New Game

Pawn · September 30, 2001, 09:37

Hi all !

I haven't played any SMAC for more than 1 year and would like to start a new MP game, best with at least 4-5 players.
Settings would be more or less default SMAC classic v. 4, but I'm open to any suggestion

It would either be a real time game (playing at least a couple of evenings for some hours every week) or PBEM. Preferred real time (already finished 1 RT game) but in that case I'd say players should use at least isdn, better cable or dsl to avoid latency or disconnection problems (and nightmarish phone bills)

Anyways only seriously interested gamers should apply please

Looking forward to meet (and crush) you

Traumahawk · September 30, 2001, 10:10

I'm interested... what difficulty level are you thinking about?

US/Eastern Time Zone...

trauma@itropolis.net

Pawn · September 30, 2001, 12:24

Hi Traumahawk,

Maybe Talent level ?

My timezone is GMT + 1 (middle Europe) and I believe Eastern Time zone would be GMT - 5, so i should be 6 hours ahead of you

Have you already played a 'real time' SMAC game ?

Traumahawk · September 30, 2001, 14:23

Ok, thats cool...

I've played 1 or 2 RT games before. No PBEM's yet.

I typically play on transcend or thinker, so I might be a tad challenging if we play on anything else. But, anything works for me.

Pawn · September 30, 2001, 14:56

Great !
So there already are 2 players

What connection to the Net do you use ?

DrSpike · September 30, 2001, 18:54

Count me in if you set up a real time game. I am on GMT, and can play from 9pm onwards, plus perhaps some weekend afternoons. I don't have broadband, but it should be ok.

Brendan · September 30, 2001, 23:45

Hi,
I'm in for either a PBEM or RT game, though I haven't played the latter before. I have a cable connection and would like to play either as the Spartans or Hive.

Contact me at brendanhurd@optushome.com.au

Thanks,
Brendan

Pawn · October 1, 2001, 05:16

Hello Brendan & Spike !

As it looks like by now there are 4 players willing to try a RT SMAC game

The biggest issue would be the timezone since Spike and myself are in Europe but it seems Traumahawk is in USA and Brendan in Australia !

That doesn't make it NECESSARILY impossible but it requires that we all agree on a time to play which wouldn't cause any inconveniencies to any player.
I could usually play from about 8 pm (7 pm GMT) on Monday-Friday or at any time at weekend.

Brendan · October 1, 2001, 23:22

Hi,
I work from home so I can be fairly flexible when I play so ill leave it up to you guys to work out times. Not sure exactly how to work out this GMT time though, can anyone help me with that?

Brendan

Pawn · October 2, 2001, 07:23

Hi again Brendan,

Happy to hear you got a flexible timeschedule because we will need it if we start this game (hope soon).

I'm fairly adaptable myself but it seems Spike would like to play after 9 pm GMT.
Still waiting for an answer from Traumahawk ...
If you are in Australia your timezone is between GMT + 8 (West) and GMT + 10 (East), so you would be many hours ahead of us in Europe.
Admitting we started playing at 9 pm GMT that would be 5 -8 am for you

Of course I don't know if Spike would mind playing until late in the evening / night. I could manage starting maybe at 10 pm GMT but not much later.

Brendan · October 2, 2001, 08:09

I dont mind starting early except on Monday and Saturday mornings as i have to be away from home to work.

Pawn · October 2, 2001, 08:20

Ok Brendan,

If you are still determined to play (till the end) early in the morning that would be great for me and Spike (just spoke to him)

Could you please tell us in which time zone you are, so we could arrange our meetings more precisely ?
Still no answer from Traumahawk

If you know anybody likely to join our game just invite him pls.

DrSpike · October 2, 2001, 08:34

looks like if we play 9/10 GMT - 1/2 GMT a few nights a week the 3 of us are ok with that. We could use a 4th, or a response from traumahawk.

Brendan · October 2, 2001, 09:01

Most mornings i will only be able to play for about three hours at a time but ill see when we get closer to start. Here is my timeZone
GMT + 10(sydney, Melbourne). Ill check around to see if anyone else wants to play but I dont know too many players.

DrSpike · October 2, 2001, 09:13

10GMT-1GMT on agreed nights could work then.

Pawn · October 2, 2001, 09:31

Ok !

Agreed on 22 - 1 GMT , that is 8 - 11 in Brendan's time zone.

Still looking for Traumahawk (already emailed him yesterday) or another 4th player ...

What about your favourite Civs and settings ? I usually play University and random events.

DrSpike · October 2, 2001, 09:57

I am relatively new, and have only played with university. I could play with a new faction though if you play university, perhaps morgan. Random events suck, IMHO.

Traumahawk · October 2, 2001, 16:03

Ok, those times might work. What day of the week are we talking about?

DrSpike · October 2, 2001, 17:19

Playing 3 hours at a time the game will take a few sittings. I suggest we don't restrict ourselves to definite days, but just try and find a couple or more each week that all 4 can do. These can be different each week to fit our various plans. Speaking personally I can do Mon-Thur and Sunday at those times pretty regularly, and maybe Fri/Sat.

Pawn · October 2, 2001, 20:31

Hi Traumahawk !

Nice to hear of you again

If you still (VERY) interested pls write your time zone so we could decide our first play-session.

I'd like to play Talent or Librarian ... What level would you all prefer ?

I can arrange my work so as to play almost any evening of the week.

Concerning the settings I can play without random events np.
Actually I always played University but I could also take choose another faction for a change, maybe the United Nations one (however it's called).
Errrr ... Spike what was that IMHO thing again ?

DrSpike · October 2, 2001, 21:28

k, if you don't mind Pawn I'll be university. I think the UN one is the peacekeepers.

Librarian is ok if there is to be no AI, just us 4 players. Standard random map is fine for 4, I think.

IMHO=in my humble opinion (I've finally submitted to the horrible acronym infestation that abounds today

)

For settings I think largely default, but with directed research and maybe look before founding first city. We also might want to get an outside CMN to check starting locations and the like.

May the game commence asap (oops, there's another one)

Brendan · October 3, 2001, 03:26

By 8-11 I think you mean pm but either is fine for me. I would like to try the Spartans for a change(usually go UN)and any settings are fine(except for the one that exposes entire map at beginning-that's crap). As im new to RT games im not sure if the diplomacy works differently or not can anybody help?

Eagerly awaiting game,
Brendan

DrSpike · October 3, 2001, 07:09

if you are GMT + 10 the designated times for you would be 8am-11am.

Traumahawk · October 3, 2001, 08:52

My time-zone is EST (GMT -0500). The best times for me are morning and afternoon, which would be afternoon and evening where you are I suppose.

Weekends and Fridays are much better for me.

Just agree on a time and I'll try to make it. I might be able to shuffle my schedule around to some extent.

Settings-wise, I'll take Morgan if he's not already taken.

The highest difficulty-level you're willing to play is fine. So, Librarian I guess

Spoils of war OFF please!

.. Pretty much, just default settings with blind research off. That would be fair I think.

Standard map? Don't want it to take too long, so that should work.

Also, we should find some real-time method of comm outside the forum. I see some of you have ICQ and AIM. If you have one of those, post your info so we can hook up.

Pawn · October 3, 2001, 09:18

Ok, I'm still waiting for confirmation from Traumahawk but I'd say that so far settings would look like this :

Level Librarian
No random events
Fog of War
(Look before founding first city ? what's that ?)

Brendan Spartan
DrSpike University
Pawn Peacekeepers
Traumahawk ?

Concerning Research : DrSpike would like Directed Research. I'd prefer NO Rirected Research, which means you can STILL DECIDE the fields your scientists research in (more fun IMHO

)

AI : I think it would be funny to play with 3 AI players (7 all in all) and DrSpike only 4 human players ..

What's the opinion of everybody ?

DrSpike do you know how CMN games work ?

Eagerly waiting for your answers to start rock and rolling

Pawn · October 3, 2001, 09:44

Ouch ... guess it took me too long to write that down

Thanx for your answer Traumahawk.
If you are at GMT - 5 and we start at 10 pm GMT that would be 5 - 8 pm for you and 8 - 11 am for Brendan

Research : As I said before I voted for NO directed, DrSpike and Traumahawk prefer Directed Research instead (?). So let's just wait to hear Brendan to see if we need to toss a coin.

AI factions : still waiting for your votes.

Look before founding 1st city would be ok to DrSpike and myself

Spoils of War Off : Ok to Traumahawk and myself

It would be very useful (almost a must) if EVERYBODY had some pager program. I use ICQ, like DrSpike so I'd suggest that we all adopt this one.

DrSpike · October 3, 2001, 10:57

k, times look good, lets start soon.

AI is bad (especially on librarian) because the player nearest to the AI will get a huge advantage. If you like playing the AI play SP!

Human only multiplayer is the way forward.

Look before founding means you dont crach into planet, but get to move before founding your city.

The CMN reference was suggesting we get an experienced outside player to set up starting positions. I'm not bothered either way though.

My icq: 75355218
spalmer@mfindex.co.uk

Brendan · October 4, 2001, 02:08

Hi guys,
I think that research should not be directed so it looks like we flip a coin. Personally I like spoils of war but im not fussed either way, as far as AI players go I tend to agree with Dr Spike in that the player closest to them gets an unfair advantage. Look before founding city is fine with me and im ok with using a pager program if someone can tell me how to set it up. If we want more players I could opssibly find some, just let me know.

DrSpike · October 4, 2001, 08:49

4 is a good number, any more and it'll get slow to play. Pawn can flip a coin over the research thing, I'm sure we all trust him

We should arrange our first night\evening\morning.

How about next Sunday at the agreed time? (will be monday for you Brendan)

Pawn · October 4, 2001, 09:03

All right !

So far we have (democratically

) chosen this settings :

Level Librarian
No random events
Fog of War
AI factions Off (only human players) --> I'd say let's choose a smaller map then
Spoils of War Off
Look before founding first city

Research : Well well, seems that Brendan and myself are for NO directed research but DrSpike and Traumahawk would like directed

I pretty much like not directed so unless anyone is going to change his mind we will be have to flip the coin.

Factions :

Brendan Spartan
DrSpike University
Pawn Peacekeepers
Traumahawk Morgan

Brendan you can easily download ICQ 2000 b from www.icq.com for inst. Just go for default installation and you should get the grip on it without problems.
If your friend is a real fanatic of SMAC (like we are

) and determined to play for some sessions x week (till the end) so let us know as fast as possible pls. Otherwise I believe we'd be almost set to rumble

Just waiting for last ok from Traumahawk conc. settings and playtimes.