How to protect bases of offline players (teams) from biters in PVP mode?

[Land_Strider]

We are looking forward to playing the game with a bunch of friends whose experience vary from a few hundred hours to new beginners. We want to go with PVP mode to have separate research and bases for each to progress on their own.

However, as some of us can easily build early automated defense at strategic points while others probably can't (because this will be their first game and all) and they will be probably playing less frequently, we want to ensure that their bases are not touched by biters while they are offline.

We can see that "protect teams with no online members" prevents player entrance into offline team's starting areas. However, we can't test if this protects against biters. Also, this is somewhat not ideal as we would want to be social and interact with each others' bases from time to time (railroads for example.)

Is there a setting, mod, or something else to achieve this?

[PunCrathod]

Even if you do get them protected when they come back online they will be crushed by the now more evolved and more spread out biters. The game isn't really designed with unattended bases in mind. Even if you give offline teams infinite power and complete invulnerability and free laser turrets on every building they will still suffer when they come back online and those protections are gone. The "protect teams with no online members" is there to prevent base sniping in case of a short temporary connection problems or crashes where the players come back in short order. It will not help if the team members are offline for long periods of time.

If you really want to have separate bases with different online times you really should just start two different saves.

[Land_Strider]

Ah thanks. I just tested the protection option and it seems it works only until someone joins the team for the first time, then the invulnerability is gone.

You are right that the offline players will see a lot tougher biters when they join. However, regular evolution shouldn't be that much of a problem for the time people would be missing (worst case would be a player being 10 hours behind probably). Also, difference between players being online and defending (at least trying) their bases and asking for help and a tiny swarm eating a whole base because it found a small undefended flank is still very noticeable.

[Tydo]

at default settings it is a hopeless idea, but you can do a lot with the settings and some 'education'.

1) make sure their bases are powered down, from a pollution point of view, before they log off. Maybe a little left on the belts, but make sure the supply/input belts are turned (or reversed) to block the flow, so it comes to a natural halt and their cloud will fade.

2) make sure they have no nests near their cloud(s) before logging off.

3) adjust the evolution parameters:
*) consider eliminating timebased evolution
*) consider eliminating pollution based evolution
*) turn the "destroy" based evolution down (they are more of you -> you need more room -> need to clear more nests -> need to kill more spawners -> more "level up" pressure).

4) consider turning on 'peaceful mode', so biters only fight back when you attack them.
This means no pullution based attack waves. It's a drastic measure, but if you have easily deterred rookies...

5) adjust the 'starting area size' up (a lot) to make their beginning much easier.

6) adjust the mininum and maximum 'expansion group size' down. This makes nest-crep much more manageable.
7) adjust the maximum expansion distance - again to make nest creep more manageable. They'll still expand, they'll just have to do it in shorter steps, not in super scifi-ninja leaps straight back into your smog.

8) ramp up the enemy expansion timers, so they expand less frequently.

9) don't leave it running when noone is online.

[Land_Strider]

Thanks for the interpreting the game settings in a way that would help with the issue. It really helps to see a balanced combination of all these parameters. I am also thinking of adding more teams than the number of players, maybe double, to increase the size of map center where there isn't any biter bases at the start. This area will get settled by biters after a while, but these bases are usually smaller than outer bases as outer bases can be founded with larger groups coming from larger bases. It'll open up another flank defend, but it should be quite easy to defend such a flank. The resources in this area will be left for new beginners and slow-pacers so that they can easily expand.

[Gotmog]

We did this kind PVP and we just turn off electricity. When last player from team leaves server he did it.