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brianeyci wrote:One-off empires are only "threatening" in the sense this is a bit of an RP game, and you can dump worlds in your enemy's backyard and deny all responsibility for them. Five worlds with shipyards and weapons platforms and satellites, once you have a high enough technology level so the AI doesn't have to worry about research (the AI is rather stupid and makes tons of no research treaties), could make a rogue fleet. They could blow up colonizer, glass worlds, use biological weapons, without any ramifications to yourself at all if you RP it right as war by proxy.

Fortunately, I can still hold you personally accountable as a player for any and all shit that your little "rogue nations" pull.



But you know what's really horrible about this? Now I'm going to get spammed by treaty requests. I hate spam, Brian, I hate it. So, here's what I'm gonna do... whenever they send me a message, I'm going to head over to a porn sight, and sign you up for the hourly newsletter, m'kay?



Seriously, though, I doubt they're going to be very threatening. But if I lose anything because of those two little colonies, I'm not going to be happy.

Heh heh. What's going to look worse, a mighty 50 planet empire beating up on a little shithole, or some complaining by crystalline freaks about some racial responsibility (damn they're human, I better get my ass over there!) You might fool the Hi-gay-ans, but not many others.

Un-fortunate-ly for you, game mechanics are the final arbiter for everything. So if the Exiles claim they're my responsibility, I'll just throw my hands in the air and say, oh well, I can't control AI's .

As for the porn, I've managed to keep my gmail free of spam for its entire life, and only a few select friends, mainly real life friends, know of its existence. So if you go that way, the Federation and Suran will just have to pull their collective-control-most-of-the-galaxy weight on your ass and destroy you. With the little trick I made up to annihilate crystal. Yes, you feel so safe behind your twink armor, but I know how to beat it. Heh heh.

Yo I was looking at a max-tech game and saw that there was no difference at all between 107 and 108... then I realized I hadn't even installed 108 properly!

Wtf!

Good thing nothing fucked up. This hybrid version shit can't be good for the blood. Let's update like two or three months later instead of every two weeks.

brianeyci wrote:So if you go that way, the Federation and Suran will just have to pull their collective-control-most-of-the-galaxy weight on your ass and destroy you.

...What!?! What was that!?! Sorry! I couldn't hear what you just said, over the incredible volume of your self-tooting horn!

brianeyci wrote:Let's update like two or three months later instead of every two weeks.

Y'know, I can't wait for the next general patch... there's some sweet updates coming, like a color-coded quadrant map, and units that will follow formations.

I agree with the updating. We'll only update to a new Balance Mod when new versions of SE V come out.

Colonial, could you check your mail?

brianeyci wrote:Empires are like pirates. So the more of them there are the more powerful they get. It's only when you got ninjas, preferably one ninja, when it's a problem.

Inverse ninja law!!!
So someone else does know of it! Huzzah!

Hey, everyone! Just writing to let you all know about an upcoming situation with myself. I'll be moving soon, and expect to be out of commission for a few weeks, at least, and maybe more, depending on circumstances. I would ask my close ally, Covenant, to run my empire for me during the wait, but don't really think that would be fair to him, having to run two empires for, who know, maybe a month. So, I've asked a friend (who's not currently in the game) to take over for me, in the interim, and he's accepted. He'll have my PBW password, and everything.

I'll let you know more as I procede in the moving process.

Will your friend be checking the board, or is there some other way to contact him should the need arise?

Kingside_Bishop wrote:Hey, everyone! Just writing to let you all know about an upcoming situation with myself. I'll be moving soon, and expect to be out of commission for a few weeks, at least, and maybe more, depending on circumstances. I would ask my close ally, Covenant, to run my empire for me during the wait, but don't really think that would be fair to him, having to run two empires for, who know, maybe a month. So, I've asked a friend (who's not currently in the game) to take over for me, in the interim, and he's accepted. He'll have my PBW password, and everything.

I'll let you know more as I procede in the moving process.

It may be easier for me to run things. Plus, then I'm assured that my ally won't be retarded and decide to attack me. Please consider long and hard about letting someone outside of SDN run your Empire, especially as I can easily run someone's Empire for a month (I did it for Brian back in SEIV), and even more easily if they're my ally and it's essentially the same sensor data I'm seeing on my account anyway.

Kingside, your .plr file didn't load. That might mean you accidentally uploaded the wrong one, or it just might have gotten corrupted somehow. Hope you enabled the "AI does not make changes" setting. Too bad that's not enabled by default, would save a lot of headache.

It's not a bad idea to let Covenant run things. First because of the ally issue, and again with the contact issue. But the thing is Covenant ran the Federation (sigh always Federation, I wish I had a little more creativity) while he was Cardassian and there was no real conflict of interest. So if your friend wants to play I wouldn't deny him, except to say SEV is far from user friendly to start.

There seems to be two superpowers in the west, the Hiigarans and Exiles and the Federation and Suran. In the east, everybody's fighting for scraps. Watch the score.

I have been watching the score, and I can't help but notice that the western powers are gorging themselves in a planetary feeding frenzy. 42 planets for the top position, last I counted.

It's not over yet either. Still plenty of small reds for the Federation, in Federation space.

But take comfort that most of the planets are reds. I can count greens on two hands, or even one if you cut out all the small greens and take only the large and mediums, besides my homeworlds. What the reds do is give me a lot of yard capacity, and that's it.

The thing is the two superpowers, Federation-Suran and Hiigaran-Exiles, are unlikely to start a war with each other. It's not very in character. But don't think for a minute that we're together. The Federation and Hiigarans are on a hair trigger, and we aren't colonizing each other's space (if you were you'd see 70 or 80 insead of 50.) Thing is the Federation isn't going to go around conquering anybody out of pure spite or imperial ambitions. I've already ceded many planets I could've fought for, with the Hiigarans and the Ur-Quan, because I didn't think it in character for the Federation to fight over such crap.

So if you want land, come west, and fight the Federation for it. Because I'm sure as hell not going on a huge campaign of expansion, and I'm consolidating Keevan's and my own territory like mad.

Arthur_Tuxedo wrote:Kingside, your .plr file didn't load. That might mean you accidentally uploaded the wrong one, or it just might have gotten corrupted somehow. Hope you enabled the "AI does not make changes" setting. Too bad that's not enabled by default, would save a lot of headache.

This really sucks... I got hijacked by the AI -- and I turned that option off, first thing. I remember doing it. I'm pretty sure I uploaded the right file, too... I don't see how I couldn't have, but it's possible, I suppose. I installed SE:V on another computer today, though, and ran my turn from there... maybe I missed some important file... Though again, I don't see how.

The damage isn't really that bad, though, I guess... 70 some odd troops uselessly produced, some population scrapped (why...?), and, like, 40 new designs (one of which was the aforementioned troop -- that was "Rhak'Thrallan Design 31"). The real hit is all those colony ships that I've very specifically ordered to do very specific things -- wiped. That's going to be a nightmare. Clearing and redirecting orders for over 30 ships. A few even managed to make it to nearby planets, to my dismay. I haven't checked yet, but I'm sure some of those were tiny, red dots two hexes away from huge, green dots.

Ah, well.

I apologize to everyone who got spammed on my account, this turn. Evidently, I sent out some 11 messages. Please, ignore them all.

~~~

Anyway, on the whole world-gorging -- yeah, me and Brian are currently racing to see who can have more colonies, apparently. I figured most of yours were red, looking at your numbers. I initially had bad luck with that, too, but after I expanded a little, and with the help of some colonization treaties, I've actually found a pretty good number of greens.

I see that the Surans finally outstripped me for research. Good job. You'd have got me for colonies, Brian, if it hadn't been for the stupid AI colonizing god knows what... As for the starting of a war between the Furans and the Hiigiles, I'd tend to agree... the bounties of colonization are still pretty fruitful, which means I, personally, am in no mood to be engaging in war. Plus, we both play pretty passive types.

~~~

On the whole somebody-taking-over-my-empire thing, I also did it partially because my buddy just got into the game, and has been itchin' to try some multiplayer. He's an old MOO vet, so he's definitely saavy, and I though it'd be a good way for him to get to know some of you, since he'll likely be playing with us in the foreseeable future. Also, I didn't want to overburden Covenant -- I barely have time to run my empire, some nights (tonight, for example, my turn was in, like, 90 minutes before deadline). It would suck to have to run two empires, under such circumstances -- especially for such a prolonged period of time.

But if you're willing, Covenant, I'd definitely feel safer in your hands. You do a well enough job with the Hiigarans, obviously, and it would be easier on my part, for sure, if you don't mind.

So, are you sure you don't mind taking over for me for a little while?

EDIT: Incidentally, yeah, the guy's probably going to be registering on SDN shotly, since I told him there's such an awesome group of players over here.

Kingside_Bishop wrote:On the whole somebody-taking-over-my-empire thing, I also did it partially because my buddy just got into the game, and has been itchin' to try some multiplayer. He's an old MOO vet, so he's definitely saavy, and I though it'd be a good way for him to get to know some of you, since he'll likely be playing with us in the foreseeable future. Also, I wouldn't want to overburden Covenant -- I barely have time to run my empire, some nights (tonight, for example, my turn was in, like, 90 minutes before deadline). It would suck to have to run two empires, under such circumstances -- especially for such a prolonged period of time.

It's your call, just make sure he knows the situation. If he tries to sell me out or something, I'll consider that extremely poor sportsmanship. It'd make sense to give him my Email so he can check with me if he has problems, or for you to encourage him to join SD.N in order to get in the game. I actually joined SD.N to get in the SEIV game. This wierd place has a way of growing on you, and it'd make things easy. PMs beat fishing for Email accounts.

Because, really, I don't want him to go and be stupid! This game's got a seriously learnin' curve! And yeah, I'd be able to take it over. The best part is that there's no conflict of interest as we are allies, so I can openly use information I have available to me to do your stuff, instead of only relying on your channels. You and I, afterall, communicate freely. It wouldn't be that big of a deal. You'll want to brief me with some of your "Things I want to Accomplish" though, so I know what direction to take you.

Covenant wrote:

Kingside_Bishop wrote:On the whole somebody-taking-over-my-empire thing, I also did it partially because my buddy just got into the game, and has been itchin' to try some multiplayer. He's an old MOO vet, so he's definitely saavy, and I though it'd be a good way for him to get to know some of you, since he'll likely be playing with us in the foreseeable future. Also, I wouldn't want to overburden Covenant -- I barely have time to run my empire, some nights (tonight, for example, my turn was in, like, 90 minutes before deadline). It would suck to have to run two empires, under such circumstances -- especially for such a prolonged period of time.

It's your call, just make sure he knows the situation. If he tries to sell me out or something, I'll consider that extremely poor sportsmanship. It'd make sense to give him my Email so he can check with me if he has problems, or for you to encourage him to join SD.N in order to get in the game. I actually joined SD.N to get in the SEIV game. This wierd place has a way of growing on you, and it'd make things easy. PMs beat fishing for Email accounts.

Because, really, I don't want him to go and be stupid! This game's got a seriously learnin' curve! And yeah, I'd be able to take it over. The best part is that there's no conflict of interest as we are allies, so I can openly use information I have available to me to do your stuff, instead of only relying on your channels. You and I, afterall, communicate freely. It wouldn't be that big of a deal. You'll want to brief me with some of your "Things I want to Accomplish" though, so I know what direction to take you.

Ahh... a review of my quickly posted edits are in order:

Kingside_Bishop wrote:On the whole somebody-taking-over-my-empire thing, I also did it partially because my buddy just got into the game, and has been itchin' to try some multiplayer. He's an old MOO vet, so he's definitely saavy, and I though it'd be a good way for him to get to know some of you, since he'll likely be playing with us in the foreseeable future. Also, I didn't want to overburden Covenant -- I barely have time to run my empire, some nights (tonight, for example, my turn was in, like, 90 minutes before deadline). It would suck to have to run two empires, under such circumstances -- especially for such a prolonged period of time.

But if you're willing, Covenant, I'd definitely feel safer in your hands. You do a well enough job with the Hiigarans, obviously, and it would be easier on my part, for sure, if you don't mind.

So, are you sure you don't mind taking over for me for a little while?

EDIT: Incidentally, yeah, the guy's probably going to be registering on SDN shotly, since I told him there's such an awesome group of players over here.

So, in short, I'm asking you to take over for me.

The Surans are run by me right now for at least 4 more turns, and possibly 10 more, since Keevan's having personal problems. So if Covenant runs the Exiles, at least two superpowers will be in the same hands.

I agree with the learning curve. I've been talking a whole lot with Nephtys, or I wouldn't know half my tricks. People like Tuxedo and Trogdor had to spend who knows how many hours hunched over their computers fighting the AI before realizing certain things. And even Covenant admitted to me he made mistakes to start with, mostly because of bugs, but some because of lack of experience. Experience is really a key factor in SE, and it's either play like shit or play incredible. If I hadn't had previous SE experience, the Federation would be nowhere close. Although Keevan did an incredible job for being a first timer.

If your friend really wants an empire, the Federation could give him a world. Or better yet the Exiles can or the Hiigarans can. Just need to "Grant Independence" to give planets to an AI, give him a few planets to the AI to start out, and have Tuxedo mark the player as "human controlled." He'd have to send the .plr and get the .gam directly from Tuxedo. He should know he's coming in just for the RP though, because he'll be nothing with 5 worlds compared to any of the players who've been playing for 30 turns. It might be better to wait just a few more turns, because when you make the AI player the AI gets all your technology. So get a half decent technology base that can make rather good warships, give your friend some yard and resource worlds, and viola, he's in the game. As a two-bit man, but that's still cool if he likes RP.

EDIT: The best idea is probably granting independence to one world, and getting Tuxedo to mark it as human controlled. Then once your friend takes over that one world, you could gift more worlds to him as you deem fit. You could even spilt it up, him the Admiral of your navy and you the resource manager, although the messages and planning would be horrendous (if you miss one gift of minerals all the ships die from lack of maintainence.) Or just keep separate fleets, but his will be outdated unless you give him a niche like a carrier master. All this is really only possible if he's a really good friend and really interested, because it's a pain in the ass to get set up anyway, so it's not for some random.

We can't add a new player in PBW, though, so that would make things rather difficult. Once the kinks get worked out on my DJAS mod, we'll probably have another game using it, so he can get in on that one.

Sure we can. We destroy this PBW game and make a brand new one, and and dump everybody back in .

Yeah yeah, on second thought you'd need an almost unanimous decision to add a new player, because of the massive pain in the ass. Thirteen people for one guy doesn't sound great unless we know that one guy, and it might fuck up for some unknown reason. Plus it's not that fun starting as total shit and having no chance of winning at all.

So probably forget it. And DJAS, I've been forgetting about that shit, I'll get it run tomorrow.

Yeah... I don't know if that would be worth the effort. Besides, Tuxedo's going to be starting another game, eventually, and I myself am thinking about starting a shorter, more brutal game when I get settled down, so there'll be plenty of opportunity.

[quote=brianeyci"And DJAS, I've been forgetting about that shit, I'll get it run tomorrow.[/quote]...me too.

When the more brutal game does start, I would support 36 hour turns, and automatic execution by PBW if at all possible (what the fuck, Kwok is a Space Empires god so how come Balance Mod doesn't automatically turn?) We could even forget special shipsets and run stock balance mod for autoexecute, and 36 hour turns, with 4-6 players. Ideally 4 rather than 6. And medium technology. Fuck shipsets.

For the next game, I'd rather not start it unless it's supported by PBW autoexecute.

Kingside_Bishop wrote:Yeah... I don't know if that would be worth the effort. Besides, Tuxedo's going to be starting another game, eventually, and I myself am thinking about starting a shorter, more brutal game when I get settled down, so there'll be plenty of opportunity.

brianeyci wrote:And DJAS, I've been forgetting about that shit, I'll get it run tomorrow.

...me too.

Sure, I'll take over. Just tell me when you want me to start, send me a PM and we can figure out some of the details, and then I'll keep 'em going until you get back.

Covenant wrote:Sure, I'll take over. Just tell me when you want me to start, send me a PM and we can figure out some of the details, and then I'll keep 'em going until you get back.

Thanks, Covenant.

EDIT: It looks like the damage from the hijacking wasn't nearly as bad as I thought. None of the redirected colony ships made it to poor planets -- they all chose planets that, wile I was going to backfill them later, would have been colonized anyway.

Arthur, once I get my turn in, would it be possible for you to run a test generation for me? That is, generate the turn with my .plr file, to see if it'll screw up again? I was planning on using this new computer to play my turns for the rest of the game, but if the savegame files are going to be corrupting, it'd be nice to know.

Yeah, I'll do that. These things tend to happen in SE games, though, and they're usually just freak occurances.

EDIT: I hadn't even noticed the Fed ship Brian mentioned in his RP last turn. I guess I need to be more observant.