No project MP game?

[vitamin j]

The "favorite project" thread in the General forum has got me thinking... Would anyone be interested in an MP game where secret projects are disabled? With the (possible?) exception of the Voice/Ascent. I think it would be pretty cool, and would take the emphasis of the game away from which projects you build. Instead, you'd really have to concentrate on the more basic aspects of the game - units, facilities, SE, diplomacy. You wouldn't have to worry about the EG, the HSA, or the CBA being over-powered, etc.
Maybe no random events, and no pod scattering. Or maybe use both. Maybe 4 or 5 players on a large random map. Anybody interested? Got any other ideas? Let me know what you think. Maybe we could get someone to set up and moderate the game... (hint, hint)

[Darsnan]

Heah vitaminj,
Sure, sounds interesting! I'll be the Gaians, if you want me.

D

[Qantaga]

This sounds like fun. Count me in.

I can probably track down a CMN to set up the game for us, too.

[vitamin j]

Cool y'all. What do you think about pods and random events? I'd like to reach a consensus for game settings, etc. I'd like to try an MP game with random events and without pods for once, but if you object, tell me. Also, does 5 players (assuming we can get them) on a large random map sound ok? You know how random maps and starts can be, but I think it's a cool part of the game. Maybe 30-50% ocean, average cloud/erosion/fungus?
I think we can use the honor system for SPs, just don't build any. But what about victory conditions?
So tell me what you want, and we can iron it out. The only thing is, I've never set up an MP game myself before. And I'd rather have someone who's not in the game do it... Qantaga, if you could find us a cmn that would be cool.
Anyone else wants to play, or be cmn, let us know!

And Qantaga what faction would you want?

[SITS]

I would be interested in joining but I would like to try CMN for the first time and if you have the patience whilst I set something up then that would be my preference. Let me know!

[Darsnan]

Random events are no big deal to me one way or another, however I really would like to have pods in the game, especially if there are no SP's. Otherwise, whatever everyone else wants is fine with me.

D

[Qantaga]

I have no major preferences for the game. I will be happy with anything you guys want. I really like the idea of building no SPs. And, as vitamin j says, it will be rather easy to patrol since all you need is a quick peek in the F5 screen.

I personally like the idea of no pods, too (mainly because every other MP I play has pods and this would be something new), but since Darsnan seems to want them pretty strongly, I would have no problem with having them.

Random Events are fine with me and we should be able to use all victory conditions, if only the Voice and Ascent are allowed to be built. Also, we need to decide if we want to allow a co-op victory or not. It might be more fun without it, but I can live with it either way.

I will vote whole-heartedly for SITS as CMN. I know SITS to be a very good player and a most reliable gentlemen. I'm sure he will do a great job setting the game up for us and serving as CMN. I think it will be worth it for us to give him a little time to set us up fairly. It really can be a huge disappointment if you find that the random map has placed your HQ just eight tiles away from another HQ (as happened to me in another random game not too long ago).

Five players should be fine as long as we all agree to commit to at least one turn a day (with the occasional real-life intrusions, of course).

As for my faction, I will be happy to wait until all other players have chosen before deciding.

[vitamin j]

SITS:
Thanks for offering, and we accept! It may just be a three player game, unless we get a couple more hits. That would be fine with me, but I think one or two more would be cool. We've got time - take as long as you like. I agree with Qantaga that random starts is probably not the best idea. But in a four or five player game with cooperative victory enabled, it could be as much an advantage as not...

Well, damn, Darsnan. I guess I know now why you like the Gaians - they (and the Cult) are the rulers of the Quest for the Holy Grail! (aka the alien artifact ) Could I get you to let it slide this time? Every MP game I'm in has pods on, and I'd really like the change of pace. No AAs (each potentially worth hundreds or thousands of research points), no battle ogres, no earthquakes, no fungal towers right next to your starting location. I don't see how no SPs makes pods more or less important...

Random events will be on, at any rate. I look forward to suffering an asteroid strike, since I'll be so far ahead of everyone on the charts...

If we end up with three players total, we should definitely not have co-op victory on.

More later...

[Googlie]

SITS:

It's possible when seting up the game to disable all the SPs bar the Voice and the Ascent. e-mail me if you want a walk-thru on how to:

linfrew@aol.com

If there are to be AI you might ewant to let them build SPs - soem of them will derive a decent benefit from them - but prolly not overpoweringly so - and just use the Honor system for the human players not to.

G.

[SITS]

Thanks everyone for your kind words. I've emailed Googlie for advice about setting it up. If you can decide on the format of the game then I can get started. It might be an idea to go out and actively recruit people from the games you are currently in. Let me know.

[Darsnan]

Originally posted by vitamin j
SITS:

Well, damn, Darsnan. I guess I know now why you like the Gaians - they (and the Cult) are the rulers of the Quest for the Holy Grail! (aka the alien artifact ) Could I get you to let it slide this time?

The Political element of the Gaian High Council would like to state that inquiries as to our reasons for wanting pods will not be answered: you can draw your own conclusions, and we will let you do that.
However, for the sake of this game: if the majority of players for each game do not want pods, then, because the Gaian High Council has a deep affinity for the democratic process, then we will abide by the majority's vote. Our vote in this remains the same: we would like pods.


D

[vitamin j]

As it stands, there's one vote for pods and one against... I really don't want to pull a "pods 'cause I say so" thing, but I really don't want to start another game with them, either. If we don't get any more players, or we do and they vote for pods, I'll withdraw from this one. I'm sorry, guys, but my idea was for something of a change from the "standard" MP set up.

I'll post in the game threads I'm in and see if I can get anyone else for this one...

[SITS]

There seems to be two votes for no pods and one vote for. VJ and Q voting against...

[Darsnan]

If this is the only impasse to starting the game, then I withdraw my objection: no pods it is.
Just take it easy on us poor defenseless Gaians, OK?

D

[Paul]

If you want one more player, I'm interested. I prefer Uni, Morgan or PK