Posted by: Rich.h
« on: September 29, 2015, 04:47:59 PM »
Due to the way Aurora works with so many different "turn" lengths, the only way I can see it being feasible is through a game master system. Something similar to the old PBM and PBEM sci fi games (such as Beyond The Stellar Empire). However due to just how vast a game Aurora is, even this would be a major headache for the person taking the GM role. You could simply give each player a 30 day time slot where they can do whatever they want and put down both their empire orders during that 30 day slot. Then the GM can go ahead with a game set up where they have all the player empires in play and carry out each set of orders, which stops and notifications where appropriate.
The combat side of things might not be too bad, but the issue I see most is just standard contacts without combat. If player A decided they simply wanted to scout out a system and player B was aware of their presence you have the potential for combat. But if player B decides to simply watch the scout you could easily end up with the GM running through 2 hours of real time turns just to play out the encounter with no real outcome of sorts, do that a couple of times and no doubt anyone would tire of the GM role.
For using it as a multiplayer battle only game though it could work, though you would need to set some basic ground rules to prevent things getting too long winded. Hook up a laptop or pc to a big screen and use this for a system display window, while keeping the rest of the windows on the GM;s laptop screen, each player can give the GM their "secret" orders how they want their fleets to act. Then things get played out in front of everyone. To reduce the headache too much you could agree that the battle will take place within a given area only (say the total Jovian system up to the outer moon orbit). You would also need to do away with the notion of stealth otherwise you are relegated to the prospect of either physically swapping things round each "turn" while others look away (Laser squad style), or each running an instance of the same database and simply trusting each other to not look. Personally I cannot think of a way that Aurora will happily lend itself to doing multiplayer without some form of immersion breaking going on which could spoil the flow of things. But you could use it as a battle only simulator kind of how the Time Commanders TV show used to do.