AAR 6 - Final Doom (prediscussion)

[Yitzi]

I just infiltrated BlueFlux's thread and he wants to see his Red Unit play. Not sure about AARing it though doing the AAR will not be a requirement.

Jarlwolf, The Fascists I think will be fine.'

Yitzi, balance or cheesiness has nothing to do with this AAR. Only a somewhat seriousness. I will look at the Stranded. Good chance they will be included.

In that case, I might end up playing them after all.

I believe I have a fairly good idea as what guidelines to have to make this work. Of course, I am open to change.

Here it goes:

1. ADVANCED START. This is to get past much of the initial turns where there is nothing but survival and waiting on stuff. Of course, I have heard this has, shall we say, interesting scenarios such as folks getting random secret projects, interesting base set ups and forces.

Interesting; the Stranded are probably more powerful without it (the accelerated start probably won't give them the early industrial edge they're designed to have), but it should be ok anyway.

2. Humans go first. Since I will be playing a powerful alien faction it seems only fair.

Actually, it's probably still unfair to the humans, but seems good.

3. Anyone AARing will have a few days to play their turns, otherwise the save gets pushed to the next person with the AI playing their faction.

Seems good.

4. AARing is not a requirement to have me owning or being owned by a custom faction. I just think it would be cool to offer someone a chance to step in the shoes of their creation, lol.

Can you explain what you mean by this?

5. If I have no takers to play a AAR as a faction for a few turns, this will become a standard single player AAR. (wussies)

Ok.

6. This will be done in scenario editor to allow switching of factions. While this can allow things like viewing enemy positions, I hope it will not affect enjoyment and I would hope no one abuses this too much. I would also hope folks have the maturity not to use the editor to give themselves troops, techs, or alter landscape. That just would not be cool.

Seems ok.  (It's more fun to give overpowered stuff at faction creation anyway.)

7. I am currently thinking 20 turns per AAR faction. I think that number is long enough to set your faction in a better position for the AI to take over but being short enough you would not get burnt out from playing a turn, having to put up screen shots, and posting stuff.

20 turns should be good...by the time my turn comes around, that should be enough to put my faction in a very good position...   

[ete]

Green1: do my main choices http://alphacentauri2.info/wiki/The_Freelancers or http://alphacentauri2.info/wiki/Bards_of_Chiron seem fair to you? The Freelancer have free HQ, loads of energy, and 60% hurry. The bards have loads of minor bonuses and a few great ones, see the wiki page.

And do we get balanced start locations+connected landmass?

[JarlWolf]

Freelancer's need a buff if they are going to be used... as for Bards, they are strong but as a concept they seem kind of goofy to me 

[Green1]

@ Yitzi: By number 4, I prefer sharing story and screenshots, not merely playing then sending the groups of turns. The object is I think the readers would like AARs. Of course, you are free to post AAR in whatever style you want from a tactical discussion to full on RP.I should have written that clearer.

@ Ete: I am not too anal about the factions. Whatever you feel you would have fun writing about and also watching how the AI handles. Overpowered is fine, as long as it is not something like Scotnoobs or Supahnoobs that wins transcend or economic victory by turn 100 or something crazy like that. I would say about Annihilators power level or slightly above is about the highest.

@Sisko: That may be an idea to get your impartial help. Only thing I wanted to avoid by just using scenario editor instead of the typical  CMN MP route was to avoid the iniswap because there are going to be screenshots. But, fortunately, I think almost everyone here is not so much interested in playing to win, but seeing weird creations in action so I do not worry too much. But, I will get back to you if need be

[Green1]

So far, possible faction roster:

Exterminatus (Alien Faction); Green1 - (graphics by Jarlwolf, design by Green 1)
The Stranded (Alien Faction); Yitzi - (unknown - can not find origination. Not on wiki)
The Fascists; Jarlwolf - (graphics by Jarlwolf, design by Jarlwolf)
Red Unit; BlueFlux - (grapics by BlueFlux, design by BlueFlux)

Ete: choice between (feeling he will take a NN faction)
The Annihilators (Alien Faction) (Graphics by BUncle, design by Ete)
The Freelancers (Network Node)
The Bards of Chiron (Network Node)

[ete]

I'd probably play Annihilators if there's definitely going to be a lot of early conflict, but isolated Annihilators is just depressing with huge production power and no tech to give you worthwhile things to build. Punishment Spheres kinda do that, but they're designed to stay even with techsteal and war.

[Green1]

I am probably going for random start.

It will probably be low sea level map, though.... if that helps :evil:

[Buster's Uncle]

You?  Random?

Huh.

[Green1]

You?  Random?

Huh.

Well, I am an anarchist at heart. The object actually is not winning, at least for me. The object is to see others get to play with their toys. Maybe get a cool story out of it. Although, I suppose if those two are achieved, I "win" in a certain way of thinking. Yeah, there will be nothing balanced about this.

I just chose a few oddities on my hard drive for random factions and switched between them for 20 turns just as a preview of how this would hypothetically work. 20 turns is NOT a lot. They will be dependent on the single threaded AI. But, those 20 turns CAN make a difference if used strategically. Though, I did have quite a few WTF moments particularly with AI pathing. But what do you expect, it was 1999. Even Civ 5 has WTF AI moments. Hell, even some other modern 4xs have it, too.

[Yitzi]

The Stranded (Alien Faction); Yitzi - (unknown - can not find origination. Not on wiki)

That is because I made it up just for this AAR.  Should I make a .txt file for it and give it to you?  (It'll still need graphics, though, and I don't do graphics.)

[Flux]

I think I have the programs to take screenshots in AC. (My prinstcreen button is just flat out broke. Have no clue why)
I'll try to do my 20 turns. Excited to see this start!

[Buster's Uncle]

Green's not bad at faction art...

[Green1]

I think I have the programs to take screenshots in AC. (My prinstcreen button is just flat out broke. Have no clue why)
I'll try to do my 20 turns. Excited to see this start!

I may be able to help. But, due to SMAX's ancient nature it does not play well with some video and screen capture programs. What operating system do you use and what kind of computer do you have? If you have Vista or better, on screen keyboard has a print screen key. This can be accessed at the lower left hand side when you enter your password or it can be accessed through control panel> ease of access>on screen keyboard.

More importantly, if you tab out are the colors all weird? (If you are dealing with a laptop). Remember, always open a program like MSpaint for example first on a laptop then SMAX second. That solves that.

If you have the GOG version of SMAX, rename your Terranx.exe to something else. GOG put in a hard lock because of the messed up colors on tab out on many laptops.

[Yitzi]

So far, possible faction roster:

Exterminatus (Alien Faction); Green1 - (graphics by Jarlwolf, design by Green 1)
The Stranded (Alien Faction); Yitzi - (unknown - can not find origination. Not on wiki)
The Fascists; Jarlwolf - (graphics by Jarlwolf, design by Jarlwolf)
Red Unit; BlueFlux - (grapics by BlueFlux, design by BlueFlux)

Ete: choice between (feeling he will take a NN faction)
The Annihilators (Alien Faction) (Graphics by BUncle, design by Ete)
The Freelancers (Network Node)
The Bards of Chiron (Network Node)

Thoughts on relative power:
The fascists and red unit are way underpowered for this setup; they actually look like they might be balanced as compared to the standard 14.

Annihilators, Exterminatus, and Stranded are all close enough that it would probably depend on the map layout, although being allowed to bombard the Annihilators' native forces will be a huge help to the Stranded (whose usual defensive methods aren't good against psi).

The freelancers look like they might be viable, if they can get the other human factions to pact with them and survive the early game.  They probably wouldn't win, but might be able to get the tech to hold off the Exterminatus (and the Stranded if they bother attacking).

The bards are OP for a normal game, but will likely have trouble against the Exterminatus.

[Green1]

@Yitzi

I suck at art. Do not listen to BU, he is confused. Jarlwolf did the art for mine. All I did was figure out how to make a buggy as hell .txt editor to work. My talents never were there. Even more confusing is that I have been continuously asked if I was and confused for a band geek when I never was one in real life. No music talent, either.  I guess, like my avatar, I am good at blending into surroundings. But even that is suspect.  But, nevermind my nonsense.

If you want art, Jarlwolf or any of the others in the modding forum are cool. BU does a great job, too. And I am sure someone will help. It is not like we are starting next week. Worst comes to worst, just use Usurper art and be done with it.