Enigma's Questions

[Enigma_Nova]

1. Where do I find extended info on the ideologies of the factions? I'd also like to see the PowerChart before I join (and as the chart is available to all this should not be a defector problem)

2. Given that, is the joining process relatively simple?
Is it simple to log on and off the private fora?

3. Once I've joined, can I download the ingame map to see how things are going with faction X, to form a more educated opinion?

4. On seeing said map, how do I get my information to the players?
Forum, yes, but are there also chat channels?
As for MSN, I'm not on, but would still like Turnchat.

5. How do I access the Turnchat? I want to be THERE when the decisions get made.

6. That said, what times do these decisions generally get made? (GMT please)

7. Are there any files I need to download (other than map mentioned above)? Past turnchats and maps would be good.

8. What is and is not allowed to be done with regards to information (maps, talking with team, talking with nonteam, turnchat etc.)

9. Which faction offers the most ability to critique strategy (and to have one's own strategy crituqued)?

10. Where can I get an overview of strategies and events to date?

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I'd like to join in, but I need Information.

[Hercules]

First look at the ' For new members thread' initiated by Kody. Some factions posted information about their faction there.

Re the power Chart, that should be no problem, except I don't know how to do it. Maybe Googlie or Tass can oblige.

It is simple to log on. After a short interval you will be authorised. However if you log off you cannot join another faction because you would have learned the first faction's password: but once you are in a private forum you can access all of your chosen faction's info.

Re Q3 & Q4 Yes

Q5 Turnchat. As only 1 turn can be taken per turn, a live 'decision ' turnchat' style is not necessary in the early days. During the course of the turn at more advanced years, eg MY 2197, some unexpected events may require decisions. But even then the turn can be saved on hold and discussion can tale place off line s to speak without denying faction input.

Q5-Q8. Hopefully answered.

Q9. In real time/terms, reality, all; in RP depends on active members.
Q10 More difficult to answer. read forum threads: Ask googlie or Tass about factions

Advert:

The Pirates, is regarded as one of the more difficult factions of the new factions to succeed with, hence an explorative involvement of experts and novices. But I guess that might be said of a number of factions.

The more involvement the merrier.

Q 9 & Q 10 join.

[Maniac]

Re: Enigma's Questions

Originally posted by Enigma_Nova
1. Where do I find extended info on the ideologies of the factions? I'd also like to see the PowerChart before I join (and as the chart is available to all this should not be a defector problem)

We haven't got an an official summary explaining our faction at the moment. However we generally play the Consciousness the way Firaxis represents it in all their official information. But for more roleplay information on the Consciousness, I can recommend you to read the 3D Issues which you can find in the topped "Planetary Archives" thread.

As for the powerchart, same as Hercules: hopefully Googlie or Tassadar can provide one. Though I would say the power chart can give a wrong image of the real power of a faction.

4. On seeing said map, how do I get my information to the players?
Forum, yes, but are there also chat channels?
As for MSN, I'm not on, but would still like Turnchat.

5. How do I access the Turnchat? I want to be THERE when the decisions get made.

Most discussions are done in the forum. Recently though the Consciousness created a private chat channel, so things can be discussed there too. The procedure to access the channel and turnchats can be read in our private forum. Though we recently started them, turnchats are IMHO not yet really necessary at this stage though, because as Hercules points out, it's only one year being played every time, so about everything can be planned ahead and surprises are rare.

6. That said, what times do these decisions generally get made? (GMT please)

Decisions are being made all the time by discussions on our forum.

7. Are there any files I need to download (other than map mentioned above)? Past turnchats and maps would be good.

The latest save should suffice to get to know our situation. If you are interested in the past though, I have kept copies of the save files the last couple of months.

8. What is and is not allowed to be done with regards to information (maps, talking with team, talking with nonteam, turnchat etc.)

Once you have joined a team, you are expected to stick with that team, and not defect to another faction, taking your knowledge with you.
All flow of information within a faction is free of course (at least in the Consciousness).
Regarding talking to other factions, we discuss our foreign policy in threads especially meant for that. We aren't supposed to contact factions we haven't met in-game yet about in-game matters , but at this point I believe almost everyone has met almost everyone.

9. Which faction offers the most ability to critique strategy (and to have one's own strategy crituqued)?

The last two or three weeks there was less activity within the Consciousness, but with a few new members who have joined recently activity, strategy critiques and discussions etcetera have tremendously increased again, as Tassadar or Googlie can certainly confirm. With you we could increase the fun even more.

[Nubclear]

[Maniac]

How do you get that "-Can't select" & "-Human Hive" text or menu?

Or is it "subliminal" encouragement for Enigma_Nova to join the Hive?

[Hercules]

Now I hope that 's clear

[Hercules]

Oh there is another thing.

Where it says The Human Hive 34, Planet University 19, The Freedrones 18. Forget about that. That just seems to record the number of prospective applicant members.

I mean, compare and contrast the Hive. number of registered members with posting activity.

Mind you the Pirates own record isn't great..

[Nubclear]

Originally posted by Maniac
Or is it "subliminal" encouragement for Enigma_Nova to join the Hive?

It's not my fault you aren't there Though if you were to provide me with a large tribute, I could possibly strike down the Hive
Though personally if i were to encourage someone...I'd encourage them to go to the most active faction so that I can spam even more without getting in trouble

I mean, compare and contrast the Hive. number of registered members with posting activity.

Currently, from what I can see (Hercules would you just READ YOUR FING PMS?! ) CyCon is the most active faction, the Hive being the least active.

[Kody]

Re: Enigma's Questions

Enigma_Nova can check your private messages, I'm sending an explaination why I asked you to join the hive.

Originally posted by Enigma_Nova
1. Where do I find extended info on the ideologies of the factions? I'd also like to see the PowerChart before I join (and as the chart is available to all this should not be a defector problem)

Ideologies aren't always valid for some factions. Some factions are more a community of different people and they don't really follow an group ideology (Hive). Some factions don't have ideologies, but have strong leaders that influences the way the faction is (University and Drones I think). Pirates and Cycon I think are trying to roleplay their faction's ideologies.

2. Given that, is the joining process relatively simple?
Is it simple to log on and off the private fora?

Joining means clicking on the join link next to your choosen faction and private messaging a moderator called "Ming". Okay that's just the way it is for the hive, because there have been problems with the moderators giving us access.

For other factions instead of private messaging "Ming", you just have to figure out who the leader is and private message them.

3. Once I've joined, can I download the ingame map to see how things are going with faction X, to form a more educated opinion?

The game map will probably be found in the private forum. Also if you've shown that you're interested in helping out with the game the leading players will likely give you the password so you can open the game up and look yourself.

4. On seeing said map, how do I get my information to the players?
Forum, yes, but are there also chat channels?
As for MSN, I'm not on, but would still like Turnchat.

The usual way is to post to the forum. People usually keep different times and hence it's easier to just post your ideas to the forum. Some factions perfer to use email, and others supplement interaction on their forum with MSN or IRC turnchats. From what I've observed I have a very very low opinion of turnchats as the decisions that are made are worse than horrible. The only good decisions that have seen coming out of turnchats are those that have been discussed in the turnchat only to bring out details, then those details posted to the forum for further discussion before implementation.

5. How do I access the Turnchat? I want to be THERE when the decisions get made.

Turnchats should always be posted. If they're not then there's a problem with the system. With the hive things there are usually 3-4 chats about the same issue, just with different groups of people. Usually the more useful ones get posted. (I've had 6 MSN conversations with different groups of hive members about recuitment and command restructuring in the last week).

6. That said, what times do these decisions generally get made? (GMT please)

I think the Cycon and the Hive are the only factions to ever hold chats. With the Cycon I think the chats are very limited and they mainly use their forum. With the Hive the chats happen every day with one occurring every 2-8 hours 24 hours a day at all hours. However, the decisions are funneled through the forum so others that can respond and add their 2 cents.

Really alot of the decision making happens via the forum (or in pirate's case via email).

Smaller issues that crop up and aren't very important usually handled by the turn player.

7. Are there any files I need to download (other than map mentioned above)? Past turnchats and maps would be good.

Depends on the faction I guess, and what you're interested in. I know everyone has their turn that you can download. For the Hive there are planning maps, and foreign faction maps, a few strategy resources(gathered or that I've made) that I've been posting or sending out, anthems (I think someone was posting mp3s at some stage). In the forum there will be past polls, past turnchats, past turn orders, strategy guides, inter-factional political dicussions, analysis of the game, stories, games etc. However I think alot of that has been buried recently by non-game related posts.

I think Micha was keeping a history of the Hive which listed important events. I don't know if he's still keeping that uptodate.

8. What is and is not allowed to be done with regards to information (maps, talking with team, talking with nonteam, turnchat etc.)

If in doubt, ask Googlie!
Googlie's pretty good at these sorts of things, and it's surprising to see how decidated he is. His daily work is probably the main reasons the game has lasted as long as it has. There a few threads on game rules that you can read, but they're a bit spread out through the public forum. If you don't want to read all of them, first ask a team-mate then ask googlie.

9. Which faction offers the most ability to critique strategy (and to have one's own strategy crituqued)?

I think every faction will argue that their faction will be best for strategy.

Here goes my argument for the hive being the best. I've looked over a one of my team-mate's PBEMs and gave suggestions, so far I've given most of my team mates tutorials on various aspects of the game.

When I've come up with something new I used to bug half the hive on MSN about it to see if they could pick holes in it.

Personally, I think the best place for strategy critique is the strategy forums. This game is more about applying knowledge or watching others play.

10. Where can I get an overview of strategies and events to date?

Faction strategies are kept internal to the faction. Events are also internal as much of it is sensitive information. You'll have to ask each faction what they have to help new players get a running start.

However, the best resource for strategy I know of is this place.

http://www.civgaming.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=15

I've had times where I thought I had come up with a new strategy got all excited then do a search of that forum and find it's been thought of before.

Also a more formalised reference is.

http://www.civgaming.net/smac/academy.shtml

However, it doesn't contain as much information.

The apolyton strategy forum is nice too, however I found that half of the apolyton strategy forum is usless information. So it makes it more tiresome to trawl through. The civgaming strategy forum is a bit better as just about 98% of the threads are talking about strategy. Overall I would say both have the same amount of information (if you actuall trawl through the apolyton forum, which most people don't), only with the apolyton one you need to look harder for the information.

A trick I used when I was doing my alpha centuari self training course was to list the civgaming strategy forum by number of replies. You get to see all the big discussion topics.

I'd like to join in, but I need Information.

More information in PM I'm sending...

[Nubclear]

More information in PM I'm sending...

"Why should you choose the Hive? Because if you dont, we'll expose you for the DL you are!!!!!!"

[MrWhereItsAt]

Hi Enigma - good to see you here.

Most answers are here already, but I just wanted to point out that laurentius (who also discusses the Police State game sometimes) and I are two of the three (the other being Impaler[WRG] ) who managed to shake the CyCon forum a little bit out of its fugue with some discussions. We have a chatroom I set up, and although mostly inactive, some times we have met up and got some good discussions going there which end up on the forum.

BTW, You are more than welcome to log on to the #Apolyton chatroom on the apolyton.net server (see the chat FAQ for help on that, or just ask me), and when I am there (which is quite often, especially GMT 0600-1400) I would be excited to chat on the Police State game.