Claustrophobia - Sign up

Enigma_Nova · February 6, 2004, 06:06

The rules have been finalised!
We play on the map attached, each player may claim one of the central islands.

OVERVIEW:
Every player is landlocked in the middle of a 3x3 map. The islands have great potential, but fungus must first be cleared.
The map is very very small, but no-one can fight until land is raised.

Bug exploits are allowed IF:
1. They do not alter any other faction (e.g. F4 screen bug)
2. They are only builder applications
The Reload bug is allowed for fungal pops before any faction is in striking range of any other faction.
Players are deemed in striking range if:
1. Air Superiority is discovered
2. Any land is raised or lowered
This is to prevent fortune from striking down an unlucky player.

The Rules:
All victories enabled
Do or die
Bell Curve
Zero unity pods
Transcend difficulty level.

Custom in-game rules:
All 14 factions are fair game.
All factions start with their starting tech, an extra tech, a scout patrol, a colony pod.
Uni gets a second extra tech, ChaDawn gets MWs, Spartans get a Rover.
Energy Credits are 10 per faction, except Morgan who gets 110.

Communication BEFORE you meet in-game is acceptable.
It's a new type of challenge, different from the standard game.
At least until someone gets MMI - then all bets are off!

Currently, There are:
1. Enigma_Nova, Gaians
If there is interest, there are:
2. Flubber, University
3. Maniac, Peacekeepers

The Rules may be clarified, but these are the general rules for the game.

Walek · February 6, 2004, 13:00

I am interested if You have free island

i take consusiones

Enigma_Nova · February 7, 2004, 06:48

Well that's 2, and probably 4 once Maniac gets back.

4th place: Walek with the Consciousness.

Quezacotl06 · February 9, 2004, 00:31

Could I join? If so, I'm [Quezacotl06: Nautilus Pirates.]

Enigma_Nova · February 9, 2004, 08:59

Well you'd have to start out on an island, and your natural advantages are diminished.

You can play them but it might be wiser to play as the Aliens, Morgan or the Free Drones.

that's 3, you're down as the pirates, but can change.

I'm contacting Maniac and Flubber - GAME ON.

Flubber · February 9, 2004, 12:22

Just confirming I am still in

Maniac · February 9, 2004, 13:22

Yeah, me too.

Enigma_Nova · February 9, 2004, 18:41

Any of you folk know an objective CMN that can set the extra techs and/or the passwords?

We'd need someone to open the scen. editor, edit technology and give us what we order (2 techs for Uni, 1 for everyone else), just in case anyone wants to keep it confidential.

Then I can start a multiplayer PBEM, make my base, set my password and pass the turn on.
(Then again you might want a CMN to set passwords and press END TURN with the scouts and pods still sitting there - just in case someone is dishonest)

...
1. Enigma_Nova, Gaians.
2. Flubber, University
3. Maniac, Peacekeepers.
4. Walek, Consciousness.
5. Quezacotl06 , Pirates.
(But the pirates start on an island so I'm not sure that's wise)

We should pick our islands now.
(Attaches the image)
There are 8 islands in that map:
Centre North, South, East West
Nexus North, South
Edge of map North, South

The Gaian pod will land on Centre North.
If you don't pick an island I'll place you where I feel like!

Maniac · February 9, 2004, 18:46

Centre south

Walek · February 9, 2004, 18:58

centre east

Quezacotl06 · February 9, 2004, 22:12

Didn't know we had to start on islands...

Guess I'll be hive or spartan then

Quezacotl06 · February 9, 2004, 22:16

never mind. I'll just be spartan.

Enigma_Nova · February 9, 2004, 23:52

Hive would probably be better for you, Queza; Spartans aren't that good on this map.
---

So anyone wanna be the CMN, or are we going to make our extra tech selection open to the public?
(I take Biogenetics...)

Note that the map wraps around... bear this in mind.

Flubber · February 10, 2004, 00:21

I will take the southernmost island-- I'm assuming all the islands are identical

Walek · February 10, 2004, 03:22

I take social psych

Maniac · February 10, 2004, 14:18

I'll probably go for Centauri Ecology.

Flubber · February 10, 2004, 14:28

centauri ecology and ind base

Maniac · February 10, 2004, 16:11

Btw, I discovered a possible problem. As we're playing on a tiny map, growth and production is 25% cheaper. Rounded up, this means there are 8 instead of 10 nuts/mins in one row. This unfortunately has an effect on the SE Industry and Growth effects.
+1 Growth/Industry means gr/ind is 10% faster. +2 Gr/Ind 2% faster. And so on. When the nutrient/mineral row multiplier, this results nicely in a round number. But now the nutrient/mineral multiplier is 8, it doesn't. Have a look at this tabel:

Code:

P= nutrient/mineral row multiplier
SE setting | P=10 | P=8
------------------------------
-3           13    10.4->11
-2           12     9.6->10
-1           11     8.8->9
0            10     8->8
+1            9      7.2->8
+2            8      6.4->7
+3            7      5.6->6
+4            6      4.8->5
+5            5      4->4

This leads to problems such as Planned only giving half of the effects it should. And for example the Hive not getting its faction SE advantages. Those problems can't be all fixed all, but I'd suggest the following changes to the alphax.txt to solve at least the most important IMO:
Planned: +1 Ind -> +2 Ind
Democracy: +2 Growth -> +3 Growth
Wealth: +1 Ind -> +2 Ind

That way Democracy is as useful as before, and Planned its Ind advantage is at least restored. Its growth advantage too when used in combination with democracy, which I assume almost everyone will use anyway. Planned/Wealth combo would lead to a higher Industry advantage than normal, but it's that or Wealth alone having no Ind advantage at all.

Another consequence would be the Consciousness being able to popboom easier, but since IMHO the Consciousness is in its standard form a weaker faction for this game than others such as PKs, UoP or Gaians, I think they deserve the extra advantage.

Do you agree with this proposal? Or suggestions for improvements etc?

Enigma_Nova · February 10, 2004, 18:41

Quote:

Originally posted by Maniac
Do you agree with this proposal? Or suggestions for improvements etc?

Indeed not.
The settings are balanced enough as it is, and if underpowering the industry rating makes planned/wealth undesirable, then you use different settings, like FM/knowledge.

Claustrophobia is meant to be a different type of game and I see no need to engineer it to be more 'normal'.

Enigma_Nova · February 10, 2004, 18:51

Quote:

Originally posted by Flubber
I will take the southernmost island-- I'm assuming all the islands are identical

Manifold Nexus islands are quite a bit smaller than the other 6.
I give you the option of choosing one because you may want to sacrifice 3 workable squares for +1 planet.

The edge of map islands are the same as the other middle islands.
I'm putting you at edge of map south... if you'd rather a different position, speak up.

The pool of information:
ENIGMA: Gaians, Centre north, (Cent Eco & Biogenetics)
MANIAC: Peacekeepers, Centre south, (Biogenetics & Cent Eco)
FLUBBER: University, Edge south, (IndBase, InfNets, CentEco)
WALEK: Consciousness, Centre east, (AppPhys, InfNets, SocPsy)
QUEZA: Spartans, Edge north, (Doc:Mob, CentEco)

Note that I've chosen the information for Queza. If he/she objects, he/she can change the information therein.

I'm making a scenario now, everyone on their desired island, with their desired tech.

Quezacotl06 · February 10, 2004, 21:36

C.Ecology is fine, thanks.

Walek · February 11, 2004, 03:09

When we start??

Walek · February 11, 2004, 03:13

i want change tech i take, i want cen ec. insted of soc. psych

Maniac · February 11, 2004, 08:51

Quote:

Originally posted by Enigma_Nova
Manifold Nexus islands are quite a bit smaller than the other 6.
I give you the option of choosing one because you may want to sacrifice 3 workable squares for +1 planet.

IIRC you can't build a base on the center square of the Manifold Nexus. So those islands aren't an option sadly.

Mr. Harley · February 11, 2004, 09:18

I'll set it up, but you'll have to give until the weekend - or find me an easy way to stop the AI from building SP's for the other game I'm CMNing, I've started a thread in Creation on the issue and I've got to get that game going, it's my final hangup.

Maniac · February 11, 2004, 10:07

Would be great. Thanks.

Walek · February 11, 2004, 20:26

i am living till monday see ya.

Enigma_Nova · February 11, 2004, 20:42

I have the scenario up and running.
We set our own password, play the first turn, and pass the game on to the next person.

One thing I notice: Players seem to be able to contact each-other at all times over the commlinks, and propose trades.
Could we please -not do that- until either an in-game encounter, the empath guild, a planetary council meeting, or being 'traded' the commlink?

(We may need a bit of fiction here, as you can't trade commlinks, so you'll just have to -pretend- you don't know the commlinks until someone 'trades' them to you)

That said, here's the first turn to Flubber.

Enigma_Nova · February 11, 2004, 20:44

Okay, since the first turns will go quickly, someone will have to play for Walek over the days that he is away.

If nobody proposes a replacement by his turn, I'm taking over and playing my best, but I don't have much of an idea what Walek's strategy is.

Walek · February 12, 2004, 03:38

You must change this line in alpha.txt this line is about 2 pages down. You must write 0 istead of 1
there is :
1, ; If non-zero, humans can always contact each other in net games

must be:
0, ; If non-zero, humans can always contact each other in net games

as i said i be on monday i hope You wait for me.