New Newbie SMAC PBEM Game

[Solver]

Radagast,
The answer is no. That's what we agreed upon at the time of creating the ratings system, about a half year ago, and so, you'll get a rating of Librarian, which equals 18 points.

However, on rare ocasions we make amnesties. This doesn't happen more often than once in 3 months, but someday there might be a vacation letting improve you your rating this way.

Hutak,
We're waiting on you. Email and difficulty?

Everyone except Twister,
Mail me your passwords.

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Solver the "Running Beer" - http://www.aok.20m.com

[Solver]

Thanks if you let me play. Even though used to play SMAX, I hope I can make something with SMAC, too.

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Solver the "Running Beer" - http://www.aok.20m.com

[Radagast]

If everyone else thinks so, Solver can play. But wasn't the whole point of this exercise in confusion that it be for newbies?

[Solver]

And are you really sure you want to use Tech Stag? It'll get your tech advances to something like 15 turns, to me it seems a wrong choice for newbies. Your business, though.

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Solver the "Running Beer" - http://www.aok.20m.com

[Twister]

I didn't like Tech stag either, but I went with the group on that one. I don't mind, as long as the turns keep going.

[SITS]

Not sure I'm happy with Solver playing as this was supposed to be a Newbie game - nothing personal but for this game I prefer a level playing field. Also the guidelines suggest that the keeper of the passwords doesn't play. I don't mind you beating me in another game Solver!

As to tech stag there are plus and minuses to it and I can live with both.

Solver I'll email you my password.

[Twister]

Rad,

I agree will all your points about Tech Stag.

The rule about Probe teams and Vendetta has been mentioned alot in the posts on this forum. The problem is that in the single player game, if you use probe teams the ai team knows and you get Vendetta. In PBEM this does not happen. You can probe and probe and nobody would know about it. This rule is a curtosy(sp) thing for PBEM games.


'Look First'
This allows you to look first before your pod lands. It gives you more of a choice (choose a square around the original position) to your starting location.

Twister

[Twister]

Just another thought...did anyone reply to SITS about Random events? Do we have them or not? does it effect the Rating?

[Radagast]

Twister:

Thanks, but doesn't one see the probe team coming toward one's base? And isn't there still the chance of the team getting caught, or on the other hand, blaming the action on someone else? As I said, I haven't played MP yet, so maybe I just need to wait and see, and then I'm sure it will be "Alles Klar!"

BTW: to whomever I will be emailing my turn to. Present technical difficulties MAY (not sure yet) preclude me from zipping files. I know that I can unzip for sure, but right now zipping is iffy. Hopefully it will work; I apologize in advance if it doesn't.

Maybe if everyone chips in you can all help me buy a new 'puter?

[Twister]

Rad,

lol...nice try about the computer...

You would see them coming if they end their turn in your line of sight. But it is possible to get to your base on my turn and you wouldn't know.

I'll see if I can find the thread that was talking about this.

Twister

[Radagast]

Re: Tech stag

Looks like this is coming up again, so since I'm an academic (in-game and in R/L) I can't keep my mouth shut (nothing personal ).


For the record, Twister and I have expressed "difficulty" with this. Hutak argued for it. SamIAm seems to have agreed without saying much, and SITS seems amibivalent.

I'm with Twister: I understand Midnight's argument about rushing the tech tree, and this has happened to me, playing Librarian and lower. Of course, by mid-game on those I am usually dominating the AI. But in the transcend game that I am playing, I have been stuck with Chaos guns for a while (discoveries about 9 turns, but getting faster). Two points:

1. Against good AI and/or Human players, no one will be able to sit back and comfortably research like crazy.

2. Even if we DO get midnight's problem, there is still a strategic dilemma to be solved by the player. Do you start building the Chaos Marines right away (and perhaps get Tachyon guns right after the first Marines come out), or do you stay happy with Missle guns for a few more turns? Of course, then you cannot start the Tachyon Marines till you get the tech, whereas if you had begun the Chaos Marines, you'd have a few good units just coming out when you were discovering Tachyon guns. And if you are in a tight spot, those one or two Chaos Marine units might make a big difference.

Anyway, I'm more or less arguing for the sake of argument. If Hutak has found that this occurs often in PBEM games as well as vs. the puter, then I can't argue (at least not on ground #1).

You guys probably think that I'm setting up my persona for the game as the argumentative professor. If only you knew me in R/L!


One thing: some of the rules Midnight/Hutak set up earlier had to do with diplomacy. I don't yet understand how this works in MP games--I assume that the main point is that Pacts and Treaties influence trade. But why do I have to declare Vendetta before using Probe teams? If I'm that untrustworthy, then my reputation for being a sneaky S.O.B. will get around. And if my probe team is good enuf for me to make my opponent think that someone else did it, all the better for my elite intelligence agency!! (of course, there is always the increased risk...) I don't suggest that we change the rules, I just want to know how diplomacy works in MP (I'm assuming people don't get mad at you because of your economic and political views, for example). Maybe the best way is just to play and find out!

Also, what is "Look First"?

Also, concerning communication:

I assume that once we have contacted someone in the game, we can freely exchange emails/ICQ/etc. with them outside of the game.


Thanks for putting up with last minute questions!

-Rad

[SITS]

After reading Radagast's post I would prefer a game without tech stag.

I seem to remember reading something about probes and MP where you can get the other faction to give you something which hasn't been agreed by the player. So to be fair to the other player if you get the option to declare a vendetta after one of your actions then you must declare it. I think!

[Twister]

Well, now we just need to hear back from Hutak...does anyone have his email address?

Twister

[Solver]

quote: Originally posted by Twister on 05-03-2001 07:54 AM Well, now we just need to hear back from Hutak...does anyone have his email address? Twister

I can use special rights to get his email even if he refuses to show it.
We have Look First ON,
Random Events ON,
Tech Stag ON,
Right?
Ready to start, when Hutak comes.

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Solver the "Running Beer" - http://www.aok.20m.com

[Twister]

Yes, ready to start! Now sombody find Hutek :-)