SP Rotation Rocks

[UnityScoutChopper]

Many thanks to those who have suggested Rotation games for making single-player more fun. I just started my first yesterday, with 20 turns between evaluations of who's weakest, and it's been fascinating all the way. A pretty long way, in a sense: it's taken a lot less time to get to the 2190's than usual, because I haven't been able to use my typical mega-expand strategy (I always play huge maps). Or rather, I have - but every time I get off the ground, the 20-year deadline comes around and I'm no longer in last place.

Still, I've only played two factions so far in this game: the Consciousness (starting faction, to which I returned in 2180), and the Cult (go figure). Right now I'm fighting for my life against the University, who absolutely refuses a truce without concessions. Give me peace for free or show me your rovers, Zak!

It's funny, the game is REALLY confused at points by the switches, I would almost say the behavior is buggy, although it's hard to define what's buggy and what's a "feature" in this situation. I'm playing at Transcend. When I was playing the Cult, I had lots of free non-drones, and a low SE switch cost - I was apparently getting many of the same cheats that the AI's usually get on Transcend. Now back as Aki, I'm seeing some things that suggest I'm again playing under stricter conditions (I seem more drone-prone than "my" Cult was), and some that suggest I'm still playing on Prince, er, Librarian or whatever (cheap probe costs, still surprisingly few drones). I've been too lazy to look into this in detail. Makes me wonder if it would be more interesting to start the next game on Thinker - to make it HARDER!

Interesting note: Miss Science Queen here still hadn't researched Centauri Ecology when I picked her back up. Looks like I should make that a first-twenty-years priority for the next rotation game I play...

Some questions for the Rotation players among you:

What do do when it's impossible to tell who's lowest on the charts? Switch, stay, or depends?

What are your favorite rotation periods? I never saw anyone suggest such a short period as 20 years, but I like the chance it gives me to visit (and bolster) more factions in interesting situations. It also decreases the chance of inheriting a faction in a TOTALLY depressing situation, which would just give me ulcers. On the other hand, I could imagine situations where two factions -- both played by me, the human -- both forever dragging each other to the permanent bottom of the charts, occasionally flipping control between me and the AI, whereas with a larger rotation period one would finally crush the other and release me from the agony. We'll see.

Wish me luck, all. I captured 2 Uni bases, but my money, troops, and above all probes are running thin, and Zak just keeps on coming.

UnityScoutChopper

[Googlie]

You are correct in your assumption that you inherit the AI "bonuses" when you switch after a game has started - these include the reduced SE choice costs, the build advantages - and although I have never seen it corobberated I suspect an easier time with drones as well (maybe just a lower DIFF level such as thinker when you start on Transcend

As to periods, I ususally play the first faction for 100 years, the second for 75, then at 50 increments after that.

If the graph is unclear as to who is leading or last (sometimes in the early years they all track one another - I go for the one with the lowest population.

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Another variant of this type of game is to start the game (ie 2101) then immediately activate the scenario editor, and then play all the seven factions sequencially, for about fifty to 100 years or so. Then save it as a scenario, reload and choose "play scenario, and play SP as the weakest of the seven. You are then up against six pretty strong other factions if you have been playing them half decently for those 50 - 100 years

G.

[Flubber]

I agree with googlie in that I prefer longer periods before switching. The point, for me, is to use my skills to build up a REALLY powerful faction before leaving them. The challange is to beat the super-strong enemy that you had previously created

[UnityScoutChopper]

Hmmm... I see the point, but then, what good is a super-strong enemy if it turns out to be halfway across Planet from the weakest faction? Take the second-weakest, I suppose... On the other hand, I'm not sure I would enjoy playing the weakest faction with it being next door to the Empire, either. Ulcers again

I guess my method is somewhere inbetween the two variants you mention. I'll have to try the complete-rotation-every-turn method, although it sounds like a bit of a pain in the @#$@, and would sort of reduce the element of surprise (you know where every faction is and how they're doing when you run out the gate).

USC