Balance of Power?

[ÑóẊîöʼn]

Is there a rulebook or something for this game? Google is giving far too many spurious results to be helpful. Or my Google-fu is weak. But anyway...

I've always wanted to run a futuristic strategy-roleplaying game, and was wondering if Balance of Power would serve. If I'm barking up the wrong tree and you reckon there's a better system for my purposes, please point me to it.

In my current conception, the setting would be circa 2100, with a still-divided Earth and many major Solar System bodies colonised. Ways of "winning" would include, but are not necessarily limited to, gaining control of Earth, successfully launching a colony ship to a nearby star system, or achieving first contact with a friendly extraterrestrial civilisation.

My intention is for this game to be non zero-sum. This means that it possible for everyone to win, everyone to lose (example; accidently blowing up the universe in an ill-advised experiment (http://www.exitmundi.nl/vacuum.htm) or drawing the attention of hostile aliens) or for some to win while others lose. It's all up to the players - do they want to work with everyone else towards a better future for all of mindkind, or step on everyone else in their race to the top?

That's another thing, by the way; players won't be limited to playing human factions - they can play as powerful, human-independant AIs, cyber-Marxist robot rebels, mysterious dwellers of the ocean's abyssal depths, an enclave of ancient alien astronauts, resurrected native Martians, and more. If there's something in particular you want to roleplay as, talk to me and I'll see if I can fit it in.

Location is also something I'd like players to be imaginative about. There are plenty of nations/factions based on the Earth's surface to choose from, but thanks to the miracle of science fiction, they can also be based underground, under the oceans or floating on top of them, suspended in the upper atmosphere, in orbit or anywhere else that could plausibly be settled given the setting's technology.

What I have described is absurdly ambitious and there's a good chance I might not finish it, but if there is sufficient interest I might be sufficiently motivated enough to go all the way with this.

Advice is welcome.

[Kléber]

a futuristic diplo game? there are incomplete stats and shit for this one here (http://diplomacy.vlexo.net/showthread.php?92-Earth-3000-%28Work-in-Progress%29)

http://a.imageshack.us/img203/9424/postapoc4.jpg

[ÑóẊîöʼn]

a futuristic diplo game? there are incomplete stats and shit for this one here (http://diplomacy.vlexo.net/showthread.php?92-Earth-3000-%28Work-in-Progress%29)

Interesting. I haven't altered the coastlines in my setting, but that does give me a couple of ideas...

If anyone has a link to a rulebook or GM's guide that would be super. I don't think this game has nearly enough futuristic settings.

By the way, does BoP have a mechanism for the taking and holding of territory? It would be nice to see if there's anyone ambitious enough to conquer the Earth - especially if they weren't even born on the planet in the first place...

[Gustav HK]

Lol, the mongols are back.

"Republic of Equals", sounds communist

[ÑóẊîöʼn]

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j99/NoXion604/labeled-PretechnateWorld00.png

This is a labelled version of a map I produced a while back; it does not include nations/factions that are under the oceans, underground, in the upper atmosphere, or in orbit. I may get round to changing that. Obviously non-territorial factions aren't shown either.

The following is a list of colonised planetary bodies in the Solar System, with populations. They are divided among the different zones of SolSys. I'm not familiar with BoP stats so I haven't included them.

INNER SYSTEM

Mercury: 3 billion

Venus: 1.125 billion (non-terraformed) 18 billon (terraformed)

Earth: 20 billion

Luna: 1.5 billion

Mars: 712 million (non-terraformed) 5.7 billion (terraformed)

ASTEROID BELT

Ceres: 109 million

Pallas: 34.2 million

Vesta: 32.6 million

Juno: 6.8 million

JUPITER

Io: No permanent population (better places to live nearby!) - Adventure World

Europa: No permanent population - Nature Reserve

Ganymede: 3.4 billion

Callisto: 2.9 billion

SATURN

Mimas: 19 million

Enceladus: 31 million

Tethys: 140 million

Dione: 157 million

Rhea: 293 million

Titan: 3.3 billion (+ native life forms)

Iapetus: 260 million (mysterious alien relic)

URANUS

Puck: 2.9 million

Miranda: 28 million

Ariel: 168 million

Umbriel: 172 million

Titania: 313 million

Oberon: 290 million

NEPTUNE

Proteus: 21 million

Triton 920 million

Nereid: 14.5 million

KUIPER BELT

Pluto-Charon: 167 million

Haumea-Namaka-Hi'iaka: 289 million

Makemake: 63 million

Eris-Dysnomia: 212 million

OORT CLOUD

The Oort Cloud is the furthest reach of known space; there are an unknown number of very small non-aligned settlements (usually disgruntled exiles from further inside SolSys, but there also military and research outposts among other things) not likely to have a huge impact on the game, but you never know...

PLANET X

Practically unexplored due to orbital distance. Is suspected to have a small number of colonisable moons.

NEARBY STARS

The following is a list of nearby stars with potentially habitable planets - these are the targets for humanoid colony ships. More details can be obtained by sending a probe, which is probably a good idea to do before sending off a colony ship.

Nemesis: A brown dwarf star which very slowly orbits Sol at a great distance. Has three small planets that can be paraterraformed (http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1992JBIS...45..341T). (1.5 Ly)

Proxima Centauri: A red dwarf star with a handful of small planets, including a Venus-like planet that can be terraformed. (4.22 Ly)

Alpha Centauri: A pair of Sun-like stars. Few planets due to orbital dynamics, but Alpha Centauri A has a desert planet with a breathable atmosphere - although it's probably best to terraform to ensure colony survival. (4.40 Ly)

Barnard's Star: A red dwarf star with a tidally-locked barren planet that can be terraformed. (5.94 Ly)

Wolf 359: A red dwarf star with a tidally-locked habitable planet - no terraforming required! Of all the nearby extrasolar planets, this is probably the big prize. (7.80 Ly)

[Dr Mindbender]

NoXion, it may be helpful also to state the power-bloc allegiances of the colonist populations.

Also i could be wrong, but i think the designated name for planet x is actually 'segna'.

[ÑóẊîöʼn]

NoXion, it may be helpful also to state the power-bloc allegiances of the colonist populations.

Are power-blocs national, supra-national, or can they be either/or depending?

I haven't fully thought-out the allegiences of the colonies, but I intend the larger examples to be powers in their own right rather than vassal states, depending on how many are playing.


Also i could be wrong, but i think the designated name for planet x is actually 'segna'.

I actually forgot about Sedna. This is because the objects beyond Uranus were pretty much added as an afterthought.

However, Planet X in this setting is not Sedna - it's a gas giant/sub-brown dwarf much further out. I probably should have made that clear.

[Dr Mindbender]

Are power-blocs national, supra-national, or can they be either/or depending?

.

Either/or depending, I suppose. Its ambiguous on your map where national boundaries lie because the existing ones are still remaining.

[Comrade Wolfie's Very Nearly Banned Adventures]

lol technocratic RP.

[ÑóẊîöʼn]

Either/or depending, I suppose. Its ambiguous on your map where national boundaries lie because the existing ones are still remaining.

The idea is that the territory of each faction based on the Earth's surface is subdivided into territories that can be captured, lost and regained, a bit like Risk.

The different factions are supposed to be different colours, although I will admit that I may have made some bad choices because I was running out of easily distinguishable colours. For example, the Technocratic Union of Marispatria uses the standard red available in MSpaint, while the Confederate States of America have a darker shade of red to denote their territories, which could be problematic.

[Dr Mindbender]

why is afghanistan blue and grey stripes? :confused:

[ÑóẊîöʼn]

why is afghanistan blue and grey stripes? :confused:

It's part of the Pan-Asian Federation, but disputes its membership. :ninja: Canonically they're one of the "bad guys".

[EvilRedGuy]

This is interesting im into this. :cool:

[Il Medico]

How does on make maps like this? I've thought about hosting a BOP game but I have no idea how to make a map.

[Jazzratt]

How does on make maps like this? I've thought about hosting a BOP game but I have no idea how to make a map. You can google up blank world maps and then go nuts with the fill tool in paint.

[Jack]

BoP games without a historical basis=crap IMHO.

That being said, here's the map for a game that was made based off The Man in The High Castle:

http://img203.imageshack.us/i/newaltbop.png/

Here's the map for another alt history game that started in 1914:

http://img263.imageshack.us/f/e1914d.png/

This game is why alt-history sucks as a basis. Because there are no set in stone events or policies by each government, it degraded into a clusterfuck (giant war in Siberia with like 6 nations invading, Japanese invasion of South Africa, etc).

[Dr Mindbender]

You can google up blank world maps and then go nuts with the fill tool in paint.

Just make sure theres no greyscale noise otherwise have a fun evening cleaning it up with the paintbrush tool, pixel by pixel.

Id recommend using GIMP rather than paint for this job because you can vary the fill tolerance.

[Dr Mindbender]

This game is why alt-history sucks as a basis. Because there are no set in stone events or policies by each government, it degraded into a clusterfuck (giant war in Siberia with like 6 nations invading, Japanese invasion of South Africa, etc).
I disagree, i think a Star wars or lord of the rings BOP would work very well.

[Jack]

Some of the LoTR stats:


Mordor
Leader: Sauron (Scorpion)
Government: Monarchy
Popularity: 10/10
Prestige: 10
Capital: Barad-Dûr
Sphere: Orcish
Military Units: 12/12 Mercs-0 Reserves-0
Naval Units: 0
Tecnologies researched:
Economy: +300
Credit Income: Army Upkeep (-60), Agriculture(+10), Slavery (+40), Raiding (+80), Iron Mining (+120), Gold Mining (+30), Hungry Population (-50), Corruption (-80)
Conflicts:
Money this turn: 440

Gondor
Leader: Denethor II (Agentpapers)
Government: Monarchy
Popularity: 8/10
Prestige: 10
Capital: Minas Tirith
Sphere: Numenorean
Military Units: 7/15 Mercs-0 Reserves-0
Naval Units: 4
Tecnologies researched:
Economy: +600
Credit Income: Army Upkeep (-260), Agriculture (+320), Boat Building (+10), Iron Mining (+60), Gold Mining (+20), Hungry Population (-30), Corruption (-160), Unrest (-10), Refugees from Ithilien (-100)
Conflicts:
Money this turn: 450

Dol Amroth
Leader: Prince Imrahil (Maddox)
Government: Monarchy
Popularity: 8/10
Prestige: 5
Capital: Dol Amroth
Sphere: Numenorean
Military Units: 4/4 Mercs-0 Reserves-0
Naval Units: 3
Tecnologies researched:
Economy: +500
Credit Income: Army Upkeep (-170), International trade (+80), Boat Building (+30), Agriculture (+40), Unrest (-10), Corruption (-40)
Conflicts:
Money this turn: 430

Angmar
Leader: The Witch King of Angmar (Kouchpotato)
Government: Monarchy
Popularity: 10/10
Prestige: 4
Capital: Carn Dûm
Sphere: Orcish
Military Units: 8/8 Mercs-0 Reserves-0
Naval Units: 0
Tecnologies researched:
Economy: +300
Credit Income: Army Upkeep (-40), Agriculture (+20), Slavery (+60), Raiding (+40), Iron Mining (+200), Gold mining (+10), Hungry Population (-60), Corruption (-150)
Conflicts:
Money this turn: 380

Isengard
Leader: Saruman (Firefly)
Government: Monarchy
Popularity: 10/10
Prestige: 4
Capital: Orthanc
Sphere: Urak Hai
Military Units: 6/6 Mercs-0 Reserves-0
Naval Units: 0
Tecnologies researched:
Economy: +200
Credit Income: Army Upkeep (-30), Agriculture (+10), Slavery (+20), Timber (+100), Orc Breeding (+20)
Conflicts:
Money this turn: 320

Rhûn
Leader: King Ulfang (Hellfox)
Government: Monarchy
Popularity: 8/10
Prestige: 7
Capital: Mistrand
Sphere: Easterling
Military Units: 7/15 Mercs-0 Reserves-0
Naval Units: 0
Tecnologies researched:
Economy: +600
Credit Income: Army Upkeep (-140), Agriculture (+80), Timber (+80), Horse Breeding (+30), Unrest (-20), Hungry Population (-10), Corruption (-50)
Conflicts:
Money this turn: 570

Mirkwood Elves
Leader: Thranduil (Col.Radec)
Government: Monarchy
Popularity: 10/10
Prestige: 4
Capital: Thandarils Halls
Sphere: Eldar
Military Units: 7/7 Mercs-0 Reserves-0
Naval Units: 0
Tecnologies researched:
Economy: +600
Credit Income: Army Upkeep (-140), Agriculture (+50), Hunting (+30), Departing for Valinor (-100)
Conflicts:
Money this turn: 440

Rohan
Leader: Theodin (Tom1994)
Government: Monarchy
Popularity: 6/10
Prestige: 5
Capital: Edoras
Sphere: Dunedain
Military Units: 5/12 Mercs-0 Reserves-0
Naval Units: 0
Tecnologies researched:
Economy: +400
Credit Income: Army Upkeep (-100), Agriculture (+280), Hunting (+20), Horse Breeding (+130), Received Pillaging (-40), Unrest (-70), Hungry Polpulation (-20), Corruption (-40)
Conflicts:
Money this turn: 560

Lorien Elves
Leader: Galadriel (George_Washington)
Government: Monarchy
Popularity: 10/10
Prestige: 5
Capital: Lothlórien
Sphere: Eldar
Military Units: 5/5 Mercs-0 Reserves-0
Naval Units: 0
Tecnologies researched:
Economy: +400
Credit Income: Army Upkeep (-100), Agriculture (+180), Hunting (+10), Departing for Valinor (-100)
Conflicts:
Money this turn: 390

Sultanate Of Raj
Leader: Suladân the Adira (Yetiwarrior)
Government: Monarchy
Popularity: 7/10
Prestige: 4
Capital: Raj
Sphere: Haradrim
Military Units: 6/7 Mercs-0 Reserves-0
Naval Units: 3
Tecnologies researched:
Economy: +600
Credit Income: Army Upkeep (-120), Argiculture (+270), Hunting (+10), Silk Trade (+40), Gold Mining (+30), Salt Mining (+20), Unrest (-40), Corruption (-150)
Conflicts:
Money this turn: 660

Iron Hills Dwarves
Leader: Dáin II (Denver)
Government: Monarchy
Popularity: 6/10
Prestige: 4
Capital:Azanulinbar-dûm
Sphere: Durinian
Military Units: 3/3 Mercs-0 Reserves-0
Naval Units: 0
Tecnologies researched:
Economy: +800
Credit Income: Army Upkeep (-60), Agriculture (+40), Gold Mining (+320), Iron Mining (+60), Hungry Population (-40), Unrest (-40) Corruption (-390)
Conflicts:
Money this turn: 690Star Wars stats:



Outer Core (Imperial Center/Coruscant with surrounding worlds)
Economy: 750
Defenses (7/7) Planetary shields, Defensive Space Stations, Planetary Turbolasers/Ion cannons
Units: 10 Imperial class Star destroyer fleets (-150)
Rebellion level: 20% (-150)
Criminal Activity 10% (-75)
Defense upkeep (-150)
Planets controlled income (+200)
Planets controlled = 10
Total Income (950-525) = 475

Grand Admiral Thrawn
Economy: 300
Defenses: 2/7
Units: 7 Imperial class star destroyer fleets (-105)
Rebellion level: 20% (-60)
Criminal Activity 10% (-30)
Defensive upkeep (-30)
Planets Controlled income (100)
Planets Controlled: 10
Tariff/Pirate activity income: 50
Total Income (450-225) = 225

Warlord Zsinj
Economy: 300
Defenses 2/7
Units: 1 Super class star destroyer fleet (-40) 5 Imperial Class Star destroyer fleets (-75)
Rebellion level: 15% (-45)
Criminal Activity 15% (-45)
Defensive upkeep (-30)
Planets controlled income (100)
Total Planets Controlled 10
Pirate Activity income (50)
Total Income (450-235) = 215

Inner Core planets: (Imperial)
Economy (400)
Defenses (5/7) Planetary based weapons, Defensive space stations
Units: 5 imperial class Star Destroyer Fleets (-75)
Rebellion level: 10% (-40)
Criminal Activity 15% (-60)
Defensive upkeep (-100)
Planets Controlled income (200)
Planets controlled: 10
Total Income: (600-275) 225

Outer Rim Territories (Imperial)
Economy 250
Defenses 1/7
Units: 3 Imperial Star Destroyer based fleet (-45) 2 Victory class fleets (-20)
Rebellion level 30% (-75)
Criminal Activity 20% (-50)
Defensive upkeep -10
Planets Controlled income (100)
Planets controlled: 10
Total Income (350-200) 190

Corporate Sector
Economy 350
Defenses 4/7 Planetary based Weapons, Electronic frontiers
Units: 7 Victory class Fleets (-70)
Rebellion level 10% (-35)
Criminal Activity 30% (-105)
Defensive upkeep (-70)
Planets Controlled income (150)
Planets Controlled 10
Total income (500-275)=225

New Republic
Economy 450
Defenses 5/7 Planetary weapons systems, defensive space stations
Units: 7 Mon Cal cruiser fleets, 2 Imperial Star destroyer fleets, 2 Victory star destroyer fleets (-120)
Imperial Sympathy 10% (-45)
Criminal activity 10% (-45)
Defensive upkeep (-115)
Planets controlled income (150)
Planets controlled 10
Total income (600-225) 375

Bothans
Economy 250
Defenses 2/7
Units: 1 Mon Cal cruiser fleet, 5 Victory class fleets (60)
Imperial sympathy 20% (-50)
Criminal Activity 20% (-50)
Defensive upkeep (-25)
Planets controlled income 100
Planets controlled 10
Total income (350-185) = 165

Mon Cals
Economy 350
Defenses 3/7 Defensive space stations
Units: 5 Mon Cal cruisers, 4 Victory class (90)
Imperial Sympathy 15% (-55)
Criminal Activity 15% (-55)
Defensive upkeep (-55)
Planets controlled income 100
Planets controlled 10
Total income (450-255) 195

Black Sun
Economy 200
Defenses -
Units 5 mercs (100)
Piracy and smuggling activity (50)
Total Income 250-100 = 150

Hutts:
Economy 150
Defenses
Units 4 mercs (80)
Piracy and smuggling (50)
Total income (200-80)=120

Corellia
Economy 400
Defenses 4/7 Space stations, planet based weapons
Units: 4 Imperial class fleets, 4 Victory class fleets (100)
Rebel/imperial sympathy 30% (120)
Criminal Activity 20% (80)
Defensive upkeep (80)
Planets controlled income 150
Planets controlled 10
Total income (550- 380) 170

Inner Rim
Economy 300
Defenses 3/7 Planet weapons
Units: 3 Imperial class, 5 Victory class (95)
Rebellion: 25% (75)
Criminal Activity 15% (45)
Defensive upkeep (45)
Planets controlled income (100)
Planets controlled: 10
Total Income (400-255) 145

Outer Rim (rebellion)
Economy 250
Defenses 2/7
Units 1 Imperial class, 4 Victory class (55)
Imperial sympathy 30% (75)
Criminal activity 30% (75)
Defensive upkeep (25)
Planets controlled income (100)
Planets Controlled 10
Total income (350-230) 120PROTIP: Both games sucked. As someone who has played over 20 BoP games, has GMed a BoP game, and discusses the game somewhat regularly with its creator, Alt BoP is a shitty idea.

[ÑóẊîöʼn]

This game is why alt-history sucks as a basis. Because there are no set in stone events or policies by each government, it degraded into a clusterfuck (giant war in Siberia with like 6 nations invading, Japanese invasion of South Africa, etc).

Well, why were they invading Siberia? Why was Japan invading South Africa? Most importantly, what the hell was the GM doing?

Also, the winning conditions of my setting are explicitly intended to allow peaceable nations to win. If I think there's too much war going on, the setting allows me to throw a curveball in the direction of the squabblers. But I like to think I would only have to do that sort of thing rarely if at all; I intend to make it clear to players that there's more than one way to win.

If I ever complete this, get people to play it, and it turns into a suckfest, I'll perform a post-mortem when the game ends and if necessary re-write the rules to prevent it happening again. In fact, isn't this sort of thing the reason why these kind of games have Out Of Character (OOC) threads, in order to nip things like that in the bud?

Besides, I'm not presenting this as alt-history; canonically speaking it hasn't even happened yet. To put it in dramatic terms, the future of the world is in the hands of the players.

[Jazzratt]

Just make sure theres no greyscale noise otherwise have a fun evening cleaning it up with the paintbrush tool, pixel by pixel.

Id recommend using GIMP rather than paint for this job because you can vary the fill tolerance. Yeah you're quite right. Although I'm loath to recommend GIMP for anything because the interface gives me nightmares, then again as I'm not a graphics designer or whatever I rarely have reason to use it and I certainly don't know any better alternatives.

/offtopic