From SVC:

IF YOUR LOG IN DOESN'T WORK then do not panic. You were not kicked out for doing something bad. Something (nobody knows what) happened on 2 May 2010 which deleted 600 of the 1600 user files. This happened before, and nobody was ever able to figure out what happened. (The hosting company is no help, since they hate Discus and would just as soon we stopped using it.) The best guess is that something happened at the host company which replaced the current file with one from two years ago, but that's just a guess.

This has happened at least three times, maybe as many as five, since 1999.

In previous such incidents, if you re-joined the BBS using the same name and password, it linked up to all of your posts.

We're as frustrated as all of you, but we didn't do this, and we've never been able to predict, prevent, or restore it when it does.

From Jean:

An update.

I have spent a bit going through documentation and the Discus forums.

Randomly deleting users has been happening since 2001. They don't seem to know why, they don't seem to have a cure, restoring from a user backup seems to be a worse solution than the one we have now.

It appears to happen more frequently if the server has a space issue.

We do apologize for the inconvenience, but please do re-register. You are important to us.

Jean
WebMom

By Gary Carney (Nerroth) on Thursday, July 08, 2010 - 11:14 pm: Edit

Paul:


Email about the idea discussed on TalkShoe sent.

By Roger Clark (Starraiders) on Sunday, October 31, 2010 - 10:51 am: Edit

Hi Guys,
I agree, the beginning of the game can be slow, mostly I think to a lack of ships at the start. We've all heard the saying "Buy in bulk and save". Well how about "Package Deals". Players can buy a package of three to four ships for 100-150 EPs (not sure how high a price to charge) and only one order line.
Packages could include Scout Packages, Frigate Packages, Light Cruiser Packages, and Frigate Variants Packages.
I think the order line for Frigates would end up looking like: PS Pk SC
This would add some mystery to the game as you would never know for certain what ships you would be getting.
To add even more mystery, the ships purchased this way are flying wreaks with their warp engines ready to fly off at any time. So there is a 1 in 10 chance per year that the ship will become unserviceable, after a time, say Y170 in a game starting in Y165 and will be automatically scrapped.
The above order would net you:
K-F5S
G-SC
L-SC
G-SC
I have no idea if this is computer feasible, Paul might have to draw up several packages and have the computer choose one at random.
Enjoy the game
Roger

By Ken Cole (Kencole) on Monday, November 01, 2010 - 05:12 pm: Edit

Roger,

While I think your idea has merit, particularly for regular games; based on what was attempted for D28, the mode of thought seems to be to slow down the beginning of DH games, not speed them up.
The thought being that a slower start keeps more players viable longer.

The time shift didn't work because the way the engine is set up, it can't start before Y165. Another way to achieve the same goal (slowing down early expansion, or speeding it up), would be to adjust starting EP's, and general terrain configuration.

For instance, want slow down the early game of a DH game, halve the starting ep's, or make it an all-wild sector (even home sectors) terrain game game. Want to really slow it down, do both.

Once the extra prospecting from a wild home sector kicks in, you won't notice the missing eps, but the growth curve will be slowed initially.

I'm not advocating the slowing down of the early game, though I'm not against it, just pointing out how to do it.

The opposite is also true, if you want to speed up the early game, get rid of the loan and give everyone and extra 350 ep's. 350 extra (and the order line from the RL 999) equals an extra WG at the start (plus the ep's you'd have gotten in the loan).

Ken

By Ken Cole (Kencole) on Wednesday, February 02, 2011 - 01:16 pm: Edit

Ike,

Your email is sending spam. Please remove me from the address book, and send me a different email address at which to contact you.


Ken

By Jeff McKlevey (Low) on Monday, October 17, 2011 - 09:03 am: Edit

So it seems I might have gotten the SFW bug, but as I have never played before, I am likely to have many questions.

1. Starting off, does the information at the start show you the stay out of this hex hexes? In other words, how much information do you have in your home sector at the very start of the game?

2. Opts. So to insure my understanding a baseline FRD with full TBs would be a cost of 224 EPs, 34 AF, 50 DF, 24 S, and 72 HP. Realizing the TBs are not bought at the same time, but at 4EPs*6 added later to the 200 EPs for the FRD.

Thanks, I will have many more coming.

By Roger Rardain (Sky_Captain) on Monday, October 17, 2011 - 07:12 pm: Edit

Jeff,

At the start, you get your initial build and a scan of your home sector.
You also have control of 1 site - your Home Office.

Purchase any ship will cost EPs. The base EP is on the Ship List, but supply-and-demand is in effect. hat means if a lot of players in your game buy F-POLs, the next turn F-POLs will be more expensive.

SFW can be quite daunting to a beginner. Feel free to email me with questions at skycaptain42_AT_yahoo_DOT_com.
(Replace the "_AT_" and "_DOT_" with the appropriate symbols.)

By Jeff McKlevey (Low) on Monday, October 17, 2011 - 08:16 pm: Edit

Thanks for the Email Roger, a reply should be in your in box now.

I have been digging into the rule over the last couple of days, so I have a handle on most of the stuff that is in the rules.

Most of my questions are going to be more in the line of getting a handle on the little things that you do not see till you start up. Just working on finding a way to not be dead on turn 10 ;)

By Kirk Petty (Zugzwang) on Monday, October 17, 2011 - 09:52 pm: Edit

On the edge of a galaxy's sprial arm, in a forgotten solar system, an orbital shipyard is gearing up for the next conflict.

By Jeff McKlevey (Low) on Monday, October 17, 2011 - 10:20 pm: Edit

Sadly, due to union issues the obital shipyard has faced a work slow down. However, work is processing that a normal pace closer to the center of the arm in question.

By Jeff McKlevey (Low) on Thursday, October 20, 2011 - 01:51 pm: Edit

WOW, I just did some napkin math and it looks as if it could be 5 or six months before the next cycle.

Please, somebody tell me a am wrong ;)

By Roger Rardain (Sky_Captain) on Thursday, October 20, 2011 - 06:58 pm: Edit

I think that right now there are 2 Die Hard games (D28 and D29) and 2 Standard Games (G84 and G85).
They run on a cycle of every other week.

The Die Hard games run for 30 turns. DH28 has completed Turn 25, and DH29 just finished Turn 13.
DH28 will finish in 5 turns, ~10 weeks. You can expect another Die Hard game to start sometime after that.

The Standard Games tend to be shorter, as the victory conditions are different.
I am not aware of the status of those two games.

By Jeff McKlevey (Low) on Thursday, October 20, 2011 - 07:03 pm: Edit

Ah, I was not aware of 28 finishing up. I knew Paul said something about only running two games, but thought that was just two, not two of each that seem to be going.

Felling better now ;)

By Kirk Petty (Zugzwang) on Tuesday, October 25, 2011 - 08:14 am: Edit

UPI (Universal PLanet Information)_ Admiral UDieNow proudly announced that his corporations newly completed task force of Kzinti style DDVs is operational. When asked why they built this class after the scouts, he beamed, "In the words of Fleet Admiral Malin, the ZDDV is a battleship in a can"

By Jeff McKlevey (Low) on Thursday, November 10, 2011 - 10:21 am: Edit

Any word on how the current games are going? Just wondering about the next Cycle. I have an itch I need to scratch.

By Ken Cole (Kencole) on Monday, November 14, 2011 - 09:08 pm: Edit

Anyone have an email address for Shelly Christian?

I'm trying to make (non-violent) contact.

By Paul Franz (Andromedan) on Tuesday, November 15, 2011 - 02:42 pm: Edit

Shelly does not have an Email account. If you need his phone number, just ask.

By Kirk Petty (Zugzwang) on Wednesday, November 23, 2011 - 05:57 pm: Edit

Game soon? Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

By Kirk Petty (Zugzwang) on Tuesday, December 06, 2011 - 09:20 pm: Edit

game soon? enjoy

By Gene Malin (Privateer) on Sunday, December 18, 2011 - 10:52 pm: Edit

when is the next game?

By Paul Franz (Andromedan) on Monday, December 19, 2011 - 12:32 pm: Edit

It will be starting in 2 weeks. It will be a Die Hard game. I will post the announcement tonight and send out an Email.

By Kirk Petty (Zugzwang) on Monday, December 19, 2011 - 04:50 pm: Edit

Zugzwang Homeworld---
Admiral U-DieNow announced today that all leaves are cancelled. All Officers and Crews of all fleets are expected to report by stardate
201112.22

By Gene Malin (Privateer) on Tuesday, December 20, 2011 - 05:26 pm: Edit

Do you have slots?

By Ken Cole (Kencole) on Tuesday, December 20, 2011 - 09:57 pm: Edit

Just to confirm the starting conditions:

1. Starting Date is Y170 (ie time shift)
2. EV is used (ie. an event game)

Does this mean that:
Corp numbers are not scrambled?
One does not get to choose a sector special?

By Paul Franz (Andromedan) on Tuesday, December 20, 2011 - 10:18 pm: Edit

Ken,
Sorry for the confusion corporation numbers will be random. And yes, you don't get to choose a sector special.

Gene,
Yes there are slots available for you.