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A few months back I was wasting time here at Apolyton and noticed a post from Velociryx that mentioned in passing that he had recently climbed Stone Mountain, a local landmark just outside of Atlanta. My mind reeled- the Civ guru whose strategy thoughts I had been reading for the better part of a decade was here, in my hometown, practically at arm's reach! What better way to both have some fun and get better at my favorite game than to pay him a visit? So I sent him a PM, trying my best to not come across as some sort of freak or internet stalker. Fortunately, he was very receptive to my idea, and so it was that I found myself arriving at his house yesterday morning.
After a tour of the house and introducing me to Mrs. Vel, their two dogs, and their two cats, we got down to business. We talked Civ-philosophy for about a half hour, and then started a Warlords game as Frederick (Monarch, Large map, Continents, Marathon.) On my own, I usually beat Prince if I get a good start, but if I don't then I barely hold my own, get frustrated, and start a new game. I hoped for a bad start to allow me to see what Vel would do differently, and at fist it looked like I might get my wish. I saw a cow, rice, a river, and some hills, but few forests, no floodplains, and no other resources. Vel was more optimistic, but we agreed to move in search of a better start.
Two turns later, we founded at a site featuring a cow, bananas, silk, seven hills, three floodplains, and copper and grassland gems just outside the fat cross. From there, things only got better. We had Ghandi as our nearest neighbor, and he generously founded Buddhism so we could steal its holy city. Our second city was coastal, with a river, two bananas, copper, and gems. Our third city had more rivers, more bananas, rice, and two more gems. Everything we touched turned to (metaphoric) gold.
We took a break for lunch, and he tried to give me a preview of the game he's been designing called Candle'bre. Unfortunately some technical difficulties intervened, but from the brief glimpse of the title screen I think I got at one point I'm sure it will be a masterpiece.
So we played most of the day and basically tore through the game, breaking only for dinner around seven. Mrs. Vel stopped by from time to time, offering her own advice and observations. I'd say Vel's taught her a lot about that game, but I suppose its also possible that she taught him! Anyway, as dusk fell we agreed it the game was in the bag and it would be for the best if we started a new one so I could see how Vel would deal with a less friendly start. This time, we randomly got Mehmet (Monarch, Standard, Fractal), and absolutely everything went terribly (which was of course just what I was looking for.) Our initial city site was mediocre, our future city sites were worse, and our hut luck was abysmal. Lacking bronze, Vel suggested a chariot rush against our nearest neighbor (Isabella.) We tried to fatten our chariots up on a barbarian city, but our luck was dreadful and the barbarians shredded our first wave. We rebuilt, captured the barbarian city, and set up for an attack on Madrid. We ended up attacking three Madrid archers with 13 chariots... and lost. We regrouped, built another dozen chariots, and threw them at Madrid in a desperation hail mary attempt, and finally managed to liberate it from Spain's grasp.
At this point, it was 10:15 p.m. and I was 45 minutes from home with a deadline for a simulation baseball league awaiting me at home at 11pm. I thanked Vel and his wife for their hospitality and sped out onto the interstate, where I unfortunately somehow managed to head north instead of south. By the time I figured it out it was 10:30 and I was an hour from home. I raced home as fast as I could, but ended up having to phone my orders to a friend who then emailed them to our commissioner. Whew.
At any rate, I had a terribly fun time playing Civ with and learning from Velociryx. I picked up a number of relatively subtle tips, but the biggest thing was a better overall problem-solving attitude. Nearly whatever the obstacle, he calmly looked for some alternative means by which we could overcome it. When we lacked metal, we built chariots. When our chariots were destroyed, we built more. When we had no cottage-land, gold, or gems, we massed our chariots to steal a holy city. He never seemed to get frustrated and miss a possible way out, and I can see that if I can add that to my game it will be a vast improvement.
So thank you Vel for your generous hospitality, the two meals you provided me, and each of the Civ lessons you imparted this weekend. I hope I can punish Isabella and all the rest with what I've learned from now on.
After a tour of the house and introducing me to Mrs. Vel, their two dogs, and their two cats, we got down to business. We talked Civ-philosophy for about a half hour, and then started a Warlords game as Frederick (Monarch, Large map, Continents, Marathon.) On my own, I usually beat Prince if I get a good start, but if I don't then I barely hold my own, get frustrated, and start a new game. I hoped for a bad start to allow me to see what Vel would do differently, and at fist it looked like I might get my wish. I saw a cow, rice, a river, and some hills, but few forests, no floodplains, and no other resources. Vel was more optimistic, but we agreed to move in search of a better start.
Two turns later, we founded at a site featuring a cow, bananas, silk, seven hills, three floodplains, and copper and grassland gems just outside the fat cross. From there, things only got better. We had Ghandi as our nearest neighbor, and he generously founded Buddhism so we could steal its holy city. Our second city was coastal, with a river, two bananas, copper, and gems. Our third city had more rivers, more bananas, rice, and two more gems. Everything we touched turned to (metaphoric) gold.
We took a break for lunch, and he tried to give me a preview of the game he's been designing called Candle'bre. Unfortunately some technical difficulties intervened, but from the brief glimpse of the title screen I think I got at one point I'm sure it will be a masterpiece.
So we played most of the day and basically tore through the game, breaking only for dinner around seven. Mrs. Vel stopped by from time to time, offering her own advice and observations. I'd say Vel's taught her a lot about that game, but I suppose its also possible that she taught him! Anyway, as dusk fell we agreed it the game was in the bag and it would be for the best if we started a new one so I could see how Vel would deal with a less friendly start. This time, we randomly got Mehmet (Monarch, Standard, Fractal), and absolutely everything went terribly (which was of course just what I was looking for.) Our initial city site was mediocre, our future city sites were worse, and our hut luck was abysmal. Lacking bronze, Vel suggested a chariot rush against our nearest neighbor (Isabella.) We tried to fatten our chariots up on a barbarian city, but our luck was dreadful and the barbarians shredded our first wave. We rebuilt, captured the barbarian city, and set up for an attack on Madrid. We ended up attacking three Madrid archers with 13 chariots... and lost. We regrouped, built another dozen chariots, and threw them at Madrid in a desperation hail mary attempt, and finally managed to liberate it from Spain's grasp.
At this point, it was 10:15 p.m. and I was 45 minutes from home with a deadline for a simulation baseball league awaiting me at home at 11pm. I thanked Vel and his wife for their hospitality and sped out onto the interstate, where I unfortunately somehow managed to head north instead of south. By the time I figured it out it was 10:30 and I was an hour from home. I raced home as fast as I could, but ended up having to phone my orders to a friend who then emailed them to our commissioner. Whew.
At any rate, I had a terribly fun time playing Civ with and learning from Velociryx. I picked up a number of relatively subtle tips, but the biggest thing was a better overall problem-solving attitude. Nearly whatever the obstacle, he calmly looked for some alternative means by which we could overcome it. When we lacked metal, we built chariots. When our chariots were destroyed, we built more. When we had no cottage-land, gold, or gems, we massed our chariots to steal a holy city. He never seemed to get frustrated and miss a possible way out, and I can see that if I can add that to my game it will be a vast improvement.
So thank you Vel for your generous hospitality, the two meals you provided me, and each of the Civ lessons you imparted this weekend. I hope I can punish Isabella and all the rest with what I've learned from now on.
. Vel is truly a Civ legend, I'm sure you had an absolutely great time with him and Civ!
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