There are too many!

[Brak Zanagin]

So i'd like to invite discussion on this topic.  I think if we wait until the next game, we may end up with some hurt feelings or something.  I'd like to avoid that altogether.  If you have your own option, add it here so we can discuss it.

My proposal for PvP would be as follows: Locked teams, split channels on Ventrilo for coordination, coalition victory when your team has some number of players more than the other team.  I would be interested in other deas for modifications to this.

[Lucy St. Jude]

I'd be willing to try any of the above.

It's really a shame about the 10 player max.   

[otter]

I think that we can try 6 vs 4 unfairs, but aside from a scary start, we handily beat 2 unfairs and 2 hards last game.  And things get even weirder if we have more than 6 players.

If properly managed, I think we can do PvP in 2 locked teams and not have it suck.  Properly managed means having etiquette for:

Team selection (I propose random before each game)
What to do when someone has to leave
What to do when someone gets eliminated
How to handle game drops/saves etc

I also would suggest a small price for failure.  For example, losing team buys winning team a beverage, as an incentive to stick it out a little longer when things look bleak.

Ultimately, I prefer playing with my friends, but something like this would be a good way to test the waters to see if we'd like to play as teams against strangers.
 

[otter]

Oh, and multi-human free-for-all sounds like a bad idea to me.

[Brak Zanagin]

Yeah, agreed on the player limit.  Shmoo is going to see if there is a way to cram more action into a single map.

I would be fine with all of the above, though i'd like to avoid the last option of making a roster.  I'm afraid it may dampen interest for those who don't check the boards regularly.  While notification does exist, we all can get busy during the day.  I'd love to have another way to resolve this situation that doesn't involve musical chairs.

In other words, everyone needs to see me flex my Vasari peen.

[Rainee]

In other words, everyone needs to see me flex my Vasari peen.

Au contraire.  Nobody needs to see that.

[Derrick Heyoka]

Guess the map creation is just a little bugged when it displays max players.  Everything I've found says ten players max, and it looks like that means in any combination of AI or Hunam.

I agree (expanding on my poll vote) that we should give 6 people vs 4 unfair AIs a shot, it might provide a better challenge (or just wipe someone out immediately).  Even if that works though as soon as we hit 7 players we obviously can't keep using that tack.  So yeah at that point I vote for locked team vs. team.

[Nalroth]

Since people get better as they play each other, I went with PvP for the more than 5 players as long as the groups are random. You will just run into a problem when there are uneven numbers. Do you add a computer on their side? Does anyone know at what level a cpu equals a human?

[Derrick Heyoka]

Since people get better as they play each other, I went with PvP for the more than 5 players as long as the groups are random. You will just run into a problem when there are uneven numbers. Do you add a computer on their side? Does anyone know at what level a cpu equals a human?

At level never considering you can't make plans with an AI, but I'd think we'd prolly want hard - 'cuz unfair might give 'em free shit.  It'll never be perfect.  C'est la space conquest!

[Nalroth]

Not that I have done this, but have you tried fixed teams with an AI on your team?

[otter]

At level never considering you can't make plans with an AI, but I'd think we'd prolly want hard - 'cuz unfair might give 'em free shit.  It'll never be perfect.  C'est la space conquest!

That's not quite true... at least in the manual it says you can use ping to point out things you want your AI allies to attack, and when to attack them.  And they make a pretty good effort of supporting/asking for help when you ally with them in-game.

[Brak Zanagin]

I have configured it with an AI on my side, i'm sure i could have locked the teams, but I didn't try.  I imagine they'll be less whiny if you locked the teams.  It works.  Not as good as a human, but not awful either.

[Derrick Heyoka]

At level never considering you can't make plans with an AI, but I'd think we'd prolly want hard - 'cuz unfair might give 'em free shit.  It'll never be perfect.  C'est la space conquest!

That's not quite true... at least in the manual it says you can use ping to point out things you want your AI allies to attack, and when to attack them.  And they make a pretty good effort of supporting/asking for help when you ally with them in-game.

Nifty!