[Imperial Historian]

--Supernovas? - yes the ones with normal science planets, not advanced science
--Pulsars? - yes
--Nebulas? yes
--Which developments included and how many randomly drawn? - probably just all the developments as it's a 9 player game
--All discoveries (including the SP1 and Nebula ones)? - what are ship pack 1 developments, i don't think i have them. But supernova, pulsar and nebula developments yes
--GCDS, Ancient Dreadnaught, or Advanced GCDS? - either ancient dreadnought or advanced GCDS
--Alliances? - I think alliances slowed things down quite a bit, i'd be onboard with not having them, or if we do have them allow off thread communication
--Will choosing Terran/Magellan remove the opposite side of a player board from being chosen? yes, I like this mechanic

I think the RotA pass order works best, the variant where player order changes each time could be challenging I think.

I don't think going counter clockwise will make much difference in play times, the main delay is usually waiting for someone to come online in another timezone, which is exacerbated if you zig zag between timezones, if timezones are in order I don't think it will make much difference, but I could be very wrong here.

I'm not particularly wedded to any options so if someone has a case for something to be added/removed just say.

[Gnaw]

Imperial Historian, on 05 February 2015 - 06:44 PM, said:

--Which developments included and how many randomly drawn? - probably just all the developments as it's a 9 player game

Security Council is the SP1.

Minions of the Solstice is the 2013 christmas mini

Spoiler

 Minions of the Solstice rules.jpg (743.17K)
Number of downloads: 0

Edit: aplogies for not having that in the "gnaw's mostly compleat eclipse list". It will be included in the "gnaw's more mostly compleat eclipse list" along with the updated supernova hexes.
Edit2: and the monolith development discovery not development.

This post has been edited by Gnaw: 05 February 2015 - 07:12 PM

[D'rek]

Gnaw, on 05 February 2015 - 06:42 PM, said:

I agree with the everything. Including those 4 new ambassador developments.

What's this?

Imperial Historian, on 05 February 2015 - 06:44 PM, said:

--Supernovas? - yes the ones with normal science planets, not advanced science

Good point, use Supernova 2 instead of Supernova - not as game-breakingly amazing for Hydra that way. (On the other hand, with 9 players the odds of Hydra getting it are very low, and it means more risk, less overwhelmingly awesome, for those who do get them)

Imperial Historian, on 05 February 2015 - 06:44 PM, said:

--All discoveries (including the SP1 and Nebula ones)? - what are ship pack 1 developments, i don't think i have them. But supernova, pulsar and nebula developments yes

SP1 has the free interceptors discovery, and maybe some other new ones (can't recall). Nebula has the monolith discovery.

Imperial Historian, on 05 February 2015 - 06:44 PM, said:

--Alliances? - I think alliances slowed things down quite a bit, i'd be onboard with not having them, or if we do have them allow off thread communication

I think people will be less keen to jump into alliances now that we've had one game that became 3v3v2v1, but maybe not. I'd be okay with not having them at all.

[Blend]

If choosing one side of a player board automatically disqualifies the other, what are the extra races to choose from? I've only played with the regular 6.

[Gnaw]

Lyra, Exiles, Rho Indi.

expansion rules in pdf 18mb

This post has been edited by Gnaw: 05 February 2015 - 07:30 PM

[twelve]

Imperial Historian, on 05 February 2015 - 06:19 PM, said:

Ok I will draw techs and start setting up the board when I get a chance.

What do people think about partially doing the player order in relation to timezones? With europeans and north americans on opposite sides of the board (or at least people who most commonly post at similar times on the same side of the board), that way it will be more likely that players following on from each other will be awake after a new order is posted.

For example I've noticed in this game that often a NA posts, then the game grinds to a halt as the europeans are in bed and the game is waiting until they have got home from work and posted.

EDIT: Also nothing starts until game IV is done, otherwise we'll never finish it

This actually sounds like a great idea. Of course if all games are done this way we will all be sick of our neighbors as they will always be (mostly) the same.

[cerveza_fiesta]

If it matters, my vote is to include everything In the list as others have said. Supernova version used doesn't matter to me much, though the double science planets were pretty sweeT and could be very unbalancing if hydra got both in round 1. Thats the luck portion of the game tho as d'rek says..so whatevs.

Alliances are good, and might help aleviate the timezone issue if we allow off-thread discussion. Allies post moves for each other?

Also i'm all for timezone order. Break the list in 2 by zone, pick randomly which zone goes first, then randomize within each zone. I don't think there's any way that gives advantage to any one player, and promoting in-zone alliances doesn't matter since everything else is random anyway.

[twelve]

Gnaw, on 05 February 2015 - 07:28 PM, said:

Lyra, Exiles, Rho Indi.

expansion rules in pdf 18mb

Don't forget the Magellan

[D'rek]

Blend, on 05 February 2015 - 07:11 PM, said:

If choosing one side of a player board automatically disqualifies the other, what are the extra races to choose from? I've only played with the regular 6.

Gnaw, on 05 February 2015 - 07:28 PM, said:

Lyra, Exiles, Rho Indi.

expansion rules in pdf 18mb

With SP1 there's 10 player boards:

Terran Union/Planta
Terran Alliance/Orion
Terran Federation/Hydra
Terran Republic/Draco
Terran Conglomerate/Mechanema
Terran Directorate/Eridani
Magellan Keepers/Rho Indi Syndicate (Pirates)
Magellan Sentinels/Lyra
Magellan Wardens/Exiles
Terran Separatists/Magellan Guardians

so if we use that rule and you pick Terran Federation then no one can pick Hydra. You'll have to specify what Terran/Magellan faction you want if you pick them. If for some bizarre reason you want to be Terran or Magellan but don't want to be cutthroat you can pick the Separatists/Guardians

[twelve]

D, on 05 February 2015 - 08:47 PM, said:

Blend, on 05 February 2015 - 07:11 PM, said:

If choosing one side of a player board automatically disqualifies the other, what are the extra races to choose from? I've only played with the regular 6.

Gnaw, on 05 February 2015 - 07:28 PM, said:

Lyra, Exiles, Rho Indi.

expansion rules in pdf 18mb

With SP1 there's 10 player boards:

Terran Union/Planta
Terran Alliance/Orion
Terran Federation/Hydra
Terran Republic/Draco
Terran Conglomerate/Mechanema
Terran Directorate/Eridani
Magellan Keepers/Rho Indi Syndicate (Pirates)
Magellan Sentinels/Lyra
Magellan Wardens/Exiles
Terran Separatists/Magellan Guardians

so if we use that rule and you pick Terran Federation then no one can pick Hydra. You'll have to specify what Terran/Magellan faction you want if you pick them. If for some bizarre reason you want to be Terran or Magellan but don't want to be cutthroat you can pick the Separatists/Guardians

Why would you want to do that?

[Gnaw]

So where's the list?

[Imperial Historian]

You get nothing until game 4 is completed

[twelve]

So stop posting in this thread people and get the other game DONE ALREADY!!!!!!

My moves are completely done so get going folks!!!!

[Gnaw]

Imperial Historian, on 05 February 2015 - 10:42 PM, said:

You get nothing until game 4 is completed

We need to get this one started now if possible. I don't know how available I'll be for the next few days. Once it's started it's cruise control. I explore.

[cerveza_fiesta]

What do folks think about adding our own rule variant to enable trading. It's an element I've always thought was missing from this game.

Here's what I propose:

Trade Envoy:


Works with a similar mechanic to colony ships, except you only have 1 per turn. You can use it once per round at any point in your turn and the token is reset at the cleanup phase of each round.

Each trade envoy token allows you to trade up to 2 cubes of any type with another player for up to 2 cubes.

Flipping over your own trade token requires that your trade partner flip their own token as well..

Diplomatic relations or alliance is not required.

=====================

I dont' think at that level it would do much of anything to game balance, and could make for some fun backstabby action. Thoughts? Might also be a way for some players to get themselves out of resource ruts...like when you end up with all economy planets and your neighbour ends up with all material planets.

[cerveza_fiesta]

No? Not a good idea?

[D'rek]

cerveza_fiesta, on 09 February 2015 - 03:28 PM, said:

No? Not a good idea?

I don't really care one way or another.

I have thought that it would be interesting to do a game sometime with all fan-races we found on the web (but we would have to pick ones we all think are not too under- or over-powered as I'm sure there are fan-races that are like "Advantages: Start with 2 Dreadnaughts and can RESearch 3 tech at a time; Disadvantages: -1 VP at the end of the game")

[twelve]

cerveza_fiesta, on 09 February 2015 - 03:28 PM, said:

No? Not a good idea?

I think it would be an interesting mechanic but I'm not keen on making new stuff up for a game. And I have some concerns even at this level about balance issues and how to track this. This could lead to someone inadvertently getting more resources than they should. It's already hard enough to remember to place back the killed population tokens to their proper tracks when we know where they orginated from to begin with.

[cerveza_fiesta]

twelve, on 09 February 2015 - 03:44 PM, said:

cerveza_fiesta, on 09 February 2015 - 03:28 PM, said:

No? Not a good idea?

I think it would be an interesting mechanic but I'm not keen on making new stuff up for a game. And I have some concerns even at this level about balance issues and how to track this. This could lead to someone inadvertently getting more resources than they should. It's already hard enough to remember to place back the killed population tokens to their proper tracks when we know where they orginated from to begin with.

Oh sorry....it's not population tokens that are being traded. Fixed above.

This is for singular pieces of a particular resource. I trade you 1 money for 1 materials and we both start with 5 of each. After the trade I have 4$ and 6 materials. You have 6$ and 4 materials.


EDIT

It would give us lots to scheme and plot about during the long wait between turns -- The idea scenario I'm thinking of:

It's my turn and I'm desperate for 1 more material that could turn the tide of battle against d'rek. I propose to pay you 2 science for 1 material, knowing that you're trying to fill out a tech tree and that you have no immediate stake in the battle's outcome.

D'rek doesn't want that trade to happen because she's fighting me, and proposes to pay you 2 science in exchange for nothing when her turn comes around.

You agree with D'rek and her turn comes around. She's a treacherous swine and refuses to initiate the trade, leaving you out in the cold, but also accomplishing her goal of winning the battle. Now she has a reputation for treachery though.....

Fun!

This post has been edited by cerveza_fiesta: 09 February 2015 - 04:05 PM

[D'rek]

cerveza_fiesta, on 09 February 2015 - 03:59 PM, said:

twelve, on 09 February 2015 - 03:44 PM, said:

cerveza_fiesta, on 09 February 2015 - 03:28 PM, said:

No? Not a good idea?

I think it would be an interesting mechanic but I'm not keen on making new stuff up for a game. And I have some concerns even at this level about balance issues and how to track this. This could lead to someone inadvertently getting more resources than they should. It's already hard enough to remember to place back the killed population tokens to their proper tracks when we know where they orginated from to begin with.

Oh sorry....it's not population tokens that are being traded. Fixed above.

This is for singular pieces of a particular resource. I trade you 1 money for 1 materials and we both start with 5 of each. After the trade I have 4$ and 6 materials. You have 6$ and 4 materials.


EDIT

It would give us lots to scheme and plot about during the long wait between turns -- The idea scenario I'm thinking of:

It's my turn and I'm desperate for 1 more material that could turn the tide of battle against d'rek. I propose to pay you 2 science for 1 material, knowing that you're trying to fill out a tech tree and that you have no immediate stake in the battle's outcome.

D'rek doesn't want that trade to happen because she's fighting me, and proposes to pay you 2 science in exchange for nothing when her turn comes around.

You agree with D'rek and her turn comes around. She's a treacherous swine and refuses to initiate the trade, leaving you out in the cold, but also accomplishing her goal of winning the battle. Now she has a reputation for treachery though.....

Fun!

I already have a reputation for treachery...

Not sure I like the idea that players can be given resources for nothing. Too easy for someone to "give up" and give away all their resources to another player - too much king-making.


Besides, rather than add something to do during the long waits, I would rather we avoid having the long waits altogether!