Game: Alpha Galaxy

Grim's editorial about GUIs convinced me that to wait for the development of the game client to finish before running a game is unnecessary. Though, we may disagree in particulars, Grim and I both agree that imagination and a text medium are core components of PBM. Moreover, we agree that PBM can make a come back.

So, without further ado, I am announcing the first game of Far Horizons: The Awakening.

Note: I haven't canceled or paused the game client application. It is still in development, but there is no reason to put off hosting a game until it is finished.

The game start is imminent!

I have added the game's policies to the website.

We'll be starting with a tidy sum of 9 or 10 players. I'm waiting on one player to fix his registration, then we're off!

I posted your e-mail about the game last night, on a couple of different sites. Hopefully, it helped you to gain an extra player or two.

We now have 10 players! I am quite pleased, in less than a week we've got a nice mix of new and old FH players. Sign ups are now closed... though if you email me quick (before I post the game start announcement in the next hour or so) I might be able to get you in.

The game has started! Turn one packets are out. Check your email!

The first deadline is Sunday March 20

• 13:00 UTC
• 9:00 AM EDT
• 6:00 AM PDT

Now to figure out what the Hell to do.

Turn 2 - 6 of 10 orders received. Unfortunately one player had to drop out before turn 1.

Good news! Thanks to prozenfeld, we found a player to fill that 11th position.

Excellent work, Prozenfeld.

Turn 3 reports sent!

The next deadline is Sunday March 27:

• 13:00 UTC
• 9:00 AM EDT
• 6:00 AM PDT

Missed reporting the last turn in this thread, but turn 5 results went out today.

Orders for turn 6 are due Sunday April 3:
13:00 UTC
9:00 AM EDT
6:00 AM PDT

In other news, I am almost done with a 12 turn example set that includes orders, turn reports, and blurbs from the player describing the motivations for his actions. This document will be useful for new players. It will help provide a sense of how to progress in the beginning part of the game, as well as provide real working examples of orders.

Many thanks to Dewey for providing the reports and orders for this tutorial.

I've moved the game processing off my desktop computer and onto my server. This means that the orders fetcher is now always running (every 15 minutes), and I can access the game from anywhere I have a computer. So the situation that happened last Sunday when I was traveling (i.e., I didn't have my desktop!) won't occur again.

That's a major step forward.

[quote='JonO' pid='679' dateline='1301711662']
That's a major step forward.
[/quote]

Haha! Not really :P It was a simple file transfer and setting up a cron job; I meant to do it weeks ago, but thanks for the vote of confidence.

Currently I've replaced the old crufty bash shell scripts with clean standalone python tools, and my next task is bring them together into a library of sorts that I can then tie into a simple administration webapp.

This will enable those not comfortable with the linux command line to host, run, and manage their own games of Far Horizons. No to mention it will make it easier for me to admin the game.

Then I'll start in earnest on a client side interface.

What are you going to write the interface in? And will it be dl or browser?

Turn 7 results went out yesterday, and then a re-run occurred today due to an error on my part. Sorry about that guys :(

Orders for turn 8 are due Sunday April 10:
13:00 UTC
9:00 AM EDT
6:00 AM PDT
[quote='JonO' pid='682' dateline='1301749587']
What are you going to write the interface in? And will it be dl or browser?
[/quote]

I still haven't made my mind up :( I'm leaning towards standalone downloadable client though, simply because I'd like for people to be able to play offline.

Separate Clients for Windoze, Macintack, and Eunuchs?

Separate clients, yes, but the same code base.

I write cross-platform GUI applications for a living, so supporting multiple platforms isn't a big of an issue as you'd suspect.

[quote='Ramblurr' pid='831' dateline='1302197084']
Separate clients, yes, but the same code base.

I write cross-platform GUI applications for a living, so supporting multiple platforms isn't a big of an issue as you'd suspect.
[/quote]

Oh, of course. I bet you use JAVA so you can write once and run anywhere, just like Sun promised. :D

Nope, Java isn't my thing. Swing is ugly and the apps rarely integrate into the platform very well.

C++ and Qt!

Are you moc-ing me? ;)

[quote='JonO' pid='858' dateline='1302382658']
Are you moc-ing me? ;)[/quote]

ROFL! Not going to lie, I've been doing Qt for awhile--been to many Qt-centric conferences-- and that's the first I've heard that joke.