Figured id make a thread for our side of the 2v2 game.

So I see that the original Diablo has shown up on GOG, apparently with both 'original' mode and an updated, recent Windows/computer friendly version. As someone who never played the original, but has played some of the more recent games in the genre such as Path of Exile and Diablo 3, would this be worth giving a try? Or is it now too dated to be worthwhile, and a more recent game would be a better option? (If it matters, I have not played Diablo 2 either.) I do play a lot of old games such as MOO, original XCOM, etc. so I don't mind older graphics and interfaces, but those are turn-based games. I am not sure an action game would hold up as well to the passage of time.

Any thoughts from the Diablo vets here at RB?

I have trouble understanding which is better under which circumstances. 
It appears that holy weapon is stronger most of the time unless the attack strength is 3 or lower. Is that correct?
Thanks for any advice.

I've just started playing MoO1 for the first time in.. decades. (I'm an avid MoO2 and MoM (using seravy's CoM mod) player - the only reason I haven't also played MoO1 was sheer time restraints, despite loving it as well).

I've lurked in this forum for years, reading reports and imperiums and OSGs, so I wanted to ask.

How common is it for AI to have awful starts?

My recent game, I had a gorgeous start (at least 1/4 of the Large galaxy was in my backyard, despite 5 AI) because Meklon had only 2 nearby planets: Ursa and Orion. So the Bulrathi expanded like crazy, and the Meklar could do nothing until they allied, and even then, the Bulrathi just swallowed any planets they tried to expand to.

And in my previous game, Cryslon, Sssla, and Nazin were also in a trio, all within 3 (or maybe 4?) parsecs of each other, and with only 1 or 2 other planets within 4 of any of the 3 AI homeworlds.

Edit: also where are the rules on what tech you can find from an artifacts world? I got stinger missiles which seemed absurdly good, and I never needed another weapon to maintain space superiority.

Edit2: never mind, found it, under the entry for 'how to kill the guardian' it mentioned that artifacts world's give random tech up to 10 levels higher than your current tech.
So I found one artifacts world with fusion bomb (level 9) and then found stingers missiles (level 18) despite not actually researching anything past 3-5.
So very rare occurrence, but I see why I was confused by rules of other games.

I got that message, and now the only building I can build is alchemist guild (whichever I choose, it shows alchemist). The city screen does not have alchemists built, but the build options list does have amplifier. I cannot recall whether one just got destroyed. I could build units.

Another advice request for the MOO vets here at RB: How do you deal with starting close to the Bulrathi?

In my latest game the bears' home world is to my east, with one system in between us about 4 light years from each home world. This system has a habitable planet. Trying to claim this world will open me to a half-the-bear-homeworld invasion force if they ever get space superiority, which would crush any defense I could build in a reasonable time frame.

I don't really want to expand that direction, even, or at least not at first. There is a different planet to my west, a terran 120, that I would much prefer to target for my third planet. But I don't want the bears taking the system to the east and then going for my home world, either.

What would you do with this situation?

One thing that bugs me a bit about the game is how the AI treats boundaries.  If I have a wizard pact with an AI and I come anywhere near their cities, even briefly, it causes a massive hit to our relations, triggers warning text and can lead to breaking of our pact.  However, the AI freely moves dozens of units all around my territories with impunity, often blocking roads, and apparently thinks nothing of it.  The only mechanism I can see in the game at all to deal with this is to threaten the AI, but that's like trying to swat a fly with claymore.  Even if we don't have a pact, the same behavior occurs.

I searched through the archives and found a related discussion here: 

https://www.realmsbeyond.net/forums/show...+violation
 
It seems to me that this could be addressed in one of two ways.  Either the AI has to have some way of recognizing on their own that they're in territorial violations, or else there could be a new diplomatic interaction where you can directly ask the AI to stop violating your territory, one that doesn't involve threatening them.  I'm thinking more of 'diplomatic request' than 'threaten to burn down the city'.

Quote: I've been very lazy about announcing new versions of my mod here. Up to 1.28 now. It might be the last version that makes any rule changes. I might make some dialogue changes, but life priorities aren't pushing me to do that, as there would be no gameplay impact.

To be honest I announce on Reddit nowadays and am not much bothering with elsewhere. /r/4Xgaming has got way more traffic about SMAC than this forum has.  I hope this doesn't make anyone sore, but when I get 90% of my downloads from 1 place, and I only get another 2% from like 7 other places, well it affects my willingness to do the work.

That said, I am subscribed, I do get notification on replies to my post, and I'm happy to answer any questions about the latest version of my mod. Ask away! Otherwise, feel free to read its homepage, download, and try it out.
 

Hiya. Welcome to the spoiler thread for Wargroove "pb2"

If you are a player, kindly get out. Im planning your defeat

I've been playing some MOO again recently and having a lot of fun (as always). But I am really struggling to manage a victory with the Mrrshan. The cats are generally ranked among the very weakest races for good reason. I am hoping the MOO vets here at RB can offer some advice for ways to get some value from the kitties.

With most races it is not too difficult to find ways to take advantage of their strengths -- focusing research on fields where you are strong or choosing a strategy that uses your racial bonus (spying with the Darloks, lots of invasions with the Bulrathi, etc.). But I am finding it difficult to get much value from the cats' attack bonus and weapons emphasis. I do not usually go for early aggression, preferring to develop peacefully if the galactic layout permits and tech up for more advantageous later conflict. But the cats get no advantages from that style of play, and I usually end up in diplomatic trouble and lagging economically and technologically.

Any advice for a struggling Mrrshan player would be greatly appreciated!