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Author Topic:   SMAC Attack (PBEM game)

Ted Dennison posted 02-22-99 09:29 PM ET
This topic is for general administrative-type messages relating to the 7-player beta-tester PBEM game we will be starting shortly.
Others who want to start such a game may have an interest in watching how we go about things, what works well, what doesn't, etc.
Ted Dennison posted 02-22-99 10:03 PM ET
The precincts are all in. Following are the faction designations for the upcomming game:
The Peacekeeping Forces - Jeff
Morgan Industries - Martin
University of Planet - George
Spartan Federation - Andrew
Gaia's Stepdaughters - Mark
The Lord's Believers - Brian
Human Hive - Ted
Interestingly, of those who had a preference, only Martin didn't get his first choice (and he got his second).
Ted Dennison posted 02-22-99 10:27 PM ET
Settings:
The settings I'm leaning toward are:
World:
Standard Size
50-70% Ocean
Average Erosive Forces
Average Native Life
Average Cloud Cover
Custom Options:
Time Warp (Accelerated Start)
All Victory Conditions
No Unity Survey
(everything else off)
Alpha.txt customizations:
Comlink frequencies unknown at start.
Ted Dennison posted 02-23-99 09:20 PM ET
Well, I *still* haven't received my copy. In the meantime I suggest everyone look over Marick's "Guide to SMAC PBEM" in the Multiplayer forum. If anyone has major objections to getting an email every time the saved game file changes hands tell me now.
Also, if anyone doesn't have a zip utility, I have a link to a free (Open Source) one on my website. Click on the cute little sunglasses icon next to this posting.
Jeff Vitous posted 02-24-99 09:31 PM ET
One other thing, pay attention to the date/time stamps on your save files. While the game looks for the save file in the SAVE directory, it defaults to the root of SMAC when saving the game. Twice now I've had players send the wrong file.
Ted Dennison posted 02-24-99 10:03 PM ET
I have achieved SMAC-hood! The very first turn has been sent off (to Mark).
The order of turns is the following
"Mark Norton" (Gaians)
Ted Dennison (Hive)
"George Politis" (Univ)
Martin Leslie Leuschen (Morgan)
Andrew Goldstein (Spartan)
Brian Reynolds (Believers)
"Jeffrey Vitous" (Peace)
When your turn is complete, save the game (you will be given an option to do that), zip up the save file, and email it to the next person on the list (first person for Jeff).
I ask that anyone who creates a password for their faction email me the password, so that we can replace you if you get hit by a truck or something. If anyone has a problem w/ that, tell me and we'll work out something more complicated.
Also, if your email address above is wrong (or you want it cc'ed somewhere else as well), speak up now.
Ted Dennison posted 02-24-99 10:16 PM ET
...and another thing...
When you finish your turn, add a post to the "SMAC Attack - Current Turn" saying who you sent the file to. That way if something goes wrong, we know where to look.
Ted Dennison posted 02-25-99 10:00 PM ET
Jeff, that was exactly right. The very first game turn (Gaian) which I sent got saved to the "save" directory, so I thought you were full of it. But my next save went into the root SMAC directory instead. I suspect the act of loading a saved game file is somehow causing the default directory for the game to be changed.
This is a bug, isn't it Brian?
Brian Reynolds FIRAXIS posted 02-28-99 10:23 AM ET
Yes, that's a bug.
Oh, and another thing-- I was doing my turn, pulled up my commlink, and innocently started contacting all sorts of factions before I remembered that "hey, weren't we playing factions unknown at start". Which brought me to the realization that apparently PBEM games don't always carry ALPHA.TXT modifications along (whereas online games would always carry the host's).
Apologies for this. We should either (a) enable everyone's communications or (b) everybody refrain from talking to others whom you haven't met on the map. In which case, everyone I contacted whom I haven't met yet should (heh) ignore my commlink offers.
Andrew Goldstein posted 02-28-99 01:57 PM ET
When I recieved my file from Martin, it was named "SMACAttack_Santiago_2161.sav". When I finished my turn, it was still called "SMACAttack_Santiago_2161.sav". I renamed it manually to "SMACAttack_Miriam_2161" before sending the file to Brian.
Would it be a good idea for the PBEM module to auto-suggest a file name once one finishes one's turn (e.g. "NextFaction_Year.PBM" - the extention of PBM would distinguish the file from a normal saved game file)?
martinl posted 02-28-99 07:19 PM ET
Quick question for Ted/Brian:
What set-up option allows for "Players choose tech to research during quickstart vs. Players start with set of techs of comps choice?"
I couldn't duplicate the first option on my own machine, but it was what happened on my first turn.
Ted Dennison posted 02-28-99 08:15 PM ET
No option that I know of. As I mentioned in the email, I had to go through about a 5 minute process of choosing my starting techs on my first turn.
I tried a "PBEM" round myself on quick start to see how it worked before I ran the official game. When I did that, I could have sworn the Gaians didn't pick any initial techs. Everyone else did.
Did anyone else not get to pick thier initial techs?
Ted Dennison posted 03-01-99 09:09 PM ET
Well, the first turn is now over. It appears to have taken about 4 days. Not too bad as a start.
I also noticed that my "next breakthrough" is set for 53 years from now. Yikes!
Ted Dennison posted 03-03-99 09:02 PM ET
About contacting everyone.
We had orignially agreed not to email each other until we had comlinks. Unfortunatly, a bug seems to have intervened. I think it would be in the spirit of the original agreement if we now took that to mean not until the first time the other faction is sighted (Brian's option b).
If someone disagrees, please speak up.
Ted Dennison posted 03-04-99 10:13 PM ET
Wow. That turn took less than 3 days to go round the horn.
I have only received the "supersecret password" from one faction so far. Everyone knows the first duty of any good king is to ensure a stable succesion, so send your password in now!
Jeff Vitous posted 03-06-99 01:50 PM ET
Message from the swamps:
I just wanted to mention the absolutely abominable starting position I have...who's idea was it to have 75% water anyway?
Two of my cities can't build anything because they have no mineral production. My cities are all on separate, tiny islands, the smallest being only 2 squares! (and it has a former that terriformed the non-city square). I'm still going to be playing with laser beams when you all start dropping planet busters on me.
Lal, Supreme Poo-bah of the Backwaters of Alpha Centauri
Ted Dennison posted 03-06-99 08:06 PM ET
I think I picked "average". Is that %75? I too appear to be leading an island nation, but not quite that extreme.
Yang, first citizen, New Indonesia.
Ted Dennison posted 03-06-99 08:10 PM ET
> You guys need to step it up a notch...you're being out-performed by *gasp*
> a game loaded with computer game journalists! We are turning over a 7 player
> turn in about a day and a half in that game.
Well of course they would beat us. We're not journalists. *We* have lives. :-)
martinl posted 03-10-99 11:27 AM ET
Two quick communication questions:
Email to factions we have contacted: Yes/No?
Can we "Give the comm frequency of another faction" to someone just by saying so? Makes sense to me.
Martinl
Ted Dennison posted 03-10-99 10:04 PM ET
The first one, I say yes. Otherwise it would take *years* to plan a coordinated attack.
The second one, I'm not sure. I'd say so, but that means once I can contact more than one faction, I could contact any of the others by pretending I was given their comlink by one of the other two. But then this whole system has to work on trust anyhow.
martinl posted 03-12-99 12:37 PM ET
How about I get the comm frequency giver to give to both sides? If I was going to ask for it, I'd use it right away anyway.
Brian Reynolds FIRAXIS posted 03-12-99 09:06 PM ET
My suggestions:
(1) Yes, e-mail to anyone you've got a comm frequency for in the game.
(2) Must actually get comm frequency in the game (either by meeting the faction, trading w/ another faction in diplomacy screen, or finding in a goody box)
BR
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Author	Topic: SMAC Attack (PBEM game)
Ted Dennison	posted 02-22-99 09:29 PM ET This topic is for general administrative-type messages relating to the 7-player beta-tester PBEM game we will be starting shortly. Others who want to start such a game may have an interest in watching how we go about things, what works well, what doesn't, etc.
Ted Dennison	posted 02-22-99 10:03 PM ET The precincts are all in. Following are the faction designations for the upcomming game: The Peacekeeping Forces - Jeff Morgan Industries - Martin University of Planet - George Spartan Federation - Andrew Gaia's Stepdaughters - Mark The Lord's Believers - Brian Human Hive - Ted Interestingly, of those who had a preference, only Martin didn't get his first choice (and he got his second).
Ted Dennison	posted 02-22-99 10:27 PM ET Settings: The settings I'm leaning toward are: World: Standard Size 50-70% Ocean Average Erosive Forces Average Native Life Average Cloud Cover Custom Options: Time Warp (Accelerated Start) All Victory Conditions No Unity Survey (everything else off) Alpha.txt customizations: Comlink frequencies unknown at start.
Ted Dennison	posted 02-23-99 09:20 PM ET Well, I still haven't received my copy. In the meantime I suggest everyone look over Marick's "Guide to SMAC PBEM" in the Multiplayer forum. If anyone has major objections to getting an email every time the saved game file changes hands tell me now. Also, if anyone doesn't have a zip utility, I have a link to a free (Open Source) one on my website. Click on the cute little sunglasses icon next to this posting.
Jeff Vitous	posted 02-24-99 09:31 PM ET One other thing, pay attention to the date/time stamps on your save files. While the game looks for the save file in the SAVE directory, it defaults to the root of SMAC when saving the game. Twice now I've had players send the wrong file.
Ted Dennison	posted 02-24-99 10:03 PM ET I have achieved SMAC-hood! The very first turn has been sent off (to Mark). The order of turns is the following "Mark Norton" (Gaians) Ted Dennison (Hive) "George Politis" (Univ) Martin Leslie Leuschen (Morgan) Andrew Goldstein (Spartan) Brian Reynolds (Believers) "Jeffrey Vitous" (Peace) When your turn is complete, save the game (you will be given an option to do that), zip up the save file, and email it to the next person on the list (first person for Jeff). I ask that anyone who creates a password for their faction email me the password, so that we can replace you if you get hit by a truck or something. If anyone has a problem w/ that, tell me and we'll work out something more complicated. Also, if your email address above is wrong (or you want it cc'ed somewhere else as well), speak up now.
Ted Dennison	posted 02-24-99 10:16 PM ET ...and another thing... When you finish your turn, add a post to the "SMAC Attack - Current Turn" saying who you sent the file to. That way if something goes wrong, we know where to look.
Ted Dennison	posted 02-25-99 10:00 PM ET Jeff, that was exactly right. The very first game turn (Gaian) which I sent got saved to the "save" directory, so I thought you were full of it. But my next save went into the root SMAC directory instead. I suspect the act of loading a saved game file is somehow causing the default directory for the game to be changed. This is a bug, isn't it Brian?
Brian Reynolds FIRAXIS	posted 02-28-99 10:23 AM ET Yes, that's a bug. Oh, and another thing-- I was doing my turn, pulled up my commlink, and innocently started contacting all sorts of factions before I remembered that "hey, weren't we playing factions unknown at start". Which brought me to the realization that apparently PBEM games don't always carry ALPHA.TXT modifications along (whereas online games would always carry the host's). Apologies for this. We should either (a) enable everyone's communications or (b) everybody refrain from talking to others whom you haven't met on the map. In which case, everyone I contacted whom I haven't met yet should (heh) ignore my commlink offers.
Andrew Goldstein	posted 02-28-99 01:57 PM ET When I recieved my file from Martin, it was named "SMACAttack_Santiago_2161.sav". When I finished my turn, it was still called "SMACAttack_Santiago_2161.sav". I renamed it manually to "SMACAttack_Miriam_2161" before sending the file to Brian. Would it be a good idea for the PBEM module to auto-suggest a file name once one finishes one's turn (e.g. "NextFaction_Year.PBM" - the extention of PBM would distinguish the file from a normal saved game file)?
martinl	posted 02-28-99 07:19 PM ET Quick question for Ted/Brian: What set-up option allows for "Players choose tech to research during quickstart vs. Players start with set of techs of comps choice?" I couldn't duplicate the first option on my own machine, but it was what happened on my first turn.
Ted Dennison	posted 02-28-99 08:15 PM ET No option that I know of. As I mentioned in the email, I had to go through about a 5 minute process of choosing my starting techs on my first turn. I tried a "PBEM" round myself on quick start to see how it worked before I ran the official game. When I did that, I could have sworn the Gaians didn't pick any initial techs. Everyone else did. Did anyone else not get to pick thier initial techs?
Ted Dennison	posted 03-01-99 09:09 PM ET Well, the first turn is now over. It appears to have taken about 4 days. Not too bad as a start. I also noticed that my "next breakthrough" is set for 53 years from now. Yikes!
Ted Dennison	posted 03-03-99 09:02 PM ET About contacting everyone. We had orignially agreed not to email each other until we had comlinks. Unfortunatly, a bug seems to have intervened. I think it would be in the spirit of the original agreement if we now took that to mean not until the first time the other faction is sighted (Brian's option b). If someone disagrees, please speak up.
Ted Dennison	posted 03-04-99 10:13 PM ET Wow. That turn took less than 3 days to go round the horn. I have only received the "supersecret password" from one faction so far. Everyone knows the first duty of any good king is to ensure a stable succesion, so send your password in now!
Jeff Vitous	posted 03-06-99 01:50 PM ET Message from the swamps: I just wanted to mention the absolutely abominable starting position I have...who's idea was it to have 75% water anyway? Two of my cities can't build anything because they have no mineral production. My cities are all on separate, tiny islands, the smallest being only 2 squares! (and it has a former that terriformed the non-city square). I'm still going to be playing with laser beams when you all start dropping planet busters on me. Lal, Supreme Poo-bah of the Backwaters of Alpha Centauri
Ted Dennison	posted 03-06-99 08:06 PM ET I think I picked "average". Is that %75? I too appear to be leading an island nation, but not quite that extreme. Yang, first citizen, New Indonesia.
Ted Dennison	posted 03-06-99 08:10 PM ET > You guys need to step it up a notch...you're being out-performed by gasp > a game loaded with computer game journalists! We are turning over a 7 player > turn in about a day and a half in that game. Well of course they would beat us. We're not journalists. We have lives. :-)
martinl	posted 03-10-99 11:27 AM ET Two quick communication questions: Email to factions we have contacted: Yes/No? Can we "Give the comm frequency of another faction" to someone just by saying so? Makes sense to me. Martinl
Ted Dennison	posted 03-10-99 10:04 PM ET The first one, I say yes. Otherwise it would take years to plan a coordinated attack. The second one, I'm not sure. I'd say so, but that means once I can contact more than one faction, I could contact any of the others by pretending I was given their comlink by one of the other two. But then this whole system has to work on trust anyhow.
martinl	posted 03-12-99 12:37 PM ET How about I get the comm frequency giver to give to both sides? If I was going to ask for it, I'd use it right away anyway.
Brian Reynolds FIRAXIS	posted 03-12-99 09:06 PM ET My suggestions: (1) Yes, e-mail to anyone you've got a comm frequency for in the game. (2) Must actually get comm frequency in the game (either by meeting the faction, trading w/ another faction in diplomacy screen, or finding in a goody box) BR