Is is possible to cheat?

DavidG · #1 March 27th, 2002, 01:29 AM

Just wondering if anyone knows if it is possible to cheat at a multiplayer game. I'm playing a multiplayer game and my opponent has technology that just seems amazing for the length of the game. By turn 39 I've seen ships with Solor Sail 3, Point defense 5, Uranium Cannon 5, Religous Talisman (which if I read the data files correctly requires Religour technology level 4) Mines and Light Cruisers. I know you can get some nice tech from special planets but this seems really wild to me. (either that or I'm really missing something!)

Arak Koba · #2 March 27th, 2002, 01:31 AM

At turn 39? You're saying, 3.9 years into the game?

Hmm, I may be newbie to Space Empires, but something is sounding paranormal around here.

I suppose if the player made bee-lines to these techs, maybe, along with some ruins. But I don't know...

[ 26 March 2002: Message edited by: Arak Koba ]

TerranC · #3 March 27th, 2002, 01:33 AM

Maybe the guy just has:

All worlds in his home system are rock and all of them has ruins on it,

Has Traded or already Subjugated a race,

Or the famous one: Has the Advanced storage technique and Natural Merchants.

The Advanced Storage Technique give 4 extra facility slots per large (or was it medium?) planets and Natural merchants kill Space ports so One extra Facil Slot and quicker Expansion.

Edit: People here remember that GUTB? Saying he can research All that in 25 turns MY A**

[ 26 March 2002: Message edited by: TerranC ]

Phoenix-D · #4 March 27th, 2002, 01:34 AM

That depends. What size start was it, what's his culture, and what's his Intelligence attribute. The religious thing makes me pause, but the rest seems plauseable.

Oh, and if you're in a 10-planet start all bets are off. Dimension X isn't that much farther and we've got people running around in battlecruisers, mines, fighters, PPBV, armor maxed, etc etc etc.

Phoenix-D

DavidG · #5 March 27th, 2002, 01:40 AM

Yup 3.9 years. Guy is ancient race so could have made beeline for tech planets. But we are talking same serious expensive tech here. Also no advanced storage.

quote:
Originally posted by Arak Koba:
At turn 39? You're saying, 3.9 years into the game?

[ 26 March 2002: Message edited by: Arak Koba ]

Gromit · #6 March 27th, 2002, 01:47 AM

Never played multiplayer but can you or the host still check/uncheck empires in the "Players" menu and arrange a surrender? That would certainly speed up early research if it were possible.

DavidG · #7 March 27th, 2002, 01:48 AM

Games stats were: single planet start, Home planet: bad, Tech level: low, Tech cost: Medium
Player stats are: Scientist, Inteligence: superior

quote:
Originally posted by Phoenix-D:
That depends. What size start was it, what's his culture, and what's his Intelligence attribute.
Phoenix-D

Lisif Deoral · #8 March 27th, 2002, 01:56 AM

I suspect that it might be possible to cheat (in some way) on a PBW game. Anyway, I can't imagine how a player could get extra research points or techs.
It is obviously possible if the game is hosted by a player (just as an example, he could mod the game without letting you know...).
BTW, he might have traded techs. I took part in a large game once (20 empires, no AIs, IIRC): extensive (and planned) tech trading among allies speeds up the process a lot.

PvK · #9 March 27th, 2002, 02:04 AM

Yes, trading techs with allies (especially if they coordinate to research different fields), and/or conquering AI's can let you fly through the techs.

PvK

Gimboid · #10 March 27th, 2002, 02:08 AM

quote:
Originally posted by DavidG:
Games stats were: single planet start, Home planet: bad, Tech level: low, Tech cost: Medium
Player stats are: Scientist, Inteligence: superior

All these points listed above might make one lean towards thinking that the possibility of cheating exists, but i know that in a single planet start game i will have 50k+ research points before turn 40. And if i wasnt building up my minerals and military infrastructure i could probably have close to 100k by turn 40.

Thru a combination of a few lucky ruins and a determined research focus on the technologies you have listed him as having it might be possible to get that level of technology that early in the game.

And as PvK said any ai takeovers are a bonus to all your resource production. If he has taken over a few of the nearest neighbours he could have huge research production by now (approaching 150k possibly)