SMAC/SMAX Team Faction preferences

[johndmuller]

I think that an interesting approach to this would be to have public decision-making for factions representing open "Democratic" societies and secret decision-making for factions representing closed "Totalitarian" societies. In other words, open societies would use threads to hash out their policies and moves, etc, while the closed societies would make their decisions in private and put whatever propaganda they wanted in the threads.

The category for each society could either be predetermined (like the Hive = Totalitarian and the Peacekeepers = Democratic) or it could depend on SE settings (If PoliceState, then secrecy OK; if Democracy, then openness required; if FreeMarket, economic matters are public; if Planned, then economic matters secret; Power=Military Secrecy; Wealth=Econ Secrecy; Knowledge=??; etc).

As to the particular teams, I guess I'd favor those with the more obvious ideologies, like the Hive, if we are to go this way. I suppose that Brother Lal would have a Democratic faction and Miriam another totalitarian one. After that the original 7 are probably a little gray, but Morgan is probably a democrat and while the rest could go either way, I would put Santi and Dierdra in the Demo category and Zak in the totalitarian mode. I don't have as clear an image with respect to the SMAX new factions, but if we went the SE route it wouldn't matter.

[Hercules]

Just an update on choices so far.
If SMAX pbem it is more a case of which factions at this stage are non runners in terms of first and second choices

Miriam
Peacekeepers
Cult
Spartans
Drones
Morgan

Factions with strong showing

UoP Core members Archaic GT
Cyber Cons Core members TKG, Maniac, Drogue
Data Angels Core members Makahlua, AdamTGO2, Hercules

Factions in the middle

Gaians Core members Micha, Flame?, Herc?, Makuhlua? AdamTGO?
Pirates Core members Flameflash, Static Universe
Hive Core members? Frankychan, War of Art

There is also Mr President and Micha's SMAX vote to consider and other regular posters choices.

I think with Makuhlua, AdamTGO and Hercules it could Data Angels or Gaians.

On the other hand Maka and Herc might join Pirates and Adam could join UoP

Also Flame and Static might join with Frankchan and War of Art for a Drones or Hive faction.

I think we are talking 3 maybe 4 human teams at most.

[Jamski]

I hope we don't get UoP, Angels and Cybergrrrl for the three teams. They're all a bit "knowledge over ethics" in their outlook. I'm sure anyone who voted for UoP could join a Cyber faction, and vice versa.

Just my 'umble opinon.

(BTW - with any luck Pan will join a socialist faction like the new improved friendly Hive faction )

-Jam

[Maniac]

Based on the results of this poll, and presuming we play SMAX, is it ok if I start a new one-vote poll with the eight factions with three votes or more? That would be: UoP, Morgan, Gaia, Hive, PKs, Angels, Pirates, Consciousness. The first four or so would be the human factions participating. After that we could post another three-vote poll for the AI factions, if we play with AI factions of course.

[Jamski]

Go for if Maniac. Those 8 seem like a good selection

-Jam

[Static Universe]

Originally posted by Hercules

Also Flame and Static might join with Frankchan and War of Art for a Drones or Hive faction.

I wouldn't mind being part of a Drones or Hive faction.

I agree these 8 seem like good choices.

[FlameFlash]

Originally posted by johndmuller
I think that an interesting approach to this would be to have public decision-making for factions representing open "Democratic" societies and secret decision-making for factions representing closed "Totalitarian" societies. In other words, open societies would use threads to hash out their policies and moves, etc, while the closed societies would make their decisions in private and put whatever propaganda they wanted in the threads.

The category for each society could either be predetermined (like the Hive = Totalitarian and the Peacekeepers = Democratic) or it could depend on SE settings (If PoliceState, then secrecy OK; if Democracy, then openness required; if FreeMarket, economic matters are public; if Planned, then economic matters secret; Power=Military Secrecy; Wealth=Econ Secrecy; Knowledge=??; etc).

As to the particular teams, I guess I'd favor those with the more obvious ideologies, like the Hive, if we are to go this way. I suppose that Brother Lal would have a Democratic faction and Miriam another totalitarian one. After that the original 7 are probably a little gray, but Morgan is probably a democrat and while the rest could go either way, I would put Santi and Dierdra in the Demo category and Zak in the totalitarian mode. I don't have as clear an image with respect to the SMAX new factions, but if we went the SE route it wouldn't matter.

While I like this... maybe we should see how just the PBEM style works first... it might add a level of complication that would overwhelm newcomers to the game.

[FlameFlash]

Originally posted by Hercules
Factions in the middle

Gaians Core members Micha, Flame?, Herc?, Makuhlua? AdamTGO?
Pirates Core members Flameflash, Static Universe

Also Flame and Static might join with Frankchan and War of Art for a Drones or Hive faction.

I think we are talking 3 maybe 4 human teams at most.

3-4 human teams is about what I expected in the first place...

Something else to consider: should we have a faction joining occurance? Say we're all on the Unity and we are seduced err... convinced to join factions?

Just for more of an RP experiance, really.

[Static Universe]

Originally posted by FlameFlash
Something else to consider: should we have a faction joining occurance? Say we're all on the Unity and we are seduced err... convinced to join factions?

Just for more of an RP experiance, really.

How would this occurance work?

[Static Universe]

Originally posted by FlameFlash
While I like this... maybe we should see how just the PBEM style works first... it might add a level of complication that would overwhelm newcomers to the game.

Honestly, I'm feeling a little overwhelmed already, and we haven't even started the game yet.

The possibilty of being on a 3 person team really throws my playing deficiencies into sharp relief. And right now, I'm not sure what kind of time commitment I can make as more or less an observer, much less as a third of a trio.

[Kassiopeia]

UoP all the way, if I can get the time I'll probably be a UoP core member, where "core" does not stand for "expert". I don't like crawlers. Might consider Consciousness, Morgan, maybe Gaians...

[Archaic]

Originally posted by Kassiopeia
I don't like crawlers.

[Hercules]

Honestly, I'm feeling a little overwhelmed already, and we haven't even started the game yet.

The possibilty of being on a 3 person team really throws my playing deficiencies into sharp relief. And right
now, I'm not sure what kind of time commitment I can make as more or less an observer, much less as a third
of a trio.

No the idea would be to have teams with at least 5+ members. early days yet so don't panic.

[FlameFlash]

Originally posted by Static Universe


How would this occurance work?

Probably by just RPing it out in the Rec Commons or on a Unity thread or something... don't worry about it too much, it was just an idea.

[FlameFlash]

Originally posted by Kassiopeia
I don't like crawlers.

Archaic's good but not so original reaction

Why don't you like crawlers!?

Static Universe said this...
Honestly, I'm feeling a little overwhelmed already, and we haven't even started the game yet.

The possibilty of being on a 3 person team really throws my playing deficiencies into sharp relief. And right
now, I'm not sure what kind of time commitment I can make as more or less an observer, much less as a third
of a trio.

Hercules wisely responded with...
No the idea would be to have teams with at least 5+ members. early days yet so don't panic.

Amen... certainly don't worry too much... plus, you've got oldie lurkers to help teach you how to properly lurk in a Demo game (visit the Rec Commons! )