AC Succession Game #2 Signup Thread

[Avenoct]

As we peter out with the first SMAC succession game, mistakenly posted over on the strategies forum, I'd like to get a second game or games set up.

If you don't know what a succession game is, it's a bit different than a competetive MP game, so read on. Basically all human players play a single game with a single faction, passing the turns on to the next player at pre-determined intervals. So Player 1 might play the first 20 years, then passes the game to Player 2. It is quite a learning experience to see how each player adapts to the changes made by previous players, and more than that, it's fun and fast paced. By working cooperatively the group of players takes their faction through an entire game.

What we did in the first game was to play the Gaians on Thinker level on a huge map. See the thread in the strategies section for the details. I think the game was too easy for us. I have two proposals for a second game(s).
factions.First Succession Game (SMAC)

Proposal 1: 3-4 players, 3-4 games with 3-4 different factions.

Essentially, we each start a game and pass it along to the next player in line. This way we can play 4 different games (possible on the same map!) and everyone will be recieving as many turns as they are playing. The downside is obviously that if one player is slow, all the turns from all 4 games will stack up in their mailbox. I think if we choose this option we should adhere to a strict 'Turn Per Day' guideline and also post our turns for download (so absent players can be skipped).


Proposal 2: 3-5 players, 1 game with 1 faction.

This would work just like the first game. I'd set it up as a Large Map, Transcend difficulty, and probably play the Peacekeepers as they were the original choice that got scrapped. These details are of course open to change, but I'd rather not dicker too long in getting it going.


Sign up on this thread, and email me with the email you'd like to use for the game to Rmontalbon@aol.com Be sure to make the subject obvious like 'Signup for AC Succ Game #2' so I know what your email is for.

-Smack

PS. All skill levels and experience levels are acceptable. It would be great to mix in some very experienced players with new players for the learning experience. -Smack

[Qantaga]

Sign me up. This sounds like a lot of fun. I followed the other threads of the previous Ascension games (yours and the Ascension game in this forum) with interest.

My preference would be Proposal 2: 1 game with 1 faction. Transcend difficulty.

[johndmuller]

Hi, I played in the SMAX version you alluded to (which has yet to spawn a round 2) and I'd like to offer a variation that was talked up a little over there which would be:

Proposal 3: SMAC or SMAX, Transcend, playing as Miriam, n players rotating the turn as in the originals (with shorter turns than before).

Ground rules: We cannot build any military units, we can only probe them away from the computer players; same with crawlers, only captured ones allowed (as if). All we can build are probes and Colony pods and just to make it a little interesting, each of us can build (and rebuild/redesign) exactly one Former each - all others we would have to steal. I don't think we should allow any upgrades of the captured military units, but that could be negotiable; I suppose we should have armored probes if we want, but a hard liner could talk me out of that too. I'd be willing to organize this one if Smack doesn't want any part of it.

[Avenoct]

I'd be interested in playing in such a game, and if everyone here wants to go that way, that's fine with me. However, I think we should start that one as a separate game as it will be significantly different, basically a cooperative 'Challenge' Game. As such, it might (should!) scare off begginning or intermediate players. I'd like to keep this game (Proposal 1 or 2) accessable to, and hopefully occuppied by, all skill levels. Let me know if you set it up JohdD, I'll be sure to join. Sounds tough!

-Smack

[Arima]

I'm intrested in an SMAC (not AX) game. I'm a relatively new at MP, but am intrested. It sounds fun.

I favor proposal one, but don't really care.

[Avenoct]

Welcome aboard Arima,

[This game is still open. If 7 players sign up, I'll just split it into 2 games...etc.]

Go figure, that's one vote each for Proposals 1, 2, and 3. If I only had a three-sided die to roll!

If you all would like to compromise, we have 4, which is an ideal number for the game IMHO.

I'll put in that my preference would be for Proposal 1, just to try a totally new format. I do like proposal 3, but am looking for a relief from the Torture Mod, and Aldebaran, both of which are tough variants..I'm looking for Vanilla Smac, but that's me...and I'm flexible.

So votes wise, and order of play:

Smac : Proposal 1 (but flexible)
Quantaga: Proposal 2
JohndMuller: Proposal 3
Arima: Proposal 1

Hash it out!

Also, I'm willing to step aside and just set up the game if more players join. Setting up the game would mean attempting a nifty start position for the game (or games). It's totally unneccesary being that this is cooperative.

Happy Crawlering,

-Smack

[Scipio Centaurus]

Originally posted by johndmuller
Hi, I played in the SMAX version you alluded to (which has yet to spawn a round 2) and I'd like to offer a variation that was talked up a little over there which would be:

Proposal 3: SMAC or SMAX, Transcend, playing as Miriam, n players rotating the turn as in the originals (with shorter turns than before).

Ground rules: We cannot build any military units, we can only probe them away from the computer players; same with crawlers, only captured ones allowed (as if). All we can build are probes and Colony pods and just to make it a little interesting, each of us can build (and rebuild/redesign) exactly one Former each - all others we would have to steal. I don't think we should allow any upgrades of the captured military units, but that could be negotiable; I suppose we should have armored probes if we want, but a hard liner could talk me out of that too. I'd be willing to organize this one if Smack doesn't want any part of it.

Hi JDM.

I didn't forget about the other succession game, but I did get a little gun shy when two players dropped out real quick. I am still interested in your 'invasive probing' challenge game - if we can come up with at least a couple of other players. I don't care if it's SMAC or SMAX. If you want to CMN it, that would be good for me as I am attempting to go self-employed in a high risk business and am spending a great deal of time trying to avoid the poor farm.

- Scipio

[Scipio Centaurus]

Originally posted by Smack
So votes wise, and order of play:

Smac : Proposal 1 (but flexible)
Quantaga: Proposal 2
JohndMuller: Proposal 3
Arima: Proposal 1

-Smack

Hi Smack.

Sign me up for a proposal 2 SMAC game if you have trouble coming up with four players who haven't played this format before.

- Scipio

[Avenoct]

That makes 5 with 2 votes for each proposal 1 and 2. Since I'm flexible, let's go with #2. If I don't have your email, email your game email to me at Rmontalbon@aol.com.

Also, JohnD, with Scipio that makes 3 of us for a test run of your probe-heavy version if you want to start that as well?

Here's the Game Setup I'll make later today and post here for download:

World: Large Medium settings world, Transcend, all victories on, but no other options checked.
Faction: Peacemakers

Turn Rate Proposal One:

15 turns each player each round.
IE, first round (5 players) to 2175.
second round to 2240
third to 2315

Turn Rate Proposal Two:

10 turns each player each round.
IE first round (5 players) to 2150
2nd to 2200
3rd to 2250
4th to 2300


This is simpler than the turn rate for the first game. There I found that 5 turns in the late game, though they were long turns, was not enough to establish any real pattern of development for the player. Also, keep in mind that one of the benefits of this style of play is to learn what other players do in situations...that's why I'll use Turn Rate Proposal Two, unless anyone objects.

Game On!

-Smack

[Qantaga]

Smack, I'm looking forward to playing this game. Thanks for setting it up. I am in agreement with your choice of Turn Rate Proposal Two.

I would also like to join in on johndmuller's probe-challenge game when he gets it set up.

[Avenoct]

Gamethread:Downloads and Turnposts for this Game

BTW, if you would like to join us, there's 'room' for either one more player in this game, or if more than one signs up I'd be glad to set up a game for a second group.

-Smack

[johndmuller]

Smack, Scipio Centaurus, Qantaga (and any other interested parties):

I will shortly start a new thread re the Probe Challenge (Variation 3); when I do, I will also insert a pointer into this thread. In the meantime, anyone interested can chime in here - I don't think it will get started until after Sept 3rd as I will be taking a long weekend and I don't know that there is enough time before I go to get the game itself started. I do plan to start its thread before then however.

[Avenoct]

Johnd,

looking forward to it. I hope you don't mind that I signed you up for this game as well?

I'm going to suggest here and in the play threads that we email the turns to the next player ordinarily. If you happen to be going out of touch after you email your turn, it would then be good to also post it (upload it). Secondly, if we see that the game is stuck, it's acceptable to simply skip someone. Don't even bother getting consensus about it....if the game is stuck, unstick it.

The reasoning is that some people won't remember to download the turns from the thread, so gettting it to their email is better for them.

[If you'll notice I'm not being very democratic (though I would be otherwise). MP games take a certain bludgeoning to keep moving. In this sense decisions are best made by making judgements immediately, then looking for evidence, as dumb as that sounds ]

-Smack

[Scipio Centaurus]

emailing the game turns between players is OK4ME, but I am still interested in following the action after each players' turn, so if it's not too much trouble could everyone still post their turns to the thread or CC me on their turn send email (brperry@pacbell.net). I already downloaded the first 2 game turn SAVs and had a peek.

- Scipio Centaurus

[Avenoct]

Scipio, sounds fine to me. I just want to make sure that everyone get's an email prompt to play the turn.

Also, John D, would you send me your email?

-Smack