I'd rather have MM work on AI as opposed to TCP/IP - Page 5

sogard · #41 February 16th, 2001, 11:20 PM

I am currently playing a hotseat game with three other players. We are having a bLast; but, we all dream of the day when we can all simply log on at home and play tcp/ip. Even though we would have to (as the game is now configured) play with simultaneous moves and would not be able to use the tactical ship combat, we would much prefer the tcp/ip option. I say damn the torpedoes -- let's get tcp/ip implemented for the true fans of SE4.

phalen · #42 February 17th, 2001, 12:27 AM

I can see the need for both. one one hand yes every one pretty much uses the ai in one form or another in all games... but to help the game grow tcp or some CONVIENANT method of play needs to exist.(ie sharing your hdd over the internet is a BAD!!! idea especaly on cable) but tcp can also caus problims. a thought could a "helper" program be made, maybe by a fan. that would do the connecting and file transfers for seIV.

also question to Aron and Richard what can we the fans do to help. i know sundevil/jpinard and others are in a "modconsortium" of sorts in hopes to help you guys. but PLEASE let us know if you would? or not like our help as I am shure there are lots of people in the community that would be glad to help you guys to improve the gaming quality.

sory if the message doesnt make sense somehow it got cleared had to rewrite and it doesnt sound right :/

Nitram Draw · #43 February 17th, 2001, 02:27 AM

Overall the AI will be used by a lot more players, if only to flesh out hotseat/pbem games. Making the AI as challanging as possible would provide the most bang for the buck.

DirkHowitzer · #44 February 17th, 2001, 02:29 AM

Why not do something like Counter-Strike? Here me out before you shake your heads and laugh...

Have permanent SEIV servers with a set number of user slots. Players could connect and take control of the various empires. When players weren't using an empire it would be run by the AI.

Yes I know, but why would want to run an Empire after some amateur or stupid AI has run it into the ground...well my answer is that here we have a simulation of the rise to power various leaders with various styles and goals. Personally I think it would be awesome, the challenge of taking some downtrodden empire and bringing it to power through superior tactics. Of course the players who were dedicated to playing longer would have the advantage because of simply a better knowledge of there empire and it being molded to their will.

The game would be won by reaching whatever victory conditions were active at which point the map would be regenerated and a new game started.

OR!!!! And this is ambitious, I know, but I was very intrigued by by Nyx's interview with Aaron in which he suggested a massively multiplayer Version of the game. Personally I would like to see a system like Star Peace with a constant Online community that could be logged on an off. When you weren't on, your empire would be played by the AI. This would take a much larger map or, perhaps, several different universes. Also needed would be a constantly upgraded research tree. This would probably be the most ambitious part as you would need some creative individual or team to constantly come up with new techs to keep the game fresh. New players would get to start a new empire in some far corner of the galaxy. The system could be kept clean by elimination certain empires after so many months of idle time and so on.

My main problem with all of this is you would have to maintain some kind of a time limit on turns. This in turn would limit the size of your empire as you would only have so much time to carry out the various important tasks requiring your attention. Or perhaps this make a player focus on maintaining proper battle lines with the core worlds being AI controlled. I know this whole proposal is a little clumsy but, if it could be enacted, it would be somthing that I most certainly would be interested in playing and I believe others would be too...especially since using these ideas you wouldn't be required to play hours and hours if you didn't wish too.

Just a few thoughts...PLEASE PLEASE RESPOND!!!! AND FEEL FREE TO SHOOT THIS TURKEY FULL OF HOLES....I AM VERY INTERESTED IN FINDING SOME WORKING MODEL OF MULTIPLAYER.

------------------

"He's dead, Jim."-- Lt. Commander Leonard "Bones" McCoy |Chief Medical Officer / USS Enterprise (NCC-1701)

Testosteronos · #45 February 17th, 2001, 02:37 AM

TCP/IP is a must!!!
Every three or four month we do a little LAN-Session. It's just more fun to beat human opponents than some more or less dumb AI.
I got a flatrate now, so me and a few friends would surely use the tcp/ip feature to play a few hours each evening.

tictoc · #46 February 17th, 2001, 11:08 PM

Dirk - I think if a persistant universe was made, then guys with better experiance should not be able to engage in battle with new guys, otherwise it does not become fun for someone just starting out only to keep getting his butt kicked cause his pdc level 1 can't quite take out the battleship with a full compliment, at some stage, new guys are going to expand into the main arena. A possible solution to this would be a tech level thing, you can't attack an empire with a certain amount of tech levels below your own, but a lower tech level could try it's luck against a higher level.

tic

DirkHowitzer · #47 February 17th, 2001, 11:15 PM

Good point TicToc....perhaps you could make it that after a certain period of time techs would become available to the new guys so they wouldn't start to far back. You could do this by having a universal Tech Level that advanced at it's own pace seperately from empires. This way it would still be possible to gain technological superiority, but you would never fall so far in the hole as to actually be in the dark ages. I also believe that this would mirror reality as even the poorest nations on Earth have some forms of modern technology. Or mabye you could do like in Imperium Galactica where you could buy ships and such on the open market. That way even while their tech was small you could purchase some newer ships. Or, new races could start with a certain amount of research point allowing them to get caught up with the rest quicker...

klausD · #48 February 18th, 2001, 02:58 AM

dirk.
this is an absolutely awsome idea. As you mentioned it would require a much larger universe and more players. And especially a much larger and more expensive tech tree.
its up to MM to develope the tools for the GMs which allows them to initiate such a game.

Additional features I suggest for such games:
1. races can evolve during the game -with experience points given by the GMs because of good active role-play, good strategy, intel or whatever.

2. GMs should be able to create events, races, single and multiple units and much more to keep the game interesting and to create a kind of storyline. This should be a very powerful tool only for GMs.

bye
Klaus

Triumvir Emphy · #49 February 18th, 2001, 04:28 AM

We went from basic tcp/ip to wanting an Ultima style game, of course nobody wants to pay for it,... what you are describing will require servers (which are expensive) and a whole lot of tech expertise. I am sure MM has other things to work on besides SEIV.

For now all we need is a fix to stop SEIV from automatically exiting after a sim turn. the transfer/helper program will be useless till then.

Triumvir Emphy · #50 February 18th, 2001, 04:39 AM

BY the way,.. i never suggested sharing your harddrive over the internet, and anybody who uses cable with out a NAT device like a netgear rt314 is foolish to think by not having file and print services installed that they are safe.