Multiplayer RP Scenerio (long)

[Chrowl]

Hi all, I'm very new to the game (not the genre) and am a long-time fan of the Starfire series (both paper play and fiction). I would be very interested in joining your game as the Ophiuchi. My reason being, I am not experienced in PBW, I am not experienced with Strategic combat (or simul. mov.) yet, and I am just getting ready to explore the awesome sounding Proportions mod. I wouldn't want to hamstring the war effort too much when my carriers start ramming Arachnid cruisers . Seriously though, If your timetable is to start in mid-May, then I might have enough under my belt to at least keep the fighters flowing.

To get the story straight, this will be an alternate timeline where the fringe rebels from the Federation before first contact with the Arachnids correct? Wow.

I have two other quick questions. Will the Ophiuchi still get a fighter bonus with the Proportions Version? and can foreign fighters launch from allied carriers?

Oh, I have an extensive Starfire system map .bmp somewhere. I'll see if I can't dig it up and send it along.

One more thing, wouldn't drones make awesome stand-ins for Arachind gunboats?

[Phoenix-D]

grr. I tried to post earlier, but it ate it.

You've got them Interesting idea on the drones..

"To get the story straight, this will be an alternate timeline where the fringe rebels from the Federation before first contact with the Arachnids correct? Wow."

Specifically what happens: first contact is delayed, so the Federation doesn't have the "pressure release" of the Arcachnid war, and the civil war boils over early. The scenerio starts one month after a sucessful nuclear strike on Galloway's World- all the units that would rebel have done so, but the fringe is still unconcentrated. Meanwhile, First Contact with the bugs hasn't happened. Yet.

"I have two other quick questions. Will the Ophiuchi still get a fighter bonus with the Proportions Version? and can foreign fighters launch from allied carriers?"

Yes, and no. I've got a couple surprises I'll throw in with PvK's permission. I need to find out how to manage two empires at once on PBW, for one.. if I can't, the closed warp points go down the toilet

Phoenix-D

[Skulky]

If there are any more spaces left i would love to join as a small neutral or pirate empire that woudl just sit by and add diplomacy and other stuff to the game

[email protected]

[Phoenix-D]

There aren't any small.. hmm. I suppose I could make up the Tangri. They IIRC a slight annoyance. Pirates with delusions of grandure from what I can tell.

Phoenix-D

[Sinapus]

I just had an idea for simulating military vs. commercial drives. Use the solar sail for commercial drives and combat movement ability for the military drives.

[Phoenix-D]

PvK already has efficent vs normal engines in his mod. The efficent engines have much better "gas milage" but produce less overall thrust.

Phoenix-D

[Phoenix-D]

The game will probably start about the time PBW gets moved and back ready to go, from what I can tell.

Phoenix-D

[AJC]

One way to deal with the engine damaging weapons is to make the engines regenerate. Basically self repairing systems. In a cybernetic mod I have created (but never posted) - engines regenerated 2 points each- and were a bit tougher in order to absorb the damage. the end result was a ship could get hit by ionic weapons and still move- unless it was hit with overwhelming fire power..

here is an extract from my mod,

Name := Ion Engine IV
Description := Standard Ion Engine for sub-light inter-system travel. Nano technology incorporated into the engine enable self repair.
Pic Num := 9
Tonnage Space Taken := 10
Tonnage Structure := 25
Cost Minerals := 300
Cost Organics := 0
Cost Radioactives := 70
Vehicle Type := Ship\Base\Drone
Supply Amount Used := 10
Restrictions := None
General Group := Engines
Family := 9
Roman Numeral := 4
Custom Group := 0
Number of Tech Req := 2
Tech Area Req 1 := Propulsion
Tech Level Req 1 := 3
Tech Area Req 2 := Cybernetic Technology
Tech Level Req 2 := 4
Number of Abilities := 4
Ability 1 Type := Standard Ship Movement
Ability 1 Descr := Generates 1 standard movement.
Ability 1 Val 1 := 1
Ability 1 Val 2 := 0
Ability 2 Type := Supply Storage
Ability 2 Descr := Can store 500 units of supply.
Ability 2 Val 1 := 500
Ability 2 Val 2 := 0
Ability 3 Type := Movement Bonus
Ability 3 Descr :=
Ability 3 Val 1 := 0
Ability 3 Val 2 := 0
Ability 4 Type := Armor Regeneration
Ability 4 Descr := Regenerates 2 points of damage per combat turn.
Ability 4 Val 1 := 2
Ability 4 Val 2 := 0
Weapon Type := None

[ 30 April 2002: Message edited by: AJC ]

[Chrowl]

Hello again, I've a few more questions and comments regarding this up-coming game (I can't wait).

<LONG POST ALERT!>

My main question is, How exactly does PBW work? Do you sumbit a turn a day or do you all pre-arrange a suitable time and play through as many turns as possible? I searched on it but "PBW" turns up a lot of irrelevant hits.

Secondly, how do you go about setting up this kind of game? Is there a scenario editor that allows you to place and populate colonies and such? I think I heard you (Phoenix-D) mention that you play each empire into position? That can't be right...

What sort of tech level will the players be starting at? Will new techs be available for discovery during the course of the game? Any specific exclusions (I think you mentioned a couple before).

As for comments, I had a few thoughts about some things that seem applicable to the game situation. Feel free to reject any of these as irrelevant or ignorant as I am still very new.

Role-Playing: It goes without saying for this type of game, but players who are at all familiar with the circumstances surrounding ISW-4 KNOW what we're in for. Since I believe you said there will be a short calm before the swarm (ha! get it?) the non-civil war races shouldn't start building up for the invasion on turn one or making other such preparations. Also, I might suggest slight alterations in the points of contact (if you were going to be that specific), I and also I'm sure Big Game Hunter, are familiar with both books covering this and would be hard-pressed to not (even subconciously) exploit that knowledge.

Finally, I have a few suggestions regarding empire set-up, but I can e-mail those to or PM you later. I don't mean to step on your toes or anything since I'm sure you have a pretty fair idea of how you want this all to run (and I've been playing all of 3 weeks), but I get a lot of time to think on the subway and have just come up with a few ideas that I thought might be cool. Anyway, thanks for listening and I look forward to your reply.

[Phoenix-D]

"My main question is, How exactly does PBW work? Do you sumbit a turn a day or do you all pre-arrange a suitable time and play through as many turns as possible? I searched on it but "PBW" turns up a lot of irrelevant hits."

http://seiv.pbw.cc Essentially it does all the work that the game host would need to do in a play by email game. The turns can be sent in anytime, and it can be set to go to the next turn if a player takes too long.

"Secondly, how do you go about setting up this kind of game? Is there a scenario editor that allows you to place and populate colonies and such? I think I heard you (Phoenix-D) mention that you play each empire into position? That can't be right..."

It is. Patience and lots of it. The map editor helps.

"What sort of tech level will the players be starting at? Will new techs be available for discovery during the course of the game? Any specific exclusions (I think you mentioned a couple before)."

Don't know, yes, yes. Excluded: quantum reactors, drones (probably), emergancy resupply, solar sails (NOT panels).

"Role-Playing: It goes without saying for this type of game, but players who are at all familiar with the circumstances surrounding ISW-4 KNOW what we're in for. Since I believe you said there will be a short calm before the swarm (ha! get it?) the non-civil war races shouldn't start building up for the invasion on turn one or making other such preparations."

Actually there's a built in excuse for this. I have an event happening that will take care of some problems, and make most empires mighty parinoid..

"Also, I might suggest slight alterations in the points of contact (if you were going to be that specific), I and also I'm sure Big Game Hunter, are familiar with both books covering this and would be hard-pressed to not (even subconciously) exploit that knowledge."

Maybe, maybe not. The exact system configurations will be different, but probably not the points of contact. OTOH, I may have a few NEW points of contact..

"Finally, I have a few suggestions regarding empire set-up, but I can e-mail those to or PM you later."

Email! Email!

"I don't mean to step on your toes or anything since I'm sure you have a pretty fair idea of how you want this all to run (and I've been playing all of 3 weeks), but I get a lot of time to think on the subway and have just come up with a few ideas that I thought might be cool. Anyway, thanks for listening and I look forward to your reply."

Go ahead and send it

Phoenix-D