Re: GALAXY : How to handle dropped players ?

From: gdeyoun@my-dejanews.com

Date: Thu, 25 Jun 1998 00:00:00 +0000

In article <graeme.898761913@guinness>,
  graeme@postimpressions.co.uk (Graeme Griffiths) wrote:
>
>
> We recently touched on the subject of what to do when a player drops out of
> a game of Galaxy without actually doing anything. I think most people will
> admit its not practical to give the player to someone else as invariably the
> position has lost a good few of the early turns and will therefore always be
> behind any competent players in the game. It may be a challenge but its
> going to be seriously hard work.
>
> So I started thinking about what you need to do to even the game up.
> Essentially the only problem with a player just dissappearing is that there
> is then a home-world up for grabs close to one (or more) players.
> Experienced players know to then probe that planet to see what it will take
> to claim it for themselves. This unbalances the game unfairly.
>
> What I propose, and I'd like to hear opinions on this, is to add a bit of
> code to the bit in process.c that removes idle players. Currently, very
> little is done but I suggest a check to see if the player has fulfilled some
> crtieria of development. If they have, the code will do exactly what it does
> now. If they haven't I suggest a removal of all their ships ala NG and the
> changing of their homeworld into an normal planet (i.e the resource and size
> will drop to a random amount). This, I think wouldn't affect normal players
> who simply miss orders (who can then claim their position back from the GM
> as normal) but anyone who hasn't really made an impact on the game will
> simply cease to exist and not have any affect on the rest of the game.
>
> The criteria is obviously difficult. Peoples opinions of what to do at the
> start of the game vary but I'd suggest anyone who has colonised a planet has
> at least made a stab at playing and is therefore likely to want the position
> back if it drops. That would be an easy check. Another criteria could be the
> production of a ship with weapons.
>
> So what do Galaxy players an GM's think ? I'm bound to not have considered
> something but it seems like a neat solution to an anoying problem.
>
> Comments ?
> --
> Graeme Griffiths - Post Impressions (Systems) Ltd
> Disclaimer: I do not speak for anyone but myself and I do that badly.
> Mail: graeme@postimpressions.co.uk
> Spam: All unsolicited mail will be reported, and billed for my time.
>

After reading Frans statement, I agree with a few of his ideas.

1. I don't agree with a 1 or 2 turn dropout, I think 3 is fine because the
real-life factor does happen, and reclaiming a dead position is a pain.

2. I like the idea of random tech and ship generation, it frees up alot of the
AI or BOT question.  I do think though if a ship is to be built it should
contain weapons and shields, not cargo ships.

3. The idea of the 5% reduction I think should be implemented in all stages of
the game instead of clearing the player totally.  In addition, the random
generation should kick in with the 5% reduction.  This would really simulate a
real life decline, or civil-war.

4. Add in a piece so one planet makes probes, and is the dead player is
probed a probe should be sent back to the other player?  I realize this could
be difficult, but I don't think the AI should route cargo, and fighters
around.  It should just build defensive capability, and probe back.

5.  If no weapons ships are designed by the dead player a prebuilt designs
should be used like a defense station, or destroyer, or fighters. (i.e. Mass
99 station, mass 49.5, 39.6 destroyers, mass 4.4, 9.9 fighters, and mass 1
probes/flak)

6.  It would be nice to build a scripting module into NG that allows the
creation of BOT's for mundane tasks, like cargo transport, and such.  This is
a feature in alot of the commercial(WIN95)strategy/sim space games have
today. The idea of AI governors or admirals and such.  It would be a nice
touch if I could build a script of orders and/or actions I want a admiral to
take and give him a small fleet and go tell him to raid.  Or, to build a
planetary gov. script to tell it to build industry, or CAP and to ship it to
the nearest planet in 5 parsecs, I understand ROUTES does this function, but
it is limited.	To make things fair for all players basic scripts can be
built and posted for general use.

Just my 2 cents,
Greg (Warlocks)

Warlocks Galaxy Homepage
http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/8093

-----== Posted via Deja News, The Leader in Internet Discussion ==-----
http://www.dejanews.com/   Now offering spam-free web-based newsreading

References

GALAXY : How to handle dropped players ?
graeme@postimpressions.co.uk (Graeme Griffiths)
Thu, 25 Jun 1998 00:00:00 +0000

Referenced By

GALAXY : How to handle dropped players ?
graeme@postimpressions.co.uk (Graeme Griffiths)
Thu, 25 Jun 1998 00:00:00 +0000