ACDG6: Organization

[Bodissey]

I have no objections regarding the Alien factions.

[Nahkrinoth]

I'd prefer not to have aliens. I like having a big council and the aliens seem to just want to kill all humans or each other and not much else.

[Mark123jansen]

I dislike the aliens, because in my experience they tend to kill off all the other AI's before I get a chance to do it.

Then again any excuse for rampant nerve gas usage without sanctions is good for me

[vyeh]

Looks like the sentiment is no alien factions.

I propose the following AI factions to start the discussion.

---

The Shadow Ghosts
(aggressive, acquatic, probe)

^LEADER: {Shadow Hunter Delan}
^BACKGROUND: {Unknown}
^AGENDA: {Gather any necessary data with no regard for the consequences}
^TECH: {Centauri Hydrology, Information Networks}

#DATALINKS2
^Aquatic based faction: {The ocean is the best place to stay mobile and strike anywhere anytime}
^Algorithmic Enhancement FREE for all probe units upon development of Quantum Computers
^Can steal technology when capturing a base
^-50% cost to PROBE TEAM actions: {Exploit seperatist tendencies within factions}
^-2 RESEARCH & -3 Commerce: {The Ghosts steal what they want, not trade or research it}

---

The Order of the Templar
(aggressive, psi)

#DATALINKS1
^LEADER: {Eliana Silvera}
^BACKGROUND: {South Africa, Unity Security Force}
^AGENDA: {A society led by a psionic elite}
^TECH: {Field Modulation}

#DATALINKS2
^+25% Bonus when attacking enemies, from the military application of psionics.
^Empath Song ability FREE to all units upon discovery of Centauri Empathy
^+30% Psi combat strength: {The Order of the Templar develop their psionic talents for offensive use}
^-3 PLANET: {Disregard for Planet's native life - the Templar serve only their own interests}
^Robustness for PLANET penalties in social engineering
^-1 EFFICIENCY: {Large empires harder to run by a small elite}
^Impunity to ANTHROPOCENTRIC penalty: {The Templar's disregard for Planet does not entail a disregard for psionic affinity}
^Cannot choose Empath ruling elite: {Rival psionic talents form a threat to the Templar's domination}

---

The Atlanteans
(peaceful, aquatic)

#DATALINKS1
^LEADER: {Queen Elevea}
^BACKGROUND: {Former Gaian protesting the use of mind worm terror}
^AGENDA: {A life of peace and tranquillity}
^TECH: {Centauri Hydrology}

#DATALINKS2
^Aquatic based faction: {The ocean is the best place to hide from unwanted eyes}
^Free AQUAFARM with discovery of Gene Splicing
^Deep Pressure Hull FREE for all naval units upon discovery of Nanometallurgy
^Need HAB COMPLEX for bases to exceed size 4: {Small bases are most likely to remain undetected}
^{May not choose a Junta Ruling Elite in social engineering.}

---

The Cybernetic Consciousness
(aggressive)

#DATALINKS1
^LEADER: {Aki Zeta-5 (Prime Function Shell)}
^BACKGROUND: {Subroutine Specialist under Unity Science Officer}
^AGENDA: {Rational Objectivity}
^TECH: {Information Networks, Military Know-how}
^

#DATALINKS2
^Techcost 70%: {Human research abilities enhanced by algorithmic control}
^+2 EFFICIENCY: {Cybernetic biologicals extremely efficient}
^-15% Psi combat strength: {Psionic affinity requires intuition and empathy, not cold rationality}
^Impunity to CYBERNETIC penalty: {Cybernetic social choice is 'rational' and not dissented by citizens}
^Can steal technology when capturing a base

---

The Cult of Planet
(aggressive, psi)

#DATALINKS1
^LEADER: {Cha Dawn}
^BACKGROUND: {Born of uncertain parentage, found abandoned in the fungus by Ecological Malcontents}
^AGENDA: {Return Planet to its pristine state}
^TECH: {Centauri Ecology, Progenitor Psych}

#DATALINKS2
^+2 PLANET: {Devoted to promoting native growth}
^-1 ECON: {Disinterested in wealth and its trappings}
^Free BROOD PIT with discovery of Centauri Psi
^Mind Worms do double police duty: {Fear and reverence for native life}
^+1 mineral and energy in fungus squares
^{May not make Plutocrat choice in Social Engineering}

---

The Data Angels
(erratic, probe)

#DATALINKS1
^LEADER: {Sinder Roze}
^BACKGROUND: {MorganNet QA Manager, Unity Information Services Helpdesk}
^AGENDA: {Free Flow of Information}
^TECH: {Information Networks, Polymorphic Software}

#DATALINKS2
^+2 PROBE: {Highly motivated computer specialists}
^-1 POLICE: {Decentralized, difficult to control}
^Gain any tech known to 3 other factions with whom Angels have infiltration: {Wide-ranging covert activities}
^-25% cost to PROBE TEAM actions: {Skilled at network access and control}
^Free COVERT OPS CENTER with discovery of Mind/Machine Interface
^Immunity to Mind Control
^Impunity to Technocrat choice in social engineering
^{May not make Junta choice in social engineering.}

---

These are my reasons:

(1) Since this is SMAniaC, it would be interesting to include the three SMAniaC custom factions the AI plays well: Ghosts, Templar and Atlanteans.

(2) Since ACDG5 was a SMAC game, it would be more interesting to avoid SMAC factions and choose SMAX factions for the remaining 3.

(3) Since there were already 2 aquatic factions from the SMAniaC custom factions (Ghosts, Templar), the Pirates wouldn't have added much.

(4) Balance:

(a) Two aquatic factions: one aggressive (Ghosts), one peaceful (Atlanteans)

(b) Two probe factions: one aquatic (Ghosts), one land (Angels)

(c) Two psi: one green (Cult), one anti-green (Templar)

(d) One research prone (Cyborgs)

Bodissey, Mark123jansen, Nahkrinoth: What do you think about the proposed 6 AI factions?

[Mark123jansen]

Sounds good to me, though the really interesting question will be which faction the human player will be.

[vyeh]

We're playing (see #2, #3, #11 and #12 above)

The Genesis Project

#DATALINKS1
^LEADER: {Johanna Chaue}
^BACKGROUND: {Argentina, Buenos Aires University genetics research team}
^AGENDA: {Improve the human genetic code for all}
^TECH: {Biogenetics}

#DATALINKS2
^Free HATCHERY with discovery of the Exowomb
^May exceed HAB COMPLEX population requirements by 2.
^-1 ECONOMY: {Universal eugenetic programs are a heavy economic burden}
^-1 SUPPORT: {Genetically boosted troops are expensive}

[Nahkrinoth]

Looks good. We're going to have some unconventional battles with all of that psi and probing.

[Maniac]

Originally posted by Hydro
• Gaians – do OK. The AI will spam colony pods, but the faction just doesn’t understand getting to Env Eco to get tree farms. If it does then they really do well.

The Gaian super AI gets Tree Farms for free, without a tech requirement.

[Hydro]

Maniac - ouch! That should really super charge the Gaian super AI, especially since your AI actually planets trees (as mines are disabled early since the tech requirement hasn't been met).

vyeh - in my experience the Atlantians are hardly peaceful. But, they'll be in the battle of their lives against the Ghosts, which may make them more compliant. Expect the seas to have bases spammed all over...

Hydro

[vyeh]

Originally posted by Hydro
vyeh - in my experience the Atlantians are hardly peaceful.

From alphax.txt:

; formal, desc, noun, masc/fem, sing/plural, name, gender, ai-fight, ai-power, ai-tech, ai-wealth, ai-growth

; ai-fight = -1,0,1 (willingness to use force to achieve goals)

From atlantis.txt:

The Atlanteans, The Hidden, Atlanteans, F, 2, Elevea, F, -1, 0, 1, 1, 0,

Since the ai-fight = -1, The Atlanteans are "pacifists."

[vyeh]

The next decision is game set-up. I used the ACDG5 Game Setup as the starting point.

Please think about map size. (The standard map size is 40x80.)

Setting up the game using custom map size preserves the 10 minerals per row under +0 Industry and 10 nutrients per row under +0 Growth (the same as standard).

ACDG6 The Genesis Project


SMAniaC game


Faction
Player


The Shadow Ghosts
super AI


The Order of the Templar
super AI


The Atlanteans
super AI


The Cybernetic Consciousness
super AI

The Cult of Planet
super AI


The Data Angels
super AI


The Genesis Project
demo players


---


CMN



---


Preference
Settings


Map Size
Custom, 30x60


Ocean Coverage
50-70


Erosion Forces
Average


Native Life
Average


Cloud Cover
Average


Difficulty
Transcend


---


Transcend
Yes


Conquest
Yes


Diplomatic
Yes


Economic
Yes


Cooperative
Yes


---


Do or Die
No


Flexible start
Yes


Tech stagnation
No


Spoils of war
No


Blind research
No


Intense riv
No


No survey
Yes


No scatter
No


No rnd events
No


Time Warp
No


Iron man
No


Rand person
No


Rand social
No

---


Beginning Units
2 CPs, 1 Scout

Does anyone wish to change any of these settings?

[vyeh]

I'm proposing the following rules for ACDG6. I started with the ACDG5 rules and incorporating the probe rollover bug rules from ACDG3.

I took out the rule about attacking bases with copters. Reason: SMAniaC balances the power of copters.

I added rule (12) about no mind control by non-enhanced probe team of faction with +3 or higher Probe SE rating. Reason: we're playing the Data Angels.

I took out the rule about having to build or conquer the base containing Voice of Planet for win by transcendence. Reason: This was a rule put in by Mart to balance ACDG5.

I added rule (13) about an enhanced probe team spending twice what the game specifies to mind control a faction running +3 or higher Probe SE rating. Reason: we're playing the Data Angels.

Edit: I added rule (16) prohibiting building AI formers, AI probe or AI probe foil. Reason: In SMAniaC, these units are reserved for the AI.

Are these rules OK?

Proposed Rules for ACDG6

(1) Mutual respect. This democracy game is "newbie" friendly. Do not put down players with little experience or players who haven't read every thread in this forum.

(2) Any use of the scenario editor is prohibited.

(3) No repeats of saves to achieve a better battle result, pod popping or any other random result.

(4) No playing alternative moves in the game saves.

(5) No playing beyond current turn in the game saves.

(6) Do not insert stockpile energy after a unit in the base build queue.

(7) Do not make make more than one social engineering change per line, per turn. For instance, one is not permitted to start the turn in wealth, switch to power mid-turn for the extra disbanded minerals, and then switch back to wealth that same turn, getting the refund. Switching only to see results of the change without any played actions is permitted.

(8) Do not perform multiple airdrops in a single turn with the same unit using the right-click menu. Do not make air drops using the right click "air drop to" function, when it is not possible to do so with the "i" button, ie. after already having moved or made a drop.

(9) Do not use the F4 screen when you've infiltrated the AI to change the AI's workers to specialists.

(10) Upgrades anytime allowed, i.e. you may upgrade a unit through the unit workshop and attack during the same turn.

(11) No discovering bases in unexplored terrain by clicking darkened tiles.

(12) Do not mind control with non-enhanced probe team units or bases of any faction that runs a +3 or SE Probe SE rating

(13) Due to the probe rollover bug, an enhanced probe team mind controlling a unit of a faction running +3 or higher Probe SE rating would only have to pay half the credits it would have had to pay without the bug. To compensate for that bug, the probing faction needs to get rid of a sum of credits equal to the probe cost. This can be done by, for example, significantly overpaying for a hurry order, meaning the credits are wasted.

(14) Do not use build queue manipulation to hurry production at a cost that would be lower than directly hurrying the item that one intends to build.

(15) Do not use build queue manipulation to build something you could not directly add to the build queue.

(16) Do not build AI formers, AI sea formers, AI probe or AI probe foil.

(17) Do not exploit any other bugs usually prohibited in multiplayer games (e.g. trading a pop 1 base to an AI for a pop 10 base with 3 SP's). PLEASE ask if you're not sure!

(18) The turnplayer will save and post the game prior to hitting the "end turn" button.

[Mark123jansen]

Sounds reasonable to me.

[Maniac]

Originally posted by vyeh
I added rule (12) about no mind control by non-enhanced probe team of faction with +3 or higher Probe SE rating. Reason: we're playing the Data Angels.

In SMAniaC the Angels have mind control immunity to prevent needing such house rules. So no need to worry about that.

[Nahkrinoth]

Those look fine. What about random events?