[Imperial Historian]

Gnaw, on 30 May 2014 - 12:11 AM, said:

Move cruiser to the Ex-Exile homeworld

Didn't realise you could get your cruiser involved even better!

I'll react build a starbase in that tile when it comes to me.

First actual mistake I've seen twelve make for a long time! Unless its all a ploy...

[cerveza_fiesta]

======================================================================================
Kappa Volantis Attack Fleet Subspace Transmission; relay via > Formahaut array > Procyon
=======================================================================================

Simulacrum 001 data dump

Directorate command, we have intercepted and decoded the following subspace transmission between an unknown Lyran world and our neighbours to the north. It seems they have lost the will to fight for Kappa Volantis.

Our decision to outfit the dreadnoughts with additional computers was the correct one

D, on 30 May 2014 - 02:51 AM, said:

Tapper... I don't think we can beat this.

======================================================================================
End transmission
=======================================================================================

This post has been edited by cerveza_fiesta: 30 May 2014 - 01:01 PM

[twelve]

Imperial Historian, on 30 May 2014 - 10:04 AM, said:

Gnaw, on 30 May 2014 - 12:11 AM, said:

Move cruiser to the Ex-Exile homeworld

Didn't realise you could get your cruiser involved even better!

I'll react build a starbase in that tile when it comes to me.

First actual mistake I've seen twelve make for a long time! Unless its all a ploy...

No one is infalible. I screwed the pooch on this one.

[cerveza_fiesta]

I'll put in a...


PROVISIONAL PASS


Not much more I can do to alter things in K. volantis at this point anyway.

@ Morgoth

If no more material moves into K. Volantis (save for Tapper's dread), you probably don't need to do a flux missile reaction upgrade. Between my 4 shots and your 3, we should be able to dispatch the interceptors unless we're horrifyingly unlucky.

[Gnaw]

I'll try to get fresh map up in a bit.

Tatts - I'm assuming no reaction

D'rek - researches again

Khell - I'm assuming no reaction

Tapper - ??

CF - provisional pass

Morgoth - ??

IH - provisional build starbase

[Gnaw]

There's a new mini expansion.


Eclipse: Nebula (2014)

The Nebula is a cosmic cloud of dust and gas. The stars in the sector are too young to support colonizable planets, yet for brave explorers the Nebula offers powerful Discoveries and a perfect hiding place...

Nebula is the third mini expansion for Eclipse.

The expansion contains two Nebula hexes, one Ancient Monolith Discovery Tile and one Development / Rare Technology Board (on the back side of the rules sheet).

The two Nebula hexes are shuffled with the other Sector hexes before building the Middle and Outer Sector stacks. The Discovery Tile is shuffled with the other Discovery Tiles.

The Nebula is divided into three subsectors, connected by Wormholes. For Move, Explore and Influence rules purposes, each subsector functions exactly like a normal hex. When you Explore and place the Nebula, place one Discovery tile in each subsector with an Discovery symbol and one Ancient Ship in the subsector with the Ancient symbol. You cannot place an Influence Disc on the hex. The Discovery Tiles can only be claimed by having a Ship in the subsector at the end of the Combat Phase. If you place a Discovery Tile benefit in the Nebula, you must place it in the subsector where it was found.

When you collect the Ancient Monolith tile, place it in the hex where you found it. It functions just like a normal Monolith.

[Gnaw]

Damn. And I complain about how much time I've spent on attempting to make internet friendly images.

http://www.boardgame...-totale-project

[D'rek]

Gnaw, on 31 May 2014 - 12:06 AM, said:

Damn. And I complain about how much time I've spent on attempting to make internet friendly images.

http://www.boardgame...-totale-project

That's intense! And frankly I don't really like them that much, but props to that person for going through all the hard work to make that!

[Gnaw]

With the resizing of Table Top Simulator's maximum table size I think it's very possible to port Eclipse to it. Here's a quick mockup of a potential board:

Spoiler

 sample 4400 x 2600.jpg (1.73MB)
Number of downloads: 0

The game has zoom, pan, and scan functions. So the view should be even more readable than that jpg is.

They have a maximum of 8 players, but that doesn't mean we can't do a 9 player game. It's not like all 9 of us would ever likely be online at the same time. The "host" player simply needs to keep the game open. And I don't think that means an active connection, just a 'save' function. I really haven't played with it much because their previous max table size simply wouldn't have been enough.

In game chat. In game audio.

This post has been edited by Gnaw: 31 May 2014 - 07:51 AM

[Gnaw]

IF it works as advertised, IF I can get all the pics uploaded without hitting a mb limit, IF we dont' get a copyright infringement* take down notice, and a dozen other unknown IFs, I think this could work. A full game played in a week even with multiple timezones. Even 'game days' a la chatclipse, with a full game done in a couple of hours.

Everybody would be able to move their own pieces and real time board updates. No waiting on the mod to make new pictures!

*IF I understand the sandbox correctly, it's possible to have restricted images. No one but your group allowed to use them.

This post has been edited by Gnaw: 31 May 2014 - 07:57 AM

[Imperial Historian]

Awesome. This would be amazing. When I'm back from travelling I'll try and give you a hand with this.

[Gnaw]

Here are the basic ship outlines. Colors are for variations. 3 different Starbases, interceptors, dreads. 4 different cruisers.

Spoiler

 Basic blueprint ship outlines.jpg (204.25K)
Number of downloads: 0

I don't like the top of the dread, but their image really doesn't give much to go with. The alternative seems to be a straight line all the way across. But good enough for our purposes I guess.

Spoiler

 example blueprint with dread lowered.jpg (73.23K)
Number of downloads: 0

[D'rek]

Gnaw, on 31 May 2014 - 09:39 PM, said:

Here are the basic ship outlines. Colors are for variations. 3 different Starbases, interceptors, dreads. 4 different cruisers.

Spoiler

Basic blueprint ship outlines.jpg

I don't like the top of the dread, but their image really doesn't give much to go with. The alternative seems to be a straight line all the way across. But good enough for our purposes I guess.

Spoiler

example blueprint with dread lowered.jpg

What is this from and what are you planning on using it for?

[Gnaw]

D, on 31 May 2014 - 09:46 PM, said:

Gnaw, on 31 May 2014 - 09:39 PM, said:

Here are the basic ship outlines. Colors are for variations. 3 different Starbases, interceptors, dreads. 4 different cruisers.

Spoiler

Basic blueprint ship outlines.jpg

I don't like the top of the dread, but their image really doesn't give much to go with. The alternative seems to be a straight line all the way across. But good enough for our purposes I guess.

Spoiler

example blueprint with dread lowered.jpg

What is this from and what are you planning on using it for?

I made them. And new re-arranged playerboards. With fingers crossed, for use with the tabletop simulator.

[Imperial Historian]

I feel there is possibility for confusion between dread and cruiser. Maybe make the cruiser slightly smaller, and make the dread shape more pronounced by removing the pointy bit. The far right green dread looks much more distinct from the cruiser. I don't think you need different ship designs for plants either (which I presume is what the green images are).

Cheers for update on new tiles. Looks like the BGG store will be restocking pulsar and supernova in July too. May have to pick them up (I'm not a huge fan of pulsar tiles, but nova burst is such a fun discovery! And I do like supernova, especially supernova 2.0 with normal science planet so hydrans don't have an advantage.)New one also looks interesting.

[D'rek]

Gnaw, on 01 June 2014 - 01:10 AM, said:

I made them. And new re-arranged playerboards. With fingers crossed, for use with the tabletop simulator.

Can't you just use the existing images we are already using here?

[cerveza_fiesta]

D, on 01 June 2014 - 11:15 AM, said:

Gnaw, on 01 June 2014 - 01:10 AM, said:

I made them. And new re-arranged playerboards. With fingers crossed, for use with the tabletop simulator.

Can't you just use the existing images we are already using here?

Gnaw, are these the shapes you're going to scale down for use on the map, or are these just backgrounds to use on the player boards?

If they are just backgrounds, then no worries. Your shapes are 100% fine.

If they are for the game board, I would use something a lot closer to the existing ship pieces.

• A small isoceles triangle shape for interceptors
• Add wings to the interceptors to make cruisers
• Big isoceles triangle shape with stubby wings for the dreads

Those would be distinct at any scale I think, and closer to what we're all used to. Are you going to try and put together 3D models of the ships and other game pieces like they showed at the end of the tabletop simulator demo video (ie stacking the multicolour block shapes).

[Gnaw]

D, on 01 June 2014 - 11:15 AM, said:

Gnaw, on 01 June 2014 - 01:10 AM, said:

I made them. And new re-arranged playerboards. With fingers crossed, for use with the tabletop simulator.

Can't you just use the existing images we are already using here?

No.

cerveza_fiesta, on 01 June 2014 - 02:00 PM, said:

D, on 01 June 2014 - 11:15 AM, said:

Gnaw, on 01 June 2014 - 01:10 AM, said:

I made them. And new re-arranged playerboards. With fingers crossed, for use with the tabletop simulator.

Can't you just use the existing images we are already using here?

Gnaw, are these the shapes you're going to scale down for use on the map, or are these just backgrounds to use on the player boards?

If they are just backgrounds, then no worries. Your shapes are 100% fine.

If they are for the game board, I would use something a lot closer to the existing ship pieces.

• A small isoceles triangle shape for interceptors
• Add wings to the interceptors to make cruisers
• Big isoceles triangle shape with stubby wings for the dreads

Those would be distinct at any scale I think, and closer to what we're all used to. Are you going to try and put together 3D models of the ships and other game pieces like they showed at the end of the tabletop simulator demo video (ie stacking the multicolour block shapes).

Those are going to be for the redesigned player boards, just for the blueprints. I'm planning on using the existing ship images as is.
@D'rek. Given the size of the tabletop simulators maximum desk size (4400x2600), the only way to fit all the player boards on with room for a map is to redesign the player boards so they are longer and not as tall. The ship outlines that I posted above are going to be solely for use with the blueprints.

The other reason for redesigning the player boards is because a JPEG file sourced from a vector onject is smaller in size than the existing player board JPEG which is sourced from a raster image created by scanning them. And I'm afraid we're going to be running into some serious file size issues regardless. I may end up having to go with a player board much more like iOS version of the game.
TTS lets me make the table with a custom picture. But that picture has to be no bigger than 4400 x 2600. So I'm going to have to have the player boards, the availble tech board, and the hex outlines all in one JPEG image. And I'll have to have a space available for the dice to roll, I think. Because TTS acts like an actual table with pieces on it; the dice will move pieces when they roll and will also be affected by pieces on the board. We may be able to get around that by using the game 'floor' to roll the dice.
And I just had a idea. One of you (or any of you) that have the physical game, if I work out the ratio for the dimensions, could y'all try to figure out how to get all of the pieces into those available dimensions?
I still have two tabletop simulators I can give away as a gift. Who wants them? Or I can simply hold onto them until I find out if the game is even going to work.

This post has been edited by Gnaw: 02 June 2014 - 01:40 AM

[cerveza_fiesta]

Gnaw, on 02 June 2014 - 01:36 AM, said:

[upper posts edited out]

Those are going to be for the redesigned player boards, just for the blueprints. I'm planning on using the existing ship images as is.
@D'rek. Given the size of the tabletop simulators maximum desk size (4400x2600), the only way to fit all the player boards on with room for a map is to redesign the player boards so they are longer and not as tall. The ship outlines that I posted above are going to be solely for use with the blueprints.

The other reason for redesigning the player boards is because a JPEG file sourced from a vector onject is smaller in size than the existing player board JPEG which is sourced from a raster image created by scanning them. And I'm afraid we're going to be running into some serious file size issues regardless. I may end up having to go with a player board much more like iOS version of the game.
TTS lets me make the table with a custom picture. But that picture has to be no bigger than 4400 x 2600. So I'm going to have to have the player boards, the availble tech board, and the hex outlines all in one JPEG image. And I'll have to have a space available for the dice to roll, I think. Because TTS acts like an actual table with pieces on it; the dice will move pieces when they roll and will also be affected by pieces on the board. We may be able to get around that by using the game 'floor' to roll the dice.
And I just had a idea. One of you (or any of you) that have the physical game, if I work out the ratio for the dimensions, could y'all try to figure out how to get all of the pieces into those available dimensions?
I still have two tabletop simulators I can give away as a gift. Who wants them? Or I can simply hold onto them until I find out if the game is even going to work.

OK, your ship shapes look good then. It's not super important anyway.

I agree a condensed playerboard might be best. Don't worry about race pictures, fancy trim, conversion ratios or any of that (we can get by without them). Just use the bare minimum of borders and divisions necessary to keep things legible. I've not seen the ios interface, but you might think about condensing the ship blueprints into simple rows.

I know all that kills a bit of the flavour, but it's more important that it has all the functionality, right?

[Tattersail_]

No reactions from me.