Multiplayer settings

[cbn]

I am relatively new to this multiplayer business and wondered how the settings work. Specifically

1. In SP I like the feature where my base names and what they are building is shown on the map. But in MP can others see this?? I noticed it was ON in a game and went into my ettings and turned it off. However next turn it was ON again. This is not a big deal if opponents do not see this but it is almost free infiltration

2. I always play with the calculate battle odds ON. So when my jet ran into a fungal tower I had no hesitation in "attacking" since all I really wanted was a sense of the odds. ( I would never have attacked). Imagine my horror when the jet atacked and DIED. I always play with this on but does this somehow default to somae overarching game setting.

3. I am not certain of this one but I believe the "investigate monoliths " feature is not my usual setting either.

So how do the settings work?? Do I get the settings used by the prior player (and have to ensure what they are abd change them if necessary)or do I retain my own settings?

I will test this on my next turns but hoped that someone had the quick and easy answer on this.

[Net Maverick]

Tau,

How is the "Always investigate monoliths" feature important? I've never turned it on before, since I always thought it was useless.

[cbn]

Net Maverick

It can tick you off when your rover goes up the road and the path is across a monolith square. If it investigates the monolith the unit stops right there and in most cases is dead before it gets to move again next turn. This can be most frustrating if your airpower has emptied a base and you move up your rover to take it and it stops dead.

Experienced players turn this OFF (so you are asked if you wish to investigate or not) to avoid this problem. The problem in MP is that you get the "game" settings each turn which may have been switched by the player before you. So it pays to check the settings before you play EACH turn (I usually forget)

[Misotu]

I generally advertise my aversion to the settings mentioned by Tau, but especially "always investigate monoliths" early in the game. If these settings are switched on during the game, and I get a bad outcome as a result, I *will* restart the game.

I have not had to do this so far, but I was in another game where another player did this. Even though I was the attacker I supported his decision. It is not reasonable to expect every player to check all the settings for every game turn. Investigate monoliths should be off - as should other settings affecting the behaviour of military units.

[Tau Ceti]

1. They get to see your base names, but not production unless they have infiltrated you. The same as you do with AIs in SP.

-- "Do I get the settings used by the prior player?"

Yes. The settings are specific to the game turn file, not the computer. So it is a good idea to come to some sort of agreement with the other players. I can live with most settings except the potentially game-deciding 'Always investigate monoliths' and 'Air units return when at limit of fuel range' (or whatever it is called).

[Lefty Scaevola]

#2 the odds calculator does not work correctly when units with reactors other than fission fight native (&other Psi attack units?). The atual combat does give give adavatage to higher reactors, becasue the psionic hit is multiplied by the targets reactor number, thus all reactors take the smae % damage from a psionic hit. The odds calculated treats the psiconic combat like wepons combat, with the higher reactors able to take more damage. Therfore in overestimate the chance of fusion, quantum, & sigularity powered units against units with psionic attack. This occurs in both single play and multi play. You 10 mineral fission pwerd trance scout is just as strong aginst a mindworm as an equal morale sigularity pwrd, sigularity laser, stasis field, trance, blink, shock troops.

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Gaius Mucius Scaevola Sinistra
Pontificator Pendanticus
older richer & wiser than you
Did I mention that I like spellcheckers?

[cbn]

Lefty I was aware of that and as a general rule you can get a good idea of your odds against native life by dividing your stated chance of success by your reactor value. All units are fission in this game so far anyway. I was more just ticked that the battle calculator was off and I attacked unintentionally when I really just wanted to find out battle odds against native life out of pure idle curiousity.