Rules and Strategy for our beloved game
Hi,
here's my take on a pconfig for a no-alliance game. If you have anything to add or change, say so.
This is the Pleiades configuration. I disabled CPEnableAllies, CPEnableGive, CPEnableRemote, and CPEnableShow. I would start this with random map, AMaster, PList 3.2, as usual.
# # PHost 4 Configuration File -- Simple Version # # This is a simple configuration file for starters. It contains only # the required parameters; all the little "unimportant" ones were left # out. # # This configures a "standard" game with PBP build queue, all PHost # features on (except remote control which is confusing to many # beginners). The choice of battle type is done with the shiplist.txt # file. # # This file does not contain a %PCONTROL section; add one if you wish # to have add-ons in your game. "complete.src" contains a pcontrol # section which you can copy. # % PHOST # # Overall game characteristics # GameName = North Star 1 AllowRegisteredFunctions = Yes ScoringMethod = Compatible NumShips = 500 AllowPlayerMessages = Yes AllowAnonymousMessages = Yes CPEnableGive = Allies CPEnableAllies = No CPEnableRaceName = Yes CPEnableRemote = No # WraparoundRectangle is only used when AllowWraparoundMap is Yes. # On a "flat" map, the map is as big as it is. AllowWraparoundMap = Yes WraparoundRectangle = 1000,1000,3000,3000 RoundGravityWells = Yes # # Player Preferences # # Players can change these using CP commands. You can turn off the # "Language" command if you only have the plangeng.hst language file. # In "Language", the first element is the Host's choice of language. # All other settings are "No" (conservative defaults that work with # all clients). # Language = English,English,English,English,English,English,English,English,English,English,English,English AllowMoreThan50Targets = No,No,No,No,No,No,No,No,No,No,No FilterPlayerMessages = No,No,No,No,No,No,No,No,No,No,No AllowMoreThan500Minefields = No,No,No,No,No,No,No,No,No,No,No CPEnableLanguage = Yes # # Minefields # ## General AllowMinefields = Yes AllowWebMines = Yes MineDecayRate = 5 MaximumMinefieldRadius = 200 CPNumMinefields = 500 ## Movement through Mines MineHitOdds = 1 WebMineHitOdds = 5 MineHitOddsWhenCloakedX10 = 5 HullTechNotSlowedByMines = 7 ## Mine Sweeping MineScanRange = 250 AllowMinesDestroyMines = Yes # Note that because Mine Sweeping happens after decay in PHost, the sweep # ranges must be larger than in THost to yield roughly the same results. MineSweepRate = 4 MineSweepRange = 5 WebMineSweepRate = 3 WebMineSweepRange = 3 FighterSweepRate = 0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,15 FighterSweepRange = 0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,80 AllowColoniesSweepWebs = No ### Ion Storms IonStormActivity = 0 IonStormsHideMines = Yes # # Planets (Production) # RaceMiningRate = 70,200,100,100,100,100,100,100,100,100,100 ProductionRate = 100,100,100,100,100,100,100,100,100,100,100 StructureDecayPerTurn = 1 StructureDecayOnUnowned = 1 ColonistTaxRate = 200,100,100,100,100,100,100,100,100,100,100 MaxPlanetaryIncome = 6000 ClimateLimitsPopulation = Yes AllowEatingSupplies = Yes ClimateDeathRate = 3 BorgAssimilationRate = 100 # # Planets (Combat) # GroundKillFactor = 1,30,1,15,1,1,1,1,1,1,1 GroundDefenseFactor = 1,10,1,5,1,1,1,1,1,1,1 FreeFighters = 0,0,1,1,1,1,1,15,0,0,0 AllowPlanetAttacks = Yes # # Ships (Building) # AllowPriorityBuild = Yes BuildQueue = PBP BuildChangeRelativePenalty = 100 BuildPointReport = Allies RecycleRate = 75 AllowShipCloning = Yes ShipCloneCostRate = 300,300,200,200,2000,200,1000,200,200,300,200 ## PBP Building PBPCostPer100KT = 250 PBPMinimumCost = 500 PBPCloneCostRate = 200 ## Ship Build Queue # (The SBQ parameters are ignored when you use a PBP queue. We just # show the defaults for a PAL queue.) SBQBuildPALBoost = 1 SBQNewBuildPALBoost = 1 SBQPointsForAging = 1200 SBQBuildChangePenalty = 0 SBQBoostExpX100 = 0 ## Acquiring PALs # The idea behind a PAL queue is that you have to destroy 2N kt mass # to be granted a N kt priority build. PALDecayPerTurn = 0 PALPlayerRate = 100 PALCombatAggressor = 0 PALAggressorPointsPer10KT = 2 PALOpponentPointsPer10KT = 2 PALAggressorKillPointsPer10KT = 8 PALOpponentKillPointsPer10KT = 8 PALCombatPlanetScaling = 80 PALCombatBaseScaling = 120 PALShipCapturePer10Crew = 0 PALRecyclingPer10KT = 10 PALBoardingPartyPer10Crew = 0 PALGroundAttackPer100Clans = 0 PALGloryDevice = 0 PALGloryDevicePer10KT = 10 PALGloryDamagePer10KT = 2 PALGloryKillPer10KT = 8 PALImperialAssault = 0 PALRGA = 0 PALPillage = 0 PALIncludesESB = No PALShipMinekillPer10KT = 4 ## Ships (Movement) AllowNoFuelMovement = No ## Ships (Missions) AllowBuildFighters = No,No,No,No,No,No,No,No,Yes,Yes,Yes AllowDeluxeSuperSpy = Yes AllowRebelGroundAttack = Yes AllowSuperRefit = Yes AllowHiss = Yes AllowExtendedMissions = Yes AllowBeamUpClans = Yes AllowBeamUpMultiple = Yes ## Cloak CloakFailureRate = 0 CloakFuelBurn = 5 DamageLevelForCloakFail = 21 AllowCloakedShipsAttack = Yes AlternativeAntiCloak = Yes AntiCloakImmunity = No,No,No,No,No,No,No,No,No,No,No ## Rob RobCloakedShips = No RobFailureOdds = 5 ## Tow AllowOneEngineTowing = No AllowBoardingParties = Yes TowedShipsBreakFree = Yes AllowTowCloakedShips = No AllowAlternativeTowing = Yes ## Scanners ScanRange = 300 SensorRange = 250 DarkSenseRange = 200 ExtendedSensorSweep = Yes # Ships (Combat) AllowFedCombatBonus = Yes # # Wormholes # AllowWormholes = Yes WrmVoluntaryTravel = Yes WrmTravelCloaked = No WormholeUFOsStartAt = 51 % phost AllowAlternativeCombat = Yes AllowEngineShieldBonus = Yes AllowESBonusAgainstPlanets = Yes BayLaunchInterval = 2 BayRechargeBonus = 1 BayRechargeRate = 40,42,40,39,36,41,40,40,37,42,40 BeamFiringRange = 25000 BeamHitBonus = 12,12,12,13,12,12,12,12,10,13,12 BeamHitFighterCharge = 460,460,460,460,460,440,460,460,450,500,430 BeamHitFighterRange = 100000 BeamHitOdds = 70,70,70,70,70,70,70,70,66,71,70 BeamHitShipCharge = 600,600,600,600,600,570,600,600,630,580,550 BeamRechargeBonus = 4,4,4,5,4,3,4,4,6,4,4 BeamRechargeRate = 4,5,4,6,5,3,4,4,6,4,4 CloakedMineTravelSafeWarp = 2 CloakMineOddsWarpBonusX100 = 5 CPEnableShow = Allies CrewKillScaling = 30,20,30,30,30,39,15,30,30,30,30 DamageLevelForChunnelFail = 11 EModBayRechargeBonus = 0,0,0,0 EModBayRechargeRate = 4,8,5,0 EModBeamHitBonus = 2,2,3,5 EModBeamHitFighterCharge = 0,0,0,0 EModBeamHitOdds = 4,4,5,8 EModBeamRechargeBonus = 0,0,1,1 EModBeamRechargeRate = 0,1,1,2 EModCrewKillScaling = -6,-9,-12,-15 EModEngineShieldBonusRate = 3,6,9,12 EModExtraFighterBays = 0,0,1,1 EModFighterBeamExplosive = 0,0,0,0 EModFighterBeamKill = 0,0,0,0 EModFighterMovementSpeed = 0,0,0,0 EModHullDamageScaling = 0 EModMaxFightersLaunched = 2,4,4,4 EModMineHitOddsBonus = 10,20,30,40 EModPlanetaryTorpsPerTube = 1,2,4,7 EModShieldDamageScaling = 0 EModShieldKillScaling = 0 EModStrikesPerFighter = 0,0,0,1 EModTorpHitBonus = 1,2,3,4 EModTorpHitOdds = 1,2,3,5 EModTubeRechargeBonus = 1,1,2,3 EModTubeRechargeRate = 1,2,3,5 EngineShieldBonusRate = 20 EPCombatBoostLevel = 0 EPCombatBoostRate = 100 EPCombatDamageScaling = 200 EPCombatKillScaling = 800 EPPlanetAging = 10 EPPlanetGovernment = 40 EPRecrewScaling = 30 EPShipAging = 15 EPShipAlchemy100KT = 5 EPShipChunnel = 60 EPShipHyperjump = 60 EPShipMovement100LY = 60 EPTrainingScale = 45,50,40,55,45,50,48,50,55,70,50 ExactExperienceReports = Yes ExperienceLevelNames = Recruit,Soldier,Experienced,Elite,Ultra Elite ExperienceLevels = 750,1500,3000,6000 ExperienceLimit = 9000 ExtraFighterBays = 3,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0 FighterBeamExplosive = 9,9,9,10,9,9,10,9,10,6,9 FighterBeamKill = 9,12,9,10,9,9,13,9,8,6,9 FighterFiringRange = 3000,3000,2800,2800,3000,3300,2900,3200,3000,3000,3000 FighterKillOdds = 10 FighterMovementSpeed = 300,310,300,290,300,300,300,290,275,300,320 FireOnAttackFighters = Yes HullDamageScaling = 20,20,20,21,20,20,20,20,18,20,20 MaxFightersLaunched = 30,30,30,30,30,30,30,32,30,30,30 MaxShipsHissing = 10 MeteorShowerOdds = 2 MineTravelSafeWarp = 2 NumExperienceLevels = 4 PlanetaryTorpsPerTube = 0 PlanetsHaveTubes = Yes RamScoopFuelPerLY = 1 RGANeedsBeams = Yes ShieldDamageScaling = 40,40,48,40,36,40,40,40,60,36,40 ShieldKillScaling = 0 ShipMovementSpeed = 100,100,100,100,110,90,100,100,90,100,100 StandoffDistance = 10000 StrikesPerFighter = 5,5,5,4,5,5,5,5,5,7,5 TorpFiringRange = 30000 TorpHitBonus = 13,13,14,13,10,13,13,13,7,12,11 TorpHitOdds = 50,50,52,52,47,52,61,51,42,49,44 TowStrengthDistanceScale = 12 TowStrengthEngineScale = 1 TubeRechargeBonus = 7,7,8,7,8,7,4,6,9,6,8 TubeRechargeRate = 30,29,31,30,31,30,27,29,34,29,31 UseBaseTorpsInCombat = No WrmScanRange = 150
The best option is anonymous players.
Hi,
here's my take on a pconfig for a no-alliance game. If you have anything to add or change, say so.
This is the Pleiades configuration. I disabled CPEnableAllies, CPEnableGive, CPEnableRemote, and CPEnableShow. I would start this with random map, AMaster, PList 3.2, as usual.
Also you can add
AllowPlayerMessages = No AllowAnonymousMessages = Yes?
And advanced paranoid level:
CPEnableRaceName = No AllowShipNames = No
Also you can add
AllowPlayerMessages = No AllowAnonymousMessages = Yes?And advanced paranoid level:
CPEnableRaceName = No AllowShipNames = No
I will add these for a truly anonymous game.
But, currently, the server is very talkative and it makes no sense to disable in-game messages when you can as well click at a username on the game page to send a PM. Disabling that needs a major coding effort.
These settings make alliances harder, but do not completely disable cooperation. No game setting can disable cooperation (even with disabled messages, I cannot prevent two players to team up by mail "let's join this game, look what races we get, and then cooperate").
Unlike the previous games, this one has the written rule "no alliances" and I (and most players who join, probably) expect this rule to be honored, even if not enforced to the last bit.
--Stefan
But, currently, the server is very talkative and it makes no sense to disable in-game messages when you can as well click at a username on the game page to send a PM. Disabling that needs a major coding effort.
Don't waste your time. It's not a poker tournament with a prize pool of several million.
These settings make alliances harder, but do not completely disable cooperation. No game setting can disable cooperation (even with disabled messages, I cannot prevent two players to team up by mail "let's join this game, look what races we get, and then cooperate").
You're absolutely right. Exactly this I had in mind when I said that game with anonymous players is not a panacea.
Even two bad guys cooperates before the game starting, it is not FIVE or SIX bad guys, that cooperates through the game.
As for me, I have no problem with alliance of even ten players, if the game will be played and finished for one week 
But I have lack of years to spend such kind of games 
But, currently, the server is very talkative and it makes no sense to disable in-game messages when you can as well click at a username on the game page to send a PM. Disabling that needs a major coding effort.
Don't waste your time. It's not a poker tournament with a prize pool of several million.
These settings make alliances harder, but do not completely disable cooperation. No game setting can disable cooperation (even with disabled messages, I cannot prevent two players to team up by mail "let's join this game, look what races we get, and then cooperate").
You're absolutely right. Exactly this I had in mind when I said that game with anonymous players is not a panacea.
Stefan, can you to create in "no-alliance" game the file "auxcmds.txt" with next commands?
1: enemies add 2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,a,b
.....
b: enemies add 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,a
And to set parameter CPEnableEnemies=No
Stefan, can you to create in "no-alliance" game the file "auxcmds.txt" with next commands?
1: enemies add 2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,a,b
.....
b: enemies add 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,a
And to set parameter CPEnableEnemies=No
It's a bad idea.
Stefan, can you to create in "no-alliance" game the file "auxcmds.txt" with next commands?
1: enemies add 2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,a,b
.....
b: enemies add 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,a
And to set parameter CPEnableEnemies=No
I had actually considered this, but rejected it because it changes game mechanics a little more than usual, and I have never tried it in a real game. This will turn every primary-enemy setting into a "Kill" mission.
But if it gets more votes, I'll happily add it.
--Stefan
It's a bad idea.
Ok. I am already understood.
How about CPEnableShow=No?
How about CPEnableShow=No?
After having a look into the manual I've got to say that I'ld really like the idea of playing a game FFA, with forbidden alliances and NAPs and diplo but still keeping a way to show things around the owner subject doesn't want to be seen. So I'ld rather make this a YES than a NO. 
![[Posting]](/res/icon_rsay_24x24.png){kind=icon}
Re: A no-alliance game
How about CPEnableShow=No?
CPEnableShow=Allies allows showing around only to allies. Because you are not allowed to make allies, this turns out the same as No.
PlanetsCentral builds configurations from building blocks. CPEnableShow is here. Using "Allies" instead of "No" allows this building block to be used in more situations.
CPEnableShow sits at the bottom of the config between the combat options simply because it's not contained in the template, and comrade computer doesn't know where to put it...
--Stefan
ScoringMethod = None
This way nobody knows how many ships or planets have the others.
ScoringMethod = None
This way nobody knows how many ships or planets have the others.
This unfortunately only means the host will not tell you, but my talkative server will still draw nice graphics.
This anonymisation feature actually is the top wishlist feature now. Fortunately, it's winter holiday = coding time, soon
--Stefan
btw, a game with no alliances should have no turn limit. I hope that everyone agrees that this is a given. if you know that everyone around you is an enemy you will start the game in a cautious way (except maybe pirates), and to expand you will have to make careful steps which need time.
so please, no turn-limit. It would ruin the whole game.
Hi all.
I used to play with friends on a private host. I once managed to convince them to play a game with no alliances and no information:
No alliances and no remote control
We disabled a configuration parameter to hide how many ships, planets and starbases the other players had. You only knew what you had and you could only guess when the ship limit was going to be reached. I can't remember if that parameter was "ScoringMethod", but I am sure that can be easily checked.
Although in previous games we played with 999 ships, in this particular game we set the ship limit to 600 or 650.
Of course we knew each other, so I could communicate privately with my good friend Player1 and try to cooperate with him to attack Player7. But that can't be avoided in a private game of this kind or in an anonymous game in Planetscentral. So we can only trust that the people entering the game are committing themselves to following the rules. Like no communication.
We invented a new score (we gave it the name EuriScore): it was a mixture of PTScore and Player Activity Score (PAScore). I can't remember the details now, but it was something like this:
EuriScore = k * PTScore + j * PAScore where k and j are numbers you can tweak to please everyone, like k=0.01 and j=2 If j is big enough so as to make PAScore contribution to the EuriScore more important than the PTScore (double or triple), then the incentive for winning the game is to fight (or rob). But PTScore also adds to the final score, so economy is also important but not the final objective.
One last thing we did was to allow each player to choose whatever race they wanted. If the pconfig is such that doesn't give any particular advantage to a certain race, let's say the Rebels, then the game will take long to start because nobody will want to join as the Rebels, and somebody will be tempted to join with a dummy account to start the game early. In that private game of ours, there were 2 or 3 Lizards, a couple of Privateers, 1 Borg. Maybe nobody played the Robots or maybe 5 players chose the Klingons. But everyone played the race they wanted. In an anonymous game.
Another possibility, that we never explored, to see who is the best player is to play all with the same race. For example, a game with 11 Colonials. Nobody has any special advantage over anybody else. Just play and try to beat your oponents.
Just a few thoughts.
Cheers.
btw, a game with no alliances should have no turn limit. I hope that everyone agrees that this is a given. if you know that everyone around you is an enemy you will start the game in a cautious way (except maybe pirates), and to expand you will have to make careful steps which need time.
so please, no turn-limit. It would ruin the whole game.
I'm the webmaster of a VGA-Planets spanish hosting site, http://www.vgaplanets.es and we use some tools very interestings that I suggest to use here.
We play with 999 ship limit, but it doesn't mean that there is going to be 999 ships in the game.
We play with a add-on called Planet Limit Ships, PLS.
PLS is an addon which, instead of giving 500 ships for the 11 players, gives each player a number of ships slots equal to the number of planets he controls (in fact, the number of slots is equal to the number of planets the player controlled last turn).
PLS can be configured so each different race has a different "adjustment coefficient" for the relation slots/planets. It is used to favour some races that may need more ships to be competitive.
The default value is 100,100,100,100,100,100,100,100,100,100,100 , which meand that every race gets 100 ship slots for every 100 controlled planets.
Controlling a planet is not the same than owning it.
Owner of a planet vs. Controller of a planet: the controller of a planet is the player that, in the last 9 turns [CONFIGURABLE], owned the planet for most turns.
With this add on the game does not need to decide who builds next: you can only build if you have a free slot, and each race have guaranteed a minimum of slots, so you can recycle your own ships to build a stronger ship, because the slot is yours. Beautiful.
And the players have to do nothing. Just act knowing about this ruleset. It does not need client support.
You can download the PLS here: http://www.vgaplanets.es/descargas/PLSWIN16.RAR
It's a 16 bit DOS program, so you need to run it on a 32 bit system.
This in an example of configuration of PLS in a Game.
You have to activate it and to edit the pconfig.src after running the first turn.
% PCONTROL
# TransferOwner = Normal
TransferOwner = Before *pls -t C:\AT\PHOST4\GAMES\GAME1
TransferOwner = After *pls -T C:\AT\PHOST4\GAMES\GAME1
LargeMeteors = Normal
MeteorShowers = Normal
AntiCloak_1 = Normal
DeluxeSuperSpy = Normal
NewNativesAppear = Normal
RobMission = Normal
GamblingShips = Normal
CargoDump = Normal
CargoTransfer = Normal
TrimShipCargo = Normal
Training = Normal
BeamTransfers = Normal
GatherMission = Normal
BeamUpCredits = Normal
MinefieldDecay = Normal
MineLaying = Normal
MinesDestroyMines = Normal
MineSweeping = Normal
MinefieldScan = Normal
WormholeScan = Normal
WebDraining = Normal
SpecialMissions_1 = Normal
BuildFighters = Normal
BuildTorpedoes = Normal
Alchemy = Normal
ShipBuildOrders = Normal
# ShipBuilding_1 = Normal
ShipBuilding_1 = Before *pls -b C:\AT\PHOST4\GAMES\GAME1
DumpOldBaseParts = Normal
# BaseMissions_1 = Normal
BaseMissions_1 = Before *pls -f C:\AT\PHOST4\GAMES\GAME1
BaseMissions_1 = After *pls -F C:\AT\PHOST4\GAMES\GAME1
SupplyRepair_1 = Normal
# BoardingParties = Normal
BoardingParties = Before *pls -p C:\AT\PHOST4\GAMES\GAME1
BoardingParties = After *pls -P C:\AT\PHOST4\GAMES\GAME1
FreeFighters = Normal
TowResolution = Normal
Movement = Normal
GloryDevices = Normal
Chunneling = Normal
AntiCloak_2 = Normal
ColonizeMission = Normal
SupplyRepair_2 = Normal
BaseMissions_2 = Normal
# Combat = Normal
Combat = Before *pls -c C:\AT\PHOST4\GAMES\GAME1
Combat = After *pls -C C:\AT\PHOST4\GAMES\GAME1
SupplyRepair_3 = Normal
Terraforming = Normal
SensorSweep = Normal
SpecialMissions_2 = Normal
PlanetaryProduction = Normal
PlanetaryHappiness = Normal
PlanetaryTaxation = Normal
PlanetaryGrowth = Normal
PlanetaryLosses = Normal
# ShipBuilding_2 = Normal
ShipBuilding_2 = Before *pls.exe -B C:\AT\PHOST4\GAMES\GAME1
Assimilation = Normal
SuperSpyMission = Normal
ShipExploration = Normal
# Experience = Normal
Experience = Before *pls.exe -e C:\AT\PHOST4\GAMES\GAME1
% PLS
PLS_ShipsBeforePLS = 450
PLS_RaceBalance = 105,105,105,105,125,90,105,90,90,90,90
PLS_MinShips = 43,43,43,43,52,37,43,37,37,37,37
PLS_TurnsToControl = 9
PLS_AllowPDx = Yes
# PLS_DestroyType = BattleOrder
PLS_DestroyType = None
# PLS_DestroyType = Random
PLS_FuellessDestroy = 20
PLS_DestroyCaptured = No
PLS_SendGuess = Yes
Comments:
PLS_ShipsBeforePLS = 450 indicates the PLS is activated when the 450 ship limit is reached.
PLS_RaceBalance = 105,105,105,105,125,90,105,90,90,90,90
The Privateer will have 125 slots por each 100 planets he controls, for example.
PLS_MinShips = 43,43,43,43,52,37,43,37,37,37,37
Minimum slots guaranteed for each race.
- One last thing we did was to allow each player to choose whatever race they wanted. If the pconfig is such that doesn't give any particular advantage to a certain race, let's say the Rebels, then the game will take long to start because nobody will want to join as the Rebels, and somebody will be tempted to join with a dummy account to start the game early. In that private game of ours, there were 2 or 3 Lizards, a couple of Privateers, 1 Borg. Maybe nobody played the Robots or maybe 5 players chose the Klingons. But everyone played the race they wanted. In an anonymous game.
The privateer must be only one.
I don't need more of their.
I have set up the game: North Star 1. The "North Star" name should be a mnemonic for "No alliances", just like Pleiades stands for PList.
According to snouka's suggestion, I made it without an end condition, otherwise, it's the same as described here.
I hope I'll manage to look into PLS, but that's a little more work than just configuring. Yeah, lame excuse again... But if anyone's interested what I'm doing planets-wise, I could set up a blog :-)
--Stefan
I shall play.