Looking for PBEM players for custom SMAC mod

[Mart]

I will test these factions on my windows system this weekend. Just been busy last couple of days, little sleep too...
I also eagerly await for the new graphics in pcx format. Anything new?
The new graphics is just awesome.

[fluxionman]

All the updated files are available at http://home.wi.rr.com/fluxion/SMAC/. Take note that I have separated the text files from the faction graphics and tech graphics. The installation process is the same - as always, back up anything that is being replaced.

The only nagging issue being worked on with the .txt files is the adsence of the "help" button during faction selection. Hopefully, I will determine what is causing this. Otherwise, the factions, alpha.txt, and techs seem to work fine.

[DilithiumDad]

After reading this thread, I am convinced that my Turbo-SAMC mod will rely on alpha.txt changes only, at least at first. New factions create the potential for many, many bugs!

[fluxionman]

Originally posted by DilithiumDad
After reading this thread, I am convinced that my Turbo-SAMC mod will rely on alpha.txt changes only, at least at first. New factions create the potential for many, many bugs!

Actually, the source of my problems has been migrating custom files from a Macintosh to Windows machines. The intricacies of text files formats, special characters, and line breaks are more complex than I imagined!

Luckily, I seem to have sorted out the issues. In truth, changing the faction files is easier than altering alpha.txt, especially if you have access to the faction editor (which I don't).

[Mart]

I have checked Covenant and Totality in new edition. Everything works fine. I'll see 5 remaining factions later this evening

[Mart]

I have checked remaining factions. They work ok on my system - win XP home.
I'm ready to start the game.

[fluxionman]

Originally posted by mart7x5
I have checked remaining factions. They work ok on my system - win XP home.
I'm ready to start the game.

I am glad to hear all is working well and thank you for your perseverence.

I recently sent messages to those who expressed interest in playing, but unfortunately have not head back. So, the lineup now stands at:

Proteans: open
Covenant: open
Disciples: mart7x5
Syndicate: open
Institute: Preview
Paradigm: fluxionman
Totality AI

I will attempt to contact the other players again. If anyone wishes to join in the meantime, please feel free to tell me. This will be an excellent game for srategists and roleplayers who want to try a new faction in a slightly altered environment.

[Firstblood]

Well, everything is working fine for me, though havent tested all, and didnt whant to be a part of the beta testing, sorry for my lazyness. As I have nothing to refer to that it is working like it suppose too I assume it does work, it start up well and the SE seems to be Ok, so Im in; can play the syndicate

[Chaos Theory]

I could use another PBEM. I'd like the Covenant.

[fluxionman]

Alright:

Proteans: open
Covenant: Chaos Theory
Disciples: mart7x5
Syndicate: Firstblood
Institute: Preview
Paradigm: fluxionman
Totality: AI

I will wait until later to today to see if the last slot gets filled; if not, I'll set the Proteans as an AI faction as well. Either way, I'll create the game file, start a new turn-tracking thread, and send the file to the first person on the list.

Thanks!

[Chaos Theory]

Observations:

I noticed you messed around with retooling:

3,       ; Retool strictness (0 = Always Free, 1 = Free in Category, 2 = Free if Project, 3 = Never Free)
20,      ; Retool exemption (first X minerals not affected by penalty)

This does not do what you expect. First, I believe that a retool strictness greater than 2 is just treated as 2. Furthermore, the retool exemption is used also as how many free minerals a new base gets, and how many minerals are required to avoid paying double to hurry.


Unity Foils are still foils, and thus move 4 tiles. Finding one early let me relatively safely pop all the pods at sea, and ferry rovers to new islands. Rovers with 3 moves can pop pods on rocky terrain and attack mind worms that spawn, so I was ridiculously successful at popping pods. Of course, eventually the land pods started yielding 8 mindworms apiece, but not before I found 2 artifacts, 3-4 techs, and several hundred ECs. What use do cruisers have apart from being transports, anyway? They're slower, more expensive, and come later on the tech tree.

It can be really hard to find enough food early, to the extent that in one game, when both of my starting cities rose to size 2, one had to starve back. Of course, with more experience, I wouldn't have let both grow like that. After recycling tanks, ICS becomes a piece of cake, especially with all the energy that is hard to spend anywhere else. In fact, ICS is even easier to tolerate because it's hard to make large cities, so vast expanses of land lie unused even in the middle of a fledgling empire.

[fluxionman]

Originally posted by Chaos Theory
Observations:

I noticed you messed around with retooling:

3,       ; Retool strictness (0 = Always Free, 1 = Free in Category, 2 = Free if Project, 3 = Never Free)
20,      ; Retool exemption (first X minerals not affected by penalty)

This does not do what you expect. First, I believe that a retool strictness greater than 2 is just treated as 2. Furthermore, the retool exemption is used also as how many free minerals a new base gets, and how many minerals are required to avoid paying double to hurry.

I hadn't noticed this. I hadn't noticed it had caused any problems, though.

Unity Foils are still foils, and thus move 4 tiles. Finding one early let me relatively safely pop all the pods at sea, and ferry rovers to new islands. Rovers with 3 moves can pop pods on rocky terrain and attack mind worms that spawn, so I was ridiculously successful at popping pods. Of course, eventually the land pods started yielding 8 mindworms apiece, but not before I found 2 artifacts, 3-4 techs, and several hundred ECs. What use do cruisers have apart from being transports, anyway? They're slower, more expensive, and come later on the tech tree.

I've always played without Unity scattering - I find pods too unbalancing. A few at start is okay.

Cruisers are problematic. I find the inability to assign attack/defense modifiers to chassis types frustrating. In the end, foils and cruisers are identical except for speed, cargo, and cost. When cruisers are faster AND carry more cargo, why build foils?

It can be really hard to find enough food early, to the extent that in one game, when both of my starting cities rose to size 2, one had to starve back. Of course, with more experience, I wouldn't have let both grow like that. After recycling tanks, ICS becomes a piece of cake, especially with all the energy that is hard to spend anywhere else. In fact, ICS is even easier to tolerate because it's hard to make large cities, so vast expanses of land lie unused even in the middle of a fledgling empire.

The purpose of the mod was to make survival and expansion more difficult, and to require more careful planning. I guess the changes were made to effect a specific style of play rather than to alter play balance.

Would you say these criticisms invalidate the other changes I've made?

[Chaos Theory]

Originally posted by fluxionman

I've always played without Unity scattering - I find pods too unbalancing. A few at start is okay.

Fair enough - I'm used to having unity pods around, but with large risks if I touch them under most circumstances.

In default SMAC, Unity foils die if IoDs appear and Transport Foils have a good chance of dying. Combat foils can't pop units, and still can't pop pods in fungus safely. Rovers can pop pods on open flat or rolling terrain in relative safety, but risk dying when popping other pods. Therefore, I often leave even nearby pods untouched until I can handle the worst case outcome.

Cruisers are problematic. I find the inability to assign attack/defense modifiers to chassis types frustrating. In the end, foils and cruisers are identical except for speed, cargo, and cost. When cruisers are faster AND carry more cargo, why build foils?

Because they're cheaper, in base SMAC. You've made it even worse - why build cruiser combat ships, ever? For transports, I'd still probably use foils, as speed is very important for a successful invasion, and the lower cost of foils partially makes up for needing twice as many.

The purpose of the mod was to make survival and expansion more difficult, and to require more careful planning. I guess the changes were made to effect a specific style of play rather than to alter play balance.

Would you say these criticisms invalidate the other changes I've made?

I don't believe you've made expansion more difficult or require more planning, and the native life is rarely threatening enough to challenge survival. Other players certainly can, but I can't test that adequately on my own. The changes you've made intentionally are worth trying, but they aren't obviously bad or good.

[Hercules]

If this is still open for another I'l join.

[fluxionman]

Originally posted by Hercules
If this is still open for another I'l join.

Aw, man . . . I sent the first turn last night. And we had one empty slot left.

Sorry, Herc! If we need a sub, I'll let you know. Thanks for the interest. The tracking thread is here: http://apolyton.net/forums/showthrea...hreadid=123521