Re: [FT] PBeM

Quoting Sean Bayan Schoonmaker (Thu, Oct 28, 1999 at 09:04:58AM -0700)
> You realise that these could, in theory, alternate as well. Ex: TARGET
X,
> DEFEND Y, TARGET Z.

Yes, that was hopefully the intention

> >  If the ship has more valid targets than it has firecontrols it will
use
> >the order of preference, then target size, then random selection to
assign the
> >FCS.
> 
> Are you saying here that the default is to spread fire? I would think
that
> concentration of fire, excepting ships out of arc, would be the
default.

Sorry, that could have been clearer.. the order of preference (which may
be weighted by values - see below) - if a ship isn't in the order of
preference
they are then ordered by size - if they are the same size, they are
ordered
randomly.

> >  As a further thought, you could assign a weighting to the enemy
ships which
> >will be applied to determine their 'value' for targetting purposes.
> 
> Good idea, but how workable is it?

Easy... if you think a ship is going to run into a 'wall' and won't get
arc on
you - set its weight to 0 so that you concentrate on all the other
ships.

> >Comments? Suggestions?  (I'm casting out the suggestion line again
here ;) )
> 
> Could be interesting. How are you thinking about running this? I've
done
> PBEM Spreadsheets that essentially do most of this. Are you intending
to
> make this automated in some way?

Hopefully completely automated.  Email collected automatically, turn
processed,
emails sent with reports to each player.

Before you begin to think that that sounds a little grand.. I work full
time for
a major ISP managing automated on-line systems.   The only problem with
getting
things onto web pages is finding a web-space machine outside of the 
administrative firewall.

> ...and lastly, what's your "added value" that would make players use
this
> as opposed to the PBEM sheets already out there?

will the complete automation, you could play with almost no GM
interaction.
I don't have very many people to play with here where I live (not to
mention
being in another town to work from 7am-7pm), so the general intention
was to
allow me to play with people with an easy interface.  With possibilities
for
experimentation in AI players etc...
  The other possibility that struck me when I was forming the plan would
be proper implementation of the sensor rules (and cloaking).. since you
really
wouldn't be able to tell what was outside your sensor range.
  In addition, a computer moderated system should be able to easily cope
with
very large scale battles.

Hopefully (with St^3 Jon's blessing) I could release the source to the
list
so that others could improve on it etc.. - if Jon wants to keep it out
of the
public domain then I shall keep it as a personal 'toy'.

If people are willing, once I have the initial engine - I'd like to run
some alpha-testing games for people on the list  [And find out whether
the koche effect carryies over into the internet ;)]

--
Colin