Galactic Empires

[PNMarkW2]

Once upon a time I was more active here, I was after all the last GM for the classic PBM game Galactic Empires. Over the years I have been slowly working on an update to that game, but never quite reaching the finish line. I will confess that I'm not there yet either, but I will make a commitment that Galactic Empires will be up and running by the end of 2024. 

What I'm looking for now are any past or future players and asking you to please reach out to me via PMs. And of course, replies here will also be addressed by me.

Thank you, have a great day.

quite

[PNMarkW2]

I wanted to start posting regular updates related to my progress toward relaunching Galactic Empires. Here is part of a screenshot of an Empire maintenance screen. This is where new empires would be created, or any maintenance would take place. This is also where entry of a players turn would begin. While and game assist program is planed, at launch turns would still need to be written long form and submitted for entry on my end. Even after a game assist program, there will likely always be some turns that will need to be entered manually.

   

Currently being worked on are routines around the creation of new locations (star systems, etc.) in the game, including default starting locations for new empires. Once this is complete I'll be able to move into turn processing.

[PNMarkW2]

Another update. Even if nobody is reading these, they help me to keep focused as I work.

One thing of note, even when I say something is "done" or "complete" that does not mean it won't be subject to change at development continues, and especially when playtesting begins. Even as I was working this week I came across some changes to the database that I'm considering.

1) The new star system certation has been completed.
2) New Empire creation has also been completed.

Those were the main two goals from my last post. Up next I will be working code related to turn processing, this will be the biggest bulk of coding. This week I will focus in the General Admin phase. As the name implies, this is where players will take care of some admin related task, sending in-game messages to players, declaring allies, taxes on your empire, things of that nature.

Once that is done I will move into the growth phase, population growth, resource production, stuff like that. This part of a players turn is automatic, so no real input is required, but the Admin phase must be completed first.

A couple of other things, for the most part the game will relaunch using the the 1984 version of the rules, with only minor tweaks. This was what I consider the high point of the game, and very few changes were made after that until my efforts on a version 3.0 of the game. Once the game has launched I will continue with playtesting the purposed changes for the version 3.0, and anything new that seems appropriate. in a separate galaxy, far, far away. Then those changes can be tested in a controlled manner and introduced only after a core group of players, and myself, are comfortable with the effects on the game.

[GrimFinger]

Hello, Mark!

[PNMarkW2]

For this week's update I must confess it was not a good week. Things were busy in so many ways that I made very little progress on the game. I did review some of the issues I had noticed in database, but still no changes were made, just notes for future changes.

That leaves me still looking at the General Admin phase, and possibly moving into the Growth phase as I discussed last week. There are still some things coming this week that will keep me from the game, so I temper my goal a bit and just look to get something working in the General Admin phase.

Lastly, before I go...

Hi GrimFinger! 

[GrimFinger]

Well, real life will always take precedence over PBM gaming, just as it takes precedence over many other forms of gaming.

I do sympathize, though. Real life is a walk through a never-ending hurricane.

[PNMarkW2]

I thought I'd share a mid-week post just for fun. I've made some good progress so far this week, but not necessarily in the areas I had intended. So less about the Admin Phase coding, and more some general updates to the code to make it more stable in general, and easier to continue to update. The weeks not over though, so I feel good about at least some progress coming for the Admin Phase rules.

What I also wanted to share are some thoughts of what comes next, and I don't mean next in terms of the re-launch project. This might seem a little like getting the cart before the horse, but here we are.

As I've said previously my re-launch plans are based around the version 2 rules from 1984, which I consider a high point for the game. That is when the original designer, Dan Pierce, I felt really committed to the future of the game. Unfortunately that didn't last, but I'm not one to talk. I will be making some minor tweaks to the version 2 rules barrowing from my own version 3, but once the re-launch is complete I will continue working to incorporate as much of the version 3+ over time as I can. So whoever playtests this thing when I get to that point will be kept busy for a while.

At that same time though I also plan to develop some other games and I wanted to review some of those thoughts briefly. So in no particular order...

A game inspired by the game Death by Starlight from Twin Engine Gaming. I have attempted to reach out to them about rights to the original, but I've not been able to locate anyone connected with this game which is why my game will be an original effort, or as I said, inspire by. The 30,000 foot overview is game was focused on small spaceships in an arena fighting it out. One twist I would add are both some not lethal contests, plus while the game is total separate it will yet be set within the Galactic Empires universe. So player's empires in GE might host contests at their systems, and perhaps wagers on matches might be an option.

A second thought is a game inspired by Galactic Prisoners from Grandel, Inc. Again, I've not been able to track down the original GM, so we're sticking with being inspired. IN this one you're given a "mammoth all terrain vehicle" on a planet with other prisoners with the goal of trying to survive against your fellow prisoners.

Lastly is a real odd-ball game called Robalgon. While I played this one back in the day, I did not seem to keep the rules or game material and I don't even have any idea who ran this one, so once again I will content myself with being inspired by the original while I create something new.

Is that a lot of work? Is it too much? The answer is probably yes on both counts. But if you don't have a plan, then nothing will happen. Just remember that I am called The "MAD" Scientist for a reason.

[GrimFinger]

A second thought is a game inspired by Galactic Prisoners from Grandel, Inc. Again, I've not been able to track down the original GM, so we're sticking with being inspired. IN this one you're given a "mammoth all terrain vehicle" on a planet with other prisoners with the goal of trying to survive against your fellow prisoners.

It was an interesting read, Mark.

Ed Grandel died three years ago, tomorrow.

https://www.chandlerfuneralhome.com/obit...n-grandel/

It's always sad and a loss when PBM GMs die.