Ninth game on the multiplayer slow game server

[swaq]

Your Frigates weren't set to passive? I think that's the default at the start of these multiplayer games.

Nopes. I just double-checked it. They are set to aggressive and I haven't change that at any point in this game.

Hmm, very bizarre then.

[Oberlus]

Hmm, very bizarre then.

I wonder if it has something to do with splitting the aggressive fleet in the turn before (into two aggressive fleets, nevertheless).

[Ophiuchus]

Hmm, very bizarre then.

I wonder if it has something to do with splitting the aggressive fleet in the turn before (into two aggressive fleets, nevertheless).

Maybe not considered stationary or something. I guess arrival date recorded on the fleet level(?). In that case un/re/mixing fleets would lead to strange results.

[Magnate]

One more thing: in a small galaxy, narrow tolerance is a *much* bigger malus than in a big one. The difference between sub hab and xeno genetics is about 20 turns in the early game, which is too many.

But still, it's nice to have all my strategic decisions made for me - death to Oberlus!

[Oberlus]

But still, it's nice to have all my strategic decisions made for me - death to Oberlus!

I'm starting to get a bit scared.
Don't you have some natives to invade or something?

[o01eg]

The server was updated to 2020-04-14.60fb514 weekly test build.

[Magnate]

The server was updated to 2020-04-14.60fb514 weekly test build.

Is that why I'm getting the message "content checksum differs between client and server" or something? I guess I will upgrade...

[Magnate]

Ok everyone, I'd like to ask for this game to be paused until the defence regen but is fixed (again) - https://github.com/freeorion/freeorion/issues/2488

I have just attacked one of Oberlus's systems. On turn 29 I wiped out the ships and one of the planets, but the other one had some defence left. On turn 30 I wiped out the remaining planet defences, but the first planet regenerated. This means that every turn one of the planets will regenerate, and its troops will accumulate, which is not a tolerable bug. I would not have attacked if I had known it would manifest in this way (I thought any combat would result in both planets being zeroed and troops not accumulating).

I'm tempted to ask that we pause the game but I realise that's probably not ok for others. But it may make the difference between me surviving and not, as the system concerned is the choke point that blocks me off from the rest of the galaxy, and if Oberlus prevails I am doomed I tell you, doomed.

As you can tell I started this post wanting to ask to pause the game and now I'm not sure if that's really acceptable. What do others think? It's unfortunately five days until the next scheduled weekly test build, unless anyone has any influence on the dev team.

[Oberlus]

TL;DR:

Let's

• stop the game,
• debug and fix the regen planet shields bug,
• debate the new happiness restriction for production growth to improve/amend it.
• start the game again next week.

Long version:

Ok everyone, I'd like to ask for this game to be paused until the defence regen but is fixed (again)

OOOOOOOOR we could restart it altogether
Seriously, my start wasn't stellar (I'm suspecting it's been even worse than yours, Magnate), so I could use a restart

I have just attacked one of Oberlus's systems. On turn 29 I wiped out the ships and one of the planets

Yes, and you were extremely lucky to not lose a single ship. I seldom see damage so evenly distributed among the whole fleet. So nice from RNG (for you).

but the other one had some defence left. On turn 30 I wiped out the remaining planet defences, but the first planet regenerated. This means that every turn one of the planets will regenerate, and its troops will accumulate, which is not a tolerable bug.

Troops will accumulate on every planet that is not being attacked on previous turn, regardless of the number of planets in the system. That is, the more time to bring in your troop ships, the worse (because I set both to Defence focus...).
Restart? Yes?

I would not have attacked if I had known it would manifest in this way

Fine for me
The more time you give me the higher my defences

I'm tempted to ask that we pause the game but I realise that's probably not ok for others

I hope swaq is pissed off enough about the minimum happiness thingy so as to accept a restart.
I'm not pleased with the "pause" idea now that I know you, Magnate, have been delayed quite a lot due to the planet regenerating shields bug while taking those native worlds in your corner of the galaxy, and so you could have attacked me even earlier for your advantage. I mean, this game is flawed in several ways. Also, since I know that "pause" will also apply to your Tenth parallel game...
I would prefer to continue the ninth game a bit to test more stuff despite the bug, so that we all get a better idea about the new happiness thingy and if we really dislike it or if it can be improved/amended in some way instead of just revoked.
But I'll be OK with any decision (open a poll?).

But it may make the difference between me surviving and not, as the system concerned is the choke point that blocks me off from the rest of the galaxy, and if Oberlus prevails I am doomed I tell you, doomed.

That's the plan. I've focused on research, so I've got nice techs already and way faster than you (AA, Exobots, soon GGG), plus I've already finished my first Exobot colony and will get two more in the next 5-10 turns. Meanwhile I'll be building nice ship designs specially tailored to bring doom to you
You wiping out my starting fleet in the chokepoint is a drawback, but in the worst scenario it will buy me time for the proper counter-attack, and even if you can bring troops in time to that system, my scorched earth policy will be in place on time. Even if you sneak some colony ship past the chokepoint, once I get back to you I'll cut your supply and you'll be cornered again

It's unfortunately five days until the next scheduled weekly test build, unless anyone has any influence on the dev team.

There's no way we can make Vezzra change his schedule. Weekly test builds are done Tuesdays, period.
But we could use a version compiled from master, but only if all of us, the players of the ninth game, can compile.
Also, if the bug can be fixed only server side, and/or if o01eg has the time and motivation to update again the server (maybe to previous week version)... but that is up to him and I would not ask him to make any extra effort this week.

I indeed prefer to restart the game (with whatever version). Not only because of my reasons above, because also danyspin97, the newbie in our team, is TEH REAL NEWBIE, this was his very first game, he could not tell apart an outpost ship from a colony ship from a colony BASE (the kind of confusions you solve after a bunch of games vs AI), and many other doubts, which has caused him to progress much slower than what he could have done. Plus the galaxy layout is quite unfavourable for my team (we split into 2 sub teams far apart from each other, the Federation dominating a wide stripe of the galaxy with all of you connected, except for Magnate thanks to me rushing to that chokepoint, and I expect ThinkSome to come into Magnate's aid and frustrate my plans of forcing him again into the corner).

[Oberlus]

Update from my teammates:

o01eg stated that he won't be available for a server update next week. So planet shield regen bug won't be fixed in the server until aprox. 29 April (that's two weeks from now). Downgrading server now to previous week test build won't help anyway since the bug has been there for an undetermined amount of time.
Sooo... pausing the game for two weeks does not seem a nice choice.

L29Ah and danyspin97 are OK with a game restart. Both want the bug fixed.
L29Ah does not care about the happiness restriction patch, but also agrees that it could be done better (more on this on the dedicated thread later).

We could rely on getting a bug fix before next weekly test build and starting the Tenth game in Magnate's server.
Magnate?

Meanwhile, restarting this game in o01eg's server with current version will only serve for

• us being acknowledge of game limitations from start so that we all can have a more pleasant experience,
• galaxy seed exploit fixed, and
• add more systems per player to the galaxy (I say at least 33).

All that sounds good to me, and I believe my teammates will agree.

swaq, ThinkSome, Hyperant, I'd like to know your thoughts on all this.

[ThinkSome]

I am against restarting.. we've already invested a week into this. I am also against pausing for a long time (which two weeks is for me). I dislike the happyness thing, but it penalizes everyone (hopefully equally). I would support reverting to the previous version on the current turn or a few back, if that is what you people want. I can also compile if someone fixes the contested "features".

Magnate's start wasn't great and the shield regen bug is unfortunate. But, Dany is new and I'm not a pro either (though I've spent enough time in singleplayer to know the difference between ships and bases). I also messed up my start and hyperant is in a xenophobic frenzy. I think it is ok as it is, especially if you make us rush to help Magnate.

I'm against more systems per player- the game will take forever to complete.

[swaq]

Although I absolutely hate this new "feature" I am strongly against restarting. I don't think it breaks anything (more just annoying and slows the pacing) and the effects should be relatively equal. We're already 30 turns into this game and I feel it's just starting to get interesting. Also, playing with the new happiness mechanic will give us experience to provide better feedback for its improvement so I don't want to pause playing either.

[Magnate]

Ok, I can see when I am outvoted. If we could just fix the regen bug I'd be happy to carry straight on but if Oleg isn't around to update the server version we can't use the fix anyway. Oleg - how long until you go? If Thinksome or I compile a version with the bug fixed, when could you update? (I assume it's just a server-side fix, and assume everyone is ok to tolerate the new happiness issue.)

[ThinkSome]

I can compile only for myself (GNU amd64). I have a MXE cross toolchain for windows, but I'm not sure what setup FO uses/needs.

[Hyperant]

I'd say we continue despite the rather displeasing new mechanic that was added.

What's a little galactic domination without hardship?