Goals for next releases – Summer 2019

All features are goals, not promises. All dates are estimates. List subject to revision. Summer 2019 cycle is to approximately September 1st, but there will be releases before that with some of the features.

  • Networking is planned for Autumn 2019, and applies for all products.
  • Voting blocs is also planned, probably for Winter 2019.

All Infinity games

  1. Port to new tool-chain (will allow for continued cross-platform releases).
  2. New polling system (created by actual random sampling of population which is now modeled at a low level in game engine, different pollsters with different biases release public polls which player can then weight accordingly, can release internal polls to drive news).
  3. New graphs system (improved charts, works with new polling system including creating best-fits for multiple polls).

President Infinity

  1. Continue to update 2020.
  2. Add California Governor – 2018.
  3. Release cumulative changes in latest sneak-peek as official.
  4. Primaries > Can view hypothetical head-to-head match-ups for %s, seats, pop. vote (depends on new polling system, and expands the ability to select the candidate viewing from each party’s primaries introduced in Autumn 2018 but which was only available for Favorability and Momentum).

Prime Minister Infinity – Canada

  1. Add Newfoundland and Labrador – 2019.
  2. Add Canada – 2019.

Because the games will be ported to a new tool-chain, which is required to continue cross-platform capabilities, Networking and Voting Blocs have been pushed back. How long the port will take is a significant amount of guesswork, but my hope is it will be done within a few months. The plan is for the new polling and graphs systems to be implemented and released using the new tool-chain once the port is completed.

Feedback welcome!

Prime Minister Infinity next release v. 3.0.7, Windows and Mac

Prime Minister Infinity – U.K. and Canada v. 3.0.7 for Windows and Mac have been released!

This release updates the Australia – 2019 campaign (including updating the %s based on the 2019 results, adding more prominent Independents, and adding the UAP and PHON), improves the Instant-Runoff algorithm, adds a preset colour picker for parties for the Editor, and fixes a bug that prevented switching between FPP and FPP – Instant-Runoff modes once election night was done.

Note: this version changes spacebarring to close various screens to ‘n’.

(Note: for goals for this release cycle, Spring 2019, see here.)

If you are a Prime Minister Infinity – U.K. or Canada owner on subscription (or if you purchased President Infinity within the last year), you are eligible for this upgrade.

This is a comprehensive update.

You can download this release by requesting a download e-mail at the link below. From the e-mail, click the link to the web page. On the web-page, there will be a ‘Sneak-peek’ link.

To update: http://270soft.com/updates-redownloads/

Version information (U.K.): https://270soft.com/updates-redownloads/prime-minister-infinity-u-k-version-information/

Version information (Canada): https://270soft.com/updates-redownloads/prime-minister-infinity-canada-version-information/

What’s new in this upgrade from the previous release (sneak-peek v. 3.0.6).

  • Instant-Runoff > improved voter flow algorithm, if party A being eliminated in a given constituency has voter flow (as specified in Editor) to another party B but that party B isn’t on ballot in that constituency, the voters from party A are apportioned to the remaining parties proportional to the other voter flow %s (this fixes two glitches on Election Night with %s not equaling 100%) (before, if party B wasn’t on the ballot, the voters from party A were simply removed)
  • Editor > Parties > added preset colour picker
  • Instant-Runoff > can switch between FPP, FPP – Instant-Runoff, and FPP – Instant-Runoff 2C after election night finishes
  • updated Australia 2019
    • Nationals > party colour yellow -> dark green
    • Cook > incumbent party > ALP -> Liberal
    • Monash > incumbent party and candidate -> Liberal
    • Menzies > incumbent party > ALP -> Liberal
    • added Pauline Hanson’s One Nation
    • added United Australia Party
    • Independents > Cowper > added Rob Oakeshott, Farrer > Kevin Mack, Mackellar > Alice Thompson, New England > Adam Blakester, Flinders > Julia Banks, Indi > Helen Haines, Kooyong > Oliver Yates, Wannon > Alex Dyson, Braddon > Craig Brakey
    • updated %s based on results
    • added universal % shift, Liberal -3%, Labor +3%
    • fixed various other candidate names, parties on ballot
    • updated party logos (Liberal, Labor, National, Greens, Katter’s Australian)
    • updated local candidate strengths, highscore bonuses
    • Morrison > Surrogates > added Jenny Morrison
    • Barnaby Joyce > Surrogates > removed Natalie Joyce
    • Barnaby Joyce > Integrity > 5 -> 4

macOS and the Infinity games

Note: this is relevant for macOS versions of President Infinity, Prime Minister Infinity (U.K. and Canada), and Congress Infinity.

We introduced macOS (then called OS X) for President Infinity back in 2014, after lots of requests from Mac users, and since then have maintained dual Windows and Mac versions of the Infinity games.

The most recent version of macOS is Mojave. There will probably be a new version of macOS released this autumn. Apple has announced Mojave (the current one) will be the last to support 32-bit apps.

President Infinity (and the other Infinity games) is a 32-bit app. The tool chain currently used to create President Infinity (and the other Infinity games) for macOS only allows for 32-bit apps. There is no capability for 64-bit apps available with the current cross-platform tool chain used to create President Infinity, and no capability in the immediate future.

This means that, for people who update to the next macOS version after Mojave, the Infinity games may no longer run.

If you use Windows, there will be no change in the immediate future. The games should continue to work, and updates will be done regularly.

If you use Mac, the game will continue to be updated for Mac until further notice. However, they will be in 32-bit, so if or when you update to the next macOS version, the games may no longer run.

Note that there may be simple workarounds for this if upgrading to the macOS version after Mojave, whether provided by Apple or by 3rd parties – right now, I don’t know.

In summary, Mac updates will continue for the foreseeable future, but if you plan to update to the version of macOS after Mojave, they may not run on your system when you do so.

There is little I can do in the short-term to allow for macOS 64-bit compatibility. However, I am actively looking at porting the Infinity games to a different tool chain, such that they will work on macOS for 64-bit. If this happens, the port may not be completed by the release of the next macOS version. I will announce updates on this when I have more information, but my hope is that the port will be completed by the end of this year.

Also, until there is more clarity on this situation, the Infinity games will not be advertised as supporting macOS, although all owners will continue to have access to both Windows and Mac versions into the foreseeable future.

Questions and feedback welcome.

Instant-Runoff

Instant-Runoff is an option for campaigns in Prime Minister Infinity.

It allows for a campaign to include instant-runoff (also called ranked choice or preferences).

If a campaign has this option turned on, on the main screen you will see a drop-down box with three options – ‘FPP’, ‘FPP, Instant-Runoff’, and ‘FPP, Instant-Runoff, 2C’.

‘FPP’ stands for ‘First-Past-the-Post’, and shows the first-preference %s (what percentage of voters would mark which candidate as 1st on the ballot) and seats totals if those first-preference %s determined the winner for each constituency (riding, division). These are the numbers for a traditional Westminster-style Parliamentary system.

‘FPP, Instant-Runoff’ applies instant-runoff to seats where a candidate doesn’t have greater than 50%, reallocating votes until a candidate has more than 50%, and then stops reallocating votes once that’s reached in a given seat.

‘FPP, Instant-Runoff, 2C’ applies instant-runoff in every seat until there are only two candidates left in each seat (2C stands for ‘two candidates’). This is close to the typical 2PP numbers often used in Australia (2PP stands for ‘two party preference’, where everything is reduced to the two major parties, Coalition and Labor), but 2C might have some seats where another party or independent is among the top two candidates. There is no difference in seat totals between ‘FPP, Instant-Runoff’ and ‘FPP, Instant-Runoff, 2C’, but there usually are % differences.

In the Editor, the option to turn Instant-Runoff on or off is on the Regions screen and is called ‘Ranked Choice’. If you turn it on, you can edit voter preference flows by then clicking the ‘Flow’ tab.

Prime Minister Infinity next release sneak-peek v. 3.0.6, Windows and Mac

Prime Minister Infinity v. 3.0.6 sneak-peek for Windows and Mac has been released!

This sneak-peek adds editing Instant-Runoff voter flow to the editor, and adds Katter’s Australian Party candidates and major independent candidates to Australia 2019.

Note: this version changes spacebarring to close various screens to ‘n’.

(Note: for goals for this release cycle, Spring 2019, see here.)

If you are a Prime Minister Infinity owner on subscription (or if you purchased Prime Minister Infinity within the last year), you are eligible for this upgrade.

This is a comprehensive update.

You can download this release by requesting a download e-mail at the link below. From the e-mail, click the link to the web page. On the web-page, there will be a ‘Sneak-peek’ link.

To update: http://270soft.com/updates-redownloads/

Version information (U.K.): http://270soft.com/updates-redownloads/prime-minister-infinity-u-k-version-information/

Version information (Canada): https://270soft.com/updates-redownloads/prime-minister-infinity-canada-version-information/

What’s new in this upgrade from the previous release (v. 3.0.5)

  • Editor > Regions > added ‘Flow’ tab, enabled if Ranked Choice box checked, allows to set voter flow for instant-runoff
  • Australia 2019 > added Katter’s Australian Party candidates, added %s
  • Australia 2019 > Independents > Clark > added Andrew Wilkie
  • Australia 2019 > Independents > Wentworth > added Kerryn Phelps
  • Australia 2019 > Independents > Warringah > added Zali Steggall
  • Australia 2019 > added endorsers in v. 3.0.5b

Prime Minister Infinity – U.K. next release sneak-peek v. 3.0.5, Windows and Mac

Prime Minister Infinity – U.K. v. 3.0.5 sneak-peek for Windows and Mac has been released!

This sneak-peek is a major update, and adds Instant-Runoff (also called Ranked Choice or Preferences), Australia – 2019, attributes are now 0-10 instead of 1-5, introduces Favorability, shows info on the map when you move the mouse over a region, allows for increasing the size of the window, introduces counter-moves for computer players for ground ops and ads, and more.

Note: this version changes spacebarring to close various screens to ‘n’.

(Note: for goals for this release cycle, Spring 2019, see here.)

If you are a Prime Minister Infinity – U.K. owner on subscription (or if you purchased President Infinity within the last year), you are eligible for this upgrade.

This is a comprehensive update.

You can download this release by requesting a download e-mail at the link below. From the e-mail, click the link to the web page. On the web-page, there will be a ‘Sneak-peek’ link.

To update: http://270soft.com/updates-redownloads/

Version information: http://270soft.com/updates-redownloads/prime-minister-infinity-u-k-version-information/

What’s new in this upgrade from the previous release (v. 2.7.8)

  • Platform Screen > fixed bug where player issue positions (“Center-Right” and so on) would disappear
  • Platform Screen > fixed bug with issue position Power bonuses for secondary regions
  • Editor > Regions > Issues > added ‘Set All Issues’ button, to set all issues for a region to specified center
  • Editor > Basics > Constants and Coefficients > added Fundraising coefficient
  • computer players now make more ads
  • Editor > Regions > fundamental regions > added exemptions for shifts, for regions where you want to specify %s without the shifts
  • allows for increasing the size of windows (for high-resolution or high-DPI displays)
  • Editor > Basics > More > can set tied color
  • if move mouse across map, will show info for region mouse on
  • 1-5 -> 0-10 attributes system
  • Electoral Vote Info Screen (Constituency Screen) > if hover over Create Target, Org. Strength, Footsoldiers, Polling button, info
  • Create Polling > 1 CP total -> 0.5 CPs per day
  • Create Org. Strength > 2 CPs total -> 0.5 CPs per day
  • Sim Screen > fixed bug where win wasn’t counted if won seats but not popular vote
  • Editor > Surrogate > if has images, can set to default
  • for save (including autosave), a temporary save file is created first, so if there is an error for some reason, any existing save file is not overwritten
  • Main Screen > spacebarring for Done Turn -> ‘n’ (next)
  • region-specific leader bonuses are no longer by %, but affect Favorability – these should roughly map to what used to be the % bonuses in most cases
  • endorsers can now be set to only endorse if candidate has certain position
  • if endorser endorses and requires certain position, and then candidate endorsed changes position to position endorser doesn’t allow, endorser will take back endorsement
  • if autosaving, shows message that saving
  • redid Notes Screen, now larger, isn’t draggable, different look
  • can press Esc or ‘n’ to close Notes Screen, not spacebar
  • Spin Screen > spacebar -> ‘n’
  • Debate Results Screen > can press ‘n’ to close screen
  • Message Screen > can press ‘n’ to close screen
  • changed how polls work so program uses up less memory and runs more quickly
  • Main Screen > momentum mode > fixed bug where up and down arrows wouldn’t change players listed
  • debates matter more > debate news stories +2 spin, can have more news stories
  • improved computer AI
  • Editor > Endorsers > added search box
  • Themes Screen > View All > text fits
  • AI > Ground Ops > computer players now make counter-moves when building ground ops
  • AI > Ads > computer players now make counter-moves when creating and running ads
  • AI > computer players now create and run ads regionally, instead of just for specific constituencies
  • computer players now create ads that can be run nationally, instead of just regionally or for specific constituencies
  • Editor > Regions > Universal > Basics > General Election > adds Ranked Choice (also called instant-runoff or preferences – in game it is called Instant-Runoff)
  • Main Screen > if Ranked Choice is ‘on’ for campaign, option to view as FPP (without instant-runoff), Instant-Runoff or Instant-Runoff 2C (2 candidates)
  • adds Australia – 2019
  • updates Australia – 2016

Prime Minister Infinity – Canada next release sneak-peek v. 3.0.5, Windows and Mac

Prime Minister Infinity – Canada v. 3.0.5 sneak-peek for Windows and Mac has been released!

This sneak-peek adds Instant-Runoff (also called Ranked Choice or Preferences) as an option and Australia – 2019.

Note: this version changes spacebarring to close various screens to ‘n’.

(Note: for goals for this release cycle, Spring 2019, see here.)

If you are a Prime Minister Infinity – Canada owner on subscription (or if you purchased President Infinity within the last year), you are eligible for this upgrade.

This is a comprehensive update.

You can download this release by requesting a download e-mail at the link below. From the e-mail, click the link to the web page. On the web-page, there will be a ‘Sneak-peek’ link.

To update: http://270soft.com/updates-redownloads/

Version information: https://270soft.com/updates-redownloads/prime-minister-infinity-canada-version-information/

What’s new in this upgrade from the previous release (v. 3.0.3b).

  • adds Australia – 2019
  • Editor > Regions > Universal > Basics > General Election > adds Ranked Choice (also called instant-runoff or preferences – in game it is called Instant-Runoff)
  • Main Screen > if Ranked Choice is ‘on’ for campaign, option to view as FPP (without instant-runoff), Instant-Runoff or Instant-Runoff 2C (2 candidates)
  • computer players now create ads that can be run nationally, instead of just regionally or for specific constituencies

Adding Instant-Runoff to Prime Minister Infinity

Here’s a screenshot from the latest internal Prime Minister Infinity, which includes Instant-Runoff (also known as Ranked Choice or Preferences) as an option, set to ‘on’ here in the Australia 2016 campaign.

There is now a drop-down box where you can select to show poll %s and seat projections for straightforward FPP, FPP with Instant-Runoff applied for relevant constituencies, and FPP with 2 Candidate Instant-Runoff applied for all constituencies.

President Infinity next release sneak-peek v. 3.0.4, Windows

President Infinity v. 3.0.4 sneak-peek for Windows has been released!

This sneak-peek continues to update 2020 (including latest polling, adding Gravel, Williamson, Messam, Bennet, and De Blasio, and more), fixes a bug which overpowered barnstorming in the primaries (enhancing the dog-piling effect), lowers default barnstorming in the primaries 1 -> 0 Power, computer players now make counter-moves for ads and ground ops, computer players now make national ads, adds a preset color picker for leaders the Editor, and more.

Note: this version changes spacebarring to close various screens to ‘n’.

(Note: for goals for this release cycle, Spring 2019, see here.)

If you are a President Infinity owner on subscription (or if you purchased President Infinity within the last year), you are eligible for this upgrade.

This is a comprehensive update.

You can download this release by requesting a download e-mail at the link below. From the e-mail, click the link to the web page. On the web-page, there will be a ‘Sneak-peek’ link.

To update: http://270soft.com/updates-redownloads/

Version information: https://270soft.com/updates-redownloads/president-infinity-version-information/

What’s new in this upgrade from the previous sneak-peek (v. 3.0.2).

  • Editor > Regions > Map > fixed bug where couldn’t click to set position
  • Editor > Regions > fixed bug where couldn’t set poll close times
  • AI > Ground Ops > computer players now make counter-moves when building ground ops
  • Ads > computer players now make counter-moves when creating and running ads
  • computer players now create ads that can be run nationally, instead of just regionally
  • Primaries > Barnstorming > fixed bug where barnstorming bonus was higher than should be
  • Primaries > Barnstorming > reduced default Power 1 -> 0
  • Editor > Leaders > added color picker with preset colors
  • updated 2020
    • Republicans > Colors > Trump -> red, Weld -> yellow, Kasich -> khaki, Hogan -> Brown, Sasse -> salmon, Flake -> purple, Collins -> fuschia, Romney -> green, Kristol -> tan, Paul -> burgundy, Rubio -> light turqoise, Huntsman -> orange, Cotton -> rose, Haley -> cornflower blue
    • Democrats > Colors > Yang -> khaki, Swalwell -> indigo, Moulton -> slate gray, Gravel -> gold, Williamson -> rose, Messam -> tan, Ryan -> lavender, O’Rourke -> brown, Warren -> yellow, Sanders -> red, Bullock -> aqua, McAuliffe -> purple, Ojeda -> gray blue, Avenatti -> bisque, O’Malley -> orange, Chafee -> salmon, Bel Edwards -> swamp green, Garcetti -> purple, Steyer -> khaki, Schultz -> yellow, Clinton -> fuschia, Newsom -> blue, Zuckerberg -> yellow, Merkley -> lavender, Kander -> orange, B. Clinton -> lavender, Gore -> light turqoise, Landrieu -> green yellow, Ocasio-Cortez -> dark red
    • Added state Dem Primary polls for WI, FL,  two from NH and TX each
    • Added three US Dem Primary polls
    • Surrogates > Booker > added Rosario Dawson
    • Surrogates > Sanders > added Sarah Silverman
    • Surrogates > Biden > added Coons, Carper, Feinstein, Cuomo, Doug Jones
    • Endorsers > Roseanne > California -> USA, 100% footsoldiers -> 5% footsoldiers
    • Endorsers > Rosanne -> Roseanne
    • Buttigieg > Experience > 3 -> 4
    • removed Observer from ballot in territories
    • Added Apr 22 Dem IA and NH Primary polls
    • Seth Moulton ‘off’ -> ‘on’
    • Added Change Research Dem Primary poll US
    • Biden > Integrity > 6 -> 5
    • Klobuchar > Integrity > 7 -> 6
    • Hickenlooper and Gillibrand > Charisma > 5 -> 4
    • Buttigieg > Charisma and Stamina > 5 -> 7
    • Adjusted campaign funds, fundraising ability for several candidates
    • Added US Primary poll for Dems and Reps
    • Added CA, PA, IA, and NH poll for Dems
    • Added Morning Consult, April 8 2019, Dem Primary US Poll
    • added Marianne Williamson, Michael Bennet, Mike Gravel, Wayne Messam, Bill de Blasio
    • Rep. Tim Ryan, Andrew Yang, and Rep. Eric Swalwell > ‘off’ -> ‘on’
    • Greens > Howie Hawkins > ‘off’ -> ‘on’
    • Added recent Rep primary polls for UT
    • Added recent Dem primary polls for OR, PA, IA, NV, MA, and AL.
    • Debates > Dems > set first to June 26.
    • Debates > Dems > decreased requirement primary debate
    • Fixed primary dates
    • Removed all state bonuses (except on home states) from all candidates currently turned ON.
    • Surrogate > O’Rourke > added Fmr Gov. Neil Abercrombie
    • Added Emerson Dem Primary Iowa poll Mar 24
    • Added FoxNews Dem Primary US poll Mar 24

Preset colour picker added to Editor

In the latest internal, there is a preset colour picker in the Editor for Leaders.

There are currently 32 options. Simply select a checkbox, and that leader’s colours (light, medium, and dark) are set.

This becomes more useful when creating campaigns with large numbers of candidates, such as the Democratic 2020 primaries, which now has 20 candidates.

This will be included in the next President Infinity release.