Anyone want to start a rated SMAC game? - Page 3

Misotu · June 8, 2001, 20:57

Well, I know this is slightly draconian, but I'm going to impose a time limit for responses here. A six-person game needs to move, because it is inherently pretty slow.

So anyone who has not responded to my two emails after 48 hours, I will assume is in complete agreement with the proposed settings.

After that, we should be able to move on quite quickly.

Qantaga · June 8, 2001, 23:55

Misotu,

This is shaping up very nicely thanks to your direction.

The only player I am a little nervous about is cpt.slick. Has he replied to you by e-mail? (I am guessing that he has not, based on your previous post). I noticed we haven't heard from him in quite awhile in this thread.

One of the big appeals for me in this game is the 7-player aspect and we will definitely need active players to keep it from dying an early death.

Do you think we should advertise for someone else to fill his spot if we don't hear something from him soon?

Solver · June 9, 2001, 06:40

Mis, you've done nice job. All good by me, but: for rated games, score isn't emailed to CMN. It's posted to the thread, then someone accumulates it and posts to the SMAC PBEM Ratings thread.
Otherwise, you're right, and it's all fine.

Viriato · June 9, 2001, 07:40

It looks like the map issue is resolved. With Levelisk's vote that makes 4 players for the large map (me, Qantaga, Theohall and Levelisk) against 2 for the standard map (Dinoarms and Solver).

As for the spoils of war I think Solver and I were the only ones stating a preference: off. The others just said that thy don't mind wether it's on or off.

Please correct me if I'm wrong about this.

About the reliability of players I think we should have at least 2 replacement players in case someone drops out.
So assuming that cpt. slick still wants to play we'll need 2 more players willing to play this game.

SITS · June 9, 2001, 11:43

I just coming late to this thread but I'm willing to offer myself as a reserve if needed...

Misotu · June 9, 2001, 13:05

OK, thanks everyone.

Settings
Unless I hear strong protests from anyone, I am going to create a game along the lines of my original post with the following changes:

Large map
Stealtech when conquer base off

Dinoarms emailed me to say that average lifeforms is OK by him. He has a preference for weak erosion and dense cloud, but since no-one else has expressed a preference for these I propose to continue with standard settings.

Players
Haven't heard from cpt.slick, so it looks like he may not be around at the moment. If we don't hear from him by the time I create the game and set passwords, I will put SITS in his place - this will give cpt.slick a couple more days to get in touch.

Thanks to SITS for offering himself as a reserve. SITS, can you post your email address to the thread please, or send it to me at misotu@hotmail.com

Substitutes
I think we'll be OK with one sub, SITS, for now. I'm willing to act as a temporary sub for anyone who is away for a while, or if someone drops out. In my experience, finding replacement players isn't too hard on this board, usually only takes a day or two.

Ratings
Thanks for this Solver. Sounds like I don't have to do any work at all, so that's cool by me

I'll leave it to you guys to organise who will collect the data.

Information still required
The last thing I need from you all is your preferred password, if you have one. If I don't hear from you, I'll assume that you're happy for me to allocate a password to you.

Solver I still need your time zone please? If you can give it to me relative to GMT that will be great, thanks.

As soon as I have all this, I believe that I'm ready to set up the game!

SITS · June 9, 2001, 13:38

My email is tony@tlafave.demon.co.uk

Just let me know if I'm needed...

cpt.slick · June 10, 2001, 10:30

HI, sorry i haven't replied in awhile but the site was down or some ****.

N e way

this is my first Pbem so i'm not sure what u mean by playing time...

however i can usually play after dinner most days

i'm est + 10

err.. and the password - why the hell would i tell u the password?? : D

Misotu · June 10, 2001, 22:21

u would tell me the password b cos otherwise i will allocate 1 to you n e way.

When I set the game up, I set everyone's password and then I keep a note of them all. It means that if someone drops out, a new player can take over and I can also sub for anyone who is not around for a while ... If you don't have a preference, I can just give you a password if you like.

Bit concerned though because I've sent you a few emails and you haven't responded to any of them. The email address I have for you is: sgtslick@hotmail.com

Is this your correct address or should I be using something else?

dinoarms · June 12, 2001, 15:39

Hmmm...Alas the beginning of a slew of polite yet impatient posts?

Qantaga · June 12, 2001, 16:27

Hello dinoarms,

I believe we have two issues to resolve before the game can begin. Forgive me, Misotu if I am speaking out of turn and please correct me if I am wrong.

I think the issues are:

1. I am not sure if we have a valid e-mail address for cpt.slick. He has not responded (AFAIK) to any e-mails sent to that address and, obviously, we can't start the game until we have a good e-mail address for him.

2. I am not sure if the turn order can be changed in SMAC. Misotu is trying to set the game up by time zones so that it will flow better from player to player. However, she may not be able to change the order and we may be at the mercy of our chosen faction's order in the game, regardless of time zone.

Once those two issues are resolved (of course, the major issue being cpt.slick's e-mail), we should be ready to go.

dinoarms · June 12, 2001, 16:39

Qantaga

Cool. It's in Misotu's hands now. Do we have some subs waiting in the wings should CptSlick prove unprepared?

I would trade factions to speed the game up. But I'm kinda getting attached to Miss Born Again as I continue game simulations.

Have you read Vel's guide Qantaga?

theohall · June 12, 2001, 16:46

1) Yes, there is a player waiting in the wings.

2) Though Qantaga and I are both new to Apolyton, Vel's Guide is the reason we are here. A search for SMAC Guides led me to this site and I've been lurking, sometimes posting ever since. In addition to becoming somewhat addicted to the PBEM format.

dinoarms · June 12, 2001, 16:52

Theohall

Are there any other guides available remotely comprable to Vel's?

theohall · June 12, 2001, 16:58

Nope

Prima's stinks and gets formulas availabe in the Datalinks completely wrong.

Other net guides don't even go into the economic aspects of the game and tend to focus more on conquering.

If you've read Vel's Guide and understand the concepts, playing against someone who has relied on other resources won't even be a challenge.

Misotu · June 12, 2001, 17:10

Hi guys. Sorry for the delay - Qantaga was right about the issues holding us up. I've now established that SMAC does not permit you to change the player order (there is a workaround, but it is messy and causes problems with the factions' graphics). SMAX does allow you to change player order - I hadn't realised SMAC didn't offer the same ability

It shouldn't be too big a deal, but it would have been worth spending a little time to get an optimised turn order.

I've still received no email from cpt.slick, but this doesn't stop me going ahead now and setting up the game. I'm going to work on it this evening, and I hope to send out the first turn tomorrow.

The map is built and I've completed one test. I'm a little unhappy with one faction's position, so I need to find a way to improve their lot

After that ... we should be away!

We have a substitute, SITS, ready to go if there are any problems. Anyway, finding subs really isn't a problem on the board, there are usually several volunteers for most vacancies.

Thank you for bearing with me. It's not a quick exercise setting up a game with so many players, but I've done most of the work so we're just talking finishing touches

Qantaga · June 12, 2001, 19:33

dinoarms - as theo said, I have indeed read Vel's Guide. It is quite an amazing resource for this game. Of course, there is a big difference between my reading it and my actually being able to apply his concepts in a real game.

Misotu - I can only imagine what a job it must be trying to set up a balanced 7-player game. I have been in the Scenario Editor a few times myself and I must admit that I was quite lost. Thanks again and don't feel like you need to rush yourself to get the game going. Take your time.

Qantaga · June 13, 2001, 12:07

A couple of other issues just occured to me. I don't think we have talked about them yet, so please excuse me if they have been discussed. I did skim through the thread, but couldn't find them.

1) What about contact with other factions? I personally would prefer to restrict contact until you actually meet another faction on the map (or can bargain for a commlink that another player came about by map contact), but I will, of course, go along with the majority.

2) Do we have a set of rules for this game? The following are copied from Tau Ceti's tournament rules and would provide a good framework for us to follow unless someone wants to discuss a change to any of these:

- Multiple reloading of the game to try for different effects is forbidden.

- Multiple drops or orbital insertions using the right-click menu is forbidden.

- Inserting Stockpile Energy into the build queue after a military unit is forbidden.

- If a player employs a tactic that causes a state of vendetta, they are not allowed to "accept" a pending diplomatic agreement with that faction, causing a change in diplomatic status or the transfer of energy or knowledge.

- If a probe team action is employed against a Treatied or Pacted faction, the initiator must choose the "Declare Vendetta" option, unless permission is received in advance for the action (email).

- Social engineering choice limited to one switch per line per turn. (no flip-flop within turn!)

- Psi units cannot be assigned multiple point patrol routes (avoid instant demon boil bug!)

(I suppose I could have just provided the link to Tau Ceti's rules, but I didn't think about that until just now. Sorry)

Misotu · June 13, 2001, 15:33

It has begun! See here for the turn-tracker thread.

Qantaga · June 15, 2001, 14:23

For anyone who might still be following this thread, I have made a suggestion to let SITS take over for cpt.slick if we haven't heard from cpt.slick by tomorrow.

Come on over to the turn tracking thread if you would like to discuss it. The turn tracking thread is located through Misotu's link in the post right above this one.

Levelisk · June 15, 2001, 16:31

Good idea. Give it to SITS if cpt.slick doesn't pass the turn by tomorrow