Aliens when randomizing factions

Closey · March 23, 2001, 11:41

When you start a game and play with randomized factions, shouldn't there always be both alien races or none of them? Not just one of them? I think I've read that somewhere, and it feels kind of logical, but I tend however to just get one of them when I play.

What's that about? A bug? Or just something I've missed?

Cybergod · March 23, 2001, 14:30

Yeah, that happens to me too. Probably another bug for us to go to Firaxis and ask for another patch...

Basil · March 24, 2001, 04:39

I read somewhere in the documentation (probably, I am not sure, in the patch documentation) that if the computer is picking random factions, and it picks an alien faction, the *next* faction picked will automatically be the other alien faction. This means that if the first alien faction picked is in the last free slot, there will only be one alien faction in the game.

Although this is technically a bug, I think it is a good bug. I think that having the possibility of games with only one alien faction in them just adds to the richness of the game.

Closey · March 24, 2001, 05:37

Hmm, yeah that could be the case. But then my game must be selecting the aliens at the last position very often.

I think every random game I've played in.. hmm.. a while.. has had one alien. Or none.

Oh well. Not that big a deal really.

knowhow2 · March 25, 2001, 19:15

I think it has to be a bug. I happens to often to be the "last spot thing". I have mixed feelings towards this bug. I don't like the idea with only one alien faction because that won't be Alien Crossifre just "war against an alien", but at the same time it could be rather fun to see wether or not one alien faction actually would be stronger being the sol alien faction in that peticular game than one of two alien faction with same settings....

Blake · March 26, 2001, 17:32

I don't have a problem, the space battle happens. The ships are both crippled and attempt to land. One suceeds, the other craters. Thus only one alien *survives* the landing.

knowhow2 · March 26, 2001, 21:45

Ahh the easy thing would be to consider that 2 enemy faction always beat one, but you should reconsider. If both factions is in the game, than they are bound to hate eachother and always remain in vendetta towards eachother. But, if there would be only ONE alien faction then it would be, in theory, possible that the only faction this alien fighting against would be YOURS. Therefor my conclusion, 1 alien could be harder to fight against than 2.

Although usually 2 faction would be tougher to meet than just 1, but you know....

Earwicker · March 27, 2001, 01:38

I'd vote for "bug" (thinking that even if an alien faction were selected in slot #7, there should be a checks-and-balances to review selected factions and correct for only one alien). That said, I have no problem with the idea of an Alien Single-fire other than the fact that it is inconsistent with the story of their arrival. I don't think they'd be that much of a problem in terms of game-play. It would be easier than the crossfire, having only one slightly stronger neighbor instead of two.

I just think ol' Marr would be lonely without his ladyfriend . . .

SixArmedMan · March 27, 2001, 04:50

Then again, the usurpurs were never really tough to go up against anyways... The caretakers however are always a pain in the ass.

And isn't there still a bug where the aliens still make peace? I don't think it was fixed in the patch.

Earwicker · March 27, 2001, 21:27

quote:

Originally posted by SixArmedMan on 03-27-2001 03:50 AM
Then again, the usurpurs were never really tough to go up against anyways... The caretakers however are always a pain in the ass.

And isn't there still a bug where the aliens still make peace? I don't think it was fixed in the patch.

Yes, all the time. They are easier to quell than the Pirates.