ACDG5: Demogame, anyone (especially newbies)?

[Nahkrinoth]

I downloaded it, but I'm on a PC so that was a waste of time. Can I just jump into the wardroom and start giving out unwanted advice?

[Petek]

Originally posted by Nahkrinoth
I downloaded it, but I'm on a PC so that was a waste of time. Can I just jump into the wardroom and start giving out unwanted advice?

The save file can be opened on a PC, you just can't save it in MAC format (if I understand correctly). The trick is to add a .SAV extension to the file named ACDG5_2118_end2 in the zip file.

Petek

[Mart]

It is both add ".sav" to the file name (then you can open the save file) and change one byte in the file that solves the problem of the path (then you can also save the game in PC format)

For now, we have executable fixing multiplayer games, but not singleplayer. I know where to modify the save file in hexeditor, and I can do an exe to do it. The only problem is how to recognize if the save is SP SMAC, I haven't figured that out yet.

[vyeh]

Nahkrinoth,

Let us know if you can open the save by adding .sav after unzipping the file.

If you can, take a look at these three posts:

My proposal
Bodissey's response
My counter response

The image attached to this post may help you understand the situation even if you can't open the save file.

You're welcome to jump into the Wardroom as long as you remain in character. (It means PC issues should be addressed in this thread.)

As far as we know, a PC user can open the file, move units, access screens. The problem arises when the PC user tries to save the game.

Your advice is far from "unwanted." After Bodissey and I have figured out where we agree, we'll use your views as a tie breaker.

At this point, I think the issues are:

(1) How many military units do we need to create for security? In response to Bodissey's concern that we are weak, I've suggested that we build two 2-1-2 recon rovers, one 1-3-1 plasma sentinel and another (1)-1-4 gun foil. Keep in mind we only have 5 bases and 3 of them are pop. 1. The only base I'm not suggesting build a military unit is BRCM and that is because we have a site nearby almost ready for a colony.

In nineteen game turns, we've built 3 scout patrols, 1 former, 4 gun foils, and 3 Recycling Tanks and we're close to completing a secret project.

(2) Sunken City. I think Bodissey agrees that Sunken City is a nice site, but wants assurances that the homeland is secure and that we are aggressively retrieving supply pods. I might be wrong about his views.

[Nahkrinoth]

I can open the save now. My color scheme for each player looks different, but that doesn't seem to be important.

[vyeh]

The color scheme has to do with the way the game was set up. I know that we are in slot 7.

There are two ways the colors can be fixed. In both cases, Mart will have to tell you the order of the factions.

One way is to edit the alpha centauri.ini file, so that the list of factions in the .ini file matches the way Mart set it up. I better leave it to Petek or Mart to explain what needs to be edited.

The other way is to start a new game and list the factions in the same order. After you've started the new game, you load our save and the colors will be right.

[vyeh]

Since you can open the save, take a look at Morgan Industries. If you are in the base screen, you can see the crawlers. This gives you some idea of what Mart did with the AI's.

[Mart]

It is vanila smac, not the expansion (smax). Maybe you opened the game in smax, alien crossfire?

[Nahkrinoth]

Yup. I did open it in smax.

[vyeh]

Did you got the strange colors by opening the game in smax?

[Nahkrinoth]

Yes. It's fine in smac.

[vyeh]

Originally posted by Maniac in the turn posting thread
This thread should be called "Recreation Commons - 19th floor". Don't you guys have any respect for tradition??

I've PMed Illuminatus to move your post to this thread.

I welcome your inquiry; I'd just prefer to keep the Unity Cantina thread in character.

Mart created the Unity Cantina thread. I assumed he wanted a pure role-playing space.

I took a look at the Rec Commons 18 thread in the AC Democracy Game archives. It seems to be mostly a thread discussing whether to start a Rec Commons in the C4DG forum. Eventually, there was an announcement that Rec common 18: the Spam Elevator has been moved to the C4DG AC private forum.

Seems to me that moving the Recreation Commons to a Civ 4 forum shows less respect for tradition than reviving a demogame in AC. If we did everything the same as ACDG3, we wouldn't have a demogame.

I'm grateful to Mart for spending the time and effort to create an interesting game even though the track record for launching a demogame in the last two years has been poor.

[Mart]

Maybe:
ACDG5: Recreation Commons - 19th floor - Unity Cantina

It's ok to change the name and we could do it later (when mods have more time). I don't think it would affect the in-character a lot.

With events developing in the game we may see more visits in ACDG5.
Maniac, having you among Unity Mission counselors would be good for the faction.

[vyeh]

I PM'd Illuminatus with the request to change the thread title.

[Mart]

Originally posted by Nahkrinoth
Can we get another turn going?

As the game continues, I would suggest making a timetable for turn advancement. It's observation from previous ACDGs.

- Players would know when to expect a given turn be played. Even if someone cannot take a look at the game for certain time, the person would know this many turns he/she would miss. Without timetable turn timing it's easier to loose interest in such game - players would feel they might loose grasp on important faction matters when after e.g. two weeks of no turn, suddenly there are like 5 turns played in a week.

- Systematic turns will allow to better work on faction matters, as there is less chance to skip over important things when turns run fast and forget important stuff when turns run slow.

Drawback: we all know life ... Sometimes we just need to do other things than playing SMAC, sometimes we could spend a lot of time playing.

Having not many players it is maybe not so important, but as we will hopefully increase number of active faction members this will matter more.

For your consideration, we want the game to be fun and not a hassle.