Post by ShadowWindSea on May 18, 2008 17:58:04 GMT -5
This is just a guide for starting out. If you're uncertain about an issue or simply don't understand the ruleset, this should rectify your problems.
MAKING A LOG
1. Read the rules and sample logs thoroughly. Most problems with starting out stem from misunderstandings in the ruleset.
2. If you have any questions or are unsure of something, ask one of the vets; they'll be more than likely to help you.
3. When you make your application, it's recommended to copy-paste-edit the sample log templates or somebody else's log.
4. Put time and effort into your log! If your log takes less than a minute to cobble together or your log is less than 3/4 the size of everybody else's, you're probably doing something wrong.
5. If somebody says something to the effect of "That log SUCKS!" in response to your application, we are truly sorry. Keep trying!
DECIDING BETWEEN AN ARMY, BANDIT, MERC OR MECH GROUP
Armies: Armies are the most diverse of the three groups, as well as the largest. Remember, Armies are the only group able to build War Machines or Base Defences, so if you opt for one of the other two groups, you might want to hire an Army to build a machine for you. In addition to having machinery, Armies are also alloted an "Uber War Machine" that can be up to 200 days in length.
Mercenaries: Mercs are the only group with availability to Super Heroes, which are the approximate power of 3 Heroes. They also have an Uber Transport to ferry them to and from battles and a Legendary Weapon. As the name implies, Mercenaries will also generally earn the highest amount of cash out of all the other groups. so choose a Merc if you want to rely on brute force.
Bandits: Bandit groups are composed of 5 ordinary Heroes, each armed with a Legendary Weapon. This allows them to spread chaos over the battlefield quickly and easily, but they're more suited for hit-and-run style attacks. Thus, if you're a fan of guerilla warfare, go for a Bandit group.
Mechanics: Mechanics are an subdivision of Mercenaries. Instead of having one Super Hero, Mechs are given a Pilot (a unit with the strength of five troops) and an Uber War Machine with no day limit. However, they are not allowed any troops whatsoever, and their machine initially lacks an engine for movement. So if you're a fan of giant death machines, choose a Mech.
RECOMMENDED STARTING PROJECTS
Armies
Build a Base Defence Factory: Varied (see below)
This is an absolute must. As you'll need defensive measures to keep your base insulated from attackers, Base Defence Factories churn out one individual Base Defence every set number of days. For example, if it's set to produce one every 12 days, the project length would be about 40-some days. Likewise, a 16-day cycle would warrant a 30 or 35-day-long project to set up. Remember, you require 1000 Civilians to run a Factory, and it costs 100 more for every additional workline you add to it. It maxes out at 3 worklines.
However, it's usually much easier to set up several factories each devoted to producing one single type of defense. For example, having two or three factories each pumping out Bullet Bill Blasters would be much quicker and more efficient than having three all-purpose factories trying to provide three Blasters at once. Plus, since that type of factory would only ever work on one type of defense, the assembly-line time would be shorter by about 3 or 4 days.
Recruit Uber Units: 30 days
Now, you're probably not going to just want simple, ordinary troops. Even if you upgrade your troops to maximum capacity, they'll still only be as strong as 3 normal troops. Uber Units provide a countermeasure to this: they are the strength of about 5 normal units.
Get a Hero: 100 days/10 day Quest
Heroes will heavily influence the outcome of battles in your favor. They can take down large crowds of troops without difficulty, and plus, they make for the best part of the battle: HERO ON HERO BATTLES! If you think 100 days is too long, you can simply go on a Quest for it. Alternatively, instead of having a Hero, you can have several Champions. Champions are lesser beings than Heroes whose combined strength equals one Hero.
Make a small War Machine: 20-25 days
You can name this whatever you want to. Essentially, it can be anything from a tank to a submarine to a flying pair of shoes that fires exploding pies, but its power is determined from the project length. The longer the project is, the more powerful the machine will be. However, it can't be any longer than a 99-day project.
Make an Uber War Machine: 100-200 days/ 10-15 day Quest
An Uber War Machine is the machine equivalent to a Hero/Champion. You are allowed one or two Uber War Machines with the project length ranging anywhere from 100 to 200 days. However, if you have more than one, the combined project length of both cannot surpass 200 days. If you have difficulty wrapping your mind around this, picture it this way: Any machine 100 days or higher is automatically made an UWM.
Mercenaries
Upgrade your Merc to Superhero status: 200 days/15 day Quest
Now, if you don't want to wait around for a month and a half to gain full power, go on a Quest. If you prefer to wait it out with a project, more power to you!
Give your Merc extra abilities: Varied
You're probably going to want to give your Superhero more powers. Use your project space to provide your Merc with extra abilities, weapons, and the like.
Upgrade the Uber Transport: Varied
This could be anything you want, as long as it's not god-mod material. You could give it an extra weapon or turret or something. Once again, the power is determined by project length.
Upgrade the Uber Troops: Varied
Give your troops some upgrades, yadda yadda yadda...
Bandits
>_>
<_<
*copy*
*paste*
*edit edit edit*
Upgrade each of the Bandits to Hero status: 80 days
Only your Head Bandit starts out with Hero status, and even then, they don't start out with their Legendary Weapon. You'll probably devote the majority of your early project space to gaining full power, but taking Quests will shorten that waiting time considerably.
Give your Bandits extra abilities: Varied
You're probably going to want to give your Bandits more powers. Use your project space to provide your Heroes with extra abilities, weapons, and the like.
Upgrade the Uber Troops: Varied
Give your troops some upgrades, yadda yadda yadda...
Mechanics
Acquire an Engine: 200 days/15 day Quest
From the get-go, your Uber War Machine will only be 10 days strong, and it will lack an Engine for movement. You can remedy this problem with a project or Quest.
Upgrade the UWM's offensive capabilities: Varied (see below)
In addition to being immobile, your UWM will also have no means to attack enemies or to defend itself. The defining difference between a Mech's UWM and an Army's is the fact that a Mech has no limit to the upgrades you can tack on to it. So be creative! Just...try not to god-mod...
Upgrade the UWM's shields: Varied
Who's starting to see a pattern develop here? 'Cause I'm sure not. Well, you also start with no way to defend your UWM either, so you might want to give it some armor or shields. Just my two cents.
These are just a couple of suggestions. If you need new ideas, look at others' projects.
If you want any suggestions, feel free to ask any of the veterans here.
MAKING A LOG
1. Read the rules and sample logs thoroughly. Most problems with starting out stem from misunderstandings in the ruleset.
2. If you have any questions or are unsure of something, ask one of the vets; they'll be more than likely to help you.
3. When you make your application, it's recommended to copy-paste-edit the sample log templates or somebody else's log.
4. Put time and effort into your log! If your log takes less than a minute to cobble together or your log is less than 3/4 the size of everybody else's, you're probably doing something wrong.
5. If somebody says something to the effect of "That log SUCKS!" in response to your application, we are truly sorry. Keep trying!
DECIDING BETWEEN AN ARMY, BANDIT, MERC OR MECH GROUP
Armies: Armies are the most diverse of the three groups, as well as the largest. Remember, Armies are the only group able to build War Machines or Base Defences, so if you opt for one of the other two groups, you might want to hire an Army to build a machine for you. In addition to having machinery, Armies are also alloted an "Uber War Machine" that can be up to 200 days in length.
Mercenaries: Mercs are the only group with availability to Super Heroes, which are the approximate power of 3 Heroes. They also have an Uber Transport to ferry them to and from battles and a Legendary Weapon. As the name implies, Mercenaries will also generally earn the highest amount of cash out of all the other groups. so choose a Merc if you want to rely on brute force.
Bandits: Bandit groups are composed of 5 ordinary Heroes, each armed with a Legendary Weapon. This allows them to spread chaos over the battlefield quickly and easily, but they're more suited for hit-and-run style attacks. Thus, if you're a fan of guerilla warfare, go for a Bandit group.
Mechanics: Mechanics are an subdivision of Mercenaries. Instead of having one Super Hero, Mechs are given a Pilot (a unit with the strength of five troops) and an Uber War Machine with no day limit. However, they are not allowed any troops whatsoever, and their machine initially lacks an engine for movement. So if you're a fan of giant death machines, choose a Mech.
RECOMMENDED STARTING PROJECTS
Armies
Build a Base Defence Factory: Varied (see below)
This is an absolute must. As you'll need defensive measures to keep your base insulated from attackers, Base Defence Factories churn out one individual Base Defence every set number of days. For example, if it's set to produce one every 12 days, the project length would be about 40-some days. Likewise, a 16-day cycle would warrant a 30 or 35-day-long project to set up. Remember, you require 1000 Civilians to run a Factory, and it costs 100 more for every additional workline you add to it. It maxes out at 3 worklines.
However, it's usually much easier to set up several factories each devoted to producing one single type of defense. For example, having two or three factories each pumping out Bullet Bill Blasters would be much quicker and more efficient than having three all-purpose factories trying to provide three Blasters at once. Plus, since that type of factory would only ever work on one type of defense, the assembly-line time would be shorter by about 3 or 4 days.
Recruit Uber Units: 30 days
Now, you're probably not going to just want simple, ordinary troops. Even if you upgrade your troops to maximum capacity, they'll still only be as strong as 3 normal troops. Uber Units provide a countermeasure to this: they are the strength of about 5 normal units.
Get a Hero: 100 days/10 day Quest
Heroes will heavily influence the outcome of battles in your favor. They can take down large crowds of troops without difficulty, and plus, they make for the best part of the battle: HERO ON HERO BATTLES! If you think 100 days is too long, you can simply go on a Quest for it. Alternatively, instead of having a Hero, you can have several Champions. Champions are lesser beings than Heroes whose combined strength equals one Hero.
Make a small War Machine: 20-25 days
You can name this whatever you want to. Essentially, it can be anything from a tank to a submarine to a flying pair of shoes that fires exploding pies, but its power is determined from the project length. The longer the project is, the more powerful the machine will be. However, it can't be any longer than a 99-day project.
Make an Uber War Machine: 100-200 days/ 10-15 day Quest
An Uber War Machine is the machine equivalent to a Hero/Champion. You are allowed one or two Uber War Machines with the project length ranging anywhere from 100 to 200 days. However, if you have more than one, the combined project length of both cannot surpass 200 days. If you have difficulty wrapping your mind around this, picture it this way: Any machine 100 days or higher is automatically made an UWM.
Mercenaries
Upgrade your Merc to Superhero status: 200 days/15 day Quest
Now, if you don't want to wait around for a month and a half to gain full power, go on a Quest. If you prefer to wait it out with a project, more power to you!
Give your Merc extra abilities: Varied
You're probably going to want to give your Superhero more powers. Use your project space to provide your Merc with extra abilities, weapons, and the like.
Upgrade the Uber Transport: Varied
This could be anything you want, as long as it's not god-mod material. You could give it an extra weapon or turret or something. Once again, the power is determined by project length.
Upgrade the Uber Troops: Varied
Give your troops some upgrades, yadda yadda yadda...
Bandits
>_>
<_<
*copy*
*paste*
*edit edit edit*
Upgrade each of the Bandits to Hero status: 80 days
Only your Head Bandit starts out with Hero status, and even then, they don't start out with their Legendary Weapon. You'll probably devote the majority of your early project space to gaining full power, but taking Quests will shorten that waiting time considerably.
Give your Bandits extra abilities: Varied
You're probably going to want to give your Bandits more powers. Use your project space to provide your Heroes with extra abilities, weapons, and the like.
Upgrade the Uber Troops: Varied
Give your troops some upgrades, yadda yadda yadda...
Mechanics
Acquire an Engine: 200 days/15 day Quest
From the get-go, your Uber War Machine will only be 10 days strong, and it will lack an Engine for movement. You can remedy this problem with a project or Quest.
Upgrade the UWM's offensive capabilities: Varied (see below)
In addition to being immobile, your UWM will also have no means to attack enemies or to defend itself. The defining difference between a Mech's UWM and an Army's is the fact that a Mech has no limit to the upgrades you can tack on to it. So be creative! Just...try not to god-mod...
Upgrade the UWM's shields: Varied
Who's starting to see a pattern develop here? 'Cause I'm sure not. Well, you also start with no way to defend your UWM either, so you might want to give it some armor or shields. Just my two cents.
These are just a couple of suggestions. If you need new ideas, look at others' projects.
If you want any suggestions, feel free to ask any of the veterans here.