HOTW7 Set up thread

[MMC]

It is possible to change names, but I didn't really notice the names changing in-game in the screenshots for HOTW 5. I was only pointing out what my Gamespy name is, since you can't change it in Gamespy games, and I don't normally bother to change it for DirectIP either.

[MMC]

Also, I might be taking a little more than screenshots during the sessions... just for added fun!

[Rasputin]

ok this thread is getting beyond a joke.

I dont know anything about pitboss but haivng to run a game 24/7 seems a weird idea. we only need to run it when we online together surely.


Also all this discussion over bad starts agai nshows people are only playing this to win , and not for the enjoyment of the game.

and why should the game end when some predefined ingame vicotry is won? turn off all the victory conditions and let the diplo style prevail.

Anyway, if the game is to be played on Saturday mornings Austrlaia time, then i can solve a proble mfor you guys. play with 12 only , i really cant committ to a long term game on saturdays mornings.

[KunojiLym]

*cheers for HOTWV timing*

I'll just go with whatever you guys decide with regards to tech trading... oh, and also, I'm picking Qin. (Mao sucks!)

[MMC]

Originally posted by Rasputin
ok this thread is getting beyond a joke.

I agree.

Originally posted by Rasputin
I dont know anything about pitboss but haivng to run a game 24/7 seems a weird idea. we only need to run it when we online together surely.

We never said that it was necessary, only possibly advantagous.

Originally posted by Rasputin
Also all this discussion over bad starts agai nshows people are only playing this to win , and not for the enjoyment of the game.

Again, I agree. In fact, I know that some people here prefer Terra, and some prefer Islands (and at least one prefers Pangea), so whilst I'm willing to go for Terra because I can't be bothered to argue, I would like to suggest SmartMap as an option. It's notorious for bad (ie tundra) starts, but if you wait a turn or two and explore, you can often find a brilliant starting location. Also, with 12 Civs you are pretty much garrunteed to start with anothe civ on your continent, yet you have all the isolationist benefits of Islands at the same time. And, unless I start on tundra surrounded by ice, I'll play on happily.
NB: SmartMap can be told to switch off Tundra, Desert, Snow/Ice, and Peaks independantly. I often play with No Ice, limited Tundra, normal Desert, and the odd Peak here and there.

Originally posted by Rasputin
and why should the game end when some predefined ingame vicotry is won? turn off all the victory conditions and let the diplo style prevail.

Whilst I agree with this, I'd like to see the Space Race victory enabled, simply to enable the associated wonders, not necessarily for the purposes of winning. I also feel that Cutural Victories fall firm within the scope of Diplogaming. Achieving cities of legendary status, requires a lot of diplomatic negotiation, simply to be able to afford to invest in the culture of three cities at once.

Originally posted by Rasputin
Anyway, if the game is to be played on Saturday mornings Austrlaia time, then i can solve a proble mfor you guys. play with 12 only , i really cant committ to a long term game on saturdays mornings.

Playing with more than 12 is not a problem, it's just not recommended. However, it's not my place to force people to play, nor is it anyone else's.

[Rasputin]

Originally posted by MMC

We never said that it was necessary, only possibly adventagous.

for what purpose ?

feel that Cutural Victories fall firm within the scope of Diplogaming. Achieving cities of legendary status, requires a lot of diplomatic negotiation, simply to be able to afford to invent in the culture of three cities at once.

actually you are corect, it should be a cultural victory allowed.

[OzzyKP]

Originally posted by LzPrst
also. why the hell low sea level? we should go for normal. no reason for low sea level. I like boats! normal is the standard. low sea level favours certain playstyles and civs. I say we use standard configurations. just a huge terra map will do fine.

I agree. Normal sea level.

And Raz... if it makes you feel any better just avoid this thread altogether and we'll just tell you what we've decided when we've made a decision. No need to get all stressed out over it.

[Robert]

Hey, Rasputin, what makes you that hostile?
This threat is not a joke, it's just people talking about a game that's about to start. And different things are being discussed. In response to your post:

- We never said that we had to run the pitboss 24/7. We wondered if we had to, after we found out that we didn't had to I've said numerous times that we won't.

- A bad start will make that someone is behind from the beginning which is certainly no fun at all. I agree with Deity on 2nd look that the start I had on his save was good enough. I mixed up plains for tundra.

- turning off spaceship victory turns the spaceship off at all I'm afraid. And why not have an in-game win? A diplo win will never be a satisfying way to end the game and it must end at a certain time. HOTW5 ended with an in-game win, very good end.

[LzPrst]

Raz, just chill out and wait till Capo is back online, theres no need for you to be involved in every decision if you dont want to. But while we are waiting, why cant we flesh out some details? those who are not interested in those details dont have to participate in the debate, they merely have to accept the decisions made by those who do.

Raz, are you sure you're out? I thought you could play at the given time, we had 13 yes and 1 no to the allotted time slot and IIRC civil_disobedience was the 1 nay-sayer. Have you been diplo-talking with your time-slot?

Also, who is complaining about (possible) bad starts? I've said pretty much, no restarts. I am willing to live with just about anything, though a 2 square island in the middle of an ocean with no resources consisting solely of ice doesnt really make for a good game, and that is after all our objective, a good game. I think that's what people are trying to get at. there is a difference between a bad start location and a hopeless one, and I got the impression that most of us will accept a bad start, though some have (reasonable) reservations against a hopeless one. Regardless, the treshold for hopeless should be put VERY high. there is (almost) always a possibility to discover new lands (or conquer them from more fortunate neighbours) or make the best out of what you get, unless it is the situation I described above.


As for the victory conditions... cant we use Ozzy's system? Check out the initial suggestion by myself (similarly also suggested previously by frank) and Oz at http://www.apolyton.net/forums/showt...&pagenumber=16

(and also ozzy's short post on the top of page 17)

To me it seems like a truly balanced and intelligent way of awarding the victory in a diplogame. The actual chart and its details may be tweaked a little, but all in all I am very strongly in favour of such a voting system for determining the diplo-winner. Ingame victory is fine, but the voting system will reward what we really desire, diploing and roleplaying, thus encouraging a little extra in those departments, in addition to giving the "best man" (or nolan) credit for all the aspects of the game, not just who's best at game mechanics.

We should (sigh) have a vote on it. BUT! before we start with that, lets organize things a little. Lets set one topic of discussion. reach a decision then move on to the next topic. I think discussing several items at the same time will just result in total chaos.

I say the topic, and the ONLY topic to be discussed until it is resolved is victory conditions. If we have a voting system then all victory conditions should be allowed. If we decide not to have a voting system then we have to decide whether to allow space race (I say yes, removing it takes a lot away from the endgame).

Lets settle the voting or no voting question once and for all. I support a points and vote system to determine the winner, because it will reward more than just game mechanic skills which is what we are striving for anyway.

Please respond to that issue and that issue only, when it is settled we'll grab another topic, beat the shait out of it and move on to the next until we are all done and everything is settled. People should be willing to compromise a little here. It is the best way of killing time while we wait for Capo anyway without losing touch. Regardless, if anyone feels that they do not want to participate in the decisionmaking debate, feel free to declare your uninterest in the topics as they are presented, or if you're really fed up and just want to play, return here on the 10th of september. As the 10th is a sunday our most likely playdate is friday september 15th (saturday 16th for our aussie's and asians) but everyone should return here by the 10th for any last minute details before we kick off.

[Robert]

I don't really care about a diplogame-victory with voting etc. But if you guys do care I'm fine with it. I still think that the game should end with an in-game victory for anybody. That's a good way to end the game. The way you guys want to determine who's the winner after that is most probably fine with me. (lost interest in that discussion :P)

Of course I do favour it if the in-game winner gets some good bonus points in whatever system that's being used, together with his (her) allies.

[deity]

Like I suggested, we can start on the agreed date with whoever shows... whether it be 10 or 14 players. No one misses out if they show.

Normal sea level is fine but be warned, you will be very crowded in some areas. We've played with 7 players on huge terra maps with low sea level and even that gets crowded quick

[deity]

And I also suggested a game mechanics victory is when we stop followed by an optional points system if you like.

[deity]

With all victory conditions allowable of course...

[Robert]

I agree on the low-sea level with Deity.

[OzzyKP]

OK, lets take a vote on victory conditions/game ending.

End with traditional victory condition (spaceship, culture, diplomacy, etc) determine winner with a holistic points system.

Ozzy
LzPrst
Deity
CyberShy