"Randomness is Good" turn tracking thread

[SebP]

No answer, thus i contacted Kody now.

[Kody]

Originally posted
by Maniac
I assume what
you are referring to is the Codicil program made by Kody. Kody isn't active here anymore unless you PM him, so IIRC he gave a copy of the program to binTravkin. However right now binTravkin has been inactive for months too...

I'd suggest to PM both Kody and binTravkin about changing passwords, and perhaps also ask to give a copy of Codicil to Darsnan, Googlie and mart7x5.(and perhaps me - not a CMN but I'm not going anywhere ).

Codicil requires the person to know all the passwords and Googlie and Darsnan already have it. It's a modified program I used, call it the developer version. It can't extract the passwords, it can only overwrite/clear the passwords.

binTravkin expressed an interest in getting the program, however I set a condition (mainly making it clear to the community he had it) and he didn't reply back. In fact every time I offer the tool with that condition, people don't
want it.

I actually doubt you'll find an active player wanting the ability to bypass passwords and having it open knowledge that they have that ability. I found it interesting how the rumors fly... several hacking tools... several people that can do it...

Anyway I first need the replacement player to contact me about the new password they want. I can't find out the old one so I will have to replace it. I also need the latest save, perferably attached here. When I get those two things I'll send the turn on with the new password. If the replacement is h0bbes he's got my email address since I organised a replacement password for him a few months ago.

Kody

[Maniac]

Originally posted by Kody
Googlie and Darsnan already have it.

Ah good to know.

I'll ask Illuminatus to top this information, as disappearing players become ever more frequent with SMAC's slow decay.

I actually doubt you'll find an active player wanting the ability to bypass passwords and having it open knowledge that they have that ability. I found it interesting how the rumors fly... several hacking tools... several people that can do it...

I'd say "I wouldn't mind having it" but that sounds so suspicious.

[Kody]

Umm just to clarify, Darsan and Googile have Codicil. Which isn't what I'm using. I'm using a modified version of Codicil which doesn't require passwords to be known. When developing Codicil I was advised to make it so Codicil can only be used if you have all the passwords of a game. My modified version has that protection removed, so I can reset passwords without having the passwords. Darsan and Googile would grill me if I let people mistakenly think that they have the ability to bypass passwords.

If you want the normal CMN tool Codicil, I'm fine with giving that to you.

If you want the version that can bypass passwords, make a public thread saying you're getting it, give 5 days for people to read and comment. If there's no general objection from the community I'll send it to you. The way I figure the only reason you should want it is to fix lost passwords, so you would have to make it public knowledge. Downside is people can finger point in a pbem you're playing.

[SebP]

h0bbes is not the replacement player in question. We actually lost 2 players in this game and h0bbes replaced the first to go whose password we have.
I will now post a replacement wanted add and the player will contact you

Here goes the savegame...

Thanks for your help

[Illuminatus]

About the information thread... is this sufficient?
**************************************

Codicil is a program wrote by Kody which enables to gift or trade bases to another human (by turning them into an AI, doing the gift or trade and immediately turning them back into a human - the faction involved won't suffer any negative effect from that process). Codicil requires the person to know all the passwords (or in other words, the CMN). Two of the usual CMNs, Googlie and Darsnan already have it.

The writer of the program, Kody, is in a possesion of a modified program he calls the developer version. It can overwrite/clear the passwords (but can't extract the passwords) which is useful for situations where a person misses PBEM but his current password is unknown.

In case a replacement player needs to take over a dropped faction but password is unknown, the best procedure is to contact owner of the modified version (Kody) about the new password they want and provide him with the latest save. Of course, inform which PBEM is in question also.

If you want the normal CMN tool Codicil, Kody will givie it to you after you request it.

If you want the version that can reset passwords, make a public thread saying you're getting it, give 5 days for people to read and comment. If there's no general objection from the community he'll send it to you. Since the only reason you should want it is to fix lost passwords it has to be public knowledge.
***********************************

[Kody]

SebP
Just get the new guy to PM me the password they want, I'll attach the new turn here.

Illuminatus

Umm how about this....

***********************
Codicil is a CMN tool that allows certain faction settings to be changed in both SMAC and SMAX. It allows for passwords, which player the turn is currently at, and whether a faction is computer controlled or not to be changed. This allows for certain CMN abilities like; adjusting the AI factions, gift/trade bases between human players, or accelerating a AI faction through several turns of gameplay without changing the game year.

Codicil requires the person to know all the passwords of the game, so only the CMN of your game can use it. Some of the CMNs, like Googlie and Darsnan have copies and may agree to modify your game if they are your CMN. If you are serious about being a CMN you can obtain a copy from one of the other CMNs.

In case a password is forgotten or unknown in a game, there is a modified version of the program or skeleton key Codicil that allows for passwords to changed or cleared. Kody is the only person with a copy at this time.

To get passwords changed send a link to the thread about the game to one of the CMNs with the skeleton key Codicil, and attach the latest game turn to the thread. The person/people who needs the new password should contact CMN about the password they want, or state their non-perference in the thread and their contact information. The faction password will then be adjusted in the game file and the game will continue onwards from there.

******************

I figure 99% of the people won't want to know about obtaining the program since it really is only a CMN tool.

I'm kindof out of touch with the community so I feel it's best if the active CMNs handle giving copies of the program to other people. If I remember someone handling a CMN role back when I was playing then I'll be happy to pass on the program. (that's why I said yes to Maniac)

For now I'm the only one doing password changing because I got the feeling that people don't really want the skeleton key version getting passed around willy nilly. A public thread will serve two purposes, firstly to prevent me making a stupid mistake like giving it away to a random person, secondly to make sure people are aware whenever the skeleton key version gets passed to another person.

[Flubber]

Originally posted by Kody
[For now I'm the only one doing password changing because I got the feeling that people don't really want the skeleton key version getting passed around willy nilly. A public thread will serve two purposes, firstly to prevent me making a stupid mistake like giving it away to a random person, secondly to make sure people are aware whenever the skeleton key version gets passed to another person.

I agree that that ability should be held tightly as possible. IN our game, I am just glad it might be possible to add a player and continue

[Maniac]

Originally posted by Kody
For now I'm the only one doing password changing because I got the feeling that people don't really want the skeleton key version getting passed around willy nilly.

Don't you mind beind mailed/bothered from time to time to have a look at some PBEM?
If you do, I'll start a thread.
If you don't, no need to I guess.

[Flubber]

Originally posted by Maniac


Don't you mind beind mailed/bothered from time to time to have a look at some PBEM?
If you do, I'll start a thread.
If you don't, no need to I guess.

I am hoping that it is a pretty rare occurance that a player disappears in a game where there is a missing or no CMN. If it became a problem for Kody alone I'm sure someone else could take it on. heck I would even volunteer but at that point I would cease playing PBEMs myself and try to learn to be a CMN myself.

[Kody]

Well it doesn't happen very often so I don't find that it's too much of a hassle. However, one other person willing to provide others with a password reset service would be nice. You never know when you're going to disappear off the face of the internet due to real life reasons. Or whether you might lose all the data off your harddrive.

As for having to quit pbems, I think it's a case of you can keep playing pbems if others will trust you to not peek at their turns, and you think you can trust yourself not to peek.

[Flubber]

Originally posted by Kody
Well it doesn't happen very often so I don't find that it's too much of a hassle. However, one other person willing to provide others with a password reset service would be nice. You never know when you're going to disappear off the face of the internet due to real life reasons. Or whether you might lose all the data off your harddrive.

As for having to quit pbems, I think it's a case of you can keep playing pbems if others will trust you to not peek at their turns, and you think you can trust yourself not to peek.

I know I could trust myself its just a matter of not wanting the issue with others if I had a game where I got lucky --

[Net Warrior]

2146 to Hive

Kody emailed me the turn and the password reset worked like a charm. Taking over another players position like this is always interesting. Sometimes you can see exactly what they've been up to, and sometimes they just don't seem to be taking best advantage of their position.

I have just one question/thought. Usually in a new game I lobby heavily for NO coopertive victory. Is coopertive victory allowed in this game? If so, since things don't seem to have gotten too far yet, I'm wondering if everyone might agree on not allowing cooperative victory. I'll play either way but I figured it couldn't hurt to ask.

[SebP]

Coop victories are not allowed. It's not in the OP but somewhere down the 1st page.

[Flubber]

Originally posted by SebP
Coop victories are not allowed. It's not in the OP but somewhere down the 1st page.

I don't recall but it was quite likely my request on that point. I think that net warrior and I have a similar dislike for co-op games.