K.R.A.K: A multi-player continuous universe[SIGN UPS CLOSED]

[Spartwo]

Cut down time to one week(or less),let missions end early,ask if everyone is still on-board,and letting commanders leave at will or if they don't say they accept the mission but they have to go last if they come back.

Edited August 27, 2013 by Spartwo

[bellino]

Use NASA system : P

Player [X] is backup for player [Y] and [Z] amount of missions later, he is commander

[Captain Sierra]

Okay, here is how I thought about running one. Please note, this was designed under a plan for a much smaller player count.

This style is optimized for big projects. You make modular projects with a set of preset rules for standardization. You create a list of what you need and players can sign up for one. Each player can do up to 2. All these are built and tested side by side. After a set build window, people who are done sign up for a launch window. You then get 48 hours to put your object where it should be. The basic principle being big project, small chunks.

[Kaelen]

Yeah that is definitely different than my plans. Sounds fun though.

[DeltaC00K13Z]

Possibly splitting the group into pairs of ~7-8 is the best idea. Everyone can do more different missions and you are more reliant on each other. Not to forget it's easier to keep track of the active players.

However, the assigning-everyone-a-mission-beforehand-thing takes the fun away. As, for example, one is working on the relay network (first step to space) and another is working on a base on some planet, it would take the feeling of progress away as everything is already prepared for and just waiting to be launched.

Small groups: easier to keep track, faster feedback, more turns per commander

In case we do split, I'll join Captain Sierra.

[The Deep Space Kraken]

Even if I don't get to play untill febuary next year I'll still play. But I think assigning missions early is a good idea

Edit: Derp, i would actually play october next year

[Bean]

I'd say reduce time to a week, and make sure the commander accepts the mission within a day, (Via PM or forum post)

[impwarhamer]

I will join you if your planning on doing that. I think even with less amount of time for people to complete their missions it could still take ages for people to get their go.

[Tidus Klein]

HAHA im in and as the last one too I never get this lucky!

The only problem with waiting is that it will make this get boring really quick and then others will quit, forget, or just do other things. The challenge thread is always growing and for this to stay at the top there will have to be a new post every one or two days other wise it will be lost to cavernous depths of the challenge thread

[The Deep Space Kraken]

What if you split into 4 seperate games each with 8 players?

[Kaelen]

Ok so it looks like a majority of people have voted on the polls and we've gotten some good comments and ideas on how to better structure this. I've tried to keep everyone's interests in mind here so please don't get mad at the solution I am going with. Here it is.

I am going to stick to running just this one game. If anyone wants to break off and start a splinter game then that is totally fine with me. Just PM me a list of who is leaving so I know who to remove from the roster.

For those who do stick around here is how it is going to continue. I will work on pre-planning all of the missions(I already have a couple done). Keeping in mind any special requests people made on their applications, I will assign them via PM to each person. The missions aren't secret or anything. I just don't want to clutter up the mission report thread too much. Your missions will have 2 sets of objectives: Primary and Secondary. The primary objectives are fixed and will not change between when I assign you the mission and when you actually get to run it. The secondary objective will be fluid and may change depending on what happens during the missions that come before yours.

When your turn comes up, I will post your mission objective and parameters on the mission report thread. That will be the final, official copy of your orders and you will play based on that. In between those two times I will try to PM you any changes to your secondary objectives but be prepared to be flexible.

Once your mission is posted on the report thread I will send you a PM letting you know it is there. At that point you have 48 hours to post a reply on that thread letting everyone know that you accept and are working on your mission. If you don't post a reply within 48 hours then we will move on to the next commanders mission instead. You won't be out of the game or anything but you will be moved down a slot. At the end of the next mission your mission will be assigned again. If you still don't acknowledge it on the thread within 48 hours then you will be moved to the back of the line.

If you acknowledge your mission but fail to post a report within 2 weeks, we will act as though you had not acknowledged the mission.

So this is the way its gonna be. Sorry if your concerns aren't addressed by this plan. I did my best to include everyone and make this game fun to play. I really appreciate all of you showing an interest in this. I never thought this would be so popular but I guess too many players is a good problem to have. Thank you all for supporting this and thank you to those who may be leaving for a splinter game. I appreciate you all too.

So now that that is dealt with: we were talking on here about a flag for KRAK. Does anyone have some artistic ability that they could use to make us a custom flag? I would love to see some peoples designs or ideas if they have any.

[The Lone Wolfling]

May I amend my request?

Going to Pol would also be fun. Ion-powered VTOL rovers are fun!

Also, sounds good.

[Kaelen]

Sure. I'll note it.

[bellino]

I got the flag... if you want it.

http://s897.photobucket.com/user/bellino02/media/KRAKFlag_zpsf3c1cbc7.png.html?sort=3&o=0

[DeltaC00K13Z]

I made a flag too, with the flag-in-the-making-designs added if you want to edit it.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/pdy4l7ft3qfuzaw/1kBujFJ0eP

first time I uploaded pictures, so if the link doesn't work, please pm me.

[Stochasty]

Kaelen, while I understand why people might want an early mission structure drawn up so that they have some idea of what they are getting into, I think this actually runs a little counter to the whole "Boatmurdered" spirit of the project. Part of what made Boatmurdered fun was the spiral out of control as each new overseer had to try to correct for the mistakes of his predecessors.

Given that you are banning quick-saving for this game, we can expect to see quite a bit of the same thing: Kerbals stranded due to insufficient fuel, crash landings, highly-energetic docking maneuvers, etc. Therefore, one of the major draws for this kind of a game (and a large part of the reason I signed up) is running missions to correct for these types of mistakes. However, by its nature, this makes pre-planning extremely difficult - how do you fit in a rescue mission to the Mun when the next seven people have independent targets?

One way would be to create a flexible group of "quick response pilots" whose jobs would be to run rescue missions in between the primary missions, but that would mean that everyone in the main queue could expect to have an essentially clean save file to work with: no mishaps, no need to alter plans from "simulation," etc. It would be as if Boatmurdered had had a couple of ringers come in and take control of the fortress every time the elephants started getting out of hand.

Alternatively, you could just ignore failed missions: leave Jeb stranded on the Mun while Bill heads for Minmus and Bob to Duna. This seems a little contrary to the spirit, too.

The only other way I can see for handling things is that you just have to treat the entire structure as flexible, but this means you'd have to give up on being able to give pilots advanced knowledge of their mission objectives. Personally, this would be my choice - keep the order structure as it is, but just base every mission on the outcome of the previous missions. If a pilot gets assigned a mission they've never done before and aren't sure how to accomplish, then it's a learning experience (for them, and for the next pilot in line who gets to figure out how to rescue them). This type of thing would hold my interest in a way that pre-assigned missions wouldn't, because I've already been everywhere in the game. I know how to get to Moho, how to return from Eve, how to dock, etc., and I've done all of them do death. What would be more interesting would be needing a targeted landing on Tylo to retrieve a stranded pilot, or docking with a derelict ship in Eeloo orbit and pushing it home, or any of ten thousand other possibilities that arise organically in a succession game like this.

Sadly, this wasn't one of the options in your poll; hence, why I didn't vote.

[Bean]

I'd say if there is an addition of a mission (rescue) then the next pilot after the following mission gets tasked with the rescue. So it goes Mission(failed) , Mission(success),Rescue Mission, Mission... etc

That way we have 2 weeks to find a rescue pilot. Perhaps reduce the rescue mission time to a week (Life support is running out)

[Stochasty]

Why not just give the rescue to the next pilot up? Unplanned fun is funnier.

[Kaelen]

Stochasty I totally agree with everything you are saying. That is exactly the experience I am trying to create. That is why I split the missions into primary and secondary objectives. The primary objectives are the planned goals of KRAK. The "five year plan" if you will. The secondary objectives are exactly what you describe. The "Oh ****!" rescue missions and corrections of previous failures. I think we are definitely on the same page as far as what we want to see happen here. I know I said that I would assign everyone's missions early but practically I think I am really only going to be able to come up with a mission 2-3 missions in advance. Any further and the missions just start becoming general long term goals rather than clear and specific objectives. With this setup I think it will definitely organically develop to a point where there are missions that are purely for rescue. I can also conceive of situations where someone's Primary objectives may have to be postponed due to a previous mission failure. At that point their primary objective will become fixing the problem that is holding their mission up. I hope that people can remain flexible on these missions as I am hoping that complete chaos will develop over time.

Edited August 29, 2013 by Kaelen

[sal_vager]

Closed at creators request