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Arranging one or two role-play oriented games
I suggested an rp-oriented SMAC(X) game on one of the threads in the strategy forum, and several people expressed interest. I am continuing it here, as it had digressed far from the original theme of the thread. At this point, I am considering organizing two games, one with the original SMAC factions (but not necesarily using SMAC code), and the other using SMACX factions. A possibility is running a "Secrets of the Progenitors" game - more details on this far below.
House rules:
I have a couple of ideas relating to faction agendas which would, I think, complement a role-playing SMAC game. They both relate to faction agendas, and the "problem" that faction agendas don't normally matter to human-played factions.
Idea 1: A faction may not use any advanced SE setting that conflicts with its agenda. For example, the Morganites may not use the Green setting, because it conflicts with Market. They could use Simple economics, because that is not an advanced SE setting.
To me, this rule goes a long way towards making the factions play with "their own personalities".
SMAC factions that are particularly hurt by this rule are the Believers and to a lesser extent the Gaians (both of whom lose the ability to easily pop boom). SMACX factions that are hurt by it include the Cult and both Progenitor factions.
Idea 2:
A faction may not win a cooperative victory with another faction with an incompatable agenda. So, for example, suppose Zak, Morgan, and Deirdre are in a Pact (yeah right!
and the Gaians build the Ascent to Transcendance. The Gaians and the University would be considered to have won, but not the Morgans. If the University had achieved Transcendance then only the University would be considered to have won; the other factions would be disqualified by the presence in the pact of a faction with a conflicting agenda. So in this situation both the Gaians and the Morgans would be lobbying the University to drop its pact with the other.
The idea here is to attempt to recreate the natural alliances from single-player in multi-player.
Game options: blind research, random events on, all victory conditions allowed, spoils of war off, Unity survey off. I am leaning towards Look First off; I am not sure about Do or Die. Thinker or Transcend difficulty.
Planet settings: it will be an average Planet except in size ( >= large, <= huge), and native life: I am thinking of abundant native life.
Faction tweaks: The native life roughly balances Idea 1's negative impact on the Gaians and the Cult (I estimate, perhaps incorrectly). Also, I find those factions more constrained by role-playing considerations than most others: RP'ing Morgan means attempting to make as much energy as quickly as possible - not a harsh constraint - whereas I can't really see the Gaians or the Cult building condensors. However, the Believers definitely need a boost - I am thinking of a +1 growth modifier. H'minee needs to be cut back, as well (although being an AI would be a sufficient disadvantage).
SMAC-faction game settings: I find the setting of the SMAC story "world" much more self-consistent than that of SMACX, but when I play SMAC I find myself missing some of the options of SMACX (such as covert ops centers and flechette systems and correct calculations of facility costs). So, here are some possibilities for the SMAC-faction game:
1) use the standard SMAC code.
2) use SMACX code with the SMAC tech tree (should be easy to do if the game is played in a scenario folder).
3) use my "Secrets of the Progenitors" tech tree. In this, the tech tree looks like SMAC from the human factions' point of view until late in the game (or until they meet the aliens). (This only requires about 4 changes to the SMACX tech tree.)
4) use the standard SMACX code, but with the SMAC factions.
These are the people who have expressed interest so far:
SMAC game:
Basil Deirdre
Vel Morgan
Waynehead Yang, Morgan, Deirdre
Kinjiru Any
SMACX game
Vel Morgan, Sven, Domai, Roze
Waynehead: Domai, Yang, Morgan, Deirdre
Kinjiru: Not Domai
Skiguy500: Domai
Remember that the theme of these games is their role-playing emphasis, not winning, let alone winning in the shortest time with the most efficiency (except for Morgan attempting an economic victory of course).
Players should be able to check their email/play at least once per day, as otherwise it will go very slowly.
So, if you're interested, post, saying which game(s)/faction(s) you're interested in playing, how big a game you'd like to play in, and preferences/suggestions/comments for the proposed rules and world settings (do they make sense or am I crazy?)
Lots of editing trying to get arrange peoples' preferences in a table
[This message has been edited by Basil (edited June 08, 2000).]
[This message has been edited by Basil (edited June 08, 2000).]
[This message has been edited by Basil (edited June 08, 2000).]
House rules:
I have a couple of ideas relating to faction agendas which would, I think, complement a role-playing SMAC game. They both relate to faction agendas, and the "problem" that faction agendas don't normally matter to human-played factions.
Idea 1: A faction may not use any advanced SE setting that conflicts with its agenda. For example, the Morganites may not use the Green setting, because it conflicts with Market. They could use Simple economics, because that is not an advanced SE setting.
To me, this rule goes a long way towards making the factions play with "their own personalities".
SMAC factions that are particularly hurt by this rule are the Believers and to a lesser extent the Gaians (both of whom lose the ability to easily pop boom). SMACX factions that are hurt by it include the Cult and both Progenitor factions.
Idea 2:
A faction may not win a cooperative victory with another faction with an incompatable agenda. So, for example, suppose Zak, Morgan, and Deirdre are in a Pact (yeah right!
and the Gaians build the Ascent to Transcendance. The Gaians and the University would be considered to have won, but not the Morgans. If the University had achieved Transcendance then only the University would be considered to have won; the other factions would be disqualified by the presence in the pact of a faction with a conflicting agenda. So in this situation both the Gaians and the Morgans would be lobbying the University to drop its pact with the other.The idea here is to attempt to recreate the natural alliances from single-player in multi-player.
Game options: blind research, random events on, all victory conditions allowed, spoils of war off, Unity survey off. I am leaning towards Look First off; I am not sure about Do or Die. Thinker or Transcend difficulty.
Planet settings: it will be an average Planet except in size ( >= large, <= huge), and native life: I am thinking of abundant native life.
Faction tweaks: The native life roughly balances Idea 1's negative impact on the Gaians and the Cult (I estimate, perhaps incorrectly). Also, I find those factions more constrained by role-playing considerations than most others: RP'ing Morgan means attempting to make as much energy as quickly as possible - not a harsh constraint - whereas I can't really see the Gaians or the Cult building condensors. However, the Believers definitely need a boost - I am thinking of a +1 growth modifier. H'minee needs to be cut back, as well (although being an AI would be a sufficient disadvantage).
SMAC-faction game settings: I find the setting of the SMAC story "world" much more self-consistent than that of SMACX, but when I play SMAC I find myself missing some of the options of SMACX (such as covert ops centers and flechette systems and correct calculations of facility costs). So, here are some possibilities for the SMAC-faction game:
1) use the standard SMAC code.
2) use SMACX code with the SMAC tech tree (should be easy to do if the game is played in a scenario folder).
3) use my "Secrets of the Progenitors" tech tree. In this, the tech tree looks like SMAC from the human factions' point of view until late in the game (or until they meet the aliens). (This only requires about 4 changes to the SMACX tech tree.)
4) use the standard SMACX code, but with the SMAC factions.
These are the people who have expressed interest so far:
SMAC game:
Basil Deirdre
Vel Morgan
Waynehead Yang, Morgan, Deirdre
Kinjiru Any
SMACX game
Vel Morgan, Sven, Domai, Roze
Waynehead: Domai, Yang, Morgan, Deirdre
Kinjiru: Not Domai
Skiguy500: Domai
Remember that the theme of these games is their role-playing emphasis, not winning, let alone winning in the shortest time with the most efficiency (except for Morgan attempting an economic victory of course).
Players should be able to check their email/play at least once per day, as otherwise it will go very slowly.
So, if you're interested, post, saying which game(s)/faction(s) you're interested in playing, how big a game you'd like to play in, and preferences/suggestions/comments for the proposed rules and world settings (do they make sense or am I crazy?)
Lots of editing trying to get arrange peoples' preferences in a table
[This message has been edited by Basil (edited June 08, 2000).]
[This message has been edited by Basil (edited June 08, 2000).]
[This message has been edited by Basil (edited June 08, 2000).]
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