Looking for PBEM players for custom SMAC mod

[fluxionman]

The Planetechnic Institute ("The Institute")
Leader: Director Todd Melnick
SE Goal: Knowledge
SE Restriction: Fundamentalist
Starting techs: Information Networks, Industrial Base
Free facility: Network Node
Modifiers: Free prototypes, -2 Support, +1 Efficiency, +2 Research, +1 Industry, -2 Probe, +1 Talent per 5 population

Melnick was the Unity Systems Chief Engineer under Zakharov when the reactor mishap occured. During descent, Zakharov was poisoned by a lethal dose of gamma radiation, and was only just able to transfer the leadership of his faction to Melnick before he died.

The Planetechnic Institute is devoted to the furtherance of knowledge through research and the application of technology through engineering. Efficiency is the greatest virtue of the Institute's engineers, who perform their duties by following a rigorous set of standards and procedures, resulting in little wasted energy. Their research labs are models of efficiency, and the Institute gains prototypes for free due to their obsession with design. However, the emphasis on engineering requires the Institute to maintain a large infrastructure, leading to fewer extra resources available to support field units.

[fluxionman]

Paradigm Omnimedia ("Paradigm")
Leader: Maestro Jason Clor
SE Goal: Democratic
SE Restriction: Police State
Starting techs: Social Psychology, Planetary Networks
Free facility: Hologram Theatre
Modifiers: +1 Economy, -2 Morale, +1 Probe, -1 Police, increased Commerce, +1 Talent per 4 population, 5% interest/turn earned on energy reserves

Clor was Media Director for Morgan Enterprises before the mishap, and after Morgan himself was killed in an explosive decompression during planetfall, he assumed control of the corporation. He named is Paradigm Omnimedia and shifted its focus away from industrial and commercial development and toward the fields of communications and entertainment.

Paradigm Omnimedia is a corporate media conglomerate focused on gathering information from around Planet and delivering news, information, and entertainment to the world's population in a variety of media. Because of the wide-reaching, all-pervasive nature of this media and its emphasis on advertising, Paradigm has a distinct economic advantage. They also gain some probe ability due to their investigative journalism focus, but their biggest weakness is citizens who prefer entertainment to military service. Paradigm citizens value free speech above all else, and disdain authority.

[fluxionman]

Totality ("Totality")
Leader: Totality
SE Goal: Cybernetic
SE Restriction: Democratic
Starting techs: Industrial Base, Applied Physics
Free facility: Recycling center
Modifiers: -2 Growth, +2 Industry, -3 Planet, +2 Support, immunity to mind control, +3 Population limits, +1 minerals from fungus squares, +1 Drone per 4 population

Totality is an artifical intelligence that was born from a union between a network of self-replicating, semi-autonomous Unity mining drones and their assimilated human hosts. This combination of organic minds and distributed computer control resulted in a collective awareness that has come to call itself "Totality" and claims sentience.

The Totality faction suffers from inhibited growth (humans in captivity breed poorly) and policing problems (uprisings are frequent), but it is an industrial powerhouse capable of replicating vast numbers of units that require little or no material support. This, combined with their aggressive, expansionist behavior, makes them a threat to other factions from the beginning of settlement until late in the game. By nature of their collective consciousness, Totality units and bases are immune to mind control.

[fluxionman]

There they are. As mentioned earlier, I'm looking for human players to fill the seats of the Proteans, Covenant, Syndicate, and Disciples.

I'd certainly be open to any comments or questions. And yes, all the graphics are original.

Thanks for your interest!

[Mart]

I would be interested in The Disciples.
Very interesting factions

[fluxionman]

Originally posted by Hardcore SMAX
Well, send me the files I need, and a short instruction manual if I need to do more than merely overwrite and load the new factions.
My turn rate will be either twice daily or daily, depending on how fast the turns come in.

Be warned: I'm adept at learning quickly. Expect to be steamrolled.

Do me a favor and check out the factions. Let me know if any of them suits your style of play, Captain Steamroller.

[Hardcore SMAX]

I'm going to pick the Proteans.
I made a strategy analysis, but I'll keep my information hidden until after the game.

Can I get the files from someone, or do I make them myself?

...what's so hard to crack about Totality?
Combine the Covenant with Paradigm Omnimedia and you've got a team that can do the takedown.

Heh. I'm just waiting to melt the caps, and kill the Covenant with the flood while I sit and regenerate.
...even more appropriate in that the SMAX world is wrapped around a cylinder.

[Hardcore SMAX]

We are playing in standard Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri (no expansion), right?

Someone sent me the alpha.txt, but due to wordwrap it was corrupted.
Can the faction files, techs, blurbs and alpha.txt be sent (in a zip file) to h a r d c o r e _ s m a x @ y a h o o . c o m?

[Mart]

I will need all files too. Please, zip it hotmail does not accept large files
xxmarcin777@hotmail.com
take out the two "x"...

[fluxionman]

I will bundle the necessary files with the proper line break format, zip them, and send them to interested parties by tomorrow so you can make sure they run and get some practice with them. (Yes - this is a SMAC mod, not SMACX.)

I will also post the ground rules and game settings that will be used tomorrow.

(I will assume everyone is running Windows unless I'm told otherwise.)

In the meantime, there are two more slots available for interested players - the Covenant and Syndicate.

[Firstblood]

Im intressted! xxsocialliberal@tiscali.sexx

[Hardcore SMAX]

What kind of turnrate are we looking at here?
1 turn per player per 3 days?
1 turn per player per 6 days?
That's a lot of time just to push a ColPod.

Is anyone free on Saturday or Sunday for a gaming binge?
I'm normally awake from 22:00 GMT Friday to 12:00 GMT Saturday, and again for Saturday/Sunday.

[fluxionman]

Firstblood: Of the two available factions, the Covenant and the Syndicate, which interests you more?

Hardcore: Ideally, I'd like to be able to make at least one full turn per day. If players are available over the the weekend to participate in a few fast rounds to get started, that would be helpful.

Normally, an accelerated start would be preferable. However, some of the custom factions - the Syndicate, most notably - have problems with drone riots in accelerated start games because they have not had the opportunity to counteract drones with rec commons.

[fluxionman]

And now for all the fine print:

Standard PBEM rules "spiel":

1. Players agree to complete and forward the turn as expediently as possible. Ideally, the turn should make it to each player once per day, minimum. Once turn order is established, players will forward the game file via e-mail and post in the turn tracking thread. Any cause for delay should be explained in detail and indicated in advance, if possible. All players' e-mail addresses should be available to all other players for communications purposes.

2. Players agree not to cheat. The game is a test of skill, and cheating is tantamount to admitting defeat. Cheaters will be ejected from the current and all future runs of the game. The following will be construed as cheating:

• Multiple reloads of the game files. Any crashes or other problems should be explained in detail.
• Multiple airdrops or orbital insertions performed with right-click menu.
• Using the Scenario Editor.
• Exploiting the "terraforming trick" for instant improvements.
• Executing an action that causes vendetta vs. a human player in the same turn as accepting a pending agreement. (I.e., you cannot attack a player knowing a treaty is about to be signed with them.)
• Setting a unit's home base to a pact brother's home base.

The following restrictions also apply:

• When performing a probe action against a human treaty or pact brother, you must accept "declare vendetta" in the dialog box unless the target player agrees to allow "let off with stern warning" in advance.
• Base trading with AI factions is not allowed.
• Upgrading units with the Design Workshop is not allowed.
• Social engineering changes are limited to one change per line per turn.
• Players may not communicate directly until their factions have met within the game.

3. Players may feel free to add descriptive comments within the turn tracking thread to add color to the game as long as those comments do not reveal vital tactical information to other players. (I.e., do not reveal enemy troop positions or unrevealed probe team actions.) The nature of direct communications between factions is unrestricted.

4. Any questions about the factions or Proxima Centauri: Divergence mod should be directed to Jason at jclor1@wi.rr.com.

Game settings:

Allow victory by Transcendence: yes
Allow victory by Conquest: yes
Allow Economic victory: yes
Allow Diplomatic victory: yes
Allow Cooperative victory: yes
Do or Die - don't restart eliminated players: yes
Look First - flexible starting locations: yes
Tech Stagnation - slower research rate: yes
Spoils of War - steal tech when capture base: no
Blind Research - cannot set precise research goals: yes
Intense rivalry - opponents more aggressive: yes
No Unity Survey - world map not visible: no
No Unity Scattering - Unity pods at landing site only: yes
Bell Curve - no random events: no
Randomize faction leader social agendas: no
Randomize faction leader personalities: no

Map Settings
Custom size: somewhere between 512x256 and 1024x512 (still thinking about it)
30-50% ocean
Sparse cloud cover
Weak erosion
Abundant life forms
Transcend level

Let me know if I'm forgetting any details . . .

[Dubhghlas]

Fun looking mod! I'm in, please. I like the Syndicate better, but I'll take the Covenant, because what a chance to role-play!!

Heathens, beware! If you thought Mirriam was the Voice of God on Planet, I am the Thunder and the Lightening, the Instrument of His wrath, and the Coming will be made ready!!!


Ship me what I need to know; I've read the text file, and am anxious to start.

Doug