No Way Jose - Turn Tracking Thread

[johndmuller]

The Players:

->Chairman Yang of the Hive
<strike>->Provost Minute Mirage of the University - NOSPAMminutemirageathotmail.comNOSPAM</strike>
->Provost Smacksim of the University (2165) - NOSPAMSmacksim@charter.netNOSPAM
->Don Primus GiovanniSan Matsumura of the Syndicate
->Foreman Rubin of the Drones - NOSPAMrubin_datalinks@hotmail.comNOSPAM
->Colonel Santiago of the Spartans
->Prime Function jtsisyoda of the CyCon - NOSPAMjtscheidt@hotmail.comNOSPAM
<strike>->Academician Archaic of the Academy - NOSPAMArchaicEternalathotmail.comNOSPAM</strike>
->Academician Hobbes of the Academy (2141) - NOSPAMjcrocombe@aardvark.net.auNOSPAM

SMAX, v2 - Large Planet, average everything (although substantially modified)
All victory conditions enabled, Directed Research, ... essentially 'normal'.
The discussion thread that generated this game is here (http://www.apolyton.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=98637).

Basic Rules are described here (http://www.apolyton.net/forums/showthread.php?postid=2474899#post2474899) - variations will be posted below.
-No variations as yet-

There are 2 non-standard factions in play - I have enclosed the faction files for them, which need only be copied into the 'Sid Meier's Alpha Centarui' directory (you might save off any files of the same names that you might have already). There is also a file called "faction-list", which is the appropriate substitute for the list in your 'Alpha Centarui.ini' file, which will link in with those faction files and the other 5 standard ones to display the correct graphics and color schemes for each player. Having the correct names in the 'Alpha Centauri.ini' faction list (and the appropriate faction files loaded) will enable you to see the appropriate graphics and see their faction profiles; without the faction files, the game will generate a (seemingly non-fatal) error message and continue, seemingly none the worse for wear (although maybe not??); without the correct faction list in effect, the graphics and color schemes will reflect whatever factions are in the faction list, although the faction 'profiles' may still be correct. Using a faction list without having the referenced faction files in the 'Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri' directory may cause the game to fail during its loading. It's not as hard as it sounds, although changing 'Alpha Centauri.ini'files for each PBEM is a PIA which causes some people to blow it off and live with the color schemes and confusing faces in the negotiation windows.

The 'Academy' is a variant of one of Googlie's University Clones - with an alternate set of graphics files from the Network Node (as Googlie's graphics were from the Drones, which is already in the game). Aside from the graphics and the base names and a few name substitutions of no consequence to the game, it is an identical clone.

The 'Syndicate' is based on an apparent proto-faction which some of you may already have on your machines, in a dysfunctional form (apparently some of the faction-setting syntax or basic setup terminology changed and this faction was not updated). It also has substitute graphics from the Network Node, as its own graphics were for SMAC and displayed the unit/base flags (and some other stuff) in a sort of transparent background style, which added to Matty's mysterious nature, but was hard to see in many places. It is a Morgan-like faction in any case, whose faction data I resurrected and tweaked. They differ in that as a Mafia Syndicate, the police function is a family affair, and does not suffer under the Syndicate version of Free Market economics; that is, of course, a major advantage, so Matty will be a serious player in the game.

The other two AIs are their usual selves.

As they had a bit of a head start on the other factions, and the lions share of the Unity's terraforming equipment, their land is extensively developed (hopefully) beyond their inate ability to mess it up. I gave them each 2 early techs (some duplication) and several nice bases; they have a number of 'interesting' units, which could be a PIA, but for the most part are not handled that well, so they won't be destabilising. They provided me a serious opponent in the playtesting, so don't regard them as pushovers, although you should do better than I did, as you will be focussed on only one faction, instead of juggling all 4 at once.

I will send out the passwords and files and post when I distribute the 1st turn to MM.

[johndmuller]

---------------------------------

"D.I.E.R.D.R.E...A.N.D...C.H.A...D.A.W.N...D.E.F.I.N.I.T.E.L.Y...I.N.S.A.N.E...S.T.O.P...", the message scrolled across the lasercomm's frustrating one-line display, the four heads in the Unity's control room glued to its every individual letter as they appear and make there way left in that maddeningly slow march.

"Damn that thing!", shouts MM, "Couldn't you have used a bigger screen, 'Yoda? By the time the whole message comes out, we'll have forgotten the beginning of it; it doesn't even hold a whole sentence at a time."

"Not all of us are so absentminded, MM", responds 'Yoda dryly, "I didn't see you two eggheads designing anything better to punch some comm through that interference down there. If we had this before, when Dee and Cha were down there doing whatever it was that got them in trouble, then maybe we wouldn't be in such deep sh*t now! We'd have been able to --"

"Now, Now, 'Yoda", interrupts Archaic,"Don't you drag me into this, MM. I think the, err, ... 'gadget' of 'Yoda's is quite the thing, ehhem..., where was I, ... yes, quite the thing - yes, indeed, and very quaint of you to use that ehhem, ... 'Morse Code', ... ehhem, to effect this low bandwidth, ehhem, ... 'brute force' method; not very, how shall we say, ... 'elegant'..., but effective nonetheless, in its way, ehhem ... One can almost, ehhem, ... see the message with the naked eye, given enough practice with the ehhem, ... 'encryption algorithm', so to speak. In point of fact, ..., I dare say, ... isn't that what Rubin and his gophers are doing over there by the VisSpectrum Monitor?"

"...T.H.E.Y...M.U.S.T...R.E.M.A.I.N...H.E.R.E...I.N.D.E.F.I.N.I.T.E.L.Y...S.T.O.P...", as the message resumes, this time spelled out, perhaps even more mechanically, in painstakingly slow letter by letter detail on the wallscreen by the crewman styling himself "Freeworker" Irwin.

"This is just as bad over here!", roars MM, flecks of spittle spotting one of the immaculate white robes that has been his fashion for some months now; "What do they mean: '...Must remain here...'? What are they talking about? Who is this sending the message, anyway?

"I guess it wasn't the SIZE of the display that mattered after all", muses 'Yoda, "Perhaps someone's been skipping their sessions with the Dr. Shrink program ..."

"Like we need all this bickering ...", puts in Rubin, "I thought we sent all the loonie Fascists down there on the search and rescue - you three fancy yourselves the brains of this operation, don't you? So just read the bleeding message and stop this petty sniping. It seems like they found them alive at least, though if I were whacko, I sure as hell wouldn't want those three taking care of me, ... talk about 'Compassionate Conservatism', ... yeah right; the only things Mattie gets compassionate about are those Madison Avenue Psychommercials. I Doubt that he can brainwash Cha and D into getting better."

"Just cause Don Matsu seems to be, err, ... ehhem, ... lately, shall we say, err, 'getting along', ehhem, better with your old pal Yang than you are, doesn't mean that he doesn't know his stuff," ventures Archaic, "... I think the crew has pretty much traded in the Earthside half of their pay packages for those ... ehhem, 'SensoSim' things he sells, not to mention his so called 'Stock Market'. Why do they want to keep them donwbelow anyways?"

"...S.E.E.M...A.D.D.I.C.T.E.D...T.O...F.U.N.G.A.L...E.M.A.N.A.T.I.O.N.S...S.T.O.P...", continues the message in silence....

"Oh man, now drugs too - the Matsu's got the Sex and the Gambling wrapped up already ... and now the Drugs", moans Rubin, "...Maybe this stuff will get him hooked too, ... serve him right."

'...P.O.S.S.I.B.L.E...D.A.N.G.E.R.S...T.O...M.I.S.S.I.O.N...S.T.O.P...I.M.P.O.R.T.A.N.T...Y.O.U...R.E.M.A. I.N...I.N...O.R.B.I.T...S.T.O.P...W.E...W.I.L.L...S.T.A.B.I.L.I.Z.E...S.I.T.U.A.T.I.O.N...D.O.W.N...H.E.R. E...S.T.O.P..."

"Sounds like Santi, with all that 'Mission' cr@p", blurts MM, "*&^$#in 'Remain in orbit!', What, does she think we came all this way for the *(&%$in view. 'Stabilize the ^%$%$^in situation', ^%^%#$in 'Danger'; I'll show her some #@*(*^ !^%$ed 'Danger' ....."

"Okay, ... Okay" soothes 'Yoda, "We've had our little vent now, ..., nothing like letting off steam, ..., releasing those pent up emotions you academics like to talk about; I guess at least one of us doesn't use those SensoSims. You know, Santi took down all the military stuff, ..., the marines too for that matter; I guess she is prepared to 'Stabilize' things down there."

"...And Yang took more than half the factory modules", chimes in Rubin, "... do you think they were planning a long stay all the time, or is it just Santi's 'Be Prepared' attitude?"

"Remember", adds Archaic, "that Dee and Cha had already brought all that ... err, eco-stuff of theirs, even all the 'formers that they hate so much, even a couple of pods with nothing but ehhem, ... 'infant trees', of all things. Those greenies must really have it in for that red stuff, hey, ... where was I, err ... maybe that fungus is, ehhem, ... fighting back at them, ha ha ha. Oh well, at least we've got just about all the library datapods all to ourselves."

"...W.A.I.T...F.O.R...F.U.R.T.H.E.R...I.N.S.T.R.U.C.T.I.O.N.S...S.T.O.P..."

[johndmuller]

-----------------------------

"#@%&*!in' Cha Dawn did WHAT!! ?", roared Yang into the Commset, "Why the HELL did he do THAT?? and How!!! ... and WHAT the ^%^#'in HELL are those things??"

"They seem to be some kind of weapons systems, Sir Seething", replied Santiago drolly, "and it doesn't say what they are in these notes, only that the control system interacts with the native---"

"Looks just like some of the Chairman's industrial waste in those pictures, if you ask me", interruped Matsumura, "Is that the 'before' or 'after' view we/ve got there?"

Santiago scowled, then cleared her throat loudly and resumed "... the controls seem to react to the native life somehow, maybe it was supposed to be some kind of additional defensive system; obviously their perimeter defenses weren't up to the job."

"Seems like someone was trying awfully hard to shut it down", said Matty, indicating the nearby monitor, "See all those 'Priority One: Emergency Stop' commands in the log?"

"Yeah, and each one says 'Shutdown Aborted by System', right after it." points out Yang "Sounds like the kind of *&%^%ed up coding those two would do; can you pull the plug, Santi?"

"Don't know, Mr. Blue, sir", Santi replied, "If you believe this schemo, the system is somehow tied in with those towers and other funny stuff they have on the ground here. Maybe they are power sources; maybe Dee prayed to them and they're putting out for her. Unfortunately, Don Primus over there has got all the good techs working on another of his wierd drugs or something. I think we're supposed to drink it and then we'll all bow down and give him all our money, or something like that."

"Yeah, Right! ... as if Your money is ever gonna be worth anything again" replies Matsu, "... as if you two would ever bow down to anyone ... you know damn well, Santi, that we're working on the long range surveilance planes - to see if all those pretty colored lights on the SatMap over there are part of any of this."

"WHAT THE #@(*&(*^ do you geniuses think 'DEPLOYMENT' means on that stickon", yells Yang, "It's right on the #&*@(*&*# SatMap monitor; do you think those are their favorite picnic sites."

"Well, that one over here, at coordinate (70,28)", relied Matsu, "I sent a U-proto over there, and the pictures it beamed back were simply breathtaking - some more of those ruins, but you can see how beautiful it was - and still is, for that matter. I'm gonna make that the site of my first SensoSim on Chiron, I'm sure it'll be a smash dahling."

"Great!", sneered Santiago, "Planetary Porn, by Primus Productions - that's not the kind of Recon those expensive remotevids are supposed to be for; we're looking for Intel, not voyeur material; and how do you tell when those fungus things are doing it anyhow? Besides, didn't something shoot down that U2 over there - I told you we need to go faster and higher."

"But the best view is up close and personal, My dear Santi", retorted the Donny, smirking at some private joke, "...as to how you tell, ... well, what do you think it means when those organ pipes pop off like that - they don't have 4th of July parades down here, you know."

"Look, you two...", said Yang sternly, "...just figure out the rest of their notes; some of the other stuff looks very &*^%in' do-able with just regular tech; but it sure does looks better than anything we brought with us. Just take this thing - ugly as hell - but the early version we've got, its pretty much indestructable - a few of those, and there will be nothing comin' into my bases."

"All that defense is so boring, Yang, and those sentries of yours, they just get drunk and/or wander off anyhow.", teased the Colonel, "Check out this thing they called 'BigFoot'; its got some defense too, but that offense really knows how to make them dance, ha ha ha."

"I'm just getting myself established here before those bozos come down and start having endless meetings", said the Chairman, "Lets just tell them it's too dangerous and leave them up there til they get fed up and come down anyway."

"Well maybe not quite that long", replies Don Matsu with a thin smile, "Maybe just a moment less than that - so that we can tell them where to land and send them over to those areas ...., you know, where it is so beautiful looking ..., ha, ha, ha."

"Looking is right, ..., they'll believe us alright about the danger then," adds Santiago, "and I think I can arrange to make up for any 'Danger Shortfall' they might experience later on. I'm almost ready for them to come down right now."

--------------------

[Chaunk]

JDM, I've gotta get you to CMN one of my games at some point.... actual narration! Awesome :b:

[Minute Mirage]

Looking very good and interesting so far JDM, thank you very much for CMNing the game!

And off we go, 2102 sent to Rubin of the Drones.

[jtsisyoda]

I have received the faction files and copied them over. :b:

[Rubin]

Great! Now you'll also have the turn, jtsisyoda. A very interesting start...

2102 to the Consciousness.

Come and listen for a moment, lads, and hear me tell my tale
How across the sea from England I was condemned to sail
Now the jury found me guilty then says the judge, says he:
Oh, for life, Jim Jones, I'm sending you across the stormy sea

[johndmuller]

Rubin mentioned to me that he thought there may have been some non Poly-standard-tourney rules agreed to for this game. That may well be, as I didn't feel that I had the time to check that out before I cited the standard set in the 1st post; Rubin certainly caught me out here :cute: . Obviously, if there were variances agreed to, those are the rules for the game, its just a matter of setting them out in the thread. At some point, I'll have the time to read the thread to check that out; anyone else who has the time sooner, feel free to lay them out earlier. I'll adjust the 1st post according to what turns out to be the rules.

[jtsisyoda]

I think I sent the turn on to Archaic yesterday. :confused:

[Archaic]

You did. I had to pick some people up from the airport today, so I only just go to play the turn. Onwards to MM.

[Minute Mirage]

2103 to Rubin. Archaic, remember to change the year when you send the turn to me.

[Rubin]

But take a tip before you ship to join the iron gang
Don't get too gay in Botany Bay or else you'll surely hang
Or else you'll surely hang, says he: And after that Jim Jones
It's high above on the gallows tree, the crows will pick your bones

Turn 2103 passed to jtsisyoda.

Note: I didn't accumulate ANY research points (I still have ZERO). Isn't that too severe a penalty for the Drones? Is this a bug or am I missing something? (and yes, I do have energy allocated to research).

[Minute Mirage]

Originally posted by Rubin
Note: I didn't accumulate ANY research points (I still have ZERO). Isn't that too severe a penalty for the Drones? Is this a bug or am I missing something? (and yes, I do have energy allocated to research).

The Drones don't accumulate any research points until M.Y. 2110, just like the Believers. This is an undocumented property of the -2 Research.

[Rubin]

Thanks Minute Mirage. Oh well, I'm not very experienced with the Drones...

[jtsisyoda]

2103 to Archaic.

[Minute Mirage]

2104 to Rubin.

[Rubin]

And our ship was high upon the sea when pirates came along
But the soldiers on our convict ship were full five hundred strong
For they opened fire and somehow drove that pirate ship away
But I'd rather have joined that pirate ship than gone to Botany Bay

Energy re-allocated and 2104 passed to jtsisyoda.

[jtsisyoda]

2104 to Archaic. :) :b:

[Archaic]

Damn Fungus. Damn small islands.

Turn to MM.

[Minute Mirage]

Originally posted by Archaic
Damn Fungus. Damn small islands.


I'll second that. By the way, change the year when you send the turn to me. The next turn you should send to me is 2106.


2105 to Rubin.

[Rubin]

With the storms ragin' round us and the winds a-blowin' gale
I'd rather have drowned in misery than gone to New South Wales
There's no time for mischief there, they say: remember that, says they
Or they'll flog the poaching out of you down there in Botany Bay

Turn 2105 passed to jtsisyoda.

[johndmuller]

Rubin, AFAIK, the Drones get the same treatment as Miriam w/r research, notably the 10 year drought (I suspect that the Miriam routine in the program keys on the Research setting); given the other human factions in this game, you will definitely be off to a relatively stone age start. OTOH, the Drones do have their endearing qualities in other areas (in some of which, as it happens, the other humans are themselves in fact disadvantaged - i.e. the Uni's in drone control and the CyCon in industry). Edit: Now I see that MM has already addressed the Drone research thing; I guess I should have read the thread more closely. As far as good looks goes, it's still no joy for the Drones, although at least you don't get an additional penalty; in this game I think it's definitely Santi's turf, hands down ;) .

[Minute Mirage]

Originally posted by johndmuller
OTOH, the Drones do have their endearing qualities in other areas (in some of which, as it happens, the other humans are themselves in fact disadvantaged - i.e. the Uni's in drone control and the CyCon in industry).

What's the matter with the CyCon's industry? I thought growth is where they are lacking.

[johndmuller]

Originally posted by Minute Mirage
What's the matter with the CyCon's industry? I thought growth is where they are lacking.
You're right MM, there is nothing wrong with the CyCon's Industry rating, my bad - I've been playing them with 'Power' in another game (don't ask) and there is definitely something wrong with my industry in that game (I must be trying to forget that it is my fault that their industry is so handicapped in that game by projecting it onto the CyCon in general instead).

[Archaic]

Turn to MM.

*Watches in horror as the undersea thermal borehole with mineral bonus and geothermal shallows is swallowed up by an Earthquake*

[Minute Mirage]

2106 to Rubin.

[Rubin]

Now it's day and night and the irons clang, and like poor galley slaves
We toil and toil, and when we die must fill dishonored graves
And it's by and by I'll slip my chains, well, into the bush I'll go
And I'll join the bravest rankers there Jack Donohue and co

2106 passed to the Consciousness... This place is dangerous!

[Minute Mirage]

One thing I forgot to mention is that one of the AI factions discovered Secrets Of The Human Brain. I don't know if others got this notification.

[jtsisyoda]

2106 to Archaic.
Didn't receive the in-game message, so thanks MM.

[Minute Mirage]

2107 to Rubin.

[Rubin]

Oh my...

2107 to jtsisyoda.

[jtsisyoda]

2107 to Archaic.

[Archaic]

Turn to MM.

[Minute Mirage]

2108 to Rubin.

By the way, here are the rules we agreed to use in the previous thread: (http://apolyton.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=98637)

§ 1. Turn Reload
You may not restart/reload a turn without good reason. Specify the reason if you are not able to avoid reloading the turn (e.g. reloading the game multiple times to get different Unity pod, combat or other effects).

§ 2. Player Contact
(1) You are not permitted to establish contact with another faction prior to having met them in-game or you have the Empath Guild or you have obtained their commlink in-game in any other way (trading, elections) .
(2) Player diplomacy is not permitted during sunspot activity. See § 10.

§ 3. Probe Action
(1) If you perform a probe team action other than to infiltrate against another player with whom you are in a truce, treaty or pact, you must inform the probed player what it was you did and what you stole/sabotaged (notify the victim of your transgression).
(2) You must choose the 'declare vendetta/cancel pact' option when you perform the action, unless you have received permission in advance.

§ 4. Social Engineering
You are not permitted to make more than one social engineering change per line, per turn (no flip-flop within turn!). Testing the effects of new settings is allowed.

§ 5. Demand Withdrawal
You are not permitted to use the 'demand withdrawal' feature against another player.

§ 6. Planetary Council
(1) You may not accept a bribe from another player's AI during council sessions.
(2) If you call a meeting of the Planetary Council (or the first player to vote if the AI calls it), at first you have to send an email message to all of the other players stating: a) what is being voted on, b) what choices are available, c) if it a vote for governor then how many votes each faction gets (including vote totals - if applicable).This rule is necessary so that players who will vote near the end of the election have a chance to make promises and influence the votes of players who must vote earlier. The other players should post how they vote.
(3) As the players voting at the beginning of the circle don't get an information about the voting of the later factions, all players have to tell by email how they voted, so that all players the same information have about the voting of the others.

§ 7. Multiple Airdrops
You may not perform multiple airdrops or orbital insertions in a single turn with the same unit using the right-click menu. So is airdropping from outside a base/airbase, or after having moved (except on a magtube) using the same method. Using the 'I' key when you want an airdrop means you will automatically comply with these restrictions.

§ 8. F4 Screen
(1) You may not use the F4 screen when infiltrated to change an opponent's workers to specialists.

(2) You may not use the F4 screen to change your workers/drones/specialists into non-available/non-allowed specialists.

§ 9. Stockpile Energy
You may not insert stockpile energy into the build queue after the production of any unit.

§ 11. Design Workshop Upgrade
(1) You may not upgrade a particular type of unit using the design workshop, and then attack with that unit in the same turn.
(2) Upgrading units with the design workshop is allowed at end of turn only. However, supply crawlers upgraded in this fashion can still be used to advance Secret Projects in the same turn.

§ 14. Reverse Engineering
You may use reverse engineering except with the rover chassis from Planetary Networks.

§ 15. Pending Diplomatic Agreement
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 in the same turn, causing a change in diplomatic status or the transfer of energy or knowledge (Example: You have been negotiating a treaty with another player, and the other player has accepted the treaty in the diplomacy window, but you have not. You perform an act that causes a state of vendetta between the two of you - build a new base in the other's territory, attack units or bases, etc. Now you are prohibited from accepting the treaty (and erasing the state of vendetta) until the other player has a chance to take back the diplomatic offer. It is OK to first accept the diplomatic offers and then do the act that causes a vendetta.)

§ 16. AI Base Exchange
No base trading with the AI. Extortion is allowed.

§ 17. Scenario Editor
Loading the game into the scenario editor is prohibited.

§ 18. Terraform Investment
Starting a terraforming operation in one square, cancelling it, moving to a different square, and then finishing it in that new square is prohibited in cases of "combat terraforming." This prevents "crediting up" a terraformer in a safe location and then moving it to a dangerous location where the terraforming is completed in one turn. An example of this would be using a sea former to sink an enemy coastal base - the sea former has to do all of the work in the target square where the enemy can retaliate.

§ 19. Pact Home Base
Setting the home of a unit to be the base of a pacted faction is prohibited.

§ 20. City Renaming
Don't rename a city to allow multiple artifacts to be connected to the same network node. Renaming allowed if bug is NOT exploited.



The changes I made to Rubin's original proposal are in bold. Any comments on the rules?

[Rubin]

And some dark night, when everything is silent in the town
I'll shoot those tyrants one and all I'll gun the floggers down
Oh, I'll give the land a little shock remember what I say
They'll yet regret they've sent Jim Jones in chains to Botany Bay

Turn 2108 passed to jtsisyoda.

[jtsisyoda]

2108 to Archaic.

[Minute Mirage]

2109 to Rubin.

A notification for all players:

Don Primus GiovanniSan Matsumura of the Syndicate has authorized a secret project codenamed "The Planetary Energy Grid".

[Rubin]

2109 passed to jtsisyoda.

[Minute Mirage]

2110 to Rubin.

[Rubin]

2110 passed to jtsisyoda.

[Minute Mirage]

2111 to Rubin.

[Rubin]

2111 passed to jtsisyoda.

[jtsisyoda]

2111 went to archaic a little while ago.

[Minute Mirage]

2112 to Rubin.

[Rubin]

2112 to jtsisyoda.

[jtsisyoda]

2112 to Archaic. Fun, fast game so far. :b:

[Archaic]

2112 to MM.

[Minute Mirage]

2113 to Rubin.

[Rubin]

2113 to jtsisyoda. Aye, this turn pace is very good! My starting position, however, is hmm... very dangerous.

Santiago has begun construction of the Command Nexus.

[jtsisyoda]

2113 to Archaic.

As far as people starting SP's, I don't know the standard etiquette, but I don't plan on passing along any info on that. You can always check F5. ;) On the other hand, messages like SotHB, perihelion, eradication, etc., those I'd pass along because we won't all have access to the information on our own turn.

[Minute Mirage]

2114 to Rubin.

Oh, I checked F5 and now I know why yoda is talking about the projects. ;)

[Rubin]

2114 to jtsisyoda.

Regarding posting in-game information: Although we do have access to a lot of information in the game during our turns I still hold the opinion that we post all pop-up information that applies to all players. The exception is council proposals, see rule § 6 (I've experienced that the in-game pop-up information can be wrong). All other information (I believe) is optional -- that is, information that all players otherwise do have access to.

[jtsisyoda]

2114 to Archaic.

[Minute Mirage]

2115 to Rubin.

[Rubin]

2115 to jtsisyoda.

[jtsisyoda]

2115 to Archaic.

[Archaic]

To MM.

[Minute Mirage]

2116 to Rubin.

[Rubin]

2116 on to jtsisyoda.

[jtsisyoda]

To Archaic, 2116.

[Archaic]

To MM.

[Minute Mirage]

2117 to Rubin.

[Rubin]

2117 to jtsisyoda.

[jtsisyoda]

2117 to Archaic.

[Minute Mirage]

2118 to Rubin.

Announcement:

The Syndicate secret project, The Planetary Energy Grid, is nearing completion.

[Rubin]

2118 to jtsisyoda.

Oh my, the AI is pretty fast!

[jtsisyoda]

2118 to Archaic.

[Minute Mirage]

2119 to Rubin.

Announcements:

Toho (Syndicate) builds the Planetary Energy Grid.

The Syndicate has also started two other secret projects, the Human Genome Project and the Weather Paradigm.

[Rubin]

I have the turn and I'll play it as soon as possible. My harddisk suffered a complete breakdown 24 hours ago and I need to re-install everything. Please have patience.

(Edit: SMACX re-installed and patched. Turn 2119 played and sent on to jtsisyoda.)

[jtsisyoda]

I think I sent Archaic the 2119 turn about 9 hours ago. :hmmm:

[Minute Mirage]

Archaic has very limited internet access until the start of December, because he has gone over his bandwith cap. Thankfully, it's not a long time until December.

[jtsisyoda]

Replacement! Replacement!

(Just kidding) ;)

[Minute Mirage]

2120 to Rubin.

[Rubin]

2120 to jtsisyoda... Nasties this turn!

[jtsisyoda]

2120 to Archaic.

[jtsisyoda]

Where's the turn? I like this game. :)

[Minute Mirage]

2121 to Rubin.

(Ignore the 2123 in the title, the zip should be the right one).

[Rubin]

2121 to jtsisyoda. (Minute Mirage: The title was correct.)

[jtsisyoda]

2121 went to Archaic.

[jtsisyoda]

May I inquire, where is the turn?

[Rubin]

I haven't seen 2122 yet.

[Minute Mirage]

Archaic has the turn. Apparently he's still having trouble with his internet access.

[Archaic]

My internet's all better now....but I never recieved this turn I'm afraid. Could I have a resend please?

[jtsisyoda]

2121 resent.

[Minute Mirage]

2122 sent to Rubin.

Announcement:

The Syndicate secret project "The Weather Paradigm" is nearing completion.

[Rubin]

2122 to jtsisyoda. Hmm, the AI is moving fast and I seem to forget what I'm doing...

[jtsisyoda]

2122 to Archaic.

[Minute Mirage]

2123 to Rubin.

Announcement:

Sicily (Syndicate) builds the Weather Paradigm.

[Rubin]

2123 to jtsisyoda. Oh, am I having difficult times trying to catch up...

Merry Christmas! :)

[jtsisyoda]

2123 to Archaic.

Yay! Presents! :D I mean, um, it's better to give than to receive. Yeah. :cute:

[Minute Mirage]

2124 to Rubin.

[Rubin]

Foreman Rubin declared the first Free Drone expedition a reality. The limited available construction plans of the Drones have--not surprisingly--presented idle workers with no other choice but to mass a whole squadron of Scouting Units into production. Within a few years, the Foreman expects to be able to uncover the unknown reaches of the seemingly huge continent where the Drones crash landed 23 years ago.
The extreme nature of native lifeforms poses a serious threat to every expeditionary unit--wild, gigantic boils of Mind Worms and Spore Launchers are the only neighbors ever encountered.

2124 turned to jtsisyoda. Any explanations to the recent delays or is a turn a week simply the pace of this game?

[jtsisyoda]

2124 to Archaic.

[Rubin]

2125 to jtsisyoda.

[jtsisyoda]

To Archaic... 2125.

[Minute Mirage]

2126 to Rubin.

Announcement:

Syndicate built the HGP and started the CDF.

[Rubin]

And 2126 on to the Consciousness...

[jtsisyoda]

I didn't need the HGP anyway. :D

2126 to Archaic.

[Minute Mirage]

2127 to Rubin.

[Rubin]

2127 to jtsisyoda.

[jtsisyoda]

2127 went to Archaic yesterday, I think.

[Minute Mirage]

2128 to Rubin.

[Rubin]

2128 to jtsisyoda.

[jtsisyoda]

2128 to Archaic. There was a reload warning for the Academy. What happened?

[Minute Mirage]

2129 to Rubin.

[Rubin]

... and I thought the first 25 years were tough! :eek:

2129 to jtsisyoda.

[Minute Mirage]

2130 to Rubin.

[Rubin]

2130 to jtsisyoda.

[Minute Mirage]

2131 to Rubin.

[Rubin]

2131 to jtsisyoda.

[jtsisyoda]

I think I sent the turn on to Archaic about 12 hours ago. Can't remember, actually. :confused:

[Rubin]

Where is the turn? What happened?

[jtsisyoda]

Archaic, if you didn't get that turn, I'll have to find it on my other pc.

[Archaic]

I didn't get the turn. Been wondering where it was actually. I've been pretty much dead the last week or so with ISP and power outages, so it probably came in during one of those periods, and got bounced by hotmail because I hadn't had the chance to clean the inbox out.

[jtsisyoda]

In about 10-12 hours I should have a chance to hook up my old pc and resend the turn to Archaic.

Edit: Resent.

[Minute Mirage]

2132 to Rubin.

[Rubin]

2132 to jtsisyoda.

[jtsisyoda]

2132 to Archaic.

[jtsisyoda]

Update on Archaic, in case you haven't seen it:
http://apolyton.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=108079

[Minute Mirage]

2133 to Rubin.

Announcement:

Syndicate builds the Citizens' Defence Force.

[Rubin]

Passed on...

[jtsisyoda]

2133 to Archaic.

[Archaic]

Onward.

[Minute Mirage]

2134 to Rubin.

Archaic, please increment the year by one when you send the save to me.

[Rubin]

2134 passed to jtsisyoda.

I got a pop-up message from Operations:

Colonel Santiago of the Spartans has detonated a fungal missile near Amnesia!

[Archaic]

Not sure if I've already sent this on, but I don't see a post here by me, so turn on to MM.

And I've incremented the year this time. Sorry about that.

[Minute Mirage]

2135 to Rubin.

[Rubin]

2135 to jtsisyoda.

[jtsisyoda]

2135 to Archaic.

[Minute Mirage]

2136 to Rubin.

[Rubin]

2136 to jtsisyoda.

[jtsisyoda]

To Archaic.

[Minute Mirage]

2137 to Rubin.

[Rubin]

2137 to jtsisyoda.

[jtsisyoda]

2137 to Archaic.

[Archaic]

Apologies for the short holdup. The computer hasn't been co-operating with the 42 degree C heat. Turn to MM.

[Minute Mirage]

2138 to Rubin.

[Rubin]

2138 to jtsisyoda.

Operations Director reports:
Colonel Santiago of the Spartans has detonated a fungal missile near Carceri!
Colonel Santiago of the Spartans has detonated a fungal missile near Jonotus!
Colonel Santiago of the Spartans has detonated a fungal missile near Kuolema!

[Archaic]

Apologies for the forced reload. While browsing through my infiltration data, I accidently clicked on a worker, changing them to a specialist. While I could have changed them back, it wouldn't put it back on the same square, so I quit and replayed the turn as I had originally.

Fungal Missile?!? Oo Just how high were these AI pumped?

[Minute Mirage]

2139 sent to Rubin.

[Rubin]

2139 to jtsisyoda.

[Minute Mirage]

2140 to Rubin.

[Rubin]

2140 to Yoda.

[jtsisyoda]

2140 to Archaic. Sorry about the delay... forgot I had the turn.

[Rubin]

How long are we supposed to wait?

[jtsisyoda]

I suggest sending Archaic an email directly. If he doesn't respond in a couple days, we could post for a replacement.

[Rubin]

Archaic has told me that he has not yet received the turn and he asks that the turn be forwarded to archaic AT nocturnal DOT com.

He should be back within a week. :)

[jtsisyoda]

2140 resent to the new address.

[jtsisyoda]

I got a delivery failure notification. :confused:

[Rubin]

So, what should we do? Keep waiting? Start looking for a replacement?

[jtsisyoda]

I tried one more time at that address. If it still doesn't work, then we've done all we can.

[Rubin]

I believe it is time to look for a replacement.

[jtsisyoda]

H0bbes is in for Archaic. 2140 sent.

[H0bbes]

I have the turn, have requested the password. If anyone wants to talk, now's your chance. It's a whole new ball game!

Hobbes :bounce:

[johndmuller]

PW and faction files sent to Hobbes - good luck getting moving again.

[H0bbes]

2141 is turned to Minute Mirage.

:bounce: Hobbes :bounce:

[Minute Mirage]

2141 sent to Rubin. Nice to be back on track.

[Rubin]

2141 to Yoda.

Once again, Colonel Santiago of the Spartans has been reported to have detonated yet another Fungal Missile near Carceri.

Welcome H0bbes..! This place is very dangerous ;)

[H0bbes]

Turned to MM.

[Minute Mirage]

2142 sent to Rubin.

[Rubin]

On to Yoda.

[jtsisyoda]

Back to H0bbes for 2142.

[H0bbes]

2143 to MM.

Hobbes :bounce:

[Minute Mirage]

2143 to Rubin.

Announcement:

The Syndicate has started building the Maritime Control Center.

[Rubin]

Sorry for the delay. 2143 to Yoda.

Colonel Santiago has authorized the construction of the Maritime Control Center.

[jtsisyoda]

2143 to H0bbes.

[H0bbes]

2144 to MM.

Hobbes :bounce:

[Minute Mirage]

2144 to Rubin.

[Rubin]

2144 to Yoda.

[jtsisyoda]

2144 to H0bbes.

[H0bbes]

I found a "Unity Blackbird." This is:
<0~1>-<10+t>-11 Cloaked, Amphibious, SAM, AAA, ECM, Grav, Trained, Blink, Trance, Gas, Wave, Nanocell, Enhanced, Hardened. What the!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm not sure what JDM was on when he put that one together- obviously something good!

It moved at the end of the turn so I don't know where it is now. :scared:

Plus I lost a CP to a MW, I have a spore launcher trashing my forest, and a Syndicate rover lurking on my territory. (And I have a cold.)

I should have stayed in bed this morning.

Turned to Minute Mirage.

:idiot:

[Minute Mirage]

2145 to Rubin.

[jtsisyoda]

Sorry, guys, I forgot to mention something from two turns ago. I inadvertantly took advantage of a bug. I was going to move two formers away from a worm. I stopped their work on a mine and attempted to move them. It turned out because of zones of control that they could not move away. So I set them back to completing the mine, hoping they would survive to finish. That's when I realized the mine would complete one turn earlier because of a terraforming bug.

The formers did not gain any more former-time overall, though, because they were trapped. This did not "snowball" in that it did not allow me to complete anything I would not have completed otherwise. So the two minerals from the early completion of the mine were the only benefit from the bug.

So what should I do to make right? Can I send everyone some ec's to divide up what I gained? I was thinking 3 ec's > 1 min, so 6 ec's split three ways is 2 ec's each. I would accept punitive damages as well, for not thinking to save mid-turn to bring it to your attention sooner.

P.S. Yes, JDM went nuts with this game... or is nuts, not sure. :)

[Rubin]

2145 to Yoda. I am unaware of the above mentioned bug. Perhaps you could have a former stand idle for a year or two, Yoda? Overall, I'd say we simply continue.

[jtsisyoda]

Ok, I received the turn. If no one objects, I'll continue, and have the next two formers that ask for orders do nothing for one turn.

[jtsisyoda]

2145 to H0bbes.

Two formers sat on their hands this turn. :o

[H0bbes]

Turned to MM.

Hobbes :dance:

[Minute Mirage]

2146 to Rubin.

[Rubin]

2146 to Yoda.

[jtsisyoda]

2146 to H0b-along.

[H0bbes]

Damn sporelauncher is still there, as is the Syndicate Rover. And I STILL have a cold.

Turned to MM.

:cool:

[Minute Mirage]

Originally posted by H0bbes
Damn sporelauncher is still there, as is the Syndicate Rover. And I STILL have a cold.

Turned to MM.

:cool:

I don't seem to have received the turn yet.

[Minute Mirage]

Forget that, it just arrived.

[Minute Mirage]

2147 to Rubin.

[Rubin]

2146 to Yoda.

[jtsisyoda]

2147 to H0bbes.

[H0bbes]

MM, you may want to wait longer than 5 minutes before complaining in future!! Turned to the impatient one.

Hobbes :bounce:

[Minute Mirage]

2148 from the impatient one to Rubin. :)

[Rubin]

2148 to Yoda.

[jtsisyoda]

2148 to H0bbes.

[H0bbes]

2149 to MM.

:bounce:

[Minute Mirage]

2149 to Rubin.

Syndicate has completed the Maritime Control Center and has started building the Ascetic Virtues.

[Rubin]

2149 to Yoda.

[jtsisyoda]

From the rules (http://www.apolyton.net/forums/showthread.php?postid=2474899#post2474899):

*******

§ 9. Stockpile Energy
You may not insert stockpile energy into the build queue after the production of any unit.

*******

With my spiffy new infiltration from Empath Guild, I noticed our newcomer H0bbes is using stockpile in the queue in violation of this rule. H0bbes, please give us an estimate of how much <strike>drug money</strike> tax-cheat energy this has netted you since you joined. Was Archaic using it when you opened the first turn?

How should we handle this?

I intend to hold the turn until we figure something out.

[H0bbes]

My apologies, I should not have assumed this was legal. Grrrrrr, I hate games without this, very annoying. I believe I have produced four units, say 2 EC's extra after each one, a grand total of 8 EC's!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You figure out how much I owe each, you might be able to afford a fungus-burger each.

Hobbes :confused:

[Rubin]

We could think of it as newcomer compensation credits and simply continue. Of course, H0bbes should adhere to the rules from now on.

[Minute Mirage]

I have no big problem with the issue, as long as it doesn't happen in the future. Of course, we could let our CMN (johndmuller) settle this.

[jtsisyoda]

I want my 2 ec's. :doitnow!: Mmmm.. fuuunguus buuurgerrr. Seriously, if that's all it was, no biggy, forget it.

I'll try to play the turn in about 12 hours.

[H0bbes]

I have taken stockpile out of my queues & it will remain out. Turned to MM.

Hobbes

[H0bbes]

"This is an automatically generated Delivery Status Notification.

Delivery to the following recipients failed.

minutemirage@hotmail.com"

Oh dear.




:confused:

[Minute Mirage]

Sorry, my hotmail inbox was full. 2150 to Rubin.

Don GiovanniSan Matsumura of the Syndicate has convened the planetary council. The candidates for the planetary governor are Yang (Hive) and Giovanni (Syndicate). The votes so far:

Yang: Yang (124)
Giovanni: Giovanni (83)
Santiago: Yang (82)
Minute Mirage: Abstain

Total:

Yang: 206
Giovanni: 83

[Rubin]

27 Free Drone votes went to Don Primus GiovanniSan Matsumura.

Turn 2150 went to Prime Funtion Yoda.

[jtsisyoda]

2150 to H0bbes.

[H0bbes]

2151 to MM.

Yang is now governor.

Hobbes

[H0bbes]

"This is an automatically generated Delivery Status Notification.

Delivery to the following recipients failed."

[jtsisyoda]

Santiago must have passed Don Giovanni in population mid-turn, because I had a choice between Yang and Santiago. I abstained.

[Minute Mirage]

2151 to Rubin.

Yang was elected Governor.

[Rubin]

2151 to Yoda.

[jtsisyoda]

2151 to H0bbes.

[H0bbes]

A resend is needed as I was sent Yoda's turn.

[jtsisyoda]

Sorry. Resent.

[H0bbes]

2152 to MM.

[Minute Mirage]

2152 to Rubin.

[Rubin]

2152 to Yoda. Very good pace of turns :b:

[jtsisyoda]

2152 to H0bbes.

[H0bbes]

Around once more.

Hobbes :bounce:

[Rubin]

2153 to Yoda. :eek:

[jtsisyoda]

2153 to H.

H0bbes, watch the stockpile. :q:

[Minute Mirage]

H0bbes, you sent me 2153 for a second time. If you've played 2154, could you send me that one?

[H0bbes]

2154 to MM. Sorry about stockpile, habits are hard to break. Checked everything again this turn.

Hobbes :bounce:

[Minute Mirage]

2154 to Rubin.

[Rubin]

To Yoda.

[H0bbes]

55 to Minute Mirage.

:cool:

[Minute Mirage]

2155 to Rubin.

[Rubin]

2155 to Yoda.

[jtsisyoda]

2155 to H. :)

[H0bbes]

Longevity Vaccine complete.

Turned to MM.

:bounce:

[Minute Mirage]

2156 to Rubin.

[Rubin]

2156 to Yoda.

[jtsisyoda]

2156 to H.

[H0bbes]

On to MM.

[Minute Mirage]

2157 to Rubin.

[Rubin]

2157 to Yoda.

[jtsisyoda]

2157 to H0bbes.

[Minute Mirage]

2158 to Rubin.

[Rubin]

2158 to Yoda.

[H0bbes]

2159 to MM.

Hobbes

[Minute Mirage]

2159 to Rubin.

[Rubin]

2159 to Yoda.

[jtsisyoda]

2159 to H.

[Minute Mirage]

2160 to Rubin.

[Rubin]

Dear players, my harddisk failed 48 hours ago and I haven't been able to access the internet until now. I hold the turn and hope to have it forwarded within 24 hours.

---

Edit: 2160 sent to Yoda.

[jtsisyoda]

2160 to H.

[H0bbes]

2161 to MM.

Hobbes :cool:

[Minute Mirage]

2161 to Rubin.

[Rubin]

2161 to Yoda.

[jtsisyoda]

2161 to H.

Sorry for the delay... was away for the weekend.

[H0bbes]

2162 to MM :cool:

[Minute Mirage]

2162 to Rubin.

[Rubin]

2162 to Yoda.