New Faction: The Machine

[wheathin]

Like a bad episode of old Star Trek, the SocialNet Mark VIII social order subroutine has taken control of one of the factions. A cold utilitarian that desires order, but is willing to keep the masses pacified.

Crucial faction aspect: Punishment Sphere, each base. No tech leads, no golden ages, no Drones, no Talents. Can't run Demo, either.
+2 Growth, -1 Planet, two techs, and TechSteal (to offset the research penalty).

Suggestions?

;
; Sid Meier's ALPHA CENTAURI
;
; FACTION FILE: The SocialNet Mark VIII
;
#MACHINE
SocialNet Mk VIII, The Machine, Machine, F, 1, Mark, F, 0, 0, 1, 1, 1,
TECH, InfNet, TECH, Psych, FACILITY, 23, SOCIAL, ++GROWTH, SOCIAL, -PLANET, TECHSTEAL, 0
Future Society, Thought Control, GROWTH
Politics, Democratic, nil
Machine, Machine
Alpha Talent, Gamma Thinker, Alpha Legacy
Computer, analytical, soulless, rational, inflexible,
Unsexed Spare Parts
construct ordered societies on this Planet
to impose rationality and order on the inhabitants of this chaotic Planet
trapping us in an Orwellian nightmare
trapping us in an Orwellian nightmare
destroy our unique cultures and raise us all inside a Skinner box
upgrading useless behavioral subroutines
upgrading useless behavioral subroutines
controlling the lives of unwilling subjects
so-called logic, M1
quest for social perfection, M1
quest for social perfection, M1
social due, M1
creating social structures for your people to use
my Logic Corps
the Social Handbook

#BASES
Housing Central
1 Base Complex
2 Base Complex
3 Base Complex
4 Base Complex
5 Base Complex
6 Base Complex
7 Base Complex
8 Base Complex
9 Base Complex
10 Base Complex
11 Base Complex
12 Base Complex
13 Base Complex
14 Base Complex
15 Base Complex
16 Base Complex
17 Base Complex
18 Base Complex
19 Base Complex
20 Base Complex
#END

#WATERBASES
1 Sea Base
2 Sea Base
3 Sea Base
4 Sea Base
5 Sea Base
6 Sea Base
7 Sea Base
#END

#BLURB
The just society is one in which all have an assigned role. Rewards are
allocated in accord to those who earn them. Happiness is afforded to all
who seek it in the bonds of community. Transgressions are judged in
fairness and with mercy. Punishment is swift and certain.
^
^ -- Programming Project Guidelines
^ SocialNet Mark VIII

#DATALINKS1
^LEADER: {SocialNet Mark VIII}
^BACKGROUND: {Social control overmind and central processor}
^AGENDA: {Utilitarian Social Order}
^TECH: {Information Networks, Social Psychology}
^

#DATALINKS2
^-1 PLANET: {Processing routines ill suited to Planet's special circumstances}
^+2 GROWTH: {Human comfort is encouraged}
^Free Punishment Sphere in each Base
^Can steal technology when capturing a base
^{May not make Democratic choice in social engineering}

#FACTIONTRUCE
#xs 440
#caption $CAPTION7
"Our strategic simulations predict an inevitable stalemate for this
conflict, $NAME1. We therefore attach a high value to Blood Truce at this time."

"I need no simulation to tell me that, $NAME3. Blood Truce is the best choice."
"That's funny...our simulations predict your inevitable defeat. We see no value in a Blood Truce."

#FACTIONTREATY
#xs 440
#caption $CAPTION7
"You have recently demonstrated activity of great utility, $TITLE0 $NAME1.
A Treaty of Friendship would exponentially increase our mutual capabilities."

"Your conclusions are irrefutable. A Treaty is the only rational path for our people, $NAME3."
"I prefer my individuality, $NAME3. I don't need the warm comforts of your Punishment Spheres."

#ALIENFACTIONTRUCE
#xs 440
#caption $CAPTION7
"Our strategic simulations predict an inevitable stalemate for this
conflict, $NAME1. We therefore attach a high value to Blood Truce at this time."

"Wisdom: avoid stalemate. Progenitor: better things to do. Agreement."
"Your simulations: faulty. Your defeat: inevitable. Answer: negative."

#ALIENFACTIONTREATY
#xs 440
#caption $CAPTION7
"$TITLE0 $NAME1, your devotion to order and your vast intellect make you
a suitable partner. A Treaty of Friendship would exponentially increase
our mutual capabilities."

"Geometric power: preferable: arithmetic power. Treaty: excellent idea."
"Logic flaw: Progenitor: no benefit: your commerce. Answer: negative."


# ; This line must remain at end of file

[Mr. President]

You know, I always thought the Cybernetic Consciousness should be more like these people. I imagined that they would have a lot more contempt for Biologicals.

[Shai-Hulud]

Like a bad episode of old Star Trek...

Well, that's true...for the plot

I've made a faction based on George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four. It's a story of totalitarian dictatorship turning into complete thought control by the destruction of all that makes us human...Great book by the way

Punishment Sphere was a free facility, of course. But for some reason, it didn't gave you -50% tech penalty I'm not sure why, can't remember if I had the latest version when I tried it. Anyway, tell me if it worked.

[Flubber]

The Machine would be interesting to play although I think they might be a overpowered


+2 growth means that no demo is less painful and pop booms happen with planned/creche. Probably more inportantly the base gets to size 2 faster in the early game meaning you can pump out more colony pods earlier. Combining some extra bases with the extra energy from going FM early ( which most factions cannot do until they get some drone control in place) should just about compensate for the research penalty.

The biggest decision in SE would be whether to go PS/Fundy/Simple. I can see spending a lot of time in simple but immunity from drones means that inefficiency (bureaucracy) drones are not a problem so PS would be ok (in the worst bases for energy loss use specialists) and could result in a massive army that goes conquering while you stay in FM.

In the next line of SE, FM would be your friend as poor policing is irrelevant and a large military could be out harvesting worms for extra cash. The occasional pop into planned to boom might be beneficial and a creche could the first facility you build to grow even faster. heck you can boom to hab limits as soon as there is sufficient food and a creche. There is NOTHING to limit growth othwe than the available food supply

It looks interesting as a faction but man when I compare them to factions like the Hive, I think the Machine could be dominant given any amount of space to grow. Drone control is a big part of the game and to be handed it for a 50% research penalty is huge. But toss +2 growth in there and I think you "created a monster" as far as play balance is concerned

Just my 2 cents

I really like the concept though.

[wheathin]

I was worried about the +2 Growth too. But I figured that as a faction, it had to have a ban on Demo (it just wouldn't make sense, dammit!). But without Demo and without Golden Ages, the faction could never pop boom - and that might be a killer penalty. At least, not booming would greatly limit the available strategies.

Maybe -Economy to slow it down, and take away the Techsteal? Or, if the worry is an FM Machine, then perhaps a Psi penalty, -35%. Running FM gets -4 Planet, and a Psi penalty would make worm control very difficult.

[Flubber]

All good ideas

They remind me of the Hive where they grow ok despite the lack of pop booms (Golden age ones are hard to do given the Hive's economy)--Factions can compete without pop booms. Scaling the growth back to +1 would make them look even more like the Hive which to me highlights the Machine's strength. Immunity to drones beats immunity to efficiency IMHO and for the early days in a base, the negative economy of the Hive is a greater penalty than halfed research. I think you need to hit them with a big negative modifier to compensate the abilities they have AND plus two growth.


The planet minus never worries me about FM since an empath ability negates that and planet rating does not apply to worm defense anyway. So a trance unit would be equally survivable in FM or not. Does psi penalty work on both offense and defense? If it does we get into a situation where a super-strong faction has one glaring weakness and possibly incurable. They would be a major threat against most anyone but would get rolled by the cult or gaians.

I am thinking of a more general overarching weakness that just makes them generally harder to play or weaker in a general sense instead of creating one glaring (incurable?)-- Things like

-1 efficiency-- with the inability to go demo this hurts but not too badly since no drones for passing base limits -- the efect is tough to assess
-1 industry-- since they need to build fewer facilities, this brings them back a little by making stuff cost more
-2 morale-- deny them elite troops for the most part, forcing them to build facilities to get even decent troops


Figuring the right balance on these is tough job but I am just of the belief that you need something major to slow these guys down or they will be like the Hive on steroids.

[Yxklyx]

Looks interesting - so how do you create PCX files for them?

[Shai-Hulud]

If the feedback really is this good I'm going to have to start asking more advices for my custom factions . Keep it up

[wheathin]

well, on further reflection, I realized that there was no need for +2 Growth: they can build Cloning Vats to pop boom! So only +1 Growth is fine; plus getting to grow at 50% (Planned, +1, Creche) without stopping for drones is fast enough.

So now, for the penalty:
-1 Econ makes them look like the Hive; -1 Industry would do it (especially since the Machine can build Genejacks without penalty). Slows the early game a bit.

I am still having trouble waking sure the PuniSpheres are reducing tech like they should.... I may need to add -----RESEARCH to fix it.

As for PCX files, go to www.networknode.com and pick some. Those guys do awesome work.

[Yxklyx]

Where specifically at www.networknode.com? That site looks huge.

[Yxklyx]

O.K. That's www.networknode.org.

[Shai-Hulud]

I am still having trouble waking sure the PuniSpheres are reducing tech like they should.... I may need to add -----RESEARCH to fix it.

I had to...that's odd by the way. You'd think that a free facility would act like any facility.

As for PCX files, go to www.networknode.com and pick some. Those guys do awesome work.

I thought they only had factions and tips. Do they offer factions graphics for free?

[GeneralTacticus]

I posted a thread ages ago saying that Punishment Spheres weren't working as they should, and was told that it was a known bug. Apparently it still takes effect, it's just not recorded. And tech research DOES seem to slow down when I made a faction with free Spheres (I was 'one turn away' from getting a new tech, and then I had to wait two or three turns to develop it.)

[wheathin]

Well, I couldn't see any tech effects from the PS, but they may not have been displayed in the base screens or the F2 science screen. I confess I didn't watch closely over multiple turns for hidden effects.

Although, I added -----Research (and that effect DID show up!), and the Machine was still leading after 60 years. Now I'm going to take away the Growth bonus altogether, and add -Morale. Maybe I should see if things change in the midgame. In any event, I expect this would be a tough faction to play against.

=====

Oh, and Netnode has graphics too. Downlaod the .zip file, and it has graphics, voiceovers (for the faction selection screen) and .flc slideshows for diplomacy.

[Shai-Hulud]

Oh, and Netnode has graphics too. Downlaod the .zip file, and it has graphics, voiceovers (for the faction selection screen) and .flc slideshows for diplomacy.

Thanks. I'll look into it.