24-09-2004 21:00									#1
	Looking for PBEM players for custom SMAC mod Remove this text

Greetings all,

I am looking for experienced SMAC players who might be interesting in participating in a PBEM using a custom SMAC mod that incorporates 7 entirely original factions, a redesigned tech tree, modified social engineering settings, and sundry tweaks to alpha.txt. The resulting game is challenging and highly competitive. The raised nutrient requirement (to 3 per population) and large, arid map (a result of modified world generation variables) result in fewer optimal base sites, more conflict over territory, a greater need for terraforming, and more cautious resource management.

If there is interest in playing this mod, I'll post more details.

Thanks!

	25-09-2004 09:23									#2
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Sounds interesting. Would you send the alpha.txt? To see it. My address
xxmarcin777@hotmail.com
it's spam protected, so take out first two "x" letters from it

	26-09-2004 11:13									#3
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I have received the file, Thank you. I will try it now.
---
Ok. Mod looks very interesting with its new technologies.
However there is an issue with map sizes. As I read somewhere the largest possible size is 256 tiles. So the standard map, as you declared starts ok (128x256) Larger ones crash the game. Have you actually been able to play larger sizes?

Last edited by mart7x5 on 26-09-2004 at 11:55

	26-09-2004 23:50									#4
	Got spare money?

I would love to take a look at it and perhaps play.

DSYoungEsq@msn.com

	27-09-2004 03:56									#5
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I load the factions by editing alphacentauri.ini, right?
I take it the rest is done with a change of alphax.txt .

Will this PBEM be a serious competition, or more of a child's playground?
If it's serious, I can play.

I've set up a mail account to receive data:
h a r d c o r e _ s m a x @ y a h o o . c o m

	27-09-2004 18:51									#6
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In response to questions:

mart7x5: I have been able to play SMAC on maps up to 1024 x 512 in size without crashes and with minimal slowdown. I am currently running a PBEM game with this mod on a 1024 x 512 map, and between my machine (running Mac OSX) and the other human player's Windows machine, we've had no performance issues due to map size. Our only problems thus far have been with navigating such large areas (isolated factions tend to develop faster than factions with hostile neighbors) and with inefficiency losses due to the large empires. Increased movement rates have hopefully reduced the first problem (though I think a 512 x 256 map will be more conducive to earlier conflict), but the efficiency issue is more of a social engineering challenge.

Dubhghlas: I will e-mail you the alpha.txt file when I get home from work.

Hardcore SMAX: This is by all means a call for serious compeditors. I have edited the alpha.txt file, tech descriptions, and blurbs files and added some custom .pcx files to the techs folder to reflect the new technologies. The custom factions were drawn up from scratch, and include custom graphics and setup files. I will send you the alpha.txt file as well, if you want to see it.

I will post more information in this thread about the new techs and custom factions later today so all can see. I am hoping to recruit four players who will be able to contribute a turn on a regular basis. Of course, standard PBEM rules will apply.

Thanks all for the interest!

	27-09-2004 21:05									#7
	Got spare money?

I am the person Fluxionman has been playing PBEM games with using his mod. I was using a 933MHz P3 with 256MB of memory running Windows 98SE, and I did not have problems with the map size.

	28-09-2004 05:56									#8
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Well, send me the files I need, and a short instruction manual if I need to do more than merely overwrite and load the new factions.
My turn rate will be either twice daily or daily, depending on how fast the turns come in.

Be warned: I'm adept at learning quickly. Expect to be steamrolled.

	28-09-2004 06:32									#9
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quote: Originally posted by fluxionman ...mart7x5: I have been able to play SMAC on maps up to 1024 x 512 in size without crashes and with minimal slowdown. I am currently running a PBEM game with this mod on a 1024 x 512 map, and between my machine (running Mac OSX) and the other human player's Windows machine, we've had no performance issues due to map size.

Sounds very intriguing. Would you maybe quickly create a multiplayer game, any faction, with two players maybe, no passwords, with that largest size, and send it to me? Not for play now, but for testing only. I wonder if that would work on my machine. Apparently I cannot create a game like that, but once the map exists, maybe I could play it?
Thanks

	28-09-2004 06:48									#10
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Proxima Centauri: Divergence

This mod came about as an experiment in custom faction creation and evolved into a rewrite of many of the basic rules of Alpha Centauri with an aim toward making the game more challenging (i.e., difficult) for human players. Proxima Centauri takes place on a map that is overall larger, less hospitable, and more dangerous than most Alpha Centauri maps. (Play is at the Transcend level on a large map (512 x 256), with low cloud cover, low erosion, and abundant native life.) The most significant change in gameplay is the increase of the nutrient requirement from 2 to 3 per citizen; this, combined with a dry planet and reduced nutrient output from bases and improvements means that initial base survival hinges on site selection and terraforming. Bases will not automatically grow, as in games with the default settings; they must be carefully managed to produce the excess nutrients required for growth. Moisture will be restricted to river-fed areas and western slopes, and nutrient bonus squares become very valuable resources. Another factor making the early game extra challenging is the requirement of pre-requisite technologies for basic terraforming actions: Biogenetics (farm), Industrial Base (mine), Doctrine: Intelligence (sensor array), and Applied Physics (solar array). (In other words, without one of these techs at start, your formers can only Build Roads, Remove Fungus, or Terraform Flat.) This also stimulates early tech trading between factions. The raised nutrient requirement results in a game where few bases rise above size 2-3 until advanced terraforming options or supply crawlers become available. Recycling tanks are essential. The best base sites encompass moist or wet squares with nutrient bonuses, and can become contested territory between neighboring factions.

On crawlers: I decided to keep crawlers in the game because I like how they extend the ability to extract resources. This especially important with the raised nutrient requirements; crawlers can also be used to ferry nutrients from established bases to frontier bases. But in order to keep them from becoming endemic, the pre-designed crawler has been removed from the game, and the cost of the supply module has been drastically increased. The rationale for this is that the crawler unit represents not simply a single unit or group of units, but an entire fleet of transports and its attendant personnel and support infrastructure. Crawlers still function as normal, but now take many more minerals to complete.

New technologies are , in no particular order:

• Doctrine: Faith
  Moves Fundamentalist poilitics from SotHB
  
  
• Doctrine: Intelligence
  Provides probe teams and sensor arrays
  
  
• Doctrine: Destruction
  Planet Busters
  
  
• Oceanic Engineering
  A mid-step between Doc:Flex and Doc:Init, gives tidal harnesses and hydrophone buoys (sea sensors)
  
  
• Sensorial Transception
  
• Distributed Bionetworks
  
• Interactive Subliminics
  A handful of media-related techs
  
  
• Secrets of the Qi
  Psi defense, Telepathic Matrix
  
  
• Advanced Systems Engineering
  Divides up some of the special abilities from Nanometallurgy, gives Engineer specialist
  
  
• Advanced Rocketry
  Missiles and Rocket Launcher weapon, a mid-step between Fossil Fuels and Spaceflight
  
  
• Secrets of the Genome
  An early Secrets tech, Human Genome Project
  
  
• Quantum Resonance
  Plasma shard
  

	28-09-2004 06:50									#11
	Got spare money?

The new factions are based loosely on the default SMAC factions, though represent subtle divergences from the main story line and attempt to make groups that are less one-sided in nature. These factions are not balanced per se; at least one of them - Totality - is given a distinct advantage and is meant to remain under AI control (because the AI is dumb, and all that power eventually goes to waste). The others are fairly evenly matched with one another. What results is a game wherein six factions struggle to gain a footing on a desolate planet while aseventh shoots up on the power graph, growing like a virus. Having to team up vs. Totality in the early game makes for interesting interactions, I think, and gives players an "evil empire" to face together. When Totality is tamed, it's mid-game already and the real power struggle can begin.

Of the six available factions, two are "spoken for" - The Institute and Paradigm. These factions are actually headed by their respective players (no jokes about goofy leader portraits, please!). I might be compelled in future contests to give over control of "me" to someone else, but for now I'm happy being "me". Thus, there are four factions available for willing players: the Proteans, the Covenant, the Syndicate, and the Disciples.

	28-09-2004 06:58									#12
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Proteus Manifest ("The Proteans")
Leader: Negusa Amorpha
SE Goal: Eudaimonia
SE Restriction: Cybernetic
Starting techs: Biogenetics, Doctrine: Flexibility
Free facility: Biology Lab
Modifiers: +2 Growth, -2 Morale, -1 Planet, +1 Probe, +1 Research, +1 energy from fungus squares, Population limits +2

The charismatic Amorpha was a genetic technician working in the ship's medical facilities under Pravin Lal on Unity when the mishap occured. After planetfall, Lal was driven into exile by Amorpha's zealous followers and she assumed control of the faction.

The Proteans are genetic explorers and designers, a cult of bioengineers whose most closely held belief is that physiology should be self determined. To this end, they experiment constantly with DNA, splicing it into their own cells to alter their physical and biochemical makeup. This makes Proteans highly adaptable to a variety of environmental conditions. Proteans are aquatic (by self-design), highly hedonistic, and breed prodigiously, and their emphasis on genetics makes them excellent researchers; but their pleasure-seeking ways make them ill-suited to waging war and their exploitation of native lifeforms in their biological experiments puts them at odds with Planet.

	28-09-2004 07:03									#13
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The Covenant of the Chosen ("The Covenant")
Leader: Allfather Mikal
SE Goal: Fundamentalist
SE Restriction: Wealth
Starting techs: Doctrine: Faith, Doctrine: Mobility
Free facility: Perimeter Defense
Modifiers: +25% Fanaticism bonus, -1 Economy, +2 Growth, +2 Industry, -1 Planet, +2 Morale

Mikal was Sister Miriam's church secretary until after planetfall, when Miriam was killed after a suspicious fall into a deep gorge. Mikal assumed control of the Believer faction and instilled within them a new purpose and mission: to prepare Planet for the arrival of the Messiah by converting the world's population to their sect or destroying any who oppose them.

The Covenant is a communal religious sect waging a holy war against unbelievers. Led by Allfather Mikal, they see Planet as their promised land and are devoted to preparing it for the coming of the Messiah using any means necessary. Their fanaticism is reflected in combat, giving them an decided edge in all attacks. The tireless, selfless devotion of their citizens gives them impressive industrial output and growth, but the de-emphasis of material wealth has a negative effect on their economy. Also, their crusade to claim their new home at all costs puts them at odds with Planet's native life.

	28-09-2004 07:08									#14
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The Steel Rat Syndicate ("The Syndicate")
Leader: Oyabun Tetsu Itachi
SE Goal: Free Market
SE Restriction: Green
Starting techs: Doctrine: Intelligence
Free facility: None
Modifiers: +1 Economy, -2 Efficiency, +2 Probe, -2 Police, +1 Growth, -2 Research, Population limits +1, Share tech discovered by any 3 factions, starting energy 100, free probe team at start

A former small-time criminal and union organizer on Unity, Tetsu Itachi used his yakuza connections and single-minded determination to undermine Chairman Yang's authority after planetfall and found a criminal empire.

The Syndicate is a network of underground collectives directed by loosely organized criminal cartels. Syndicate bases, in the absence of direct government control, grow quickly, though keeping order is often a problem. The planetary black market is under Syndicate control, and the flow of unregulated goods through their bases gives a boost to their economy. Though their technological prowess is lacking, resulting in tepid research, they easily steal technologies that become widely known. Also, their probe capabilities are second-to-none thanks to insider connections and extortion. However, the corrupt nature of the criminal organization results in high inefficiency.

	28-09-2004 07:13									#15
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The Disciples of Qi ("The Disciples")
Leader: Sensei Dawn
SE Goal: Green
SE Restriction: Free Market
Starting techs: Doctrine: Loyalty, Centauri Ecology
Free facility: Tree Farm
Modifiers: +1 Morale, -3 Industry, -2 Research, +1 Planet, +1 Support, +25% Psi combat, +1 nutrients in fungus squares, 1/2 penalties to Planet

Dawn originally served as a spiritual advisor aboard the Unity, and soon after her awakening from hibernation, she discovered her innate extrasensory abilities. After planetfall, she fell in with the Spartans, where her Qi powers swiftly won her many followers. Claiming she lacked honor and discipline, Dawn challenged Corazon Santiago for leadership of the faction and defeated her in single combat, thereby taking command.

The Disciples of Qi are a circle of spiritual warriors devoted to honor, purity of thought, and the preservation of a natural way of life. Their affinity for Planet's natural life forms and innate psychic abilities make the use of native life forms possible from the start of the game. Because of this harmonious relationship with Planet, the Disciples also benefit from the ability to extract nutrients from fungus squares. They are formidable warriors in combat, especially psi combat. But their disdain for technological advance hinders their research and makes their industrial output slow.

	28-09-2004 07:17									#16
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The Planetechnic Institute ("The Institute")
Leader: Director Todd Melnick
SE Goal: Knowledge
SE Restriction: Fundamentalist
Starting techs: Information Networks, Industrial Base
Free facility: Network Node
Modifiers: Free prototypes, -2 Support, +1 Efficiency, +2 Research, +1 Industry, -2 Probe, +1 Talent per 5 population

Melnick was the Unity Systems Chief Engineer under Zakharov when the reactor mishap occured. During descent, Zakharov was poisoned by a lethal dose of gamma radiation, and was only just able to transfer the leadership of his faction to Melnick before he died.

The Planetechnic Institute is devoted to the furtherance of knowledge through research and the application of technology through engineering. Efficiency is the greatest virtue of the Institute's engineers, who perform their duties by following a rigorous set of standards and procedures, resulting in little wasted energy. Their research labs are models of efficiency, and the Institute gains prototypes for free due to their obsession with design. However, the emphasis on engineering requires the Institute to maintain a large infrastructure, leading to fewer extra resources available to support field units.

	28-09-2004 07:35									#17
	Got spare money?

Paradigm Omnimedia ("Paradigm")
Leader: Maestro Jason Clor
SE Goal: Democratic
SE Restriction: Police State
Starting techs: Social Psychology, Planetary Networks
Free facility: Hologram Theatre
Modifiers: +1 Economy, -2 Morale, +1 Probe, -1 Police, increased Commerce, +1 Talent per 4 population, 5% interest/turn earned on energy reserves

Clor was Media Director for Morgan Enterprises before the mishap, and after Morgan himself was killed in an explosive decompression during planetfall, he assumed control of the corporation. He named is Paradigm Omnimedia and shifted its focus away from industrial and commercial development and toward the fields of communications and entertainment.

Paradigm Omnimedia is a corporate media conglomerate focused on gathering information from around Planet and delivering news, information, and entertainment to the world's population in a variety of media. Because of the wide-reaching, all-pervasive nature of this media and its emphasis on advertising, Paradigm has a distinct economic advantage. They also gain some probe ability due to their investigative journalism focus, but their biggest weakness is citizens who prefer entertainment to military service. Paradigm citizens value free speech above all else, and disdain authority.

	28-09-2004 07:39									#18
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Totality ("Totality")
Leader: Totality
SE Goal: Cybernetic
SE Restriction: Democratic
Starting techs: Industrial Base, Applied Physics
Free facility: Recycling center
Modifiers: -2 Growth, +2 Industry, -3 Planet, +2 Support, immunity to mind control, +3 Population limits, +1 minerals from fungus squares, +1 Drone per 4 population

Totality is an artifical intelligence that was born from a union between a network of self-replicating, semi-autonomous Unity mining drones and their assimilated human hosts. This combination of organic minds and distributed computer control resulted in a collective awareness that has come to call itself "Totality" and claims sentience.

The Totality faction suffers from inhibited growth (humans in captivity breed poorly) and policing problems (uprisings are frequent), but it is an industrial powerhouse capable of replicating vast numbers of units that require little or no material support. This, combined with their aggressive, expansionist behavior, makes them a threat to other factions from the beginning of settlement until late in the game. By nature of their collective consciousness, Totality units and bases are immune to mind control.

	28-09-2004 07:41									#19
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There they are. As mentioned earlier, I'm looking for human players to fill the seats of the Proteans, Covenant, Syndicate, and Disciples.

I'd certainly be open to any comments or questions. And yes, all the graphics are original.

Thanks for your interest!

	28-09-2004 07:53									#20
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I would be interested in The Disciples.
Very interesting factions

	28-09-2004 08:10									#21
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quote: Originally posted by Hardcore SMAX Well, send me the files I need, and a short instruction manual if I need to do more than merely overwrite and load the new factions. My turn rate will be either twice daily or daily, depending on how fast the turns come in. Be warned: I'm adept at learning quickly. Expect to be steamrolled.

Do me a favor and check out the factions. Let me know if any of them suits your style of play, Captain Steamroller.

	28-09-2004 08:43									#22
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I'm going to pick the Proteans.
I made a strategy analysis, but I'll keep my information hidden until after the game.

Can I get the files from someone, or do I make them myself?

...what's so hard to crack about Totality?
Combine the Covenant with Paradigm Omnimedia and you've got a team that can do the takedown.

Heh. I'm just waiting to melt the caps, and kill the Covenant with the flood while I sit and regenerate.
...even more appropriate in that the SMAX world is wrapped around a cylinder.

Last edited by Hardcore SMAX on 28-09-2004 at 08:51

	28-09-2004 09:01									#23
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We are playing in standard Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri (no expansion), right?

Someone sent me the alpha.txt, but due to wordwrap it was corrupted.
Can the faction files, techs, blurbs and alpha.txt be sent (in a zip file) to h a r d c o r e _ s m a x @ y a h o o . c o m?

	28-09-2004 09:04									#24
	Got spare money?

I will need all files too. Please, zip it hotmail does not accept large files
xxmarcin777@hotmail.com
take out the two "x"...

	28-09-2004 09:10									#25
	Support Apolyton

I will bundle the necessary files with the proper line break format, zip them, and send them to interested parties by tomorrow so you can make sure they run and get some practice with them. (Yes - this is a SMAC mod, not SMACX.)

I will also post the ground rules and game settings that will be used tomorrow.

(I will assume everyone is running Windows unless I'm told otherwise.)

In the meantime, there are two more slots available for interested players - the Covenant and Syndicate.

	28-09-2004 12:41									#26
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Im intressted! xxsocialliberal@tiscali.sexx

	28-09-2004 15:26									#27
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What kind of turnrate are we looking at here?
1 turn per player per 3 days?
1 turn per player per 6 days?
That's a lot of time just to push a ColPod.

Is anyone free on Saturday or Sunday for a gaming binge?
I'm normally awake from 22:00 GMT Friday to 12:00 GMT Saturday, and again for Saturday/Sunday.

	28-09-2004 18:15									#28
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Firstblood: Of the two available factions, the Covenant and the Syndicate, which interests you more?

Hardcore: Ideally, I'd like to be able to make at least one full turn per day. If players are available over the the weekend to participate in a few fast rounds to get started, that would be helpful.

Normally, an accelerated start would be preferable. However, some of the custom factions - the Syndicate, most notably - have problems with drone riots in accelerated start games because they have not had the opportunity to counteract drones with rec commons.

	28-09-2004 18:59									#29
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And now for all the fine print:

Standard PBEM rules "spiel":

1. Players agree to complete and forward the turn as expediently as possible. Ideally, the turn should make it to each player once per day, minimum. Once turn order is established, players will forward the game file via e-mail and post in the turn tracking thread. Any cause for delay should be explained in detail and indicated in advance, if possible. All players' e-mail addresses should be available to all other players for communications purposes.

2. Players agree not to cheat. The game is a test of skill, and cheating is tantamount to admitting defeat. Cheaters will be ejected from the current and all future runs of the game. The following will be construed as cheating:

• Multiple reloads of the game files. Any crashes or other problems should be explained in detail.
  
• Multiple airdrops or orbital insertions performed with right-click menu.
  
• Using the Scenario Editor.
  
• Exploiting the "terraforming trick" for instant improvements.
  
• Executing an action that causes vendetta vs. a human player in the same turn as accepting a pending agreement. (I.e., you cannot attack a player knowing a treaty is about to be signed with them.)
  
• Setting a unit's home base to a pact brother's home base.
  

	28-09-2004 20:12									#30
	Lose 30 kilos (of popups)

Fun looking mod! I'm in, please. I like the Syndicate better, but I'll take the Covenant, because what a chance to role-play!!

Heathens, beware! If you thought Mirriam was the Voice of God on Planet, I am the Thunder and the Lightening, the Instrument of His wrath, and the Coming will be made ready!!!


Ship me what I need to know; I've read the text file, and am anxious to start.

Doug