Shaggy.
http://alphacentauri2.info/My%20Custom%20Factions/MyPotheads.zip (http://alphacentauri2.info/My%20Custom%20Factions/MyPotheads.zip)
It's a joke faction, but nicely playable.
I will participate if you will have me. I'm going to try and roleplay more. Gonna do something like the rise of the creche AAR if I can.
Faction list:
1. Creche Union (good at research, very balanced) - Would play as this one
2. Red Unit (very balanced)
I might want to, but I'd like a sense of what everyone else will be playing so I can pick (or make) something that complements them thematically.
I am interested-
faction lineup suggestions:
Blueflux's creche or red unit
Sigma's House Satori
My Sons of Oceanus
Ariete's Populist police state faction
Sigma's Authority faction
My Valhallans
And as for a 7th faction we can either have Shaggy's for a joke or for more serious, Sigma's pilgrims.
Thoughts?
Shaggy.
http://alphacentauri2.info/My%20Custom%20Factions/MyPotheads.zip (http://alphacentauri2.info/My%20Custom%20Factions/MyPotheads.zip)
It's a joke faction, but nicely playable.
Hm. It probably seemed more balanced in the face of Annihilators and Exterminatus.
Creche seems mostly fair, though I am quite worried about starting with level 4 weapons.. They've got strong development, and their penalty is morale, but morale is much less important than extremely early impact near the start and may let them have both an incredible rush and late build. I'd be much more comfortable with lasers as start.
Red unit seems fair as documented, but you have several major undocumented bonuses in the text file (mind control immunity, and two forms of +1 morale leading to an actual effective +2 morale most of the time and a 50% (!!!!) hurry bonus). Drop the undocumented bonuses and it'll be fine.
Naw I just posted a link because Jarl mentioned them and Yitzi asked.Okay.
Oh, sure, vastly more balanced than monsters like those. -1 growth is more than compensated by the free creches, and +2 research is a great bonus. I guess unless you start quite close to someone you probably would not be able to take advantage of the powerful rush. May change the game a fair amount if the AI decides to trade it.. but okay. You can use the creche, though it does seem a little out of place for that faction to have such powerful weapons way before anyone else.Hm. It probably seemed more balanced in the face of Annihilators and Exterminatus.
Creche seems mostly fair, though I am quite worried about starting with level 4 weapons.. They've got strong development, and their penalty is morale, but morale is much less important than extremely early impact near the start and may let them have both an incredible rush and late build. I'd be much more comfortable with lasers as start.
Red unit seems fair as documented, but you have several major undocumented bonuses in the text file (mind control immunity, and two forms of +1 morale leading to an actual effective +2 morale most of the time and a 50% (!!!!) hurry bonus). Drop the undocumented bonuses and it'll be fine.
I don't see myself going to war in the AAR without someone else starting it. But I can't speak for the AI. (I mean, we're supposed to be kids. If I want to RP then I better have a good reason for war). Don't forget the -1 growth though.
Of course, you're probably all better at the game than me.
It goes as follows: "TECH, Chaos, FACILITY, 2, SOCIAL, -GROWTH, SOCIAL, ++RESEARCH, SOCIAL, --MORALE, SOCIAL, +PROBE, COMMFREQ, 0, MORALE, 0, "
Research is penalized by morale, probing by growth. Which one of these you want me to nerf/change? I'm assuming it's required since your going for balance.
I might as well list here the factions, bonuses and AI of each faction being used:Current version of the Technocrats actually have some fixes. Posted here (http://alphacentauri2.info/index.php?topic=3819.msg62046#new)
Ete is playing the technocrats. They get +1 EFFIC, +1 RESEARCH, free network nodes, Lal's bonus to hab limits (this appears to be an error, and they're supposed to have a weaker form of Morgan's penalty, but the text file is written as -2, which gives a bonus), and robust EFFIC, and start with Information Networks, but have -2 MORALE and can't run Power. They favor Knowledge and EFFIC, and as AI tend to focus on tech with medium aggression.
Yitzi, which text file are you looking at for technos? Both the most recent sigma pack and the file I have from before have POPULATION, 2, which should give default max base size 5 as intended. The newest version has slight changes:
TECH, InfNet, SOCIAL, +RESEARCH, SOCIAL, ++EFFIC, SOCIAL, --MORALE, ROBUST, EFFIC, FACILITY, 8, POPULATION, 2,
+2 Effic now, though I'm fine with playing as the older version if people prefer.
Also, how does the creche union's immunity to morale penalties work? They have MORALE, 0, but does that counteract their other Morale penalty, or Wealth's or do anything at all?
Ah, right. I probably uploaded an old version to the wiki, have been meaning to update those pages for a while.. though I have plans to swap all the wiki text pages for a github repository of faction texts, so may just finish setting that up instead.Um
And, hm, right. BlueFlux, is the Morale, 0, thing intended? If not, you can just remove that part of the line.
Right, all of the faction editor programs are a bit buggy in places. I suggest using http://alphacentauri2.info/wiki/Faction.txt_editing_guide (http://alphacentauri2.info/wiki/Faction.txt_editing_guide) and editing directly, it's not that hard to learn and more reliable than anything else we have currently.
hmm.. -1 Economy is actually a pretty small disadvantage. -1 energy per turn is only noticeable right at the start and even then is not a big deal, and though it forces Wealth alongside FM for +1 eng/square... eh, that's something you're probably wanting most of the time anyway as drones since stacking Indust bonuses is great. I'd want to see more in exchange for even just +1 Planet, which is one of the best +1s available since it dramatically speeds up your early exploration and pod popping. PS is also a much less annoying aversion than Green. Hab bonus is not a big deal imo, unless you get another monsoon start. On the whole it looks like a basically entirely better version of the drones, so I'd prefer some extra penalty.
Ideas: Effic, to force them into Demo/Green earlier? Morale, to blunt their rush and give them a little more worm trouble? Econ to -2, to make +1 eng/square require GA?
Yes, that seems fair. I'd guess these guys will have a considerably better start than normal Drones thanks to Planet, but loss of ability to +1 eng/square will slow them enough later to counteract it. -2 Police without ability to FM will also slow them a bit before SE techs come along. Which techs would you be starting with?
You'll be pretty scary if you find a good tech trading partner, which is your plan I guess :).
Okay, that seems reasonable.Yes, that seems fair. I'd guess these guys will have a considerably better start than normal Drones thanks to Planet, but loss of ability to +1 eng/square will slow them enough later to counteract it. -2 Police without ability to FM will also slow them a bit before SE techs come along. Which techs would you be starting with?
Industrial Base and Social Psych.
I now see why you wanted to wait for others to pick first.. metagaming us all :p.QuoteYou'll be pretty scary if you find a good tech trading partner, which is your plan I guess :).
Of course. Have you seen the factions the others will be playing?
I now see why you wanted to wait for others to pick first.. metagaming us all :p.QuoteYou'll be pretty scary if you find a good tech trading partner, which is your plan I guess :).
Of course. Have you seen the factions the others will be playing?
We'll be using Yitzi's latest patch this time (no more AI freeing factions bug like the one which messed with the last game!) and I'll include a faction bundle in the OP of the new thread with everything you'll need.
I was actually figuring I'd pick whichever niche was left in terms of both gameplay and theme; I wasn't expecting everybody else to go for techers/energy.Ah, right. Yea, we all did go with pretty similar things. I wonder if you'll rush for the planetary datalinks, and how willing to trade with you people will be.. I bet whoever starts near you will beg the others not to give you weapons tech.
I was thinking standard, but if there are a few not-huge changes you've played enough games with to be comfortable recommending I'd be happy to showcase them unless one of the other players objects.QuoteWe'll be using Yitzi's latest patch this time (no more AI freeing factions bug like the one which messed with the last game!) and I'll include a faction bundle in the OP of the new thread with everything you'll need.
Standard rules, or are we using some of the alternate rules I enabled?
I was actually figuring I'd pick whichever niche was left in terms of both gameplay and theme; I wasn't expecting everybody else to go for techers/energy.Ah, right. Yea, we all did go with pretty similar things. I wonder if you'll rush for the planetary datalinks, and how willing to trade with you people will be.. I bet whoever starts near you will beg the others not to give you weapons tech.
I was thinking standard, but if there are a few not-huge changes you've played enough games with to be comfortable recommending I'd be happy to showcase them unless one of the other players objects.QuoteWe'll be using Yitzi's latest patch this time (no more AI freeing factions bug like the one which messed with the last game!) and I'll include a faction bundle in the OP of the new thread with everything you'll need.
Standard rules, or are we using some of the alternate rules I enabled?
True, but I imagine you getting some good weapons from someone else would allow you to dictate those terms with a lot of force. Probably along the lines of tech or die :).Ah, right. Yea, we all did go with pretty similar things. I wonder if you'll rush for the planetary datalinks, and how willing to trade with you people will be.. I bet whoever starts near you will beg the others not to give you weapons tech.
That would sort of depend on our relationship, wouldn't it?
Not really, but other people seem to like using drone rule 8 (which essentially means that you can't use specialists to solve your drone problems, except of course by producing psych).I'm happy to use that. JarlWolf, BlueFlux?
True, but I imagine you getting some good weapons from someone else would allow you to dictate those terms with a lot of force. Probably along the lines of tech or die :).Ah, right. Yea, we all did go with pretty similar things. I wonder if you'll rush for the planetary datalinks, and how willing to trade with you people will be.. I bet whoever starts near you will beg the others not to give you weapons tech.
That would sort of depend on our relationship, wouldn't it?
I think.. roleplay it. If you feel your character would accept sharing the future with someone, even if it means compromising on their ideals to some extent, then yes. If you think your character would break longstanding agreements in order to bring forth the world they want, then do that.Yeah
I think.. roleplay it. If you feel your character would accept sharing the future with someone, even if it means compromising on their ideals to some extent, then yes. If you think your character would break longstanding agreements in order to bring forth the world they want, then do that.
I guess unless you're sure your character would, at some point in the future if they ended up in a position of power, decide to turn on their allies and expand, don't claim a coop victory. So.. only if you have strong reasons to honour treaties (e.g. shared history, both being of great use to the other) and have been acting in a way that indicates you'd stick to them even at your disadvantage for the game.
I think the way I'll play my faction.. we'll stick to our arrangements, but not be quick to make binding long term deals since we see our way as the future of humanity. Especially not with anyone who's threatened us at all in the past.
Yup :). I think this is a nice format. Much faster than normal multiplayer, still vs humans so challenging, and hopefully makes a good story to read as well. I wish Earthmichel was around for these, it'd be interesting to see his play.I think.. roleplay it. If you feel your character would accept sharing the future with someone, even if it means compromising on their ideals to some extent, then yes. If you think your character would break longstanding agreements in order to bring forth the world they want, then do that.
I guess unless you're sure your character would, at some point in the future if they ended up in a position of power, decide to turn on their allies and expand, don't claim a coop victory. So.. only if you have strong reasons to honour treaties (e.g. shared history, both being of great use to the other) and have been acting in a way that indicates you'd stick to them even at your disadvantage for the game.
I think that makes sense. This is more a "story" AAR than a competitive one anyway (not that that will stop each of us from trying to get ahead...).
It's true, they're at least not in conflict. Even Satori's not really in conflict with anyone, she's kind of.. pragmatic/looks out for her own. Maybe not long term trustworthy though, unless she considers you part of the family somehow. Political intermarriages?I think the way I'll play my faction.. we'll stick to our arrangements, but not be quick to make binding long term deals since we see our way as the future of humanity. Especially not with anyone who's threatened us at all in the past.
Makes sense.
Actually, Creche/techno and creche/drones are both fairly viable ideological matches.
Yup :). I think this is a nice format. Much faster than normal multiplayer, still vs humans so challenging, and hopefully makes a good story to read as well. I wish Earthmichel was around for these, it'd be interesting to see his play.I think.. roleplay it. If you feel your character would accept sharing the future with someone, even if it means compromising on their ideals to some extent, then yes. If you think your character would break longstanding agreements in order to bring forth the world they want, then do that.
I guess unless you're sure your character would, at some point in the future if they ended up in a position of power, decide to turn on their allies and expand, don't claim a coop victory. So.. only if you have strong reasons to honour treaties (e.g. shared history, both being of great use to the other) and have been acting in a way that indicates you'd stick to them even at your disadvantage for the game.
I think that makes sense. This is more a "story" AAR than a competitive one anyway (not that that will stop each of us from trying to get ahead...).
For serious competition, sure, but it's for fun. That's why I think it's a nice format. Unserious competition can be good too.Yup :). I think this is a nice format. Much faster than normal multiplayer, still vs humans so challenging, and hopefully makes a good story to read as well. I wish Earthmichel was around for these, it'd be interesting to see his play.
Actually, it's a horrible format for a competitive game, because the AI is fairly incompetent. But for a story-based AAR it's fairly good.
Okay, thanks for the ideas.
Anyone have preferences about turn order?
I'd like to go forth, but would be okay with third. Lose out on good early base placements and formers, but should give me a bit more to do when I take my turn. I'm the only one who voted accelerated start apparently, and without that the first few turns may be a bit dull, but I'm guessing you three would rather have early turns if you prefer no accelerated start?
I'll probably set this up and launch it later tonight. Will randomly assign turn order for people who don't express a preference.