Multiplayer II: Caravel, Game Manual

Game Manual
Multiplayer II Caravel
Overview Terrain Cities Economy Units Combat Diplomacy Government Technology Wonders Buildings Hotkeys

MANUAL VERSION: Multiplayer II Evolution, "Caravel" v2.3

Other MP2 Resources:

• See Multiplayer II Navigation Page

NOTE: This manual is for version 2.3 of the Multiplayer branch of rulesets, also known as "MP2 Caravel." These rules are accessed by the console command: /rules mp2-caravel

Games using Multiplayer II Rulesets are available at freecivweb.com.

Overview

In Multiplayer games your nation competes against AI or human opponents. You build cities and use them to grow your military and economy. You try to create an empire that emerges victorious. All players begin in 4000 BC with a handful of units - typically: 3 Workers, 1 Founder, 2 Settlers, 3 Tribesmen, and 1 Caravan

At the start your map is dark, representing the unexplored unknown world. Your units will travel and discover the continents and oceans of the world. Players may share their maps through diplomatic pacts. Your map is only a record of what your units have recently seen — you will not learn about changes to an area until your visit there again. You can't observe what happens outside the sight of your units and cities.

Game play is divided into turns. During a turn, players take actions before, simultaneous to, and after each other. That is, any player may make some or all of their moves at any time during the turn. At the beginning of each turn, all units are re-assigned movement points, which are spent as they move and act. Using up movement points early in the turn has pros and cons. It can take the advantage of first initiative, or it may leave a unit without the ability to react to occurrences that happen later in the turn. Units' movement points are reset at the start of each turn: units do not carry extra movement points into the next turn.

Success requires a strategic balance of population expansion, economic expansion, military strength, and technology development.

Criteria for Victory

In a Massive Multiplayer world, you may want to think less in terms of a "sole winner", though that's certainly possible! Surviving at all is the main goal. Finishing in the top ranks of surviving nations is a glorious achievement. Those who invest in diplomatic affairs tend to excel over isolationists.

• You or your alliance immediately win once the last city and unit of every non-allied civilization is destroyed
• You or your alliance are declared winners if all non-allied nations surrender or concede.
• If Space Race is enabled, you may launch a spacecraft destined for Alpha Centauri. The first civilization who reaches the star is the sole winner, if their capital doesn't fall first. (This may create some tension between former allies.)
• In the absence of any way to determine victory, the Gamemaster may rank surviving civilizations by score. Higher scores are the winners by ranking.

Variations and Game Settings

In Freeciv there are four separate layers of rules:

1. Hard-coded rules - these are the invariable mechanics programmed into the game software.
2. Rules from the ruleset - these are defined by the ruleset chosen at game start.
3. Rules from server options - these are adjustments to various settings like map size, diplomacy, starting units, space race, etc.
4. Human rules [optional] - Rules set in place by the Gamemaster or participants, which are agreed to be followed by "gentleman's agreement."

Next: Terrain