Laptop Game turn tracking thread #2

[Darsnan]

Originally posted by jtsisyoda
Laptop II
(same turn order as Laptop I)

Net Warrior: Free Drones
Chip: CMN's choice
jtsisyoda: Peacekeepers
Rubin: Cybernetic Consciousness

As far as Chip Buckner is concerned for Faction choice, instead of being the Green environmentally friendly Lord Chip (as you were in LPT 1) you are now the rabidly, psychotically Green Prophet Cha Chip?


The AI's in this one will be Spartans, Believers, and Uni's. The map is very "interesting", and I should be done building it tomorrow night, at which time playtesting will commence. I'll have the game out to you before this weekend. FYI.


D

[Chip_Buckner]

That will be "Cha Cha Chip".

Just a warning on timing. I'm leaving town the first weekend in June to go to the east coast for a college reunion. I'll be out all the next week and weekend. I'll be back Sunday, June 13.

So, either move quickly, or take your time.

Cha Cha

[jtsisyoda]

I'll be out of town this weekend, then again for several days around June 10-13 or so.

[Darsnan]

Originally posted by Chip_Buckner
That will be "Cha Cha Chip".

Just a warning on timing. I'm leaving town the first weekend in June to go to the east coast for a college reunion. I'll be out all the next week and weekend. I'll be back Sunday, June 13.

I should have this game ready by tomorrow night at the latest. Since IIRC I gave everyone Formers in LpTp1, even thought this negated a Gaian advantage, do you mind me again giving everyone Formers, or would this be in bad "Form"?
btw I will be OOT this weekend as well - gotta give Grandma time with the kids....

D

[Net Warrior]

Hey, Domai would never object to starting out with formers. Cha Cha, if I were you I'd be objecting like crazy.

[Chip_Buckner]

I wondered about that last time around, but decided (1) that Darsnan had designed what he thought was a balanced game and (2) that I was new enough at this that I really had no cause to object.

I've gotten over those reservations. At the risk of being thought a whiner, if everyone else gets my key advantage, do I get every other player's key advantage?

[Darsnan]

Originally posted by Chip_Buckner
If everyone else gets my key advantage, do I get every other player's key advantage?

You do not get everyone elses key advantage in return. Although I thought I set up a balanced game in LpTp1, why I didn't ask everyones opinion on the subject of Formers at that time, either. This is why I am asking the question now, as you all are becoming more experienced as PBEM players, and the fine line between Factional advantages is becoming much more of an issue. Thus I simply think it a natural and fair approach in this edition of your game series that any players Factional choices are based on them exclusively receiving the benefits of that Factions advantages. Or, to phrase it slightly differently, why each Human starting Faction will receive 1 regular CP, 2 Speeder CPs' (to speed up the early game), and 3 scouts. Is this acceptable?
I am also thinking of calling this edition "LpTp2: the CrossRoads", based on how I've set it up. However, if someone else has a better name, why I have no objections - just let me know for when I set up the thread.


D

[jtsisyoda]

With this fast-playing group, we may not need to over-worry about speeding the early game. I'm ok not starting with formers.

[Rubin]

Dear Laptop'ers:

I've regained internet access but still need to install the game. I'm sorry for the delay--actually, the harddisk failed while I was playing the last turn. Alas, everything is now lost.

I'll hope to have the turn forwarded soon and catch up on recent events.

---

Edit:

Regarding the Laptop II setup:

I'd suggest we start with just the normal 2 colony pods and a scout patrol. The only problem I see is the first available technology choices--especially the problem where a faction cannot start researching Centauri Ecology as first choice.

(If this becomes a problem I see no reason for Cha Cha Chip to complain on default faction technologies and letting us all have a former. The fact is that the Planet Cult is supposed to emerge 3-10 years after the other factions have made planetfall. )

However, 1 scout patrol and 2 colony pods is my preferred tartup setting--regardless of the initial available technology choices.

[Rubin]

2218 to Net Warrior.

[Net Warrior]

2219 to Gaians

Re: Laptop ll, before we kick off the game, would anyone other than me be interested in disabling The Empathic Guild and The Cloudbased Academy? Those two sure seem to imbalance the game. If not, no problem, I just thought I'd bring it up for discussion.

[jtsisyoda]

Re: EG and CBA, no preference.

[Rubin]

I'd say we keep the Empath Guild and the Cloudbase Academy in the game.

Edit: 2219 passed to Net Warrior.

[Net Warrior]

2220 to Gaians

[Chip_Buckner]

I'm better off without CBA and EG, because I'll never be able to build them. That, however, is not the point. Each faction has its own strengths and weaknesses. If we play with everything set to "standard", we are playing the game as designed. When we start fiddling with things, there will be winners and losers.

I understand, therefore, that I will not get every faction's bonus. My question was rhetorical, intended to make the point that none of us should get the advantages that normally inhere to (are fundamentally and inseparately a part of) other factions. I must insist, therefore, that we not be given formers and that the factions that do not normally start with Centauri whatever-it-is have to research it. No formers for the environmental heathens!

We appear to have settled on a large map. Large maps favor builders. Because Cha Cha has a 10% industrial penalty, I have a faction that is decidely non-builder. By the time I find you, you are going to have big infrastructures and big armies in place. If--as appears to be the decision here--we play a large map, I am at a disadvantage. To re-balance the game, may I suggest either:
(1) revert to a standard-sized map;
(2) increase the native life to whatever the setting above "standard" is; or
(3) remove the Cult's 10% industrial penalty.
Options 1 & 2 give me a fighting chance as a momentum player. Option 3 makes us all into builders.