was to allow your teammates to take your turn(s) if you were not available.

So, I would suggest a multilateral max player PBW game with predetermined teams. Set up the game and passwords so that you can perform a teammate’s turn, as needed. Let the teams work out their own arrangements on who is playing which empire when.

24 hour turns/full auto and the No AI mod would be fine for this set up. I would be willing to try this if anyone is interested.

What do you think?

Gecko

[ June 26, 2003, 21:10: Message edited by: geckomlis ]

[Stone Mill]

Originally posted by Phoenix-D:
Or turn on Team Mode..

I am playing in a PBW game like this called "The Good, Bad, Ugly, and Dead." It is a 2-on-2 partner game with 10 TDM races high bonus, on team mode. Some of them started with sphereworlds/ringworlds. Pretty fun... 2 of the humans got beat up pretty bad by the AI.

[Chronon]

Geo, I think you've already created the perfect PBW game: 20 Players - 24 Hours. It goes fast enough to keep everyone interested, and the diplomacy has been great. I also like the small galaxy; it was interesting from the first turn.

PS I should give kudos to Imperator Fyron, too, because Adamant 005 (small galaxy, lots of players) was a lot of fun as well.

[geoschmo]

Originally posted by Chronon:
Geo, I think you've already created the perfect PBW game: 20 Players - 24 Hours. It goes fast enough to keep everyone interested, and the diplomacy has been great. I also like the small galaxy; it was interesting from the first turn.

Thanks Chronon. I have enjoyed it too. Although I think maybe it was a few too many players and a little small of a quadrant. But it has been interesting.

The biggest problem with it though is there are just so many missed turns. I don't think we've had ten in the entire game theat everyone got their turn in before the time limit. Although usually people dont' miss two in a row. SO I guess it's nto that bad.

Geoschmo

[Chronon]

Perhaps you could have 7 players on a small map, so each one gets three systems at the beginning (3 starting planets). Then set the time limit to 36 hours. I'll bet that would move pretty quickly, and there would be some good diplomacy as well.