Anyone want to start a rated SMAC game?

[Levelisk]

Hi. I'm wondering if anyone wants to play a rated SMAC game? This will be my first MP game, but I've beaten the AI transend.

[WhiteElephants]

What are your settings going to be? What faction do you want? What version? Etc. etc...

[Levelisk]

SMAC v4.0, and whatever the settings are for the rankings for the PBEM setting. Could someone set that up, too?

Gee, I'm beginning to think I should just wait to join a game...

[theohall]

I'm interested as well. It would also be my first rated game.

Finally won single player on Transcend last night. A true learning experience. Thanks to all who helped Vel develop his Guide.

[Solver]

Hi guys,
I'm the SMAC PBEM Ladder Administrator. First of all, if you have saves from your games on Transcend, would you please email them to me at solver@apolyton.net .
I will help you to play this game, by playing here myself, just to let you play with someone expreniced, too.
More players will come here, to be sure. And, someone will also be starting a game, that's no problem.
Please state what preferences (map size, rules, etc.), would you better like to play with, so that we start a game that would suit us all.
Waiting for your replies.

[Levelisk]

Well, my preferences are:

Gaians
Huge, random map
Random events ON (I like the uncertainty)
whatever the rules are used for the SMAC PBEM ladder

[Viriato]

Count me in.

My preferences will be:

PK (I don't play them for a long time)
Large, random map
All settings average (erosion, native life,...)
All victory conditions on (if more than 4 players else no co-operative to keep this from becoming a teams game)
Random events OFF
Apolyton Tournament Standard rules

[dinoarms]

Count me in

Any faction will do

If a seven human player game is allowed I would love to wait for that many people...but no cooperative vic then.

[Qantaga]

Hello everyone!

I know you already have enough players for this game. The only reason I am posting here is to offer to be the seventh player if you want to follow dinoarms suggestion of a 7 player, human-controlled faction game.

If you guys don't want a 7 player game, then no worries, I will look for a new game in the future.

[Levelisk]

Sure, 7 player all-human game would be cool. So, here's who's playing:

Levelisk
theohall
Solver
Viriato
dinoarms
Qantaga

anyone else? And, what factions do you guys want? I for one prefer the Gaians or Morganites

[Qantaga]

Assuming that the first few people who posted even want a 7 player game, I would like to try my hand at the University, the Hive or the Spartans. But, I will take any faction, since I was the seventh person to reply to your post.

WhiteElephants did post early on, but hasn't expressed whether or not he is interested in this setup, so I would think he should have the right of first refusal as the seventh player.

Also, we will need Solver's approval of a 7 player game setup (if it is to be a rated game) since it is his rating system.

Again, I am not trying to derail this game or thread. So, if those who posted first are not interested in a 7 player game, I will gladly bow out of this game.

[dinoarms]

7 player

I will take the last available faction after everyone else has chosen.

I beleive that a seven player game won't qualify as a tournament game. But for the pleasure of playing against six humans it is worth it.

To stay away from players forming permanent alliances we should allow NO COOPERATIVE VICTORY.

I would prefer a standard or small map, 30%-50% water on transcend because anything larger will take years.

Also if it is possible we should allow any player who surrenders to have is faction taken over by the AI.

I'm sure Solver will help us with the details.

[theohall]

Faction preferences (in order):

Gaians
UoP
Spartans
Peacekeepers
Hive
Morganites
Believers

Whatever other settings are fine by me.

[Solver]

Looks like noone muscled me off the the University, and I will take it, as my by far and by mach favorite faction.
Qantaga - sorry, but I think you will be all right with the Hive. Yes, 7 player game is good - no objections at all to that. I have rated 7-player games, too.
It's impossible for the AI to take over a human slot in the game, so when you want to surrender you'll have to either:
1) Give someone else control of a faction
2) Play it till you are defeated
Hope this won't happen, though.
Dinoarms - if we disallow cooperative victory, so be it - bloodbath. Will Standrard size planet suit anybody?
Then, the settings look like this:
1) Standard Planet
2) All victory types
3) No cooperative victory
4) Directed research
5) Pods scattering ON
6) Do or Die ON
7) Spoils of War OFF
8) Rated game
9) SMAC v.4.0, right?

Trying to arrange faction list:

Levelisk - Deirdre
theohall - Deirdre
Solver - Zakharov
Viriato - Lal
dinoarms - Miriam or Santiago
Qantaga - Yang

As you see, two people want to take the Gaians. But, Levelisk might be willing to play as Morgan, it seems to me.

So, we have six players. As I see it, WhiteElephants, just wanted to give you some little help in starting the game - just what I'm doing now .
Anyone wants to comment on these? And, I would need everyone to post their highest AI level beaten, except Qantaga and theohall, they've already submitted me a save file. It would be nice of you to send saved games of you to solver@apolyton.net , as a proof to me.
So, when we get clarified with the Factions and abovementioned rules, I'm ready to start.

One final note - there are some widely known cheats you can't use. For example, controlling citizen allocation in enemy cities, making instant terraforming, upgrading units at a lower cost, etc. Also, taking either H'minee or Marr is regarded as cheat - these factions are disallowed in PBEMs, as given same skills of the players, the guy owning H'minee or Marr will win.

[cpt.slick]

YEAH I'm down and will take spartans

if this is cool and if u don't mind a seventh..

thanx