Thoughts wanted... From: ericsum@aol.com (EricSum) Date: Thu, 29 Jan 1998 00:00:00 +0000 I am currently in the design phase of a PBEM that is a classic space opera, and am looking for some suggestions or ideas on player startup. I realize that you can't make too much of an informed decision at this point, just let me know if any of these idea immediately seem like the best. I am writing the game so that it will be big on conquest and diplomacy, in the fashion of Olympia and Atlantis where there are few computer controller players. Some of the startup formats I have considered: 1 - Everyone starts on the same planet and moves out from there, like BSE. The players would be safe around the startup planet but on their own after moving away from there. 2 - Players start in different portions of the galaxy. Let's say that there are 4 possible startup places, players would be distributed around the galaxy as they sign up for the game. The starting planets would be safe havens. 3 - Two startup places, on opposite ends of the galaxies. Players who start on Planet X have no knowledge and would be given no info on players who started on planet Y. When ships from X and Y meet, they are not given email addresses or anything like that, their turn reports do not indicate in any way whether the ship they are encountering is player run or computer run. I thought for a while that this might be interesting, but have pretty much decided against it, unless you all can give me a good reason and some ideas for doing it this way. 4 - Every player has a planet. Each player would start on their own planet with one ship and one small base. Startup planets would not be safe havens. Newcomers who show up later in the game would have to lay really low or immediately find an ally to help defend their homeworld until they could do so themselves. Designing the database for the game has been going smoothly, it is tentatively just called "Space". Players will have the ability to own and operate multiple starships and planetary bases. In my head, I am formulating the history of the galaxy that the game takes place in, and it favors the single planet for everyone startup, but could also accomodate the everyone has their own planet idea. Any thoughts? - Eric All Ham Classifieds http://www.geocities.com/~ericsum/ham/index.html Referenced By Up