[runabout]

While I was looking for answers to some questions I had, I saw mention of playing Star Trek solo (I assume this was 1E). Does anyone here have any experience playing this solo? Does this work? How do you play this solo?

I suppose the game does lend itself to playing it on your own, because there isn't all that much interaction between the players past the seeding compared to other ccgs, but it would make the seeding phase random, as I understand it, which in a normal game is where a lot of the decision making takes place.

[Se7enofMine]

While you are right in saying that there isn't a lot of interaction past seed phase, the problem becomes what are you playing against?

I had a thought this morning on this same area actually. I wondered if there was a ccg simulator out there? Like you load up your deck, load up a prefab starter deck or whatever then let it run it's course. Just t9 see if there are holes in your deck. The AI would have to be not completely retarded though. As an extension, b3 cool I'd there was an SO to play against if there was no one on lackey to play a game against.

The next step of ccg? Maybe

[Boffo97]

I've fooled around with solo games quite a bit. The biggest problem is dilemmas, which I either make a big dilemma side deck and draw out of it until I get, say, 4 dilemmas compatible with the mission type (more dilemmas since you won't be facing combos except by blind chance), or have premade combos.

The various CC era starter decks suggest premade combos for the included dilemmas, so that will work well as a... well... place to start from.

[Se7enofMine]

The inherent problem with dilemmas is two-fold:

A) if you use a side deck and draw at random, the combo has no flow. You'll kill off a medical, only to hit a wall that requires science (or whatever).

B) if you don't go random and use combos and seed them, you know what's there. By knowing this, you'll subconsciously play different. You'll send down different personnel than you normally would cause you know the outcome.

It's a tough balance to work around.

Ps. When I say "you," in this context I mean all of us. It singling anyone out

[Boffo97]

There's always going to be drawbacks in solo play vs. 2 player which the game was made for because of the fact no one is there trying to ruin your day. That said, maybe someone could whip up a page with random dilemma combos (actual combos mind you) to help out with solo play.

Back in the day, some friends and I went the other way: 4 players in teams of 2 alternating turns. That got fairly wild.

[Se7enofMine]

Oh absolutely. I hope I didn't sound contrary and Debbie downer. I tend to have a very "devils advocate" mindset. My apologies

Ha. That sounds awesome. I've wanted to try playing 4 people in a 1e game. Not teams. But 4 separate players. Gotta tweak the rules a bit but I think it could be done.

[BCSWowbagger]

I've wanted to try playing 4 people in a 1e game. Not teams. But 4 separate players. Gotta tweak the rules a bit but I think it could be done.

This is a really old Decipher document I rescued, dated November 1999:

http://ussexcelsior.com/stccg1e/1e_mult ... 110999.pdf

It needs updating, but gives you a place to start on the multiplayer side!

[runabout]

There's always going to be drawbacks in solo play vs. 2 player which the game was made for because of the fact no one is there trying to ruin your day. That said, maybe someone could whip up a page with random dilemma combos (actual combos mind you) to help out with solo play.

I'm just thinking "out loud" now:

I wonder if using something like the 2E rules could make this easier if playing by yourself. You decide in advance on a difficulty level (say 10), and then you draw a number of dilemmas that is that number minus the number of personnel, then you apply the most difficult one and discard the rest (or maybe the one that matches some pre-decided combo list, based on what you have already played at that mission). You continue doing this, one by one, until you have the required number of dilemmas (say 5). This is more complicated, but it is also less random.

If you play by yourself you also need some sort of time limit, I think, otherwise there would be no penalty in getting stopped.

[Data's Socks]

For dilemmas I have two shuffled piles, one for planet and one for space, with the space/planet dilemmas randomly distributed between each. Each mission is set to three dilemmas (or four if feeling adventurous), drawing from the appropriate pile as needed, with wall dilemmas I haven't passed placed under the mission.

It's not perfect of course, although accidental combos can be hilariously mean. If I run into a duplicate dilemma for the same mission or something like Edo Probe as the last one encountered, I set that aside and draw the next dilemma.

As mentioned one of the biggest difficulties might be in having some pressure to attempt missions, instead of just sitting there happily drawing out most of your deck (even with an opposing deck set out, it's easy to have both players drawing out if feeling lethargic). I suppose you'd have some idea of how many turns you'd be satisfied with, and then try to stick to that.

[Takket]

had a thought... it would be cool if the community created a sort of "combo database" say of 1000 combos they have used or seen used in their lifetimes. Then we have a QR code that randomly "dials up" a combo out of the 1000 similar to that doorway Quantum Incursions. That way you can simulate actually facing a real person whose dilemmas you don't know. "Combo 154: Lack of prep + the higher the fewer + cytherians" or some such

Drawing random dilemmas really doesn't help you much. it is real life combos you want to face.

The only thing i don't know is how you overcome the bias of knowing things like "Well, I want to move here and attempt this mission but my 'opponent' has a Borg Cube at the next mission over and I know I seeded Establish Tractor Lock, so if I move there, I am going to move the cube and assimilate the ship on the Borg's turn"............. know what i mean?

[Boffo97]

had a thought... it would be cool if the community created a sort of "combo database" say of 1000 combos they have used or seen used in their lifetimes. Then we have a QR code that randomly "dials up" a combo out of the 1000 similar to that doorway Quantum Incursions. That way you can simulate actually facing a real person whose dilemmas you don't know. "Combo 154: Lack of prep + the higher the fewer + cytherians" or some such

Drawing random dilemmas really doesn't help you much. it is real life combos you want to face.

The only thing i don't know is how you overcome the bias of knowing things like "Well, I want to move here and attempt this mission but my 'opponent' has a Borg Cube at the next mission over and I know I seeded Establish Tractor Lock, so if I move there, I am going to move the cube and assimilate the ship on the Borg's turn"............. know what i mean?

Yeah, that's the same way I was thinking too. The only drawbacks I can think of:

1. It's going to take time. A whole let of precious time. It's going to take patience and time to do it right, child.

2. If cards come out that absolutely murder certain combos, someone will need to go through, find those combos, and remove them from the game.

[frakkingoff]

Actually, this could be an interesting AI project - generative adversarial networks, co-evolving against one another.

One AI learns to build better dilemma combos, the other learns to build better away teams (both actual away teams and personnel for a draw deck, to use when forming away teams). Each trying to outdo the other, eventually resulting in extremely efficient personnel selection AND dilemma combos.

It'd take a few weeks of solid coding at least - too bad there's no money in making strong Star Trek CCG decks, to incentivize someone to spend that much time on the problem.

[runabout]

had a thought... it would be cool if the community created a sort of "combo database" say of 1000 combos they have used or seen used in their lifetimes. Then we have a QR code that randomly "dials up" a combo out of the 1000 similar to that doorway Quantum Incursions. That way you can simulate actually facing a real person whose dilemmas you don't know. "Combo 154: Lack of prep + the higher the fewer + cytherians" or some such

Drawing random dilemmas really doesn't help you much. it is real life combos you want to face.

That would be a lot of work! It would only work on such a scale, because if you did it with fewer cards this means that, after a few games, once you've seen the first dilemma you know exactly what the others will be and you can prepare for them appropriately. That will also take away the surprise that comes in a normal game.

[Se7enofMine]

Actually, this could be an interesting AI project - generative adversarial networks, co-evolving against one another.

One AI learns to build better dilemma combos, the other learns to build better away teams (both actual away teams and personnel for a draw deck, to use when forming away teams). Each trying to outdo the other, eventually resulting in extremely efficient personnel selection AND dilemma combos.

It'd take a few weeks of solid coding at least - too bad there's no money in making strong Star Trek CCG decks, to incentivize someone to spend that much time on the problem.

I had the same thought. It would be so awesome to have a sim to play against. It certainly would never be perfect but it would help possibly pin pointing your own deck issues.

But .. a few "weeks" of solid coding? Really? I don't know anything about coding but that seems like something that would take at least a 6 months no? To get the AI to not be completely stupid would be tough, no?

Again I have no idea cause programming is lost on me.

[Squircifer]

i came up with a method of playing solo, i do the following:

i make a set of dilemma combos, about ten or so mostly three to four card sets, a few two card sets and one q flash, with a random mix of q dliemmas. then, i make 6 cards with numbers on them and shuffle them, then seed the card under the mission. i try to make most combos space and planet, although i have tried alternate numbers for the missions. like if planet, then three, if space then 8.

attempt missions and flip the card with the set over and proceed. i find this work rather well, although after a bit of time you will have all the sets memorized, so you have to mix it up after a bit.

i even have a borg battle deck, where i use a massive amount of borg mercs and each turn instead of dilemmas, i roll a d20 and that many borg beams aboard the ship and battle ensues. sometimes you get lucky and roll the board, most times you get stomped, which is also fun.