Multiplayer games

aegisx · #1 February 28th, 2007, 07:13 PM

I've only played a couple of PBW games, but it seems that the expand as fast as possible and build loads of research is a bit too effective of a tactic.

I was thinking that increasing the maintenance cost of colonies might be a way to slow things down. They would force a player to build extraction facilities, rather than colony ships and research labs.

Suicide Junkie · #2 February 28th, 2007, 08:25 PM

At the moment, GGmod is a bit too far on the other side of that I think... I'm planning to boost resource production.

The nifty thing is that the maintenance costs are unrelated to the build cost, but rather match the descriptions. They're quite high too.

For example, you have a cheap hydrocarbon power plant, which takes up 500 space, and burns 500 organics to produce 500-1000 energy (depending on tech level)

Mineral mines soak up organics for the workers pretty fast.

And greenhouses use up lots of energy (offset by the number of stars)

The more efficient resource extraction facilities like fusion power plants cost a lot of time to build.

aegisx · #3 February 28th, 2007, 08:46 PM

It seems populations really don't use much in the way of resources. Upping these values seems like it would make resources be a part of the game. Right now, they don't seem to be much of a limiting factor.

aegisx · #4 February 28th, 2007, 08:51 PM

In fact, populations do not use minerals or radioactives.

GuyOfDoom · #5 February 28th, 2007, 09:41 PM

I believe resources are only not limiting in Large, long-term games and in short games, with the small amount of planets at least 30-50% of your resources are going to maintaining your facilities and defense.

aegisx · #6 February 28th, 2007, 09:54 PM

It doesn't seem to really matter though, as players are able to to get 80 colonies in 30 turns and a few hundred thousand rp's. Resources don't seem to limit rushing tactics.

aegisx · #7 March 1st, 2007, 09:05 AM

Does GG prevent that type of massive expansion?

Suicide Junkie · #8 March 1st, 2007, 09:49 AM

It dosen't *prevent* it, but it does limit the usefulness of such a tactic.

For example, it does take a while to build up infrastructure on your colonies. The quick and cheap facilities are pretty weak.
You also don't really have a problem with build rate, since if build rate is an issue, you just notch down the size of the ships you're building to take advantage of the "Build Time = size squared".

In short, your homeworld can pretty much do most of everything on its own if nessesary. Colonies are an investment, not a license to print money.

aegisx · #9 March 1st, 2007, 10:08 AM

I'll have to try out the rushing tactics on it. I am really looking for a slower multiplayer game that doesn't require a mad rush to win.

aegisx · #10 March 1st, 2007, 11:33 AM

I made a small mod to BM 1.04, which increases the amount of minerals/org/radio that the populations use. I tried soem rush tactics:

Space yard and Emergency Build's. New colonies produced research and yards. Another homeworld went into emergency build too. Around turn 13 I had 5 colonies, 2 colony ships in other systems, 1 space yard and I was pretty much bankrupt of minerals. 2 planets and the space yard we also now in slow-build.

I'll have to play a regular growth game to make sure the costs don't get too out of hand midgame.