methods on joining?

Feygan · Space Emperor Joined: Aug 02, 2007

Ok read through the admin stuff yet still a little confused on how to join this? I've downloaded the mods etc but not sure how I apply that to a new race and such?

Also a little confused on how to run the turns etc as I've only ever played SEIV in single player before now.

Prophet · Space Emperor Joined: Jun 13, 2006 Location: Taxachusetts

Hi Feygan. Glad to hear you are interested. PBC is played differently than other SE4 multiplayer games. I just posted an explanation here: http://www.spaceempires.net/home/ftopicp-23540.html#23540

Please post again if you have more questions.

Feygan · Space Emperor Joined: Aug 02, 2007

Ok it definitly looks interesting but how does one get into it all as such? I'm guessing that there are other AI players and this one empire is divided up so players take roles of planetary govenors etc. Although I'm somewhat puzzled to see how it works for say military folk or plain researchers?

Also how does conflict work? Is it one empire of numerous players that all work together 100% or is there ever internal conflict?

Finally are the positions interchangeable? Could a player who was just a captain of a small scout vessel eventually rise to govern his/her own planet in time and visa versa?

Prophet · Space Emperor Joined: Jun 13, 2006 Location: Taxachusetts

There are several AI empires in the game. All the human players are together in one empire. There is a little internal conflict going on right now, which you can see in this thread: http://home.spaceempires.net/ftopict-3175.html It is not one big happy team. Instead it is a government, a group of people with differing opinions, beliefs and interests. I think the rules allow extremes like civil war to happen, though this is my first PBC game so I am not certain. And we have not reached that level of internal conflict.

Military officers control most of the warships, but are not allowed to own planets. In SE4, each officer has a group of ships he can move and order around. Higher level commanders gain access to budget funds, allowing them to negotiate leases for shipyards owned by the System Lords. Officers also gain Prestige Points, which can be used to add abilities and bonuses to one's flagship.

Yes, you can change positions. But it is not instant. For example, your scout captain. He retires from the military to manage his own planet. But before he can do that, he needs to figure out how to get that planet. Offer to be a vassal to a current System Lord? Somehow raise funds to purchase a colony ship and take his chance along the frontier? There may be other creative ways to do it, but I think you get the picture.

Right now we only have System Lords and Military Officers. So I am not sure how a position like Minister or Independent Contractor would work. But if you proposed an idea or description in the PBCIV Signup subforum we could find a suitable place in the game for you.

SuicideJunkie · Leaky Guru Joined: May 28, 2005 Location: Canada!

I see Prophet has been thinking about his career options lately Smile

That's all pretty accurate.

If you want to join, the two standard jobs would be:
- Military Officer.
Kana is the current head of the navy, and you'd report to him. He'll give you some ships, pay their maintenance costs, and send you to the front lines to perform some dangerous grunt work. Smile

Our military record is quite good so far; in two of the three battles so far, the ship of ours which took fire also destroyed the enemy, and in the third battle the kill was claimed by one of the other ships in the fleet.
You should be able to see some of the damaged ships at shipyards in the far west.

- System Lord.
In most cases, you would get a set of colony ships and make for the frontier with a load of brave and hardy souls, or arrange to help manage part of a large system lord's territory.
You could also perform a coup and take over another player's territory and accounts completely if they're not playing much.

There is also the more involved and complex option of going independent. You would probably dip into many of the below options, and come up with more if you can think of them:
- Market speculation:
buy low, sell high!
- Banking:
borrow excess resources, loan them back out to others
- Manufacturing:
Get yourself a BSY, and make profits by building stuff for people
- Exploration:
Prophet is planning to do this, still needs to secure payment tho
- Mercenary:
Much like an officer, but independent. Contract out to System lords for various services, such as destroying aliens, escorting colony ships, etc. To be truly mercenary, you'll want to get paid three or four times by various people for various things during the same job. Smile

Prophet · Space Emperor Joined: Jun 13, 2006 Location: Taxachusetts

CapnKy · Space Emperor Joined: Jan 01, 2005

SuicideJunkie · Leaky Guru Joined: May 28, 2005 Location: Canada!

Well, at the moment, we have more resources than build rate, so funding shouldn't be a problem.

Kana · Space Emperor Joined: Jan 15, 2005

Are there any research point producing components?

If so, then you could put those on a station, and sell research points. Or if not, purchase colony ships, and set up shop on a few planets, and sell the resources made off of them.

I'm sure there are alot of ways for people to particpate provided a little imagination is involved.