OFFICIAL DISCUSSION: Game-Save (playing the save, turnchats)

[Strider]

On-line vs Off-line?
Any intiation of a game action, or a leaders instructions, should be taked care of on-line. Why is that? Does everyone have time to read the chatlog? I sure as hell don't, and it will be much easier for the DP to change something in an off-line chat, than in an on-line one.
Can posted instructions be changed? Up 'til when?
Should be up to the start of the turnchat, however, the leaders do need to post there instructions somewhere that the citizens can see atleast a day before the chat. Should be inside of there ministry thread.
How to determine DP?
Allow the President to choose the DP

 

[Cyc]

On-line vs Off-line?
"On-line, with exceptions for 0-turn special play sessions such as to execute a single trade and then find out what other options are available, investigate cities and report contents, establish embassy and report capital contents, etc. Special sessions would need to be announced 24 hours in advance, with a list of specific actions to be accomplished, and would be cancelled if any citizen objected." I agree with DaveShack.

When must instructions be posted?
DG 5: 1 hour prior. I agree with this.
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Can posted instructions be changed? Up 'til when?
DG 5: 1 hour prior for Instructions carried out in pre-turn. Later Instructions may need changing because of war, etc.
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How to determine DP?
DG 5: President, then CoC
Alt 1: panel of 3, elected
Alt 2: panel of anyone interested who passes confirm poll
Alt 3: allow Pres to choose DP
Depends
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Game Play log
How detailed? Very detailed
If on-line chat, is chat log enough? TCIT needs save and summary also.
Edited chat log? No way. I'm tired of seeing doctored chat logs.
_______________________________
Naming units
How to name? a 3 character Identifyer for the city. Everyone will know the Province then Then a unique name.
Format? ZOJ/D'Artagnon, FAN/Portho, etc. Both of these Swordsmen would be from Zarnia.
Should we rename? don't put unit type, then you won't have to rename. Unless you capture a ship or Worker or we play the Incas? Mayans?

 

[Black_Hole]

I still think it would be a good idea to let the DP choose whether the turnchat will be online or offline. This way you should vote for the person that meets your wishes...
Everyone can be happy!

 

[blackheart]

I still think it would be a good idea to let the DP choose whether the turnchat will be online or offline. This way you should vote for the person that meets your wishes...
Everyone can be happy!

You've just been DITTOed



This isn't a game of restricting the DP to meet a certain group's wishes.

 

[classical_hero]

We elect the President, so it must up to the style of the President on how he runs the turnchats and who is running them. It depends of whether that person wants to be more traditional or more advernterous.

 

[Chieftess]

If we allow offline play, then we will definately need a log of every action. How will we konw if the DP didn't decide to say, attack the Babylonians instead of pressing the button? (reference to DG1).

 

[DaveShack]

Here's something we could consider for both online and offline play. A tool which detects and logs in-game actions would be really cool, and just a sequence of autosaves would give us the ability to look at what was done in the middle of the sequence if we were concerned about funny business.

One thing we can do is use CRP Suite MapStat to collect autosaves. This would also give us the ability to use the Stats program included with the suite to look at our progress post-game.

Another idea would be to ping SpiderZord as a group and see if the Power Timeline program that was being worked on a while back is in a condition where it could be finished off and used. The concept for that program is that it would record game actions including movement.

Neither of these tools is a substitute for the cultural aspects of having the DP keep a SG-style record of events.

 

[Chieftess]

I'm not sure what that tool actually does (haven't used it). If it's a keyboard logger (potential security risk right there if someone were to type in their username/password to indentify their nick in IRC - don't know if it logs other programs. Wouldn't want that showing up in the logs), then you're talking about a potential for a very long log, especially in the later games when you're moving around hundreds of units, and checking a bunch of deals. Personally, I don't like the idea of over-micromanaging the demogame. This isn't the GOTM.

 

[DaveShack]

Looking at the DG6 Startup Milestones thread, we need to get polls up for at least the decisions which affect elections. I think that we need to have these polls:

How are DPs selected?

• President decides
• Follow a pre-defined Chain of Command
• Separately elected position (President organizes)
• Abstain

How are play sessions conducted?

• Online, with exceptions for special circumstances
• President (or DP) decides
• Offline, with exceptions for special circumstances
• Abstain

I'll check back in a few hours to see if there are any objections to getting these started.

[edit]Added abstain options -- can't let the PSC get me... wait, that's me...

 

[Chieftess]

You can start them if you wish. I've gotta get ready to go to my grandmother's house (my uncle's actually) for a superbowl party.

 

[DaveShack]

I'm not sure what that tool actually does (haven't used it). If it's a keyboard logger (potential security risk right there if someone were to type in their username/password to indentify their nick in IRC - don't know if it logs other programs. Wouldn't want that showing up in the logs), then you're talking about a potential for a very long log, especially in the later games when you're moving around hundreds of units, and checking a bunch of deals. Personally, I don't like the idea of over-micromanaging the demogame. This isn't the GOTM.

Power TimeLine scans the in-memory save structure and notices changes (or at least that's what the discussion was centered around). We would only want it early in the game, it was meant for the QSC timeline period. No idea if it ever got finished.

 

[Black_Hole]

Dave, i can post these polls if you want...

edit: sorry to take your thunder Dave, but we have a fast incoming deadline. I will be posting the polls just as above except adding an 'other' option.

How are DPs selected?
How are play sessions conducted?

 

[Chieftess]

Article Creation thread posted.