Building a Community

[NewAgeOfPower]

Humanity is by nature tribal and hierarchical. I've gotten plenty of "stay here please" kind of PMs, especially from communities that are in decline.

I'm not into pokemon... but I'll give the mod a playthrough. http://alphacentauri2.info/index.php?topic=1172.0 right?

[Buster's Uncle]

Cool!  Yes, that should make Kil happy.

...I should also mention the Game of the Month.  We've got several, and it would REALLY do a lot to motivate sisko if people were to play them and comment, and post game saves. 

The Zookeepers scenario, for instance, I Have no Name and I SLAVED over for two months - not only does it have the usual custom factions, it's a mod in other ways, as he did various things to the SE table and stuff like that.  I did custom earth-style terrain, perfect for that friend of yours who says he can't get into SMAC(X) because the background is ugly/hurts his eyes, and custom units, including the Angry Birds before they hit it big.  And virtually no one played it, probably because of the cartoony front page I made. 

You want more GotMs?  Let us know you (and by that, I mean everyone) care by playing them and entering the contests...

[NewAgeOfPower]

You want more GotMs?

I want SMAC2.

That being said, if playing GOTMs will help SMAC2 become a reality... I'll do Lost Eden this Sat, and Zookeepers next Sat.

I'm indoctrinating a new player in SMAC- but he isn't much of a forum person. Most of my friends are into high end graphics and are rather taken up with multiplayer games- the sad truth is, SMAC2 is not only the true hope of this community but possibly the only thing that will revive it.

[Buster's Uncle]

I have a powerful suspicion that SMAC2 would be a disappointment...  (I was already writing that post when you ninja'd me, but please do give it a go.)

My sister LOVED this training wheels faction when she tried SMAC(X).  It's not for a hardcore gamer, but SMAC is overwhelming the first time. Also, there's this one, reputed to be even easier - and they're both funny.

[NewAgeOfPower]

I have a powerful suspicion that SMAC2 would be a disappointment...  (I was already writing that post when you ninja'd me, but please do give it a go.)

My sister LOVED this training wheels faction when she tried SMAC(X).  It's not for a hardcore gamer, but SMAC is overwhelming the first time. Also, there's this one, reputed to be even easier - and they're both funny.

No no, you write it : ]

My crew is a bit... masochistic. We love brutally hard challenges- especially one of the girls. The other women... I'd make a custom faction for them- NOT.

I'll just tell him to play Transcend Difficulty Morgan on a medium sized map...

Bwhahaha!

[Green1]

I have a powerful suspicion that SMAC2 would be a disappointment...  (I was already writing that post when you ninja'd me, but please do give it a go.)

My sister LOVED this training wheels faction when she tried SMAC(X).  It's not for a hardcore gamer, but SMAC is overwhelming the first time. Also, there's this one, reputed to be even easier - and they're both funny.

No no, you write it : ]

My crew is a bit... masochistic. We love brutally hard challenges- especially one of the girls. The other women... I'd make a custom faction for them- NOT.

I'll just tell him to play Transcend Difficulty Morgan on a medium sized map...

Bwhahaha!

Ehh.. You could still pull that off if you beeline the right techs.

Make it a small map with Morgan and aggresive AI and abundant lifeforms on Transcend! You will need chemical weapons just to keep them off of you.

In addition, have these AIs:

Miriam (need I say more?)
Santiago (wheels of death and ownage and hates wealth)
Yang (Blue cockroach nests)
Domai (Build, build, built everywhere!)
Cha Dawn ( a monster on abundant lifeform maps)

or drop one and get 2 alien action.

[Buster's Uncle]

Check out AC2's first AAR  by Green1, who has really stepped up to doing what he can to pitch in.  Also, he's an American.

Have a look at his AAR -DAR, really, because the game's in progress- anyway, and let 'im know you're enjoying it.  He doesn't mind kibbitzing.

[Green1]

With the horrid start and Miriam boot stomping me, it did not go well.

But, who better to get stomped by than Miriam! It is almost tradition 

Still, I stuck it out. Hope they enjoyed my noobishness. As I mentioned in thread, you always see these guys owning face in AARs. I have only seen one AAR which someone lost. he just did not play it anymore. Wuss.

[sisko]

he just did not play it anymore.

i hope this won't be your case. you did a great job there. 

now, some advice for future AARs: make some planning ahead and let the audience know about it, try to engage the audience in making (at least) the most important decissions (polls can help). of course, this will slow down the game, but i guess it's ok if one can build an audience and at the same time still enjoy the game. summarize every 10 turns or so: achieved objectives and what's left to do. ask for advice. if you have already built an audience, then you can even designate official advisors (e.g. for military or for expanssion), name bases or special units after them etc..

[t_ras]

what is AAR?

[sisko]

what is AAR?

we have Datalinks for that: http://alphacentauri2.info/index.php?topic=484.0

[Buster's Uncle]

Green has started another one, BTW...

[Buster's Uncle]

It is a fine, fine thing to see so much activity - everyone's having a good time.  This is how it works.

To you (human) lurkers:  sign up and get involved.  Ask questions.  Chip in your two cents.  (Don't worry, the captchas go away after a couple of posts.)  We do not newb-bash, ever, and we want you participating here.  This community is a big tent, and has room for growth.

[NewAgeOfPower]

Ugh, BU, would you mind me postponing Pokemon for a AAR? Or DAR, in this case...

[Buster's Uncle]

Why not a Lost Eden DAR, hmm?  Or one of a GotM like The Zookeepers?

But by all means, do an AAR.

...

I've noticed your avatar looks like a stylized smiling beardy space king...