I think we can look to begin play early in the new year. I don't want to push anybody during the holidays season. Mine could be light or busy, depending on external circumstances.
The to-do list looks like this, unless you've got more to add:
-Complete basic rules set (me)
-Determine start-up process (me)
-Finish starting map sheet (snip)
-Develop nation/character concepts (you)
-Build NPCs (me)
-Develop PC nation's existing assets (you)
I don't know how many people will actually be committing right away, but as long as there are four or more, we can start and absorb others while underway.
Guinness has consented to allow play on this board, which is appreciated. Maybe we'll even lure him in.
Here's how I think we'll get set up:
1. We'll confirm the upper right quadrant of Map #2 as our starting point.
2. You'll send me a PM with a small snapshot of your preferred and your back-up starting place.
3. I'll coin-flip any overlapping interests, and post a map showing everybody's starting place.
4. You'll get to place $3500 worth of cities, in a distribution of your choice. You'll choose industries for cities of sufficient size. Think of this as your core territory.
5. I'll roll up more recent gains acquired pre-game by your nations. For each of you, I'll roll a D6. If the roll is 1-5, I'll add a city of ($50*roll), with a random industry if appropriate, to your nation and plunk it on a map as I see fit. Then I'll roll for you again. When I roll a 6 (or if I think somebody's getting way too big), you get nothing and I move on to the next player. This'll provide some randomness in starting nation size, distribution, and power.
6. You'll build up your starting naval infrastructure. You'll get some percentage of your starting economic output to do this with.
7. You'll build up your starting military. You'll get some percentage of your starting economic output to do this with.
8. Diplomatically, you'll start with a blank slate. No trade or military agreements in place. No formal relations with anybody.
Quote from: The Rock Doctor on December 16, 2011, 07:59:09 AM
2. You'll send me a PM with a small snapshot of your preferred and your back-up starting place.
How do I send you a picture as PM?
Ah. I assumed that one could attach it, as with a post. I seem to be wrong.
And I can't write you and e-mail either (at least not one which contains a picture).
Well, poo. I shall cast about for an alternative, then.
Don't send me your claims yet, guys - we need to have a way of prioritizing them. Given work/play and timezone issues, a first-come, first-served method would not be fair.
Quote from: The Rock Doctor on December 16, 2011, 09:05:36 AM
Don't send me your claims yet, guys - we need to have a way of prioritizing them. Given work/play and timezone issues, a first-come, first-served method would not be fair.
I thought thats what the "preferred and your back-up starting place" was for? I even marked 3 locations.
Only solution I see is that you would somehow have to post your E-mail address.
Okay, I've got an answer.
If you can't send me a picture, then open up the map in Paint.
Run your cursor over to the spot you want, and note what pixel coordinates Paint claims you're at. Send me those coordinates. Repeat for your secondary location. It wouldn't hurt to have a text description of the spots as backup.
Send me your preferences in the next week, and I'll resolve any conflicts. Note that you may get shifted a few pixels if Snip's more detailed follow-up mapping shows you're on land.
We'll move on from there.
To send a picture- just 1.) open the map in Paint, and mark the site 2.) use Photobucket to put the pic on the net and 3.) PM Rocky the link to the Photobucket pic.
Rocky - I'd be happy to do setup work on some of the NPC's if that'll help lighten the load on you, man.
Just let me know what kind of economic range I'd have to work with; Christmas will be tomorrow in my family, so I will have plenty of time during the REAL holidays to do it.
I appreciate the offer, and may take you up on it.
heading home later today, will start plunking away on the map ASAP.
Interesting setup...
Greetings.
So the last few days have been a bit quiet for me, as I was preparing for, and then undertaking, Mrs. Rock's departure out west for the holidays.
I've got four and a half days off starting sometime Friday, so will be endeavouring to update the rules, clarify start-up stuff, and otherwise keep the ball rolling.
I'd invite y'all to continue considering the rules, to propose NPC ideas (preferably via PM) and to transmit your preferred starting locations (via PM). I've got four people in so far, and will be content to launch with six.
Well, I have run into some time constraints which were not anticipated and I dont think will ease up as my break goes on. The resumption of classes after break will not ease these constraints. As such, I do not believe that I will be able to finish the map in a timely manor. So at this time, I will have to excuse myself of mapmaking duties. I'm sorry for any delays that this has caused.
Thanks for the heads-up, Snip. We'll cast about for a Plan B.
Hey all. I see there have been some changes recently. Looks very interesting and I would love to participate, but unfortunately real life is taking up too much time. I'll stick around and see what you guys come up with. Good luck.
You're always welcome, Foxy.
So, folks - anybody feel like giving the map a crack?
After reading a bit more a couple random thoughts.
I like the city based idea. It would allow new players to be easily integrated into an already running game. They get a city to get their feet wet and test the waters, then if doing a good job they could get bonuses to bring them up to closer to established player size.
And just for flavor, I would suggest having everyone start a nationstates account, run it in accelerated mode for a couple weeks, then post their nation's description. The nation descriptions can get quite funny. I always got Corporate Police State for some reason...
not nationstates. Not never.
Quote from: The Rock Doctor on December 21, 2011, 04:09:57 PM
So, folks - anybody feel like giving the map a crack?
If anyone does, and has Civ IV, I would be more then happy to pass on the map that I built if it is desired
Quote from: snip on December 21, 2011, 07:51:08 PM
Quote from: The Rock Doctor on December 21, 2011, 04:09:57 PM
So, folks - anybody feel like giving the map a crack?
If anyone does, and has Civ IV, I would be more then happy to pass on the map that I built if it is desired
I'm gonna see what I can do, Snip.
Gotta get my hands on a copy of CivIV first.
Quote from: snip on December 21, 2011, 07:51:08 PM
Quote from: The Rock Doctor on December 21, 2011, 04:09:57 PM
So, folks - anybody feel like giving the map a crack?
If anyone does, and has Civ IV, I would be more then happy to pass on the map that I built if it is desired
I could try (tomorrow), but how would I do that? Civ4 does not have a map editor, has it? Is there a cheat to uncover the map?
The file is currently in the worldbuilder format for Civ IV Beyond the Sword, so if you dont have that, I will need to convert it. That could prove interesting.
Quote from: snip on December 22, 2011, 08:23:35 AM
The file is currently in the worldbuilder format for Civ IV Beyond the Sword, so if you dont have that, I will need to convert it. That could prove interesting.
If it is part of Civ4 complete, then I should have it. Beyond the Sword definitely is.
Anyone have Campaign Cartographer III or like RPG world building aid?
Michael
Got Civ IV up and running now. Will play around with the map soon and see what I can do.
Working on a couple of other projects and drinking a lot for NYE, so things aren't as fast as I'd like.
I'm ready.
I'm just waiting for word on how much money we have to play around with.
Holidays are over so I'll try and bring my attention to bear once again...
With the new year...
All Guys are in the starting block now.
Ready to move for actions.
Jef ;)
A suggestion:
Terra Nova is not a planet close by rectangle borders, so open the map all around.
(http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/1627/worldtwotwo.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/84/worldtwotwo.jpg/)
Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)
Jef
You're suggesting eliminating the 'wrap-around' effect and just saying that the available square represents the portion of the planetary surface that happens to have land and people on it? I'd have to vote against that; their 'continental' association is fairly deeply tied into how I've been working on the Croatoans, and shearing off their starting location as an island or subcontinent would be extremely inconvenient to me, or require moving the starting zone, which'd be extremely inconvenient to everybody.
Jef, the planet is not a square... it's a flat projection of a sphere, just like a Mercator projection.
The continents connect just like Asia on a Mercator centered on North America, like so:
(http://www.maps4u.com/product_images/40031PDF.jpg)
That is just a suggestion to have more open seas.
Interresting for naval operations.
So, the map with America center cut really the "Blue Planet" in 2 parts.
This kind of design is not cool for our futur naval histories.
Jef :)
It seems there is momentum here. I want to play too. :)
So thinking ahead, I'm willing to declare N4 stillborn, and move on to "N5", which is this concept. I'd like to clean up the website (again).
I'm probably going to delete empty N4 encyclopedias. Does anyone who populated their N4 encyclopedia want what's there to live on?
Ready to move for actions now !!!
Clean up the website
Meh, go ahead. Nothing really significant in there yet anyway.
It's getting awfully quiet here... Rocky, are you all right?
So, what is missing to start? (imo):
- army rules
- the first (two) tech level/generations
- general tech rules
- gun and weapon rules
- placement of our cities on the map (I don't think we need the detailed map to start)
- details on the "city specials"
Did I miss something?
Just got a case of mid-winter blah right now. I'll see if I can pull it together.
I've had a rough month- cats were possibly exposed to Feline Leukemia, 2 migraines in 2 weeks, and trying to spend time with family/friends at the holidays. Not really happy with the results of 2012 so far.
Will try and pull myself together this week- and hopefully have some useful map work done soon... cause Mardi Gras is coming.
Dont worry some people with firm beliefs in the Mayan Calander believe we are dont to only a little bit over a month left... February 29th 2012 World Ends at 9 Film at 11 :o
What? I thought I had until December...
Damned Mayans. Just for that, they will exist in this sim, and they will have the worst kind of luck.
When did we start the SS3 to built the Fleet & what is the cost for the early ships ?
from 1906 to 1910 cost x 2
from 1911 to 1915 cost x1.5
from 1916 to 1920 cost x1
???
Jef
Nothing has been fixed so far - as far as I know.
Yes I know...
Nothing
I ask the question; "to have something to eat for my Battleships neurones".
Jef ;)