Checking for interest in a new SG

[Starknight]

Well, I have a busy summer coming up but I'll need something to unwind with, so I'd be interested if you'll have me. Hi gang!

[ZedF]

Sounds like we almost have enough interest to start off a new game, though ideally I'd like one or two more participants. Any other takers? Also, what kind of game would folks like this time?

[acastus]

I'm in for another game.

[ivra]

I think I have played all races except Tarkas in these SG games. So maybe it is time to try Tarkas this time?

[Trygvasson]

Tarka! I'm in, hoping for a game with a good chance of failure

[ZedF]

You'd have to go all the way back to SG6a in order to find a Tarka game, so they are definitely due for a revisit.

Do folks want another 50/50 game, or something a little faster paced this time? Bear in mind that Tarka aren't really any faster in the Fission era than Liir are and, like the Liir, have to wait for Fusion to get a strategic speed improvement. So there would probably again be a lot of warfare with slow Fission DDs on a 50/50 map. This can be good or bad, depending on what folks feel like doing this time.

[Starknight]

50/50 would really hurt Tarks... their DEs aren't that good, and they're certainly not cheap. On the other hand, it would be challenging.

I'm up for whatever, in any event.

[ivra]

How is the other end of the scale? If it is set to 150/150 vs hard AIs, does that make the game easier? I have never tried. I normally play on 100/100.

[ZedF]

The way I look at it is that neither 50/50 nor 150/150 make the game harder or easier by themselves. But they do have a multiplicative effect on everything else in the game that can make it harder or easier.

So if you get a bad start on a 50/50 game, you will find it harder to dig out of the hole, because any advantage a rival has in income or technology will last longer. But if you get a bad start on a 150/150 game, it's easier to dig out of with good play, because you can get the critical technologies you need most more easily and because the investments you make to improve your economy and military position pay off more rapidly. Similarly, if you're in an advantageous position, the converse obtains; 50/50 will make an advantageous position more commanding, and 150/150 will make an advantageous position a bit less secure (though moreso in MP than against an AI that doesn't think.)

In practice, we tend to start games giving the AI some kind of a handicap because it can't think like a live player can, so generally 50/50 does tend to make the game harder and 150/150 does tend to make the game easier. But you're not always coming from behind all the time in every game, which is why I prefer to say that 50/50 and 150/150 act as difficulty multipliers.

[skibum157]

I personally wouldn't mind some more DE combat since I've never played a 50/50 game and cruisers are normally out by the time I generally get around to fighting but I can do whatever

[BlueTemplar]

You could do a ACM SG game : with those very high research costs, destroyers should be around for a while...
Or a Twilight SG game : high tech costs too, but you also might get frigates, and destroyers become interesting again with Fusion, thanks to their high speeds.

[ZedF]

If you want a vote, Blue, you have to sign up.

[BlueTemplar]

Sadly, I do not think I can find time for that...

[ivra]

When do we start? I am ready.

[ZedF]

Not a lot of feedback this time on game type other than to play as Tarka. We have one vote for a slow-paced game with plenty of destroyer action, and not much to say otherwise, so I guess we'll go with that. I'm going to take a different map shape this time, though. I'll generate a map and start a thread shortly.