The New World, turn tracking thread

[Qantaga]

The New World game has begun.

The players are, in turn order:

Arnathalon (Gaians) arnathalon@hotmail.com
smhfan86 (Hive) callistosdarkside@rogers.com
KrysiasKrusader (Uni) krysiaskrusader@sympatico.ca
zergling_zzh (Believers) zergling_zzh@hotmail.com
t_ras (Peacekeepers) martin_t@netvision.net.il

The CMN is Qantaga - Qantaga@aol.com

This is a classic SMAC game.

Map settings:

Large, Random map
Erosion, Native Life, Clouds, Oceans - average

Game settings:

All victory conditions are on
Look First: On
Tech Stag: Off
Spoils of War: Off
Intense Rivalry: Off
Directed Research (pick your own techs)
No Unity Survey (map not visible)
Pods are scattered
No Random Events
Time Warp: Off
Iron Man: On (doesn't matter in PBEM)

The two AI factions, Morgan and Sparta, have been eliminated.

I have given you each three Colony Pods and three scout patrols to start with. You will find them all in the same starting square, so it's up to you to find good places for them.

I have also taken the liberty of planting some goodies close to your starting positions to help speed up the early years a little.

Here is a list of the generally accepted rules. As I understand the thread, these are the ones you will want to go by, but if there are any questions let me know.

Rules:

• Communications - None until in-game contact, obtain commlink through legitimate in-game methods, or build the Empath Guild.
• SE switch "quickies" forbidden - (obviously you can experiment to see what effect various SE choices have, but cannot change, play moves, then change back in the same turn)
• Council notification - immediate broadcast to all players (Post in the thread and e-mail to all immediately by player who has called elections or council votes, citing candidates and votes. After each player's turn, post in the thread the running totals)
• Do not place Stockpile Energy in your build queues
• Crawlers Upgrade anytime - OK
• Probe actions: Must choose vendetta option when probing other players, unless you have previously gained permission to probe by e-mail.
• You cannot bribe the AI on council votes nor demand withdrawal of units (in other words, you cannot let the game AI make choices for your fellow human competitors).
• Cannot use the right click feature for multiple drop moves to extend range (ie limited to 8 tiles unless owning the Space Elevator SP)
• Cannot use the 'set waypoint' feature for automatic worm hunting/lifecycle enhancements
• Must 'Accept' or 'Decline' an offered Pact or Treaty that the other player has indicated 'Accepted' before exiting the diplo box and playing the turn (i.e. no accepting pending treaties/pacts *after* declaring vendetta in the same turn )
• Cannot use the F4 feature (or the bases feature of the F2 screen) to change an infiltrated faction's workers to specialists.
* You cannot trade bases with the AI. It is okay to gift a base to the AI.

If you have any questions about anything in the game, feel free to e-mail me about it.

From time to time, I may contact some of you asking for a game file. I want to keep an eye on the progress of the game for my own map-making experience.

This is a SMAC game, version 4, so you may want to make sure you have the latest patch. It can be found on this page:

http://apolyton.net/smac/

Please take a good look around on your first turn to make sure everything looks to be in order with your faction. The game should be fine, but there are quite a few things to take care of in the scenario editor, so please bring anything that looks funny to my attention.

The first turn will be on its way to Arnathalon momentarily.

The game will begin with Mission Year 2102 to allow me to set passwords. No units have been moved.

Best of luck to everyone. Please feel free to contact me if I can be of any assistance in the game.

[Qantaga]

Hello everyone.

KrysiasKrusader sent an e-mail asking about Stockpile Energy. As I look back over the game setup thread, this particular issue was never specifically addressed, but the rules smhfan86 referenced for the Apolyton tournament thread do outlaw placing Stockpile Energy in your build queues.

I have played many SMAC/X PBEM games and about half of them allow SE and the other half don't.

This issue really has nothing to do with the game setup, so it should be resolved by all of you. The important thing is that everyone know the rule up front because it can be a gamebreaker if half the players are using it and the rest of the players aren't.

You may want to have a vote on whether the players in this game wish to allow placing Stockpile Energy in the build queues of your bases or not.

[smhfan86]

There may be confustion over the stockpile energy rule. You can still stockpile energy, you just can't put it in the queue, i.e. the list for what's next. I use to think it meant you couldn't stockpile at all.

What does everyone else think about the SE switch? yes allow it, or no? We should decide early.

We might want to allow SE switching, as there's really no way to enforce it. This way, we're all on a level playing field.

p.s. Thanks again Qantaga, hope to see the game soon.

[KrysiasKrusader]

I,m not to sure what Stockpile Energy in the build que or not is the difference ???
So... since it seems to be an issue... lets play without it.
I can't take advantage ( nor would I want to ) if there is somekind of bug... or loophole...er,... or somethin' , ....oh whatever.... I don't care anymore...

[Arnathalon]

Maby we should allow SE switching, as there is, like smhfan said, really no way to enforce it. BUT this gives some players a advantage because they know exaktly how to exploit it best. Some players dont know this and therefore i think it should not be allowed. We just have to be honest and promis not to use it

First turn sent to smhfan86
good luck everyone!

[smhfan86]

turn to KK. anyone else have a vote on SE switching?

[KrysiasKrusader]

Turn 2102 sent to Zerggling_zzh.

I, Krysia's Krusader, do honestly promise not to use Stockpile Energy.

[Qantaga]

It looks like the consensus here is to disallow placing Stockpile Energy in the build queue of your bases.

Just to be clear: You are fine as long as you do not manually place Stockpile Energy into the production queue. Stockpile Energy will occur automatically after the completion of a base facility or a Secret Project. That is okay!

The unfair advantage of the game awarding more energy than it should only occurs if you manually place Stockpile Energy in a build queue immediately following a unit (formers, crawlers, colony pods or military units).

It is also okay to let a base continue to Stockpile Energy once it has completed a facility or secret project.

[zergling_zzh]

2102 to t_ras.

And what is the SE switch rules?
More than one switch in one turn is not allowed?

[smhfan86]

I have a question about SE switching. Doesn't it take one full turn before any of the effects take place? If you switch to increase your moral, it doesn't take affect till the next turn. so what's the point? the only thing i could see it do, is make your relations with the AI a little better, i.e. switch to democracy when talking to lal, then switch back. Am I missing something?

[KrysiasKrusader]

... I, Krysia's Krusader, do honestly swear that I will not switch Social Engineering choices ...

[zergling_zzh]

You can switch to Plan to build secret project and switch to free market to earn money. I think this effect take place before one full turn.

[t_ras]

turn sent.


lake this start- 3pods/3scauts-fine!

[Arnathalon]

turn sent to hive

[smhfan86]

03 to kk

i didn't know about the planned trick. in that case, i guess we should just ban SE switching altogether. Is everyone in agreement?