PBW Game: Big Fat Zero

[Quikngruvn]

Geo, I was unaware of the AI bug. I do need some clarification on it, tho.

Say, for example, I add the Xi'Chung. I assume, even if selected from TDM, that they will use the stock AI files for their race. But, if I add the Rage, they will use, what, the generic bloodthirsty AI files? If so, how much less difficult will they be, assuming they get max bonuses and more racial points?

I was already planning on maxing out the AI's difficulty and bonus, but I like the idea of the AI having 2000 racial points vs. 0 for humans. I'm still tempted to tweak the AI .emp files to get more points after minimizing Cunning, but if and how can be decided by consensus.

I'm too unreliable to run the turns offline, so I will most likely go with your suggestions for the game, particularly the racial points. But, I'm going to stand firm on zero racial points for humans. Yes, including myself! If anyone doesn't trust me (and shame on you if you don't! ), then I can send my .emp to an outside arbiter (a non-player) for verification.

Quikngruvn

[LazarusLong42]

<blinks>

Oh dear... I hadn't thought about it enough to realize the problem was that bad. That means my Menagerie game is going to be... well, perhaps, way too easy. Ah well.

LL

[Quikngruvn]

quote:

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Originally posted by LazarusLong42:
<blinks>

Oh dear... I hadn't thought about it enough to realize the problem was that bad. That means my Menagerie game is going to be... well, perhaps, way too easy. Ah well.

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LL, apparently no one informed the Klingons. 'Sides, there's still nine humans trying to keep each other from winning. That should be entertaining enough in itself.

After some thought and some Kahlua, I decided on the ten AI races and to hell with tweaking 'em! Your 2000 pt AI races will be:

Abbidon, Amon'krie, Cryslonite, Krill, Norak, Praetorian, Pyrochette, Rage, Sergetti, and Ukra-Tal.

Here's the breakdown:
Planet: 2 gas, 2 ice, 6 rock
Atmos: 3 O2, 2 CO2, 2 CH4, 2 H2, 1 none
Demeanor: 2 Serene, 1 Honorable, 1 Neutral, 1 Impulsive, 2 Aggressive, 2 Violent, 1 Psychotic
Racial Tech: each appears once

Basically, no schemers or races with Cunning bonuses, and the list isn't completely O2 rocks.

And, if the bug gets worked out and the AI races actually use their AI files...

Anywhich, lemme update the game description right quick.

Quikngruvn

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Stay alert. Trust no one. Keep your laser handy.
--from the RPG Paranoia, now my PBW mantra

[dumbluck]

I'm in. But I have one suggestion.

Put event frequency on high. It makes games much more interesting!

BTW, that is a wise PBW Mantra you've got there.

[capnq]

If I had time to add another PBW game, I'd be interested in this one, but I'm already spending too much time there. I couldn't let this comment go unchallenged, though:

quote:

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Put event frequency on high. It makes games much more interesting!

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I've only played one solo game with event frequency set to medium instead of low, and I quickly found that rate to be downright annoying. I don't think seeing two planets blow up from core instabilities within less than five years is very interesting at all. IMO, if event frequency goes up, event severity needs to go down to compensate.

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Cap'n Q

The most merciful thing in the world, I think, is the inability of the
human mind to correlate all of its contents. We live on a placid
island of ignorance in the midst of black seas of infinity, and it was
not meant that we should go far. -- HP Lovecraft, "The Call of Cthulhu"

[dumbluck]

yea, that's what makes it interesting. Or at least it will keep you on your toes!

[Quikngruvn]

If I raise the event frequency, I will be dropping the severity. Right now that's still a big 'if'. Personally, I think everyone's gonna have enough to worry about, between starting an empire from scratch, dealing with nine other human players, and dealing with enhance computer empires, without having to worry every turn if their homeworld's start is going to go nova. (I usually play on high severity.)

But, in the spirit of democracy, anyone in the game can vote for either low frequency and catastrophic severity, OR medium frequency and high severity.

Cap'n, I learned that mantra the hard way. I started my empire focusing more on infrastructure than defense when an agressive warmongering empire showed up in my home system. Being woefully underdefended, I was easy pickings for 'em. I was effectively out of the game within the first YEAR (though I've Lasted another year to taunt the invaders, wait for the inevitable, and pray for a miracle). Trust me, it will not happen again!

Five players so far: the game is half-full, or half-empty, depending on your point of view.

Quikngruvn

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Stay alert. Trust no one. Keep your laser handy.
--from the RPG Paranoia, now my PBW mantra