Unit only empires

Baron Munchausen · #1 August 12th, 2001, 10:43 PM

This problem could be solved by the 'seat of government' feature we've discussed before. If you have a special ability that can be put in a facility OR on a component called 'seat of government' you could then determine diplomatic relations by the existence of said component or facility. If you lose it, your diplomatic relations go out thew window until you can make a replacement. If you're really paranoid like the Minbari in B5 you could keep your seat of government in a cloaked ship off in a remote corner of your empire.

Suicide Junkie · #2 August 12th, 2001, 11:17 PM

Ship-only empires definitely have to be allowed to continue playing, and a component to allow communications with other races would be very useful. Sounds like a good use for the Palace Ability. A 1MT component that only fits on baseships, and makes the ship act like a planet in terms of contact/comm/relations.
AIs would still be unable to make good use of the component...
Perhaps it would just be best to allow ships to maintain contact with other races, and leave it at that.

[This message has been edited by suicide_junkie (edited 12 August 2001).]

Quikngruvn · #3 August 13th, 2001, 05:02 AM

quote:
Originally posted by suicide_junkie:
Perhaps it would just be best to allow ships to maintain contact with other races, and leave it at that.

I agree on that point. Figure, ships have radio and other communications devices, so could send transmissions to other empires (assuming they still have contact). Units, having no such devices (fighters' wouldn't be powerful enough), could not maintain contact.

Quikngruvn

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Saxon · #4 August 13th, 2001, 02:57 PM

Cynical question coming up. If you have gotten so knocked out of the game that you are down to ships only, what are your realistic chances of coming back to do anything significant? Given the exponential growth that most empires depend on, could you catch up again?

I am thinking that in a close fight, an ally who colonized different planets might help you out. Or in a game with unusual victory conditions you might be able to help. However, in a traditional, big dog on top wins, game, would it be realistic to expect to get anywhere? An ally would only let you get so big before eating you up and whoever glassed your planets is will be way ahead of you.

Not having played much against other humans, I would be interested to hear about situations where you might be able to do something in this situation.

geoschmo · #5 August 13th, 2001, 03:03 PM

Does anyone remember why this change was made? IIRC originally (Maybe in the demo?) you didn't lose contact when your planets were gone. Or am I thinking of SEIII? It's all fuzzy at this point.

Anyway, if anyone else remembers that at one point you didn't lose contact casue your planets went away, do you remeber why it got changed?

Geo

Urendi Maleldil · #6 August 13th, 2001, 03:11 PM

Yes. I remember it changed.

If all you have are ships left, as long as you have a colony ship (or can build one) and some population, you can come back if you play hard, but it will be quite a challenge.

If all you have left are fighting ships you can prep for one Last battle which would be fun.

Also if all an empire has are ships and they can maintain communication with other empires, you can still get them to surrender and get some nice, new (or old) ships.

dogscoff · #7 August 13th, 2001, 03:51 PM

If yor ship(s) were combat- worthy you could go into battle for an ally in exchange for planets/ colonisers. Alternatively you could blockade worlds and refuse to leave until you were given a planet.

Also, don't forget that AIs will happily trade you a coloniser in exchange for any 2 ships.

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