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[mahks]

Probably best to think of your 1st game as the main tutorial.

If after a few days, when all is much clearer, you want to start over you can, see game options button in upper right.

[EuchreJack]

Yeah, that is probably true.

Thanks for being so friendly during my initial forays into this game.

[HopFlash]

you could think about the tutorial system of Segas Football Manager.
It marks things that you have to click with a border and does a transparent "fog of war" over the rest of the screen.
I have not found a screenshot to show what I mean...I hope I remember this after I get home from work to make one.

And I have to say...this project sounds very nice to me but I havn't understand something.
Play all players in one persistent world or do they have there own games?
And how exactly is the pace of the game. One "turn" a day/week? Individual countdowns for actions (eg JumpDrive-Recharge or Building)?

And if I may ask...with what technologies (programming language, framework etc) have you build this game?

[mahks]

all players in one persistent world or do they have there own games?

Currently only one universe active, but I can run any number concurrently.
Plan is to have a newbie game for people to train up on and filter the churn.
Each game can have its own "design" each design generates an unlimited variation of games. I would only need another "design" to increase the maximum number of players that can fit. The number of players per game is a secret, so don't ask Its enough so that you will never meet them all in-game.

And how exactly is the pace of the game. One "turn" a day/week? Individual countdowns for actions (eg JumpDrive-Recharge or Building)?

The only real play limiter is the jump engine recharge. 10 hours real time. This allows for 2 sessions a day, with breathing room. If you only play one session a day you do not get behind much at all. You can put your fleet on routes, so they will move when you are not in game.

Caveat : You really need to play the first few days fairly regularly to get your realm to a stable point, then you can slack off.

And if I may ask...with what technologies (programming language, framework etc) have you build this game?

This is all HTML from scratch. So Javascript, PHP & mySQL

[EuchreJack]

Have to admit, I like my captured rebel star.  It's like having a half-constructed star instead of the starting outpost/mining colony that typifies my empire so far.  I've even got some minerals produced from it, yay!

[Isdar]

Ohh, im allways a sucker for 4x games(Even tough my skills in them are limited). Would you just accept anyone that sends you a PM or do you need to meet some requirements?

And I have a few questions regarding the game:

- When you make a new universe is it randomly generated or handmade?
- Do you have any plans on expanding the economy(Tourism, agriculture and stuff)?
- Can you conquer other players colonies, or can you just make them into vassals?
- What does exactly being a vassal entail? Do you get taxed? Can he just take any resources I have without my consent?

[mahks]

Would you just accept anyone that sends you a PM or do you need to meet some requirements?

It is so hard to find play testers I will take anyone who can click a mouse!
But, the tutorial does a good job of filtering out those who are not suitable to the game.
Also, since I am in total control of the game I can be as dictatorial as I want and expel anyone I want, Wha ha ha...
But it has never come to that. The nature of the game does not attract "twits".

If you mean; do you need to be capable in some way? Can you click a mouse? What I really like to see in a play tester is; not being afraid of being critical. "Nothing improves without criticism". Reporting bugs is the main requirement. But I also need a critical mass of players to make the diplomatic mechanisms work, so if you just want to play that is OK to.

I have a few questions regarding the game:

- When you make a new universe is it randomly generated or handmade?

Random maps are generated within the parameters of the game "design",  I can have several "handmade" designs.

- Do you have any plans on expanding the economy(Tourism, agriculture and stuff)?

Yes, but. The game is pretty complex as it is and I worry how much more people can take.
I'm sure the crew at bay12 can handle any amount of complexity, it is the other players I worry about.
(as an aside: the people coming from this site, to try the game, have been of noticeably keen mind, making astute suggestions and all round having "the right stuff")
Anyway, one thing that is on the drawing board is civilian morale. This would take in many aspects resulting in a value per star that would affect output, rebellion etc. I am always open to suggestions, so ...

- Can you conquer other players colonies, or can you just make them into vassals?

You can only capture unprotected colonies, if the star has a shield, you have to bomb it, this  destroys all the structures and you will have to build from scratch. The shields cause a delay in capture, so create a siege type scenario with time for diplomacy and reenforcements to arrive. This also means that destroying a highly built up star may not be the best strategy. It may be better to get benefits from the star instead. ie, "send me half your production or I will take the star" type of thing.

- What does exactly being a vassal entail?

Too much to list here, have a look at the manual at the site, select "Fealty" in the index.

Do you get taxed?
Yes you pay tribute, this is offset by huge bonuses for being a vassal. You want to become a vassal as soon as possible.

Can he just take any resources I have without my consent?
No, the only automatic aspect is the tribute.

[EuchreJack]

Traditionally, I've seen moral in 4x games tied to tax rate.  Not saying that is the best option, but currently I find it best to keep all my colonies on maximum tax rate until I need workers (which, with the nanomaterial production crunch, is going to be a while).  The balance of merchantiles versus colonies also means their only purpose is to not lose as much income when I decrease taxes.  If I rarely have the need to decrease taxes (time will tell on that one as per worker generation needs), then I rarely have the need to build merchantiles.

Also, since recreation centers currently only aid ship morale (as colony morale doesn't exist), it is best to just create a "tourist trap" for my fleets instead of setting up bars everywhere.  Again, time will tell on that one.

The cool thing about morale, is that it would generally slow down a player that wanted to pay a lot of attention to it.  On the other hand, an aggressive player could temporarily ignore it in order to build faster, but they would eventually need to address it and slow down.  It would generate more of an ebb and flow for the player's development.

I'd also think that changes in overlords would hurt morale.  A realm that is used to being free would initially chaff under a new liege, and a realm used to having the protection of one power would be legitimately worried if it lost it's protector.

I haven't any experience with diplomacy in-game, but it seems that one can't just change fiety (in other worlds, go from being the vassal of one realm to being the vassal of another).  It seems the player has to first break fiety, then swear fiety to another.  I wonder if there might be some benefit to being able to just switching allegiance (labeled something like "proposal: betray liege").  It would certainly provide more power to vassals.

I'm not certain of the benefits, but I can certainly see potential to "game" the protectorate system.  Since all the triggers are hard limits, one can simply avoid them until one wants to lose protectorate status.  For instance, instead of establishing colonies normally, one could set up colonization ships over their intended targets but not actually create the colonies.  Or avoid developing colony level.  Of course, from what I understand about the protectorate system, one can't trade as well with other realms until one ceases to be a protectorate (other players can't enter the system of a protectorate, thus can't send trade ships to a protectorate, however the protectorate can send trade ships to non-protectorate players).

[Isdar]

Answers and stuff.

Ah, thank you for answering my questions. I also sent you a PM asking for access.

[Zangi]

Is the game supposed to only work in full screen mode?

[EuchreJack]

Is the game supposed to only work in full screen mode?

I've played it in windowed mode, but I'm unclear on adjusting between the two.  I think escape changes view mode.

[Zangi]

Its just, nothing loads up when in normal mode... but after I switch to full screen, everything is working right.  Full screen is highly inconvenient.  (I might need to update my firefox though.)

[inEQUALITY]

I've yet to encounter any other players. Just expanding and scouting as quickly as possible while also building infrastructure. Bombarding an independent star so I can eventually capture the thing. It's nice to see my heraldry expand across the stars.

[etgfrog]

I've yet to encounter any other players. Just expanding and scouting as quickly as possible while also building infrastructure. Bombarding an independent star so I can eventually capture the thing. It's nice to see my heraldry expand across the stars.

I get the feeling that the only way of seeing another player is once you've left protection, not sure though but in my case I've run into restricted space in all directions, so I've just assumed its because I have protection on that the "barrier" is there.

[EuchreJack]

I've yet to encounter any other players. Just expanding and scouting as quickly as possible while also building infrastructure. Bombarding an independent star so I can eventually capture the thing. It's nice to see my heraldry expand across the stars.

I get the feeling that the only way of seeing another player is once you've left protection, not sure though but in my case I've run into restricted space in all directions, so I've just assumed its because I have protection on that the "barrier" is there.

I've had the same sneaking suspicion.

I find that my learning about this game was perfectly timed: Previously, Crusader Kings II and Aurora were the games that took up most of my time.  StarLords3K is sort of like their lovechild.