[Ron_] We have 6 tech trees right now
[MarkG] and finally, what happens after you discover everything? Future tech 1, 2, 3... ???
[Ron_] weapons is currently the biggest, and has several dozen techs in it so far
[MarkG] 6 tech trees=?
[MarkG] oh, according to type of the advance?
[Ron_] yes
[MarkG] what are the others?
[Ron_] um, I forget which is the smallest.  Magic, maybe
[MarkG] Annoy: how do they relate?
[Ron_] The trees all have prereques of course.
[Ron_] (You can't research the fireball spell until you discover fire, for example)
[Ron_] They interconnect quite a bit.  Fortunately, we have a great graphic which makes it all make sense at a glance
[MarkG] hmmm.. ok... so, examples of future technologies?
[Ron_] Future Techs:  Shields, fusion power, lasers, phasers, (etc.), satellite killers, nanobots, weather control
[MarkG] weather control???
[Ron_] Just off the top of my head, hehe (I wish I had my notes right here)
[Ron_] Yes, improves pop growth rate in the late game
[MarkG] [Annoy_mouse> Magic techs go right through the game too?
[Ron_] Yes.  Magic gets less important as techs increase
[Ron_] i.e. the usefullness of it fades as other techs grow
[Ron_] So, the "fireball" spell component will be great in the beginning game, but not so impressive later on
[Ron_] Does that make sense?
[Ron_] We want people to rely on magic less and less as the game progresses
[MarkG] Hmmm... I'm not very familiar with these kind of games... :)
[MarkG] [Astrogator> what about customization?  Can you take the magic or is it mandatory?
[Ron_] No, magic is optional.  In fact, during the host game creation, the host can "turn off" all fantastical elements (no magic, no non-mammilian races), so you would be well advised to create your race for such a game with no magic ability at all, spending the points elsewhere
[MarkG] Ok, so what happens after you discover everything? Future tech 1, 2, 3... ???
[Ron_] (The host will tell you in advance if his game is non-magic or not, of course)
[Ron_] Once you're done with a tree, your done.  No "Future Tech 1".  I don't think anyone will ever reach a point where they have researched every single possible tech
[Ron_] in every single tree.  The highest techs will be extremely expensive, for one thing
[Ron_] for another, there's so many of them, it'd be hard to get them all.
[MarkG] Interesting.... 
[MarkG] I get that getting a big number of techs will be the peacefull way to win, right?
[Ron_] Yes, if it's one of the host's set winning conditions
[MarkG] [phoenix> but, for the sake of asking, what happens if someone does max out tech?
[Ron_] Shift the resources spent on research to build units and city improvements.  If you want to use those high tech items, your gonna need it, cause they're going to be *expensive* hehe
[MarkG] my three final questions.... first, what do you think are going to be the requirements for the game?
[Ron_] Required: Win95 or up, DirectX 5 or up.  Probably I'm gonna recommend a Pentium 100 or higher, just because of that globe.  It can get pretty slow with a P66
[MarkG] Sounds great. Second and third, who else is on the team and how long have you been working on the game?
[Ron_] I'm the sole programmer.  We also have the art people, Jim and Alex.  We're the core team.  We also have a half a dozen volunteer researchers, hehe
[MarkG] cool
[Ron_] We've been working on the game for about a year now.
[MarkG] ok, we areg oing to umoderated mode
[Ron_] Oh, we are planning an open Alpha release in December, as well
[MarkG] people behave youselves :)
[Ron_] hehe
[MarkG] here you go
[MarkG] you can breathe now
[Ron_] okay, anyone?

---Unmoderated---

[DavidInTX] Any possibility for a version that will run with DirectX 3.0, for those of us using NT?
[MarkG] me again :) plan for a release date?
[Annoy_mouse] So you make all the design decisions then?
[Astrogator] How long will it take to make a move?  Interactive might be very slow?
[MarkG] ok, three questions asked. hold on for answers, then we can go on again :)
[phoenix] DAVID: Yes, just get the service pack for NT coming later this year so you can use DirectX5
[Ron_] Okay, wait.  Let me answer these before I get anymore
[Ron_] David:  There's a service pack for NT coming out (in December???) which will allow you to use DX5
[DavidInTX] great.  thanks
[Ron_] Mark: The alpha release will be in December, after that, well keep releasing updates until we're done
[Ron_] Mouse: No, the team makes decisions, I just implement them :)
[Ron_] Astro: That's up to the host.  Turns can be several a day, or three times a week, or whatever.  I played a Stars! game (another PBEM game) at three turns a week for a year before it ended.  But that was an exceptionally long game
[Ron_] Okay, did I get them all?  Any others?
[MarkG] ok, next bunch...
[Ron_] [phoenix> Jason: you've been working on it for a year.. is that including design time or is that just programming?
[phoenix] Will there be direct connection games? How customizable is the game?
[Ron_] Sorry, got that privately
[Ron_] Um, that's from start of programming. We didn't spend much time in design phase.  I think Design docs are a huge waste of time. I wanted this game to "evolve" so we just dove right into the coding
[Astrogator] :)
[Ron_] Phoenix:  No direct connection games, this game is designed and meant to be played by e-mail
[Ron_] Although you could certainly stay connected during turn submissions
[Annoy_mouse] Can you make the AI smarter than in Civ2??
[MarkG] nver played a mail game before, but it is going to terribly slow, isn't it?
[Ron_] We'll sure try :)  The AI will be done based on a series of priorities.  It's pretty complex, but we hope to get reasonably intellegent players out of it
[phoenix] since it's played by email only, will you game allow you to send and recieve turns through email
[Astrogator] Are you using a hex grid?
[Ron_] Mark: It can be.  It depends on what the host wants to do.  If you want to do what's called a "blitz" game, the host sets a time limit (usually a few minutes) between turns.  these can be played out in one day, or a few days.  If you only do a couple of turns a week, it'll take a while, yes.
[Ron_] Phoenix: Yes, that is exactly how the game works. Turn files are sent back and forth via e-mail
[Ron_] Astro: Yes, it's a hex grid
[phoenix] also on the subject of PBEM only, does this mean you don't support 'blitz' style gaming?
[Annoy_mouse] You said there'll be no Wonders, but does this mean we won't have the chance to build any really impressive structures like the Pyramids or a Great Wall?
[Ron_] As I understand Blitz gaming, it works as I described above (I've never done a Blitz though, am I wrong)?
[phoenix] acctually, I meant will the game be able to send/recieve the emails(without you having to do it yourself)
[MarkG] how many players or ai's does the game support?
[Ron_] Mouse:  No, sorry, you won't.  You'll just have to make your leaders impressive :)
[Astrogator] How do you make a hex grid fit on a spherical earth?
[phoenix] Blitz gaming is usually done on IRC, with BOTs managing the turn sending.. only thing is, bots need to be made for that purpose
[Ron_] Phoenix:  Not sure yet, I'm looking into having the game itself send the e-mails.  That, however, gets into a whole area of programming in which I have no experience, so we'll see :)
[Ron_] Mark: Depends on how big the game files get, but we're thinking around 20-30 max
[MarkG] Wont it hurt the reuqirements?
[phoenix] You're using BCB, and there's a freeware component available does the programming for you(most of it).. I'll give you a link later
[Ron_] Astro:  Hehe, don't ask.  It took us 3 months to figure out how to do this.  It's amazingly complex algorithm.  Just trust me, it works :)
[Ron_] Mark:  No, the number of players will have no effect on the system requirements. The only limitation is the size of the e-mail files.  The more players, the bigger it gets
[Ron_] Phoenix: Okay, thanks
[Annoy_mouse] Won't it slow things down a lot to force players to manage so much of the trade?
[phoenix] Is it only e-mail play
[Ron_] There will be some MM at first, but that's okay, since it'll be in the early game, when the players have less to do anyway.  Once the computer takes over, you won't even have to worry about it (at least, not much)
[phoenix] not
[Ron_] Phoenix: There will also be single player mode
[phoenix] single player
[phoenix] oh wait, you answered
[Ron_] Yes, against computer players.  This will, of course, involve no e-mailing, and can be much faster
[MarkG] I think you haven't answer? Will the AI going to be tough?
[kshah266] people talking for an awful long time!!
[kshah266] it has been 2 1/2 hours already
[Ron_] Well, we hope so.  The AI routines are in developmental stage, but I hope the computer will give you a challenge :)
[Annoy_mouse] Will they be able to build/research things more easily, like in Civ2?
[Ron_] Anyone else have any more questions, or any that I missed?
[Ron_] Mouse:  More easily?
[Tedd] hello
[Annoy_mouse] It cost them less sheilds to build a unit
[Ron_] Ah
[Tedd] I'm new to civ buying it tommorow
[Tedd] sorry to interupt
[Ron_] No, the computer players will work under the exact same rules as the players.  They will not cheat in any manner.
[Annoy_mouse] I don't think that will work!
[Annoy_mouse] remember, we'll learn the AI's tactics
[Annoy_mouse] but it can't learn from us, right?
[Tedd] A question
[Tedd] to all
[Ron_] Unless we give it a neural net (evil grin). 
[Ron_] No, you're right
[Annoy_mouse] How will the game be more difficult on higher levels in that case?
[Annoy_mouse] I thought civ had a good system in that respect
[MarkG] Now... where were we?
[Ron_] Yes, it's a point well taken, Mouse.  The added difficulty will come from giving them better designed units to build, and better priorities, etc.  We'll see how it turns out.  At this point, I feircely resist allowing the AI to cheat, but that may change, hehe
[Annoy_mouse] Will you provide an easy way to share eg build queues and unit designs over the net?
[Ron_] Well, race designs will be actual discreet files, which can be shared
[Ron_] As for unit designs, I think describing them is sufficient.  For example, in Stars!, it is not uncommon to see someone describe a ship type (ie. scout hull, 2 collodial phasers, Long Jump 7 engine, 2 albaster plate armor)
[Annoy_mouse] i guess that's easy enough
[Ron_] Or you could just send a screenshot of the design
[Ron_] whew, anyone else?
[Ron_] Okay, I guess that wraps it up then
[Ron_] Thanks everyone for coming
[MarkG] Well, I think so too
[Ron_] If you come up with further questions, feel free to use the MD discussion board
[MarkG] And I should thank you Ron!
[Ron_] No problem Mark.  Thanks for having me
[MarkG] A transcript will be available asap on the Alternative Civs section of Apolyton
[Annoy_mouse] Thanks Ron. Sorry for the bombardment ;)
[Annoy_mouse] Good luck!
[Ron_] Thanks
[Ron_] Bye everyone.  And see you in December :)
[MarkG] Bye...
[Annoy_mouse] Bye
[pSyKoPaTh] bye

---After talk---

[Annoy_mouse] It looks like it will be pretty cool if they can pull it off
[MarkG] indeed
[Annoy_mouse] luckily it won't really be competing with NeoCiv or Ctp or anything
[Annoy_mouse] because of that magic and amphibians and stuff
[Civworld] Well Dinner dudes...ciao.
[Annoy_mouse] Yeh i've gotta get some sleep too
[Annoy_mouse] thanks Mark
[Annoy_mouse] bye now

---Session Close: Mon Nov 02 02:08:36 1998---