New game starting on PBW, "THE GREAT EXPIRIMENT"

geoschmo · #1 July 26th, 2001, 05:05 PM

If you are interested in this, you will find it on PBW. The game name is "The Great Expiriment"

(Thanks to SJ for the seed he planted in my head to do something like this.)

Millennia ago your race first left the bounds of your home planet and began exploring the stars. Very early in your history you discovered warp points that allowed you to travel to other systems and meet new races. Because of your fear and hatred, you and your neighbors have nearly destroyed each other in centuries of conflict. Many races have become extinct. The few that remain have become highly advanced, but equally vicious and paranoid.

Then a discovery of major importance was made. The warp points that you and your enemies have been using were not natural phenomenon. This does not come as a major surprise. Your scientists had discovered hundreds of years ago the principles behind them, and had even been able to manipulate them to a small degree. However, what was a surprise was that the Ancient ones still existed, and they have returned!

The Ancient ones were not pleased with the chaos that reigned among their children. They have completed the job of destroying your empires that you have begun. Not wanting to exterminate you completely though, they have decided to be merciful and give you another chance. A small number of your race have been spared oblivion and will be used to populate a new galaxy. But you will not be alone. You will have to share this galaxy with those that you have been at war with for generations. And the Ancient ones were careful to select only the least educated members of your race. You will have the capacity to relearn your old technology, but you will not take that knowledge with you to your new homes.

Will you be able to put aside your differences and live in peace and harmony? And if, as is likely, the old hatreds and prejudices flare up again, will you prevail and survive? Or will you join the rest of your once great race in mists of history.

The Great Experiment begins...

Each race will have one "Seed ship" and NO planets to start with. It will be a low tech start. 2000 racial points.

At the beginning you will only have the one seed ship, so you will not be able to contact each other, except by email or forum, which is fine if you want to. Call it ship to ship radio if you want. Your ships will start in the same system, but there will be no colonizable planets there. I expect some of you will colonize the first planet you find, and some will go far to find a more secure, or more resource rich planet. This will be up to you. Once you have established a colony, and built some ships, you can seek each other out and make contact again, for trade, or war.

Your seed ship will have supply sufficient to reach anywhere in the quadrant. Probably a quantum reactor. You will not have the understanding to build these though. I will also try to fit it with a bunch of armor, but I would avoid damaging storms and warp points if I were you. There is a slight possibility one of you could be hit by an "event" prior to establishing a colony that could effectively knock you out of the game. If this happens, I am sorry. You will have to balance the risk of spending more time finding a choice starting planet against the risk of staying in your colony ship for a long time.

Once I have the players and the empire files, it will take me a few days to get the game set up. Also, I need you to email me with the password you used for your empire so I can run through a few turns to get the scenario set up right.

This game is unusual, so don't hesitate to ask questions if you don't understand something.

Geoschmo

[This message has been edited by geoschmo (edited 26 July 2001).]

Suicide Junkie · #2 July 26th, 2001, 06:06 PM

quote:
A small number of your race have been spared oblivion and will be used to populate a new galaxy.

May I suggest that you not give every empire all the starmaps?

Since this is a new galaxy, it is entirely reasonable.
Also, there will be some point to taking the "ancient race" trait. While the name of the trait does not really make sense, the maps would be somewhat useful.

Those with ancient race could head directly towards the planet they consider to be best, while the others wander.
Other races may try taking propulsion experts, follow the ancient race ship, then try to pass them when the good planet comes in view

Just trying to say that you don't have to make the ancient race trait useless in your game.

Another interesting option is a ringworld on the far side of the map: Is a race to the ringworld worth more to you than an early start on a smaller world?

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geoschmo · #3 July 26th, 2001, 06:16 PM

I had a reason for that, it had to do with how I was going to set the game up.

But I just realized there is a way around that, so I am taking that out.

Thanks SJ.

As far as the Ringworlds, that is an option. I was not planning on doing that, but if everybody in the game wants it I can do it.

Geo

Suicide Junkie · #4 July 26th, 2001, 06:25 PM

quote:
As far as the Ringworlds, that is an option. I was not planning on doing that, but if everybody in the game wants it I can do it.

I was actually thinking of just one ringworld. Getting to it first would take luck and lots of time, and would likely make everybody else hate you. It would be quite a risk to use it.

------------------
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Deathstalker · #5 July 26th, 2001, 06:54 PM

Just curious, what is to stop you from entering combat first turn, ramming with your colonizer and hoping to destroy the enemy and hoping to take minimal damage yourself (best case: your colinizer component safe, his destroyed). (got this from an old CIV strategy, run like heck till you find a village with your settlers, take the chariot you find and destroy the other empires b4 they settle, won a game REAL early that way once.)

------------------
"The Empress took your name away," said Chance.
Owen smiled coldly. "It wasn't hers to take. I'm a Deathstalker until I die. And we never forget a slight or an enemy." -Owen Deathstalker.

geoschmo · #6 July 26th, 2001, 07:18 PM

Nothing I suppose. Although I think the risk of damage to your ship is very great. And how many opponents will you be able to take out this way? One, two at the most, if you are VERY lucky. Out of maybe ten races? (depending on how much interest this gets.) Even if you survive you may damage your reactor or engines, which will severly limit your ability to find a suitable planet to colonize.

Plus, there will be a nasty suprise for anybody who tries to loiter around in the starting system too long. But I will let you wait for the game to see that.

Or maybe I'll come up with a way to prevent that outright before the game starts. I'll let you know.

Geo

geoschmo · #7 July 26th, 2001, 07:49 PM

I suppose the easiest way to deal with this is to give the "seed ship" stealth ability, and no sensors. Then noone can attack you, cause they can't see you. This will also lend an element of mystery, since you will not know where the other empires are until they plant roots somewhere. This could be very interesting, cause you could find a planet you like, drop ship, and find out someone else established in the same system on the same turn. Also would add more of the risk reward equation to how long do you stay in the seed ship?

Geoschmo

Suicide Junkie · #8 July 26th, 2001, 08:11 PM

If the colonizers don't have shields, and are designed identically, then they will have the same hitpoints, and both should die when they ram. Not a very good strategy.

quote:
Plus, there will be a nasty suprise for anybody who tries to loiter around in the starting system too long. But I will let you wait for the game to see that.

First thing I thought was: Unstable Star.
Next thought: Either he was lucky to get that random event, and decided to pretend he's planned it all along, or he changed the rules to make one happen every turn, and reloaded the game until his starting system became unstable.
Then: Or maybe, he's got something else in mind - black hole effect? An AI attack ship? Damage-causing storms?

quote:
Or maybe I'll come up with a way to prevent that outright before the game starts. I'll let you know.

All humans should be bright enough to start looking for a home right away. If you aren't going to move out of the start system by your second turn, you've already lost the game.

------------------
The latest info on Pirates & Nomads (forum thread).
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Alpha Kodiak · #9 July 26th, 2001, 08:15 PM

Will you have enough resources once you colonize to build up the home world? You will need to build a space port, followed by resource producers, research facilities, a resupply facility, ship yard and maybe some things I am forgetting.

The idea sounds really interesting, but you'll want to make sure that there are enough starting resources to get the new homeworld going.

Suicide Junkie · #10 July 26th, 2001, 08:25 PM

There is a basic, minimum empire production of 100 of each resource in SE4 classic. That will be enough to finish your first mineral miner, and you can then build a farm and radiocatives extractor with those minerals.

As long as your colony ship dosen't sit around too long, soaking up money for maintenance, you will still have stored resources to start with. Even if you plant at the Last second, you will have the basic income for spaceport & extractor construction.

PS:
I would also suggest that the mod used for this game have a minimum resource income set to 500 or more (Enough for an extractor after 3 turns of waiting)

Since SpacePorts take 3 turns, and 5 or 6 thousand minerals, the natural merchants trait would be more valuable than normal!

------------------
The latest info on Pirates & Nomads (forum thread).
-<Download V2.1>- (Now with extra scenario support!)
-<Download V1.7>- (With default AIs patched)
-<Download compatible EMPs for P&N v1.2 through v1.7>-
-<Download SJs latest AI Patcher>-
Visit My Homepage

Other Links:
-<Play By Web>-
-<Schlock Mercenary>- (great space-based webcartoon)
-<8-bit Theater>- (fun comic with the pixellated FF1 characters)

[This message has been edited by suicide_junkie (edited 26 July 2001).]