Game Etiquette

[Mr. Harley]

Having joined the SMAC PBEM community about a year ago, I have noticed that there seems to be some variation as to what constitutes proper game etiquette versus "announcements". I'm talking about the various updates given to you by the game, some just in single-player, some in both single and multi-player. Is there any official listing of them, and if not should there be?

1) AI project nearing completion - Single and multi-player. I feel strongly that this should be shared.

2) AI starting project - I don't see as necessary, watch the F5 screen.

3) Secrets of ..... completion (when an AI gets it in Single-player). Does it come up in multi-player? What's the etiquette?

4) Base such and such conquered by .... I will assume that's the point of infiltration when done by other human players. Do you get that announcement when it occurs between AI's? I would assume if it comes up on your turn screen, you should share.

If I missed any, please feel free to add them.

[GeoModder]

Mmmyes, 1 has surprised me once as well for a fellow player didn't announce it.

2 is indeed not necessary, but at least another lazy player won't be surprised then.

On 3, I bet it is rarely that a computer faction can complete these techs first.

4 I don't know myself.

[Darsnan]

Re: Game Etiquette

Good idea for a thread, shawnmmcc!

As far as your listed observations why I'm pretty much in agreement. Perhaps CMN should start adding this to the rules/ intro for PBEM games?

Originally posted by shawnmmcc
If I missed any, please feel free to add them.

1. Communications interupted by sunspots: just a courtesy so people aren't planning a trade, only to open the turn and not be able to execute the trade.

2. Sanctions for committing atrocities: Player A nukes/ gasses Player Z while at the same time setting up a trade with Player B for a tech. Player B should be made aware of the atrocity, so that at least they can take it into consideration before agreeing to the trade.


D

[Flubber]

The most important of them all

Sea level will rise by X metres in the next x years. That one is key to understanding what kind of terraforming you need to be doing

[Googlie]

If random events are toggled, then the Solar Storm/flare event is a biggie (all bases of all factions produce triple energy the next turn, so you want to maximize the energy production that turn)

These are all messages that are given to the last player in the turn sequence, and usually CMN's alert that player, when setting up the game, that these should be passed on to other players, but perhaps Darsnan is right - they maybe need to be enshrined formally in the rules.

[binTravkin]

they maybe need to be enshrined formally in the rules

=>

they definitely need to be enshrined formally in the rules

Too much people forget about them, or pretend they've forgot it. Especially it happens with sea level rises..

[Mr. Harley]

Okay, let's do a poll. Oh, and at least with Project nearing completion, you get it if you are the player previous to the AI, if I remember correctly.

Poll items.

Sea level rising.

Solar Storm.

Project nearing completion.

Sanctions.

Sunspots.

ANY message about the AI or a natural event that does not just affect you. (to cover anything we missed). Note the others need to be listed seperately, so the point is very clearly made to the players. I didn't realize this as CMN, I suspect that means that an experienced/responsible player should be assigned last human before the turn end.


Should Secrets completions be posted? I can see the argument that is what infiltration is for. However, the message is posted in solo play.

[binTravkin]

Secret completion should really be in - it's unrealistic but many players are too used to that message.

[Chaos Theory]

Both secrets starting and completion messages should be broadcast. Players receive them without infilitration, so all should receive them.

[binTravkin]

I think Shawn was thinking about Secrets Of Human Brain and the like..

[Chaos Theory]

Brain fart - replace secrets in my previous post with "secret project"

[Mr. Harley]

Actually, I just did a test. Players DO NOT get informed via a message if another player discovers Secrets of the Human Brain. However, if an AI gets it first, a human player (I think the one who goes BEFORE, not after) gets the notice (the AI turn is actually processed by the preceeding human player). That would be an unfair advantage, and could come up in games where the PK or UNI are AI's.