Here's some random fun games, some of which are host playable others that just aren't.

1) Islands of IT.
And InterStellar Traveler only game, taking place on a large (or huge) remapped map where the stars are piled into clusters with lots of dead space between. I might even make it so the density of the islands tappers off towards the edges. (for those who know astronomy, this would be equalant to "large gobular clusters", which are hover outside the plane of the galaxy.) Why only I.T.? Considering distances, WOULDN'T YOU WANNA BE IT? Plus could be fun.

-This one below (2) is probably the only "Pure" game idea I've got up here. Because I figure all the really good "Pure" games have been done profusely already.-

2) Random Races
All races are totally random. No PRTs band obviously.. Players (host included) would be randomly assigned a player using a random number generator. Could be fun.

3) Pure OWW.
Someone once suggested I make a game where all the planets are made OWW friendly. This can be done semi automatically if I just do some research on FOR commands and such, so I can adjust the whole map without ever looking at it really. All OWW races, all planets set to "happy" environmentally, no need for anyone to have TT except PP and CA to use as weapons. Might be fun.

3a) Pure OWW, CA vs PP
Heh, a war of OWW PP and OWW CA, now THAT's an interesting idea. Same setup, all worlds "Happy". Until the war starts races start blasting things to bits. (Hmm Maybe just a war between PP and CA period would be cool, no happiness or OWW.. I dunno) (One possibilitiy is to make all PP idenitcal and all CA identical, then it's all about skill and less about race design... That's probably less fun though.)

4) Rise of Fallen Empires
A possible OWW game where all races are given a "Boast", of having a per built HW and a few perfect "Core" worlds around their HW, also pre built. Game would start at year 4, and tech would be slow, (All fields must be 75%).

4a) Return of the Empire
Same as Rise of Fallen Empires, but instead I do it to 1 player at random, and EVERYONE must kill him. It's like those games where the scenario is storm the huge castle swarming with guys. So it takes like a pile of you to take him down! (I'd probably pick the lucky dude with a random number generator, and override his race out of fairness. Maybe make him WM? Just for the pychotic fun of the war!)

5) Age After the Ancients.
Simple you start like normal, and I pepper the galaxy with treats. Worlds with prebuilt factories, mines, and or preharvested ore (maybe not the ore, but the others would be cool). No special way to find them, just colonize and smile. Idea is that say.. an ancient OWW or multiple OWW races once lived all over this area, but have long since left this space. And the young races are now inheirting their ancient homes.

6) "Home World"
Before the start of the game, I exile all the races from their HW, they retain 100% pop 100% ore, and arrive SOMEWHERE in the galaxy on a world that mirrors their HW, but isn't. Standard game with the twist of returning back to your true home world.
-(Methods for IS and AR have already been figured out to retain maximum fairness and original starting conditions)-

7) Slave Empires
In the spirit of new fun, I make it a simple requirement that all races have ARM, then I rebuild their ARM ships to be 2 super Flag ships. If a player loses 1 flag ship, he joins the killers side, if he EVER loses the other he is defeated. (And passing them to others counts as losing.) The Flag ship will likely be a Nubian with all kinds of cross PRT gizmos, impossible to recreate and a true utility knife of any armada! If I make some PRT restrictions or just a lucky brake I might get 3 Flag ships, basically you can be enslaved x-1 times x being the number of flag ships.

Star Control 2
Posted, Died, but I DON'T CARE!
This one's posted on the new game forum already but's gone stagnent. The t

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Indeed in irresistable force the idea is to set up camp and build up some defenses as quickly as possible - The SD/IS races would have to sit at one end of the galaxy and the WM at the other (maybe make a Segment shaped galaxy.... thin at the WM end and expanding out to the others????) - the idea is simply to survive the initial battering ram effect of the WM running in at you.

Basically the WM would be a lone race, no diplomacy, no remorse, just cold and brutal. The whole game would be stacked heavily in favour of the WM so much so that it would be nigh on IMPOSSIBLE to not be wiped out by the WM. They'd probably need some stargates set up so they can start to trundle in some ships from day 1.

Winner would be whoever survived the longest: Defend yourself, ally to build a stronger defense, or even attack your fellow player so that they are weaker than you - the choice is yours.


Forseeable problems: Allowing WM to be able to hit hard early, but in small quantities and to ensure that it is impossible for the WM not to win the game.




Pockets of planets...

IT should build any/any stargates. They're mearly access points from one galaxy to another in the whole massive universe!!!!

The IT race itself would basically be set up with one colony in each pocket (it's probably be best to do a 100yr jump start?) with an any/any stargate. After that (and after everyone sets the IT race to friend) the IT race requires no running at all in any way whatsoever. Mines must NOT be built by the IT race since that would provide free minerals to the SS - but otherwise (and I know this is the question you really wanted answering Maim) the host would be able to play in the game no problem Everyone would have a published list of all the portal planets. The universe would have to be MASSIVE in size to prevent small minefields dominating each cluster of planets (i.e. have normal sized gaps between planets).

Reasons to ban PP: Mass packets inside each cluster would be really dangerous since you'd never see the packet coming. Plus they'd be able to scan pockets by launching a packet past it.

Reasons to ban SS: Since defending your pocket (I'd recommend at least 2 or 3 pockets to every race in the game?) starts at your portal planet an SS race could easily slip through the open space and avoid any such defenses, but then again so could anyone at a high enough tech level. The perfect solution would be to have someone observing each turn file and just having a quick look to make sure no-one is running around "deep space".

"Pockets of planets" Is and idea I'd LOVE to try out... the joy of it being that both PP and IT are already banned from player use so that makes remapping an easier task.

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freakyboy wrote on Wed, 03 December 2003 22:57

Indeed in irresistable force the idea is to set up camp and build up some defenses as quickly as possible - The SD/IS races would have to sit at one end of the galaxy and the WM at the other (maybe make a Segment shaped galaxy.... thin at the WM end and expanding out to the others????) - the idea is simply to survive the initial battering ram effect of the WM running in at you. Basically the WM would be a lone race, no diplomacy, no remorse, just cold and brutal. The whole game would be stacked heavily in favour of the WM so much so that it would be nigh on IMPOSSIBLE to not be wiped out by the WM. They'd probably need some stargates set up so they can start to trundle in some ships from day 1. Winner would be whoever survived the longest: Defend yourself, ally to build a stronger defense, or even attack your fellow player so that they are weaker than you - the choice is yours. Forseeable problems: Allowing WM to be able to hit hard early, but in small quantities and to ensure that it is impossible for the WM not to win the game.

BJ, something like that came up during the delay of the Penta game, guess you just left the mailing list. Paul suggested one player should be a WM and all others (15) SD (to give the WM a taste how it feels to fight of SDs). To make it viable for the WM and the SDs you need to find a very fine balance.
The balance could be made in several ways: a head start for the WM, different economy styles (possibly combined with a head start), fleet limitations, or (the one I like most) ship design limitations where the SDs would have to rely heavily on their MML/SML hulls and can only use lower warship hulls (max CC?) and the WM could use his BC (possibly his DN) ...

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Pockets of planets... IT should build any/any stargates. They're mearly access points from one galaxy to another in the whole massive universe!!!!

I like this idea. The IT gates would be somewhat like WH/jumppoints between the galaxies.
No Random Events to prevent players from getting the jumpgate/MT scouts?

Quote:

The IT race itself would basically be set up with one colony in each pocket (it's probably be best to do a 100yr jump start?) with an any/any stargate. After that (and after everyone sets the IT race to friend) the IT race requires no running at all in any way whatsoever. Mines must NOT be built by the IT race since that would provide free minerals to the SS.

Guess SS should be banned totally, afterall imagine all the salvage that will pill up on the IT planets when wave after wave of invasion forces gets destroyed there!

Quote:

- but otherwise (and I know this is the question you really wanted answering Maim) the host would be able to play in the game no problem Everyone would have a published list of all the portal planets.

Still the host has to place all races in stasis ...

Quote:

The universe would have to be MASSIVE in size to prevent small minefields dominating each cluster of planets (i.e. have normal sized gaps between planets). Reasons to ban PP: Mass packets inside each cluster would be really dangerous since you'd never see the packet coming. Plus they'd be able to scan pockets by launching a packet past it. Reasons to ban SS: Since defending your pocket (I'd recommend at least 2 or 3 pockets to every race in the game?) starts at your portal planet an SS race could easily slip through the open space and avoid any such defenses, but then again so could anyone at a high enough tech level. The perfect solution would be to have someone observing each turn file and just having a quick look to make sure no-one is running around "deep space".

If you want to also populate the other islands you have to run around "deep space" since you can't gate your colonists ...
Or maybe make sure everybody has the jumpgate? That would be hard since it requires high techs ... maybe they get a limited number in jumpgate ships from the IT race? Or they could buy more?
Or all IT so no jumpgate needed, and a restriction on gate

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Pockets of Planets.

I'd be willing to set this one up and host it...
say a jumpstart of 100 yrs...

uc can make some very large universes....

anyone interested in me spending more time on definition?

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donjon wrote on Wed, 03 December 2003 15:57

Pockets of Planets. I'd be willing to set this one up and host it... say a jumpstart of 100 yrs... uc can make some very large universes.... anyone interested in me spending more time on definition?

*sigh*

3 duels...
2 regular games...
3 kids...
2 jobs...

I really, really, really want to play in this one.

EDog

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If we said.... say....

each race has 10 ships with the jumpgate on them - I'd recommend nubians loaded up with jammers, sheilds and BD's so that they wont get targetted in battle to easily. You use ONE ship mixed in with freighters to expand beyond your pocket. Should you lose all 10... you're screwed.

That'd alter the tactics slightly so that you'd have to enter the pocket, secure the gateway and then send in the colonists.

Good point about the host - crap. But then again if donjon is interested in hosting, but not playing... and maim is interested in playing but not hosting... Everyone's happy.

Forcing everyone to play IT is a good idea and it might be worth trying all IT vs no IT and jumpgate ships.


On the subject of SS... it'd be a pretty stupid PRT selection really.

Consider the following...

*Since all defense strategy is based on protecting that stargate AR becomes a pretty good choice.

*WM has no minefields, but their better battle ships and abilities may prove perfect for defending that gateway with a nice fat warfleet? Another bonus would be a super long range scanner fleet could maybe just scan fleets in another pocket a long way-a-way and let you in on the designs... maybe...

*IS can build up some scary breeding fleets safely protected behind their own stargate!!!

*SD could sit detonating minefields over their stargate - that'd be one hell of a repellant... no scout would ever survive the arrival, no chaff would make it either.....

*HE can take low growth and not worry - they can use 100% of the planets in their pocket and just defend that gateway.


I suppose JOAT and CA (to a degree) would lose out alot on the bonus side of things.

I'd expect to see a fair number of WM races in such a set up - especially since defense seems to boil down primarily to that stargate.



One thing that will be interesting is the psychology of the game... Since anyone can gate to anyone's stargate... which stargate do you attack and how many ships do you leave behind??

could you accidently stargate to the same gate as another assault fleet and thus ruin 2 races?

Do you send everything you have and take the risk???


I think public player scores would have to be on for this kind of game really - since scouts couldn't tell you who or what is on the other side the amount of information available in decision making becomes a problem really.

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1. Forfeit the duels (another win to me lol)
2. Quit the 2 regular games and cry "It's my ball and I'm not
playing anymore" while running home to your mum
3. Teach the kids to play and get them to join
4. Quit


Now by no means take that as literal!!!! (apart from the first one... )

but in all seriousness I wouldn't worry about it... I can't see this game starting in 2003 to be honest... to many things to think of and there would be little point in starting a game to put it on hold for a week after it's only been running a week!!!

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freakyboy wrote on Wed, 03 December 2003 16:46

1. Forfeit the duels (another win to me lol) 2. Quit the 2 regular games and cry "It's my ball and I'm not playing anymore" while running home to your mum 3. Teach the kids to play and get them to join 4. Quit Now by no means take that as literal!!!! (apart from the first one... ) but in all seriousness I wouldn't worry about it... I can't see this game starting in 2003 to be honest... to many things to think of and there would be little point in starting a game to put it on hold for a week after it's only been running a week!!!

1. Bad form, seeing as how I'm the Dueling Club Administrator, Arranger of the Dueling Championship, and other such nonsense.

And by the way, where's your next turn, ya mook?!

2. Bad form, seeing as how I've made some scathing posts about people dropping out of games.

3. Teach them to play? Heck, I'm trying to teach one of them to read, one of them to recognize letters, and one of them to sleep through the night!

4. Hmmm...there's some potential there for finding more time in the day...

I look forward to 2004!

EDog

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[Updated on: Thu, 04 December 2003 04:31]

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Alrighty, I'll put together a game and let you get a look at it.
Did you want Tappered or solid clusters? Ah guess it doesn't matter, You'll probably send me a map anyway, so this time I get to do it MY way.

[Updated on: Thu, 04 December 2003 15:40]

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Okay, I've been working on a test map for PoP. So far I can fairly easily get all the "islands" to have just 1 person on them. No problem. I can suspend the colonists, no problem. The point I start getting into trouble is when I start going through ALL (15) turn files and editing them. Same orders over... and over. and over. Ergo. I strongly recommend NOT having a 'full deck of cards' on this one. Just too much work for 1 person (I start making mistakes.) The map editing and sorting is really easy by comparison. I got that done in like 1 gen or so, and a maybe a half hour, no sweat. But all that redundant micro managing... AHHHH!!!

I WAS leaving 100 colonists on the surface.... Maybe I shouldn't next time. And the ship design I used for the jump gate freighters, might be up for questioning. But that's okay. (a nub that holds 6000kt, has 3 Jump gates, and 6 multi contained munitions.., and a gal scoop, cause I could.) Could be a bit much. Perhaps just a Super Freighter with goodies is all that's required.

Mmmm Stealth Super Duper Freighter...

I'll try it again.... But yeah.. The map editing bit is easy. And I could do it in less than 100 years. But.. Honestly, I don't care anymore. Starting at a weird year is even cooler in my opinion. Oh. And as far as all the other things I said. Yeah I can still do them. If anyone wants to see my first attempt or so... They're welcome to...


Question: what if SS were banned, but the Jump Freighters had Robber Barrons? Anyone against that?

[Updated on: Fri, 05 December 2003 06:02]

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freakyboy wrote on Thu, 04 December 2003 00:43

If we said.... say.... each race has 10 ships with the jumpgate on them - I'd recommend nubians loaded up with jammers, sheilds and BD's so that they wont get targetted in battle to easily. You use ONE ship mixed in with freighters to expand beyond your pocket. Should you lose all 10... you're screwed.

Ahum, hate to ruin the party but this won't work, ALL ships in a fleet need to have a jumpgate, else the fleet won't ... jump. This means you would only have those 10 ships and nothing else ...
This also means that if you want to expand to another pocket and you have to colonize a planet that you lose the jump gate ship (which has to fit a colonizer pod, oh and cargo pods of course, possibly the MT one) ... or you have to make sure you can drop on a race already living in this cluster ... (hm, the IT colonizing all planets in the universe? )

Quote:

Forcing everyone to play IT is a good idea and it might be worth trying all IT vs no IT and jumpgate ships.

I'd prefer the diversity of races vs all IT ...

BTW, we're discussing this game in two topics, and topics can't be merged, I suggest continueing in the other one (started by donjon),

mch

[Updated on: Fri, 05 December 2003 09:20]

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---------------
Ahum, hate to ruin the party but this won't work, ALL ships in a fleet need to have a jumpgate, else the fleet won't ... jump. This means you would only have those 10 ships and nothing else ...
This also means that if you want to expand to another pocket and you have to colonize a planet that you lose the jump gate ship (which has to fit a colonizer pod, oh and cargo pods of course, possibly the MT one) ... or you have to make sure you can drop on a race already living in this cluster ... (hm, the IT colonizing all planets in the universe?
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Yes all ships have to, but not all ships NEED TO, you won't get anymore until you get the tech, that's correct. But no you likely won't start with 10, Unless A) someone knows how to determine the number of starting ships given (outside of the default count for each race), or B) you expect the IT race to build them for everyone. (A possible but rather annoying possiblity as far as setup goes.)

Also, if your a "Smart" person, you gate an empty colony ship through normally, then you jump the crew for that ship there. You colonize with the COLONY SHIP, not the jump gate ship. DUH! You then either transfer the surplus crew to another freighter that's gated in or the planet, or you jump back home. Colonizing with the jump freighter is just stupid if you can't make more

IT colonizing everything? That's insane. Next question...

Actually though 2 similar ideas are being discussed in 2 threads the 2 are not the same. They are just 2 tangent ideas that come from the same source. I think they should stay split as is.

And last, yup diversity is cool.

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Cool, round up a few harty souls and I'll post or repost the games in the announcments forum.

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