Multiplayer discussion

[Alfapiomega (OP)]

The viewer is read-only; it's not meant for use in playing the game.  Basically the way it works is that the tool runs through the DB and generates a bunch of json "report" files.  I upload those to my website, where the front-end PHP pages that have been created can read the json and present it in a tabular format.

I may go back and clean it up for public consumption.  Right now it has a few things hardcoded that are particular to my game.

I am sure I am not alone when I say: "That would be much appreciated"!

[Bgreman]

The viewer is read-only; it's not meant for use in playing the game.  Basically the way it works is that the tool runs through the DB and generates a bunch of json "report" files.  I upload those to my website, where the front-end PHP pages that have been created can read the json and present it in a tabular format.

I may go back and clean it up for public consumption.  Right now it has a few things hardcoded that are particular to my game.

I've gone ahead and cleaned this up and am releasing it.  You can find it here.  READ THE README!  I take no responsibility for it destroying your save games if it happens to do that, though, since its only reading from the DB and not writing, it shouldn't.  Use at your own risk.

Main thread here.

[Cripes Amighty]

I know this hasn't been posted in for nearly two months, but I've always been interested in a multiplayer session. One of the scenarios I had been thinking about would be a corporation based game where the GM is basically the government and controls all (or most) of the military ships. The players control corporations that focus on mining and researching, although their research options would be limited. For example, it wouldn't make sense to allow them to research Expand Economy. Their relationship with the government would be attempting to secure contracts for ships and other constructions, or they could be hired out to develop new colonies.

I saw a few people talking about using other forums. I always thought it would be cool to setup one major game, but have different teams on different forums. Each forum could add their own input and direct their empire, which would also open up the possibility for espionage and diplomacy and such, although it might be hard to manage all of it.

Just a few ideas.

[Alfapiomega (OP)]

I know this hasn't been posted in for nearly two months, but I've always been interested in a multiplayer session. One of the scenarios I had been thinking about would be a corporation based game where the GM is basically the government and controls all (or most) of the military ships. The players control corporations that focus on mining and researching, although their research options would be limited. For example, it wouldn't make sense to allow them to research Expand Economy. Their relationship with the government would be attempting to secure contracts for ships and other constructions, or they could be hired out to develop new colonies.

I saw a few people talking about using other forums. I always thought it would be cool to setup one major game, but have different teams on different forums. Each forum could add their own input and direct their empire, which would also open up the possibility for espionage and diplomacy and such, although it might be hard to manage all of it.

Just a few ideas.

Are you planning to do this?

[alex_brunius]

I saw a few people talking about using other forums. I always thought it would be cool to setup one major game, but have different teams on different forums. Each forum could add their own input and direct their empire, which would also open up the possibility for espionage and diplomacy and such, although it might be hard to manage all of it.

Just a few ideas.

That is an interesting Idea, Would you inform the players their opponents are active players on other forums or try to hide it?

It's also a great and logical way to divide a major game, having it all in one thread will be confusing if there are many players involved.

[Cripes Amighty]

Are you planning to do this?

I don't currently have the time, although I would love to if I did.

I feel like a corporation setting would cut down on a lot of micromanagement that comes with ordering fleets around. However, that also takes away a good portion of the fun. On the plus side, the corporations could still design their own personal military ships, they would just be limited in number and production. The government wouldn't want these businesses getting too powerful. I always imagined them focusing on commercial shipyards so that they can construct their own freighters, colony ships, fuel harvesters, asteroid miners, or terraformers. Or maybe one corporation specializes in specific ship construction and another focuses on R&D for component designs to produce better ships. They can then sell them to other corporations.

I've got a lot of ideas for it, I just wish I had the time.

That is an interesting Idea, Would you inform the players their opponents are active players on other forums or try to hide it?

It's also a great and logical way to divide a major game, having it all in one thread will be confusing if there are many players involved.

Informing them is what I'm unsure about. Very sensitive information would be openly available to anyone that stumbles upon the other teams forum thread. However, that adds to the fun of it and allows for open diplomacy and espionage.

But I also like the idea you suggested about having a subforum with limited access. I agree that forums are much better than PMs and using that setup would be a huge advantage to any multiplayer game.

[Erik L]

Limited access forums are certainly doable here. A forum for each faction that is limited to members of said faction, and a public forum with updates so non-players could see.

[Sematary]

I'd be interested in that.

[alex_brunius]

Limited access forums are certainly doable here. A forum for each faction that is limited to members of said faction, and a public forum with updates so non-players could see.

I have been planning a forum RPG MP campaign for a while now based on this setup

Once 6.4 hits and we can verify it's stable Id love to try it out.

[Panopticon]

I'd also be interested in either playing or running a game based on this, I actually have free time these days.

[Erik L]

I think the most interesting[1] would be having say a military leader (sends warships out), civilian (responsible for surveys/ gov't freighters/colonists), and a research directorate, per side. They can make plans and agree on paths to take, or just go at it.


[1] interesting in the Chinese[2] definition.
[2] NOT Steve's Chinese.

[3_14159]

I'd very, very much like to take part in such a game, though not (as I had thought a few months back) as GM, as I do not have enough time for that.

There had been a proposal for such a game on the B12 forums, with an interesting premise of limited influence, limited communications, and much more. This is something that sounds reasonable, and something I'd very much like, though I'd probably be part of nearly any mp game.

[Sematary]

I pretty well like the limitations on that game, though I think if we do get a game going we should talk about these things. I don't know if I have time to run the game but I would help with at least setting up the rules and such.

[alex_brunius]

There had been a proposal for such a game on the B12 forums, with an interesting premise of limited influence, limited communications, and much more. This is something that sounds reasonable, and something I'd very much like, though I'd probably be part of nearly any mp game.

Cool. That's almost exactly what I have in mind, although with a bit more freedom for Head of States to define supporting roles them self and recruit suiting members to fill them.

[3_14159]

Cool. That's almost exactly what I have in mind, although with a bit more freedom for Head of States to define supporting roles them self and recruit suiting members to fill them.

Picture me drooling. Also, reserving a slot ;-)
If you - or anyone else - is sure he or she'd be starting such a game, I'd propose we might open up a thread collectively designing such rules.


There have been a few other discussions and a poll regarding such games, too. Here is a discussion after Nightstar's game ended, including experiences from him about the game. Important results (quoting Nightstar):

• The time does in fact go up with the square of involved players. Isolationists help, but more than four real races is a horrible idea.
• Never ever EVER agree to control something manually that could be done another way. This includes any more than one fleet reorder unless they're making a full scale attack.
• Remember that a game will last months, not weeks.
• Civilians are evil. EVIL.

Additionally, in the course of looking for said replacement game, there had been a poll about different options here.