I got it working by enabling the Lua AI:s again. As far as I can tell, it's not really broken so I don't know why this mode has been disabled. But I only tested the lower level fleas so far: it's super difficult and I was every time killed by a swarm of fleas.
I will soon set up a test-host where people can play fleabowl.
But I'd like to discuss how to develop this mode further: should it be a separate mutator like ba has wirth chickens, or should it just be enabled by adding a fleas AI?
Also, the original flea bowl was different, it had two modes:
1) Human vs human where you could only build solar panels, mexxes and kbot labs. Kbot lab could only build fleas.
2) Flea bowl challenge: where 9 AI:s are allied against you and attack with fleas. No air units, dt:s, fortwalls or underwater units allowed.
See this original readme file for more details:
Queller wrote:
FLEA BOWL - 24/12/00
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"Hmm.. well that's the first time I've had my arse kicked by a bunch of fleas.. :/" - NJ_THUG, Flea Bowl BETA Tester
This AI will work as long as there is an ARMFLEA built by the Kbot Lab. This means it'll work unless you're using some TC that moves the unit to a different factory or gets rid of it all together.
This is an ARM only AI. The CORE side is controlled by the standard AI, so you can team up with it if you need help. Incidently, Queller FB usually beats the Cavedog AI in a 1 on 1. Yes, the Cavedog AI *is* that bad :).
What is Flea Bowl?
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Thanks Joe! Thanks Bob! Before we let you into Flea Bowl, lets have a quick look at how it was created.
This game concept originated on Cavedogs TA Forum. After running short of topics, the discussion turned to Fleas and how useful they had been in large numbers when used by certain people, but more importantly, just what a good laugh it was to have hordes of Fleas charging one another then exploding in flowery showers.
This led to 269852964 inventing Flea Bowl. This is a game type where Fleas come into their own.......mainly because nothing else can be used on the attack!
HOW TO PLAY
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FleaBowl Standard
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This is very simple, you start with the Commander as normal, but you may build only Solar Collectors, Metal Extractors and Kbot Labs. You can build as many Fleas as you want! Be careful, if you lose your Commander, you can't build resources anymore!
Now you grab your Fleas, charge the enemy, and kill everything. With that laser, you're gonna need a lot of Fleas.
NOTE: The original rules by 269852964 limited you to 6 Solar Collectors, 6 Metal Extractors and 6 Kbot Labs, but I found this lead to too many stalemate situations for my liking. In the end I decided an unlimited Solar and Metal Extractor campaign would be more fun.
This AI is designed to work with 10K Energy and Metal, and may not perform at optimal levels if given less.
FleaBowl Challenge
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There is another way to play FleaBowl. Ally nine ARM AI's against you, then build whatever units you want in a desperate attempt to survive. NJ_THUG tried this.......well, we still have the memory of him........
If you decide to just take on 9 Queller FB's while you use the standard units, don't use Air, underwater units, DT or Fortwalls, because these are things that Fleas simply cannot deal with, no matter how numerous.
This AI is designed to work with 10K Energy and Metal, and may not perform at optimal levels if given less.
THUG can beat this without breaking a sweat (in UberHack), lets see if you can.
Beating Fleabowl Challenge
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People have been asking me, when have you actually beaten Fleabowl Challenge? Well I have come up with these "official" settings.
* You must use 1000 metal and energy.
* You may only use Cavedog/UberHack units and may only play OTA, Bugfix or UberHack.
* There must be 9 ARM AI's.
* All the AI's must be allied against you.
* Each AI must have 10 000 metal and energy.
* You may not use any TA-Mutation mutators, except HoverFlea.
* You may not use Dragons Teeth, Fortwalls, nor anything that flies.
* You may not send amphibious units like the Commander underwater.
* You may not build underwater units.
* You must have LOS set to true.
* You must have mapping set to unmapped.
* Positions must be random.
* You may not pause the game to give out orders, check out the situation, etc.
* You must play at normal speed, or faster.
* You may not use the Commander or Con units to assist lab/plant production.
Once you win with these settings you have conquered Flea Bowl.......but we can always breed more Fleas, MUWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!
Remember, an open map is harder than one with choke points. Starting in the middle is harder than starting on an edge. There are many ways to challenge yourself.
Why Do Fleas Have A Laser?
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The Fleas have a laser to overcome their pilot's feelings of inadequacy. They were reported to have said the following at a combat briefing. "*sniff* All the other combat units have weapons. If we don't get a weapon then we have to hang out with those Spies, Radar, Jammer, and Con units. And they're a bunch of weenies. Please! Give us a weapon." At this point the Flea pilots began sobbing and crying. Two Maverick pilots were so disgusted by the display that they promptly walked over and slapped the whole lot of them... killing them. Arm Commanders issued Fleas token lasers more out of pity than anything else, after the Great Flea Pilot Massacre of 3197. True story.
Credits
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269852964 - Inventor of Flea Bowl
EMG Man - Joe Dwight and Bob Jones commentary
Drakken - The history of the Flea Laser
NJ_THUG - BETA Testing
And thanks to everyone who pestered me to get the first version done.