Q: Fast battle resolution and starting conditions in multiplayer

[Oar]

I've played a few MP games as Hotseat, and recently I got a second computer. When trying to play an IPX game, some issues seem to have popped up that weren't present in hotseat games.

1: How come all battle resolutions are fast? Is there a way to turn this off? The "Fast Battle Resolution" option in the Advanced menu is off, but it still does it quickly.

2: Why do we get something like 3 pods, a terraformer and some military units to start with? Can this be turned off? (We start w/ game level thinker, and all players/opponents at thinker).

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Thanks in advance,
Oar

[Blake]

quote: 1: How come all battle resolutions are fast? Is there a way to turn this off? The "Fast Battle Resolution" option in the Advanced menu is off, but it still does it quickly.

I think this is to speed up game play, other players dont want to be waiting while you watch battles. It seems it cant be turned off.

quote: 2: Why do we get something like 3 pods, a terraformer and some military units to start with? Can this be turned off? (We start w/ game level thinker, and all players/opponents at thinker).

I think this is a (enforced) jump start, the HQ also starts with rec tanks, rec commons and possibly another improvment. On difficulty less than thinker some players get 2 pods and others 3, which can be unbalancing. Also Sven doesn't get a terraformer.
Can't be turned off but can be got around. Start a new game with all the desired factions, save the game as a scenerio, then load it in the MP screen and everyone chooses desired faction. I think that should work. In fact may not even be nessecary to save as scenerio, normal save works too IIRC.

Another enforced option to be aware of is always check monoliths, in one MP game I built my central magtube link through my city in the ruins, I urgently needed an army at the other end of my empire and all of my units stopped for upgrades at the monoliths. Luckily they don't stop if they have already recieved an upgrade, unless they are damaged.