Diplomatic victory and diplomacy in general in multiplayer

[Strategist83]

I have yet to play a MP game of Civ online and so was wondering about a few things:

1) Diplomatic victory. Is this completely left up to the players? I mean, is it possible to win a diplomatic victory only if your opponents are 'fair' and 'like you' and vote for you because they think you deserve to win? In other words, if your adversaries are hell-bent on winning can they totally unrestrictedly vote in a such way as to make sure nobody wins (for example, voting on your best friend defensive pact buddy's competitor)?

2) Defensive pacts. If your pact buddy is attacked, can you choose to simply not come to his aid and instantly declare a peace with the attacker and suffer no penalty of any kind (other than knowing you are probably causing another person somewhere else to get really, really pissed! )?

3) Do people usually a) play to win, b) just play 'to have fun', c) play 'honourably' - keeping their word and aiding their allies or d) something else entirely? What has been your experience?

Thanks for your time.

[MasterDave]

I have never had a multiplayer game get far enough down the tech tree to see the UN built. I have had ONE game that got to flight. They are usually decided far earlier in the tech tree because people at gamespy play agressively, and many have a tendency to quit at the first sign of trouble.

[OzzyKP]

We will let you know when HOTW V gets there. Unlike ladder games and such, we do see our games through from beginning to end, and usually everyone is still in the game till the end.

[Deity Dude]

Most MP games are played FFA - free for all. In general its everyone for them selves. Other games are played as teams - but the teams are determined before the game starts.

Games are usually conquest victories or score victories based on a number of turns (games never usually go long enough for other victory conditions)

SP, MP and Diplo games are three totally different games. Quite often strategies that work in one don't work in the other 2.

[NicodaMax]

Strategist83 (and everyone else):

I've stopped playing Ladder MP games (or games arranged in the LameSpy lobby) because:
[list=1][*]They are generally played as 1 or 2 city elimination and militarily or conquest oriented. Like, who can make the biggest stack of doom faster type of games[*]If the previous setting are not used in non ladder games, people tend to quit when they start doing badly[*]Connectivity issues and speed of the game wont generally allow for a full game to be played in one session, unless you wanna sit there for 6-8 hours[/list=1]

I've been trying to arrange multi-session games with 4-7 players in order to have the whole scope of game styles in an MP environment, but faster than a PBEM. Build fest, military conquest, long term alliances etc., like in an SP game, could all be possible and it wouldn't take more than 3 sessions I think if played on normal speed, and with dedicated players.

Btw, my time availability is weekdays after 21:00 UTC-4, in case you are interested or know anyone who is.

[Solver]

NicodaMax: that's also how I like to play, but that is what Pitboss is for.

Generally, MP games that aren't Pitboss-style, will be

1. Ladder style. Usually involving the ladder players themselves, very aggressive. Played with elimination, too, conflict is early and thus the game ends early in the tech tree.

2. Random FFA style. These are often organized in the lobby on a random basis, FFA games, often without elimination. They're usually very low on trust between players, and wars start early, though usually not quite as early as ladder-style.

[Deity Dude]

Drop me a line NicodaMax - I am GMT -5 or US EST (not sure what UTC is). I can be reached on ICQ or MSN or here.

I too, am getting very tired of the extremely early war, blazing games.

[OzzyKP]

Originally posted by Solver
NicodaMax: that's also how I like to play, but that is what Pitboss is for.

Generally, MP games that aren't Pitboss-style, will be

1. Ladder style. Usually involving the ladder players themselves, very aggressive. Played with elimination, too, conflict is early and thus the game ends early in the tech tree.

2. Random FFA style. These are often organized in the lobby on a random basis, FFA games, often without elimination. They're usually very low on trust between players, and wars start early, though usually not quite as early as ladder-style.

You should familiarize yourself with diplogames more. They are of the epic MP sort. Plus with many new features.