Monday, July 31st
Fleet Campaign Starts! SFCShadow

Okay, today we'll start the largest testing of the SFCC system yet.  The fleets listed below begin playing and testing (mostly testing) SFCC for their fleets.  The Following fleets are represented by these individuals responsible for managing their "fleet/race" in the campaign system.

• Alliance:

  • Federation: Starfleet Command - SFC

    • Primary: Kirk_Jr-SFC

    • Secondary: Unknown

  • Gorn: Guardians Errant and Gorn Armada - GE/GA

    • Primary: Ssazzix-GE

    • Secondary: Unknown

  • Hydran: Ra Imperial Guard - RIG

    • Primary: ArchDuke-RIG

    • Secondary: Unknown

• Coalition:

  • Klingon: House of Chang - HoC

    • HoC-DethOkay

    • HoC-Rogiet

  • Lyran - 32nd Fleet Lyran division - 32nd L

    • Primary: s32nd-2AD-Marduk

    • Seconary: Unknown

  • Romulan - Nexus Travelers - NT

    • Primary: Corbin_Dallas_NT

    • Secondary: Destroyer_NT

The game files are setup and the map added to the links, this week, I'll continue to build this "portion" of the site up for SFCC Fleet Campaign.  All this week I'll be available to teach the players (primary and secondary) how to use Cyberboard and help them with any rules issues.  Also available for questions are the following staff members of SFCC:

• Myself (SFCShadow)

• Rudyman

• TOC-Warlord

• SFCSfaret

So if you see any of them on line, and you have a question, ask them.  If they don't know the answer, they know who does and can get it for you or direct you to that person (most likely me).  This week I'll also get the plus accounts setup for the managers of the fleets to enable them greater assistance in managing both their fleets and campaign.

A special server has been setup for voice communications to also enhance players experiences while playing SFC itself.  You'll need to get BattleCom, you're managers will be getting an E-mail describing how to get it and how to connect to the service.  Separate channels have been setup for each "Race" so you can communicate in private during a game. 

Also this week I'll be setting up a special E-Groups E-mail service for the managers to enable them to better communicate with each other using a single address as well as get your Forum's setup and password locked for you all to use to aid in communications with each other and your teammates.

I hope you all enjoy yourselves and have a great time.  Let the games begin!

Thursday, July 27th
New Stress Cycle to start soon SFCShadow

We're in the process of setting up the largest test for SFCC.  Just getting the web pages ready for when we begin the pre-release of SFCC.  Several of the established fleets have agreed to help SFCC test this system to see if it's possible to use it for a large number of players.

We already tried several beta tests with a pretty large group of players (72 to be exact) and it failed, primarily because there was no cohesion among the players and they failed to act as a unit with common goals.  It is hoped that by using established fleets with their own structures and established methods to work together that this system will be playable by 6 individual fleets representing their "races.  

Although this is "officially" still a test, in reality it's truly the pre-launch of SFCC to the public, where SFCC will manage several campaigns simultaneously to entertain as many groups as we can possibly manage for all to enjoy.  Currently the fleets that will be involved in this latest and final "test" are:

• Alliance:

  • Federation: Starfleet Command - SFC

  • Gorn: Guardians Errant and Gorn Armada - GE/GA

  • Hydran: Ra Imperial Guard - RIG

• Coalition:

  • Klingon: House of Chang - HoC

  • Lyran - 32nd Fleet Lyran division - 32nd L

  • Romulan - Nexus Travelers - NT

We're on schedule for a Start on Monday, August 1st  The goal is for each fleet to have 2 "managers" who will in essence be responsible for submission of turn data and keeping the game flowing for all.  The individual fleet members will be told when and where battles are to be fought and they will report their resolution to their "managers", who intern update the campaign itself. Since the game is completely open, players will be able to track the progress of the campaign as it unfolds and see what impact they have had on it's progress.

Thursday, July 13th
Damage Script updated! SFCShadow

The current version of the damage Script is now Version 1.3.  Some changes and enhancements to the Damage Script file have been done:

• Corrected Duplicate output on the read in file 

• Corrected a wrong ship in the Fed frigates listing

• Added a version number to the multiplayer set-up name

• Added a small Information readme

• Added the VB file needed

• There is no F-FF+, corrected to F-CFF+ in front end.

• Adjusted some numbers on the damage levels to make damage more in line with the name.

• It is now no longer needed to select the same ships in the Multi-setup as you picked in the damage.exe, you'll automatically get them now.

Please feel free to let us know of any other bugs, so we can correct them. Jay is  working on getting the write out done, so we'll be able to report a damage level of the ships more accuratly.

Thursday, July 13th
Beta Game is Progressing  SFCShadow

The current turn is now the Romulan phase.  Things have been a bit hectic here, it's crunch week for Hailing Frequencies and my system had a minor nervous breakdown and I've lost the last two weeks of work on the project (grrr).  So I'm in panic mode as I try to make up in two days what I've been working on for the last two weeks.  The game is progression well though, and everyone is excited.  Lots of practicing going to and smack talk. :)  So bear with me if I seem a little out of sorts, once we get HF out, I should be a little more 'withit' for a couple of weeks. I've updated the small map, but nothing major has happend and to save my sanity, I've not done the larger map yet.  As doing that puppy takes about 1-2 hours to get done right, and I just don't have the time.  I'll update the large map at least once a turn though (start of each turn).  Once battles occur, I will also update the map for easy reference.

Saturday, July 8th
SFCC 1.402c Beta Cycle begins! SFCShadow

The game files for the campaign can be downloaded by choosing the menu choice on the left.  If you haven't downloaded them yet please do so if you plan on using it to track the progress of the campaign. :)  The rules are also available to you online for those who haven't gotten them yet, so read or print or download from menu as well.

Let the games begin!  Lyran turn is due by Monday July 10th.  We will be holding to a strict schedule, so please, if you cannot do your turn let one of your other team mates know and have them do it (for those of you who are race leaders).  Remember 48 hours for a turn, 24 hours for a reaction.  72 hours to resolve any combat.  I plan on doing between 3-6 turns from the beginning, (depending on how fast and easy you guys are), then accelerating the game to turn 12 or 18 and playing from there to test the mid-late game process.  I will be using my local game that I've been playing as a basis for that test.  (We are at turn 10 already).

The forums are available to you online, and although I've given the passwords out, it seems a few of you haven't gotten them yet.  If your a leader and have lost or forgotten your password, let me know and I'll send it to you again.  Please pass it on to your team mates.  You should all know who your team mates are, if you don't let me know and I'll send you a list (there are only 3 of you for each race). 

Saturday, July 8th
New Damage Script Beta! SFCShadow

Well I've given you all almost two weeks to bring up any issues for the rules and no one has, a few have brought up issues for the FAQ, but for the most part you have all been silent.  As such, the rules are now solid.  We'll use them, if any problems arise, unless it is absolutely necessary, we'll tack any questions to the FAQ.

Part of the reason for the extra time has been due to several factors, system problems on my end, health, I've been VERY busy and we were working on something that will make this campaign even more enjoyable and we were very close, so I took advantage of the situation to get it to you all.  You will find the script in the mission scripts link.  This script (a very early beta) will enable us to continue fights using the same ships, regardless of their status.  Meaning, we can now fight online with ships damaged!!!  How's that for cool.

I want to thank Jay Jeffery for his efforts in getting this script done.  We've been talking about how to do this for a few months and although I've tried to have others do this (simple script) for me since October, it's now finally HERE!  Thanks again Jay.  I could have written this script, but with all the stuff I'm involved in, I just didn't have the time.  Looking back, I think maybe I should have just bitten the bullet and done it. LOL  It might have taken me a month, but it would have been done.  But Jay stepped forward and with a few skull sweat sessions and initiative, he's accomplished what I feel will be the most important SFC script to hit the Multiplayer world for serious players of SFC yet developed!

So in addition to our testing the SFCC system, we'll also be tweaking this script to make it the best it can be.  Eventually it will be playable in any terrain, incorporate playable orions, it will write a file giving the specific damage state of every ship etc.  In order to use this script (we'll be writing a readme soon) you need to do the following:

1. Unzip into a folder (preferably SFC folder).

2. Place the script (SFCC_Sector.scr) into your ..Assets/scripts folder

3. Either create a shortcut to your desktop or in your START menu for the Damage.exe

4. When you are fighting with a ship that is damaged, you will need to run the Damage.exe program   PRIOR to running SFC.

5. Click on your race.

6. Pick the ship type (Frigate, Light Cruiser [destroyers are listed here], Heavy Cruiser, etc)

7. Pick it's damage state.

   • This ranges from None, Light, Moderate, Heavy, Severe

   • None - Obvious, this ship isn't damaged (this is important if you are commanding several ships and 1 or more of them are not damaged).

   • Light (6%-10%) - This is between rounds combat only!  Meaning if your ship is lightly damaged and will fight again that turn, this choice is made.  Light damage does not carry over into a campaign turn.  Your crew is expected to be able to make minor repairs to itself on it's own during a campaign turn.  This choice will only be used within a single turn.

   • Moderate (11%-20%) - This is when your ship is damaged well, but not to excessively.  This damage carries over into a campaign turn as damaged (counter flipped over).

   • Heavy (21-40%) - This is a damage state worse then Moderate, but not crippled.  This is like the Light damage.  Used only within a combat turn.  If your ship is Heavily damaged, it is treated as damaged in the campaign (counter flipped over).  Over time, your crew can repair it's ship from Heavy to Moderate damage on it's own within a Campaign turn.

   • Severe (41%-65%) - This is a crippled state.  Your ship will be severely damaged and unless given time to repair, not very combat worthy.  It will be treated as crippled and carried over in a campaign turn.

8. Click on Add.

9. Repeat for all the ships you will control.

10. Run SFC, pick your ships as usual.  (This will eventually change, we're going to replace the choice screen with our own, and you'll just click ready in future to play, but for now use step 10).

11. Click ready.

12. Have a blast!

You will note that each of the damage states also have other penalties, like lack of repair parts (increasingly so as your damage state gets worse), lack of fighters and lack of drone loads etc.  This is and will be a true damage script for your ships across the board and should enhance our campaign experience by many degrees!

I would encourage you to not only use this for the campaign, but also in your training to get the widest testing done possible on this script, as well as getting used to fighting with ships that are combat damaged!  There are modifiers in it to account for smaller ships and larger ships, the Heavy Cruiser was used as a baseline for the above damage states, then modified by class.

These ranges will change over time as we tweak and improve on the script, so all of your input will be extremely valuable in getting this humming.

Thursday, June 29th
Updated Site launch delayed SFCShadow

Didn't get the site fully up as planned yesterday.  Combination of not feeling well and ran into a few snags.  Almost everyone has the rules to review, E-mails sent out to all testers.  We'll be covering the rules first (before we begin playing), as well as start construction of the FAQ for use in tandem with the rules.  I still need to construct the History page, Credits page, Battle film, Community, and links page.  For now I'll put in filler pages until I get them finished (should be done by this weekend). 

Already some very few items have been address regarding the rules, nothing really major though.  Everyone really likes them and feel they are good to go.  All are anxious to just play the game.  This time around though I'm making sure everyone understands how to play and ALL issues addressed before game start.  Everyone is getting very excited and it looks like we'll be having a lot of fun!