The Making Of Petting Zoo 4 |
This page contains the official documentary of what goes on behind the scenes for
the making of Bungy's "Petting Zoo Four" empire game. |
Petting Zoo Four is up and running. Please see the PZ4 main page for further
info. |
Step 1: Come up with a theme |
Find something that everyone is familiar with and go with it. Everyone's played
with playing cards one time or another. I got some hex paper, a bunch
of pennies, and started arranging. |
Looks like start continents will have 45 '-' sectors, and 1 '^'. |
Step 2: Translate into scripts and make maps |
Step 4: Figure out Version info and Playtest some Terminator Ideas |
I am busy doing this now! I have some sweet game mods in the works. Most
notibly a new feature, called "Semi-Hidden", where all of the digit characters
in the power report are replaced with "?" characters (except for your own)
- Special Thanks to RonK for help coding this. see example below: |
Got 20 countries, getting them to format their entries as per: Country: country Password: password Map: selection Email: email@somewhere.com |
Step 7: Make Posting to RGE to invite players for some practice rounds |
Step 5: Work out details of Update Schedule, etc. |
Made some last minute adjustments, like Minerals at 40 (was 50), Civ Growth at 21%
(was 20%), UW Growth at 12% (was 15%), changed Tech Log to 2.00 (from 2.25),
Market/Trade taxes reduced to 9% (was 10%), and changed active mils cost to $66.67
(was $83.33). |
Step 8: Collect Emails from Player Registrants |
Page Last Updated: 9pm 21APR2005 |
Will players play it safe and go with Heart or Diamond? Or will some pick Spades
and Clubs? Should there be any bonuses for any particular shapes? (doesn't look like any shapes are particularly *extrememely* vulnerable) |
33322222222221111111111---------0000000000111111111122222222223 210987654321098765432109876543210123456789012345678901234567890 -16 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . -16 -15 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . -15 -14 . . . . . . . - - - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . -14 -13 . . . . . . - - - - . . . . . . . . . . - - . . - - . . . . . -13 -12 . . . . . . . - - - . . . . . . . . . . - - - . - - - . . . . . -12 -11 . . . . - - - - - - - - . . . . . . . - - - - - - - - . . . . -11 -10 . . . . - - - - ^ - - - - . . . . . . . - - - ^ - - - . . . . . -10 -9 . . . - - - - - - - - - - . . . . . . . - - - - - - . . . . . -9 -8 . . . . - - - . - . - - - . . . . . . . . - - - - - . . . . . . -8 -7 . . . . . . . - - . . . . . . . . . . . . - - - - . . . . . . -7 -6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . - - - . . . . . . . -6 -5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . - - . . . . . . . -5 -4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . - . . . . . . . . -4 -3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . -3 -2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . -2 -1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . -1 0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 4 . . . . . . . . - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . - . . . . . . . . 4 5 . . . . . . . - - . . . . . . . . . . . . . - - . . . . . . . 5 6 . . . . . . . - - - . . . . . . . . . . . . - - - . . . . . . . 6 7 . . . . . . - - - - . . . . . . . . . . . - - - - . . . . . . 7 8 . . . . . . - - . - - . . . . . . . . . . - - - - - . . . . . . 8 9 . . . . . - - - - - - . . . . . . . . . - - . . - - . . . . . 9 10 . . . . . - - . ^ . - - . . . . . . . . - - - ^ - - - . . . . . 10 11 . . . . . - - - - - - . . . . . . . . - - - . . - - - . . . . 11 12 . . . . . . - - - - - . . . . . . . . . - - - - - - - . . . . . 12 13 . . . . . . - - - - . . . . . . . . . . . - - - - . . . . . . 13 14 . . . . . . . - - - . . . . . . . . . . . . . - . . . . . . . . 14 15 . . . . . . . - - . . . . . . . . . . . . . - - . . . . . . . 15 16 . . . . . . . . - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 17 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 33322222222221111111111---------0000000000111111111122222222223 210987654321098765432109876543210123456789012345678901234567890 |
CLUBS des @5,1:2 - des @-5,1:2 - des @0,-2:2 - des @0,0:3 - des -4,-2 . des 4,-2 . des 2,2 . des -2,2 . des -7:7,3 . des -1:1,3 - des 0,0 ^ |
DIAMONDS des @0,0:3 - des @0,4:1 - des @0,-4:1 - des 0,6 - des 0,-6 - des -2:2,0 . des 0,-2 . des 0,0 ^ |
HEARTS des @3,-1:2 - des @-3,-1:2 - des @0,2:2 - des @0,4:1 - des 0,6 - des -1,-3 . des 1,-3 . des 0,-2 . des 0,0 ^ |
SPADES des @0,0:3 - des @0,-4:1 - des @-5,1:1 - des @5,1:1 - des 0,-6 - des 0,4 - des -1:1,5 - des -1:1,-1 . des -1:1,1 . des 0,0 ^ |
Here's how the islands look via the scripts: |
Bungy hard at work converting hex-penny-plots into deity code. |
Step 3: Consult Wolfpack to see if they have spotted Elvis |
(20FEB2005) I've sent an email to wolfpack to see if they know of any games in the pipeline (so as to not conflict with anything else possibly going on). |
(28FEB2005) I have received approval from wolfpack to proceed. |
BUNGY's SEMI-HIDDEN FORMAT: - = [ Empire Power Report ] = - as of Mon Feb 28 21:33:21 2005 sects eff civ mil shell gun pet iron dust oil pln ship unit money 2 ?? ??? ?.?K ?? ? ? ??? ?? ?? ?? ? ?? ? ??M 5 11 91 11K 322 490 21 4 1 3 502 0 18 0 17K 3 ?? ? ?.?K ?? ? ? ??? ?? ??? ?? ? ?? ? -??? 1 ? ??? ?.?K ??? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ??K 4 ? ??? ?.?K ??? ?? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ??K ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- worldwide ?? ?? ??K ??? ??? ?? ??? ?? ??? ??? ? ?? ? ??M |
ORIGINAL FORMAT: - = [ Empire Power Report ] = - as of Mon Feb 28 21:33:21 2005 sects eff civ mil shell gun pet iron dust oil pln ship unit money 2 19 100 3.9K 19 0 0 76 19 57 38 0 12 0 12M 5 11 91 11K 322 490 21 4 1 3 502 0 18 0 17K 3 37 0 7.5K 37 0 0 148 37 111 74 0 11 0 -143 1 3 100 2.1K 111 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 25K 4 2 100 2.0K 122 60 4 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 25K ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- worldwide 72 47 26K 611 550 25 228 57 171 614 0 20 0 12M |
Unfortunately, I think I bumped heads with Markus on this when trying to get it incorporated
into the official server (Sorry Markus!). I won't get into details on it. What I think I need to do is run a game with this option, and see if players like or dislike it as-is. I wanted this option because I wanted something inbetween the way-too-acurate standard power report and the total-paranoid-hidden game.. |
I've also made a few very minor adjustments to the units/ships/planes/nukes (to help
add value to the game play). land: added shepherd unit (tech 10) (IT's THE PETTING ZOO!) plane: added f3 plane (tech 110) ship: removed torps from PT boat, moved dd to tech 90, made weak version of dd as a tech 70 depthcharge ship (to try to get more sub action) nuke: added tech 155 nuke (7kt) (that can only fit on JHB). |
Tentative First Monday of April 2005 (avoids peeps coming back from easter weekend "too busy", and it is after daylight
saving (EST - where the server is located). |
Page Last Updated: 9pm 21APR2005 |
Feb28- |
Mar16- |
tweaked adjustments to the units/ships/planes/nukes: plane: added f3 plane (tech 110) - increased cost (was $450, now $500) ship: changed back dd to tech 70 but decreased its firepower (from standard), deleted dc, added sh (subhunter) which is just like standard dd but without land unit carying capibility and it is tech 90. |
Testing out Pre-Release 4.2.20. |
Empire 4.2.20 (pre-release) (KSU distribution 1.04, Chainsaw version 4.00, Wolfpack version 2.20 RC1) The following parameters have been set for this game: World size is 'xxx' by 'yyy'. There can be up to 99 countries. By default, countries use their own coordinate system. An Empire time unit is 'see update schedule' seconds long. Use the 'update' command to find out the time of the next update. The current time is Wed Mar 17 08:08:08. An update consists of 60 empire time units. Each country is allowed to be logged in 1200 minutes a day. It takes 5.00 civilians to produce a BTU in one time unit. A non-aggi, 100 fertility sector can grow 0.12 food per etu. 1000 civilians will harvest 1.3 food per etu. 1000 civilians will give birth to 3.3 babies per etu. 1000 uncompensated workers will give birth to 2.5 babies. In one time unit, 1000 people eat 0.5 units of food. 1000 babies eat 6.0 units of food becoming adults. No food is needed!! Banks pay $250.00 in interest per 1000 gold bars per etu. 1000 civilians generate $8.33, uncompensated workers $1.78 each time unit. 1000 active military cost $83.33, reserves cost $8.33. Up to 100 avail can roll over an update. Happiness p.e. requires 1 happy stroller per 10000 civ. Education p.e. requires 1 class of graduates per 10000 civ. Happiness is averaged over 96 time units. Education is averaged over 192 time units. The technology/research boost you get from the world is 25.00%. Nation levels (tech etc.) decline 1% every 96 time units. Tech Buildup is limited to logarithmic growth (base 2.25) after 1.00. Sectors Ships Planes Units Maximum mobility 127 127 100 63 Max mob gain per update 60 90 60 30 Max eff gain per update -- 100 100 60 Ships on autonavigation may use 6 cargo holds per ship. The tax you pay on selling things on the trading block is 10.0% The tax you pay on buying commodities on the market is 10.0% Fire ranges are scaled by 1.00 Options enabled in this game: ALL_BLEED, BRIDGETOWERS, DEMANDUPDATE, EASY_BRIDGES, FALLOUT, GODNEWS, GO_RENEW, INTERDICT_ATT, LANDSPIES, LOANS, MARKET, NEUTRON, NOFOOD, NOMOBCOST, NO_PLAGUE, PINPOINTMISSILE, SAIL, SHIPNAMES, SHOWPLANE, TECH_POP, TREATIES, UPDATESCHED Options disabled in this game: BIG_CITY, BLITZ, DEFENSE_INFRA, DRNUKE, FUEL, GUINEA_PIGS, HIDDEN, LOSE_CONTACT, MOB_ACCESS, NO_FORT_FIRE, NO_HCMS, NO_LCMS, NO_OIL, NONUKES, RES_POP, SLOW_WAR, SNEAK_ATTACK, SUPER_BARS, TRADESHIPS "info Options" for a detailed list of options and descriptions The person to annoy if something goes wrong is: Bungholio (empire_bungholio @ verizon.net). You can get your own copy of the source using: ftp://ftp.wolfpackempire.com/pub/empire/server or http://www.wolfpackempire.com/ |
Mar17- |
Step 4.5: I just "Realized I am about to die", so let's get PZ4 up, ASAP! |
The latest news about automobile safety reports indicates that the vehicle that I
drive (the Chevy Blazer 2D) is the MOST LIKELY (of all vehicles out there) for driver fatality, so I gotta get PZ4 up ASAP! (info news (blazer deaths)). |
Maybe it is "driver distraction" ? |
6 updates @ 20 hours / update (skipping 1/weekend) 12 updates @ 30 hours / update (skipping 1/weekend) 18 updates @ 40 hours / update (skipping 1/weekend) 24 updates @ 50 hours / update (go until endgame) |
Click Here for PZ4 Update Schedule |
Step 6: Prepare for RGE Posting. Work on game webpage, etc. |
20March- Created Winace Maps for the start continents. |
Started making official PZ4 webpage for game settings, etc. |
19March- adjusted the new 7kt nuke. Made it so the resource requirements was
quite a lot more to model the inefficiencies in early technology centrifuges. |
lcm hcm oil rad avail tech
$ WAS : 7kt fission 75 75 75 75 75 155 $ 25000 NEW : 7kt fission 200 200 200 200 200 155 $ 25000 |
21Mar- |
Posted Game Anno to RGE. |
Then pasted all their entries into a big .txt file, and randomly placed the players
about the map. |