Advanced Tech and resources

[RTGPete]

So Pete.... how hard would it be to implement the addition of

larger pop neutrals to the mix?

 

Adding them in now would introduce a balance issue - some players have already explored every world within several star systems of their homeworlds, while others haven't. If I just added new neutrals in anyway, even onto already-explored worlds, you'd have to snoop on those worlds again, and I'd expect complaints from that end

[Laserwolf]

Adding them in now would introduce a balance issue - some players have already explored every world within several star systems of their homeworlds, while others haven't.  If I just added new neutrals in anyway, even onto already-explored worlds, you'd have to snoop on those worlds again, and I'd expect complaints from that end

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Dear Emperor,

A lowly technician is seeing significant EM emissions eminating from Warthog 3, Josiecat 1 and the 3rd moon of Cowbell 7, all places we have visitied and thought nothing was there. Perhaps we should return?

~Astro Emissions Test Agency

 

 

No problem, if they explored the world, tell them its there now. It'd be well worth it for them to go back to actually have gained from their work. You'd get no complaints.

 

Well, maybe from Locklyn... but even he'd be thankful.

[Lord Uriel]

Laserwolf,

 

Are the Acari a race of interstellar mites or am I missing something?

[General Miles Avatar]

Adding them in now would introduce a balance issue - some players have already explored every world within several star systems of their homeworlds, while others haven't.  If I just added new neutrals in anyway, even onto already-explored worlds, you'd have to snoop on those worlds again, and I'd expect complaints from that end

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Dear Emperor,

A lowly technician is seeing significant EM emissions eminating from Warthog 3, Josiecat 1 and the 3rd moon of Cowbell 7, all places we have visitied and thought nothing was there. Perhaps we should return?

~Astro Emissions Test Agency

 

 

No problem, if they explored the world, tell them its there now. It'd be well worth it for them to go back to actually have gained from their work. You'd get no complaints.

 

Well, maybe from Locklyn... but even he'd be thankful.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

An excellent idea Laserwolf. I would be curious as to how many would complain

about the possibility of having nuetrals suddenly pop up in thier sphere of

influence. It may even provide for more interesting battles for control over

the more populated ones.

 

And it would add some use to the diplomacy aspect of the game. perhaps these

neutrals would actually defend themselves against armed agression? and force

the use of diplomats?

 

either way it opens up a whole new aspect to the game...

[hobknob]

I don't need new neutrals, just find all the pop groups with a 90XX lifeform type and increase the population by a factor of 50 -100. Then if you already found a 2 pop neutral you could decide to go back or not. If you already absorbed a 3 pop neutral then you would now have 300 pop to do something with.

 

[Hughestrog]

I don't need new neutrals, just find all the pop groups with a 90XX lifeform type and increase the population by a factor of 50 -100.  Then if you already found a 2 pop neutral you could decide to go back or not.  If you already absorbed a 3 pop neutral then you would now have 300 pop to do something with.

 

   

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Seems like a reasonably suggestion- no-bodies complaining about the Santa RP's are they?

[Lord Uriel]

I am not opposed to this idea as I have two advanced neutrals in my home system for one of my empire.

 

However, has anyone thought of the possibility that this may involve hand entering code for possibly thousands (or more) of neutrals? This could be an impossible task.

 

Additionally, there a few tasks that remain incomplete and need to be finished.

 

 

Just my 2 cents.

 

Lord Uriel

[cestvel]

I am not opposed to this idea as I have two advanced neutrals in my home system for one of my empire.

 

However, has anyone thought of the possibility that this may involve hand entering code for possibly thousands (or more) of neutrals?  This could be an impossible task.

 

Additionally, there a few tasks that remain incomplete and need to be finished.

 

 

Just my 2 cents.

 

Lord Uriel

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Oh come on, that is a simple database update.

 

update popgroups set popsie=popsize*100 where popid in (9001, 9002, ..., 9750)

 

thats it. Even Access can do that.

 

Cestvel

[Lord Uriel]

ok, perhaps it is simple, or maybe it isn't set up that way. Only Pete really knows and as you've noticed he really doesn't answer questions very often. Additionally, considering his response to this issue, I don't see it happening.

 

But what would you rather have righ row, nifty neutrals or a finished naval document?

 

A nickel this time.

 

 

Lord Uriel

[RTGPete]

Not at all hard to automate, as the database knows the original empire # on every pop group and whether it's under neutral or player control. The problem is that such a change would greatly favor players who have gone to the effort of taking over large #'s of neutrals. If the change was minor, it wouldn't be worth doing; it major, it would likely upset players who don't have a lot of neutrals under their control.

[hobknob]

Yep, that is all too true. There is a down side to everything. How about just increasing the growth rate of neutrals so they might actually get large enough to be of use?

 

I know plenty of people who aren't looking for neutrals and there are plenty of folks that will drop troops on a 3 pop neutral. While I like the idea of much larger neutral populations, it would certainly change the dynamic of neutrals in the game. I have no idea how much things would change, but I am sure there would be more than a couple of folks who would feel slighted or at least disadvantaged. That seems to be the way any change in mid stream effects the player base. There will always be some who feel that the change is bad or that the advantage goes only to someone else.

 

[Clan Elder 'Keen]

Not at all hard to automate, as the database knows the original empire # on every pop group and whether it's under neutral or player control.  The problem is that such a change would greatly favor players who have gone to the effort of taking over large #'s of neutrals.  If the change was minor, it wouldn't be worth doing; it major, it would likely upset players who don't have a lot of neutrals under their control.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

I think the key there is the statement "players who have gone to the effort".

 

Unlike other activities such as research into a technology tree, there is nothing of an undoable or permanent nature here. There is nothing to say that one could not now go back and now do the pmaps or start diplomatic/military operations. After all, those with neutrals under control expended the effort to do so while those of us who did not instead put that $/time/orders to work in other directions and have already reaped the benefits of those other activites.

 

I have zero neutral pop groups under my control, and I have no problem with adjusting play balance to make them more useful. That is to be expected in an ongoing game of this nature. The key to the whole issue is to make the neutrals interesting but not overpowered. Right now they are neither.

[Laserwolf]

Are the Acari a race of interstellar mites or am I missing something?

 

You guessed it.

 

A race of sentient ticks and mites, evolved and cybernetically modified to endure nearly every environment; high in numbers, persistent in mission, often referred to as "Nanites".

[Laserwolf]

Not at all hard to automate, as the database knows the original empire # on every pop group and whether it's under neutral or player control.  The problem is that such a change would greatly favor players who have gone to the effort of taking over large #'s of neutrals.  If the change was minor, it wouldn't be worth doing; it major, it would likely upset players who don't have a lot of neutrals under their control.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Thats exactly the point, they DID the effort, much more effort than the benefit was actually worth it seems.

 

Even if the existing neutrals continued discovering/producing those odd things that were there when they were found would make them worth paying attention to.

 

Having them throw out a "WE'RE OVER HERE" beacon eminating from the Lacestockings system that was intercepted by any empire with a ship within 2-3 jumps would be cool. Then it is either a race to fight over a neutral or a worthwhile expenditure of new resources from the single empire that heard them.

 

Those folks that do the work (and spend the bucks) deserve to see some bene's from the work. Making them worth having only encourages other to play catch-up and do the work as well.

[General Miles Avatar]

Not at all hard to automate, as the database knows the original empire # on every pop group and whether it's under neutral or player control.  The problem is that such a change would greatly favor players who have gone to the effort of taking over large #'s of neutrals.  If the change was minor, it wouldn't be worth doing; it major, it would likely upset players who don't have a lot of neutrals under their control.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Thats exactly the point, they DID the effort, much more effort than the benefit was actually worth it seems.

 

Even if the existing neutrals continued discovering/producing those odd things that were there when they were found would make them worth paying attention to.

 

Having them throw out a "WE'RE OVER HERE" beacon eminating from the Lacestockings system that was intercepted by any empire with a ship within 2-3 jumps would be cool. Then it is either a race to fight over a neutral or a worthwhile expenditure of new resources from the single empire that heard them.

 

Those folks that do the work (and spend the bucks) deserve to see some bene's from the work. Making them worth having only encourages other to play catch-up and do the work as well.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Very good point!!! As a turn 1 player I actually did try to Orb each planet to see

if there were any neutrals but alas the universe was not as populated as we had hoped and the desicion was made to make our own colonies.

 

Thats not to say we wouldnt be very interested in neutral searching once again

if it was the worth the effort. In the beginning it wasnt but if the neutrals

turned up in greater number or much greater pop then I think most would agree it would be.

 

If the programming is that simple then I propose a vote by all players 1 vote

per account to either nix the idea or say yes.

 

Ill go on record and vote yes for the sole reason that its a win-win situation

for both RTG and the players