Players wanted - 3 x 2 set up

[Googlie]

Game #1 has started - the turn reporting thread is here

[Kody]

"last place on the totem pole" status so as to get the tech research boost

Hrmm how much of a research boost is it to be last place? Or is this just a observation that may be from the global tech reduction effects?

[Googlie]

Prima's guide gives a simplified version of the formula used:

Research cost=[11 + (DIFF x 4) + {(TECHS x 6) / 5} - (TURNS/8) - (MOSTTECHS/5)] x TECHS x WORLDSIZE

where:

DIFF = Citizen = 0 up to Transcend = 5
TECHS = # techs you have discovered as a player
MOSTTECHS = # techs discovered by any one player
TURNS = # turns already played
WORLDSIZE = 1 if standard, (.6 tiny; .8 small; 1.1 large and 1.6 huge)

Some additional latitude uis given the program to increase or reduce costs by between 2% to 15% depending on the relative strength/weakness of the faction in overall research points per turn.

Prima concludes by saying:

As you might be able to see, the greatest factor is how many techs you yourself have discovered

G.

[Kody]

Okay thanks, sounds like there's another micromanagement opportunity for me.

Edit:

Some additional latitude uis given the program to increase or reduce costs by between 2% to 15% depending on the relative strength/weakness of the faction in overall research points per turn.

Ran some tests on this in an extreme early game example. The comparision I did was 6 labs opposed to 1 lab. There was no tech difference in this instance. I wonder what they meant by this....

[Googlie]

LOL, Kody

(Prima also goes on to say that you can quickly estimate the cost of your next tech by squaring the # techs you have and adding a bit, making sure to adjust proportionally for WORLDSIZE and tech stagnation (+50%)

They don't say how big the "bit' is that you add

G.

[Jamski]

Oh yeah, had to sleep *blush* I'm happy with the set up... Yeah I'd even be happy playing the Cult for chrissake I'll play any factions you want.

Hive and Uni... could be tasty...

-Jam

[Chaos Theory]

Re Game 2:

I do have SMAX, so if the other players do as well we can go with the original pairings; if not we can go with the revised pairings.

[Googlie]

If we went smax for game #2 we could mix industry and research factions thus:

Drones & University (+2 IND, -2 RESEARCH) with (+2 RESEARCH, -2 PROBE)
Hive & Consciousness (+1 GROWTH, +1 IND, -2 ECON) with (+2 RESEARCH, -1GROWTH, +2 EFFIC)
Morgan & Angels (+1 ECON, -1SUPPORT) with (+2 PROBE, -1 POLICE)

The Angels' techshare ability makes up to a certain extent for that pairing's research imbalance

Might make for an interesting game

Maybe with a slightly beefed up AI - the Pirates on steroids - to cope with as well

G.

[Jamski]

You don't think the Drones & Uni will get every SP?

-Jam

[Kody]

Both drones & University can pop boom, while Hive and consciousness are unable to boom. It might be more fair to switch Drones and Hive around, then every pair has a pop boom impaired faction.

[Googlie]

Hmmmm

Maybe introduce a variant of something I tried a couple of years ago (and it worked like a charm then)

Each team starts with 1500 notional units of currency.

There is a sealed auction for start units, techs and early Sp's (faction bonuses still apply, so the Hive still gets its perim defense and the Uni still gets its free tech and netnodes, etc)

1 Colony pod is a given - everyone starts with a free one for each of their factions. Teams then have to buy everything else to start from the following shopping list:

> a scout or infantry probe (Angels only) costs 100

> a synthmetal sentry (Morgan only) or rover probe (Angels only) costs 125

> a terraformer costs 150

> each colony pod costs 200

> each tech costs 200 (can only buy their factions' starting techs)

> an early SP costs 500 (ME, HGP, WP, CN)

Thus, for example, the Drones/Uni team might spend their 1500 on:

an extra colony pod each..... 400
a scout apiece ......................200
Ind Base and infonets ..........400
HGP at University base .........500


whereas the Hive/Cyborgs might go:

an extra colony pod each..... 400
a scout apiece ......................200
a former apiece ....................300
Doc Loyalty ...........................200
Infonets ................................200
Applied Physics......................200

etc

The notional cash should always be enough - and then some - to let the team buy its "normal" start position with maybe an extra scout or perhaps a colony pod.

Too extreme for some?

Originally posted by Kody
It might be more fair to switch Drones and Hive around, then every pair has a pop boom impaired faction.

Good point, Kody. That would provide a better balance.

G.

[Flubber]

Originally posted by Googlie
If we went smax for game #2 we could mix industry and research factions thus:

Drones & University (+2 IND, -2 RESEARCH) with (+2 RESEARCH, -2 PROBE)
Hive & Consciousness (+1 GROWTH, +1 IND, -2 ECON) with (+2 RESEARCH, -1GROWTH, +2 EFFIC)
Morgan & Angels (+1 ECON, -1SUPPORT) with (+2 PROBE, -1 POLICE)

The Angels' techshare ability makes up to a certain extent for that pairing's research imbalance

Might make for an interesting game

Maybe with a slightly beefed up AI - the Pirates on steroids - to cope with as well

G.

Or how about allow each of your opponents to pick one of your factions ( using clones if everyone had a cult etc)-- I did this once and we allowed each player to name one faction they did not want to play before the opponents made their selections. (you could have zero or more vetos)

The point was to take people out of their favored or perceived stronger factions and the first strategy decision you have is to determine whta factions to give your opponents.


---

oh and on the pairings above, IMHO uni-drones would be a monster combo-- but I am biased as I have never loved the consciousness-- To me they always seemed a bit weaker than the uni

I think the morgan angels duo would be strong as well-- i wouldn't mind trying that pair--

[Googlie]

So what do you think of Kody's proposal:

Hive & University (+1 GROWTH, +1 IND, -2 ECON) with (+2 RESEARCH, -2 PROBE)
Drones & Consciousness (+2 IND, -2 RESEARCH) with (+2 RESEARCH, -1GROWTH, +2 EFFIC)
Morgan & Angels (+1 ECON, -1SUPPORT) with (+2 PROBE, -1 POLICE)

or of Flubber's

Originally posted by Flubber
Or how about allow each of your opponents to pick one of your factions

So if it were the same 3 players, Jamski and Flubber would tell Chaunk what factions he was playing, subject to Chaunk being able to declare in advance the one faction he wouldn't play under any circumstances.

Maybe exclude the 2 alien factions from this exercise (LOL - give a player both the factions and he could never trade with himself)

G.

[Flubber]

Originally posted by Googlie




So if it were the same 3 players, Jamski and Flubber would tell Chaunk what factions he was playing, subject to Chaunk being able to declare in advance the one faction he wouldn't play under any circumstances.

Maybe exclude the 2 alien factions from this exercise (LOL - give a player both the factions and he could never trade with himself)

G.

Exactly-- In fact, Jamski and Flubber would collaborate and what combination they thought worked best-- I believe when we did it the only other rule was no sticking the same person with two of the same faction since the point was each player got two different factions.

As for aliens, I tend to always think of them as excluded in PBEMS-- The inability to trade would be large BUT if placed in close proximity to each other you could always probe yourself .

I played an all alien game once ( I believe you set it up googlie) and it was limiting in some ways since no one could trade with anyone . . . Even the caretakers wouldn't speak with other caretakers other than to promise death

[Jamski]

Googlie, with your sealed auction, what would happen if all three teams wanted the HGP, for example?

-Jam