ACDG6: Organization

[vyeh]

Maniac created a game and pm'd the link to me. I've forced current difficulty level following Mart's procedure and posted the acdg6 starting save. Please do not post in the turn posting thread.

I encourage you to make sure the faction datalinks have the correct leaders (you may need to create a game using the order in the post, then load the save).

I plan to create a thread for discussion of strategy (it was called The Wardroom in ACDG5) and a thread for discussion of tactics (it was called The Governors' Association in ACDG5) as well as an index thread.

Could we have some discussion in this thread on Mart's suggestion for a training game?

[Hydro]

If you haven't played SMAniaC or it has been a while you may want to play a few games. Using the DG6 AIs and Genesis is a good idea, too.

Key concepts:
* All factions start with -1 Planet because of Maniac's SE system. This means mindworms are a bit more difficult in the beginning. Be careful popping pods! Only Cult and Bree can capture MWs at the start of the game. Remeber that if you have a negative Planet rating you cannot harvest any fungus resources (not even the default +1 food). Therefore you'll have to rely completely on terraforming (except for Gaians that have 0 Planet at the start, and Bree and Cult that have +1 Planet). Not having fungus food as a quickie backup can lead to problems, so terraform and plan growth carefully.
* Tech tree is VERY different and old B-lines do not apply. For Genesis a clear choice is to go to Biogenetics (Discover), then Exowomb (Build). This is a very good choice since you get RTs, then a free Crèche. Just hope Bad Guys aren't waiting for you or you'll just build all that nice infrastructure for them...
* With your free +2 efficiency and growth from crèche it is tempting to go to Anthropomorphic SE (+2 growth, +1 morale). But this has -3 Planet. This can be tough since SMAniaC psi combat is different too (as I recall you only get 40% attack bonus instead of 50% in SMAC). Consider going for Empath - empath song is good to augment attack if you have low Planet. But, there are other techs you’ll want…
* Your tech is likely to be slower out of the gate due to -1 eco – think HIVE. Getting to that magic +2 eco could be a chore – look at the SE chart and you’ll see that SMAniaC has lots of options, with new (and sometimes icky) penalties.

I’m tempted to fire up a game just to see how it goes!!

Hydro

[vyeh]

I've created some new threads for this game and an index.

If you're going to create a new game-related thread, please put "ACDG6:" at the beginning of the title as a courtesy to other users of this forum, e.g. "ACDG6: Recreation Commons - 20th floor."

It would also be nice if there was a pointer to the ACDG6 Index thread at the beginning of the thread:

"This thread is part of the Alpha Centauri Democracy Game 6 ("ACDG6")."

Mark123jansen,

If you have some general thoughts on terraforming, tech or exploration, you can post them in The Genesis Project.

If you're doing detailed analysis similar to my tech predictions in ACDG5 or getting into the details of game mechanics, you can post that in the operations thread.

[Maniac]

Sorry for the rather boring starting position. It's what came out of random map creation. Then again, the lack of access to immediate easy food sources will mean we'll need to make an interesting choice where to b-line to get our much needed food. Also, boosting the starting position (and thus our rate of economic growth) would just mean the AIs become pushovers sooner. So I just stuck to what the game gave us.

[vyeh]

I've responded to Hydro's post and part of Maniac's post in the main game thread.

Regarding Mart's suggestion for a training game. I played on my attempt to generate a game. It helped me get a feel for the faction.

Regarding Maniac's "apology," I suspect we will feel the effects of the -1 economy sooner than we would like.

Edit: Illuminatus has topped the ACDG6 index thread. I also prepared a news blurb for the Apolyton SMAC section.

I've posted an update at CGN and at Civfanatics that ACDG6 has started.

Boring position? It is exposed to the ocean, where the Atlanteans and the Ghosts start from. Nahkrinoth wanted the AI to have a real chance ...

[Bodissey]

Count me as a simple team player on this one. I will vote and give my idea of an advice from time to time.

But if there is a position you need me to fill, I would be happy to oblige.

[vyeh]

Bodissey,

After ACDG5, you're entitled to any position or none (if you want a break).

Having said that, would you consider being the initial faction leader? (I'll handle the turn playing until someone else is willing to take it; Mart wrote the turn playing manual that I have listed in the index!)

[vyeh]

I created a game with the same settings and same turn order as ACDG6 to check research paths. The Cult has been placed and I forced current difficulty level for all seven factions.

[vyeh]

If we can resolve the issues of:

(1) whether to establish a base at the landing site;
(2) the first two techs to research; and
(3) the second build for the first base;

we should be able to have play one game year per day, taking a little bit longer. I think it helps if we can advance the game to the point where there is contact with another faction.

Illuminatus has received a news blurb about ACDG6. It would be nice if a newcomer saw something going on.

[vyeh]

I implore someone to take the faction leader position initially. It is much easier to get the hang of it in the early turns. And the commitment would only be for ten turns.

I'm willing to handle the turn playing responsibilities for the first ten turns (although I am also willing to turn it over if someone would like the position; it also is easier to get the hang of it in the early turns).

Mart, as your time permits, could you suggest movement for the scout and second colony pod as they move west?

Mark123jansen, could you propose for discussion tech research beyond centauri ecology and the exowomb (assuming the current votes hold up)?

[vyeh]

2103 posted. For those of you into the operational details, there is the movement of two scouts and a colony pod.

Since Mark123jansen is interested in exploration, this is a good opportunity to express an opinion in the operations thread.

For those of you who are interested in the big picture, in three years (maybe less), we will discover centauri ecology. So feel free to discuss in the general discussion our next tech choice.

Until we contact another faction, a turn rate of 1 year per day seems appropriate. It will give everybody a day to see the newly revealed terrain and comment. And something will be happening in the game every day.

Please feel free to take over an area of the game, e.g appoint yourself governor of Genesis.

[vyeh]

I noticed that there are only nine squares per row in the nutrient tanks and only nine squares per row in the production status. The highest number map square is (63, 63). The highest number map square in ACDG5 was (59,59).

So it looks like we're playing a small map rather than a custom 30x60 map.

Originally posted by Maniac in SMAniaC PBEM game?
On tiny and small maps, everyone gets bonuses on growth and production: there are respectively only eight and nine minerals in a row. This messes up the whole social engineering system as for example +1 SE Industry only gives -0.9 minerals per row, rounded up. No effect in other words.

The slightly larger size isn't a problem (I thought there might have been some interest in playing a standard map because it would allow more building before another faction was encountered).

However, the reduction in the size of the nutrient tank rows and the production status rows "messes up the whole social engineering system."

Does anyone want to restart the game?

Edit: For those of you new to Apolyton, the Apolytoners' Hall of Fame "is a list of people who contributed a lot to the community here on Apolyton. Every member of the Hall of Fame has made great contributions to Apolyton and the Civilization community - these people and their accomplishments must be remembered by us all!"

I voted for three individuals who have been helpful in this demogame:

Hydro - that spreadsheet is amazing
Illuminatus - for his support in topping threads and posting news items
Maniac - for creating SMAniaC

I would encourage you to vote. Even if Hydro doesn't get in this time, your vote carries over. (The previous times I voted for Buster, but it looks like he'll get in this time without my vote.)

[vyeh]

Maniac sent me a private message. He supports a restart. He created a new game to speed things up in case we decided to go that route.

After some thought, I think we can keep the old votes (giving anyone the right to revisit an issue) and the discussion on tech still applies.

So the three people most impacted by a restart are Maniac, Mart (who has been active in suggesting movements) and me. Maniac has already generated a game.

Mart had suggested a training game, so he's getting his wish.

And I want to work with the SMAniaC SE as designed.

Normally, it is poor form to quote from a private message. However, Maniac did begin the next section with "For the record ..." and I use this thread as a way to document issues for the next demogame.

Originally in a private messaged from Maniac

For the record, the reason why the current ACDG has nine nut/min rows is because the map was generated using 'Quick Start'. I generated a couple maps before deciding which one to go with, and only set custom map size the first time, using Quick Start thereafter, assuming the settings would stick. But apparently you have to go through the motions every time to prevent the nut/min rows being screwed up.

Additional problems with using 'Start Game' is that for some reason the maps generated that way are worse than those generated by 'Quick Start'. Much less land. However after a couple of tries, I have a found a fitting map. I think this new game can provide an even more interesting map than the old current one could ever have.

I've created a turn posting thread (restart).

I'd appreciate it if Mart and anyone interested in movement would comment.

[Nahkrinoth]

So it's a completely different map but all factions and options are the same?

[Mart]

Restart is fine with me.

It looks like we get easier starting location.