empire rule change discussion

[spacetrace]

There will be some critical rule changes for the empire game. You should know them before starting the round:

* there will be about 150 planetary systems availble for colonization
* the colonies are grouped into clusters (5 clusters)
* you can always reach the nearest cluster for colonization and all "cluster portals" (the nearest cluster should be always the central cluster)
* cluster portals are positioned around each cluster
* if your alliance holds at least one cluster portal you can colonize that cluster
* if you have at least one colony in that cluster and lost all cluster portals, you can still colonize in that cluster
* the average ri of the colonies will be tripled (max 75)
* there will be a basic ri (ri you have without owning a colony): 50 ri
* the pirate score planets (bh, nebula, pulsar) are not colonizable (to avoid confusion)


at the time it is possible to colonize the nearest cluster even without owning one cluster portal. that means that the central cluster (it will be the nearest cluster for every player unless we have 1000+ ppl) is not easy to defend. the other clusters will be much easier to defend. we need to test this rule in the coming era. maybe we will change it. alternatives could be:

* you can only colonize in a cluster if you have one colony in it or control one portal
*you can always colonize the central cluster
*you can only colonize uncolonized systems in the nearest cluster (no conquering unless you control a portal)

[spacetrace]

pls. post you suggestions/critics

[Senor]

I think this system is really great and will create a lot of dynamic gameplay with the need to hold the cluster portals. That means there will be a lot of activity around those planets and a lot of battles too.

one thing i would change.

right now rules state that when you don't hold any portal colonies of a cluster then you can still colonise in that cluster assuming you have at least 1 colony there.
I think holding at least 1 portal should be a requierment for colonising new planets inside that cluster. I think this would make the portal planets really important hotspots during the entire game not just in the beginning of the era.

what do you guys think?

Cheers!
senor.

[vyor]

I can agree with that.

[spacetrace]

i am not convinced

because: i think it is too unbalanced to lock down an alliance so easy. remember that there are only 4 portals.

i think we should start the era with the described rule set and change it later, if you are right.

[Senor]

i think 4 portals is not that few, especially if you take the current player count in calculation.

but i'm all right either way. the system can be fine-tuned later on, as you said.

i'm sure this whole update will prove to be really fun!

Cheers!
senor.

[spacetrace]

[Senor]

yea. Me too: ) cheers!