A Few Good Leaders

[ElConejo]

I was wondering if there was anyone here at Apoly who would be interested in a CompStomp Civ game? If your unfamiliar with the term, it comes from games like Starcraft where 2-3 humans are on the same team verses a large onslaught of AI. It was alot of fun, and I learned alot about multiplayer in those sessions. So I was wondering then if anyone would be interested in playing a similar game here.

I dont mind if it is a PBEM or otherwise, but we would each (I suggest 2-3 humans) control a nation and we would be on the same team against the rest of the AI. I havent decided whether or not having the AI be allied or sepperated would be best.

The reason I have renamed this 'A Few Good Leaders' is because I am hoping that we will have a fairly consitant game (esp with a few number of players) and we'd all be on the same side. If many people apply here and appear to enjoy the idea of AFGLs then by all means use this as a spring board and start another game as well.

For the first game at least I am hoping for a moderate game, something maybe even starting in the Classical Era? We will decide further on the game settings once I find out if anyone is actually interested in the game. It is perfect for those like myself who arent entirely ontop of the ladder as far as MP goes.

Please, if you are interested in this sort of game or have questions or comment please post here, thank you very much.

[ElConejo]

Is anyone interested in something like this? I have played a few internet games and by in large I havent quite been able to enjoy them as people either 1 - quit 2 - are less than civil 3 - insist on short games. I know that the third won is practical, and I understand it. However I like games which can grow and form, and so I think that the internet option is too quick for my taste.

I am however, hoping that at very least, one other player would be interested in something like this.. I think it would be fun and I am certainly open to suggestions.

[Prussia]

Hmm... I might be interested. Don't have much time though...

[ElConejo]

Neither do I, thats why I would prefer a PBEM format for this.. although I know alot of people dont like it I think it fits the person with less time to juggle. If your still interested, I dont care which format we use, PBEM would be easiest, but I'd like to hear your thoughts on how to set this up.

[Prussia]

What difficulty are you thinking of for the enemy leaders?

We could try emperor or something if we mod both of us on an island with a gross amount of resources.

You can probably count me in (Even though I'm up to my neck in PBEMs)

[ElConejo]

But that brings up a question (this is my first Multiplayer setup) how do you set up AI difficulties? I can only adjust difficulty for the human players..

As I said, I am open to suggestions. And the emperor AI idea works for me.. uh.. I think ...maybe.. But the only way we'd be able to get our own island is if we put Custom Continents and 1 per team, then there would be a bunch of other continents out there - some with just one giant civ. If that sounds appealing, I am willing to give it a go.

Well, if you do decide to take on another, I'd appreciate it and I say to you welcome aboard. But any specific desires you would like in this one? I was thinking we could have a Classical Start because it gets things moving faster (esp if this turns out to be a PBEM). What tech speed setting would you like (Norm-Epic-Mara)? Again, I dont have much experience in Civ4 MP yet..

Let me know any further thoughts you have as I am starting to really look forward to this! Also - if anyone else wants in feel free to post!

[topdog]

I would be interested in playing. I won't mind a PBEM as I have never played in this format. However I am not that experienced in MP. I vote for normal tech speed.

[LzPrst]

the tectonics map might be interesting for you... just mentioning it. have fun

[ElConejo]

topdog, your more than welcome to join the Few Good Leaders.

LzPrst, I actually was hoping we'd use the tectonic's map script, its by far my absolute favorite thus far (60% water FTW!)

[Thrak]

I've played a couple of 2 players v2v2v2v2 ai recently and yeah its good fun; but we found it a little easy on Monarch/Terra (and even easier on archipalegeo).

[ElConejo]

What difficulty level were you and the other players accustomed? I am actually pretty new to Civ4, even though I played extensive Civ3, and I have only recently been able (via a new computer) to play Civ4 and currently am at a Noble difficulty and winning consistantly.

I suppose I will allow my mates to decide what it is they are looking for and what they want from this game. Hopefully it will grow into something we will all have fun with.

[MMC]

Noble is good when you have help.

[AmericanCitizen]

I'd love to join, even if I'm not particularly good It sounds like a nice break from the usual multiplayer game.

[Thrak]

Well it was just 2 players (myself and a friend) and we normally play Monarch.

It was more a progression of strategies that helped us to such an easy win; we were both spiritual (he was mansa musa, I was gandhi) and synched our technologies to benefit us the most. I concentrated on great person generation of prophets and priest super specialists, and we both warred more or less constantly.

Essentially our early strat was a civil service rush before 2000 bc (thank you great prophet strat) then rushed to maths/construction (still at 2-3 cities each) then used the second or third great prophet to grab Theology and switch ed to theocracy - first war consisted of lvl 3 war elephants and catapults at around 1200 bc iirc. Used the same units (+ some nice GG medic units) for the second war and the rest of the game was all she wrote essentially.

By the time we wrote off the game as an obvious victory my financial city was starting wall street and had 10 priest SS and 1 merchant SS.

We have played before for example with Julius Caesar and Gandhi; and conducted trades so that I get his cheap settlers and he gets my fast workers; so I never built a settler as Gandhi and vice versa. Team play opens up these interesting syngeristic strategies.

If I am honest, these games are really enjoyable - but neither of us are sure what to do next, whether to go up to emperor or to start playing versus other players.

[eris]

I would try. I am just concerned about difficulty levels. At present, I can win Warlord and have 1 (count 'em 1!) victory at Noble. Does this kind of MP game allow for differing skill levels of the human players. I like players vs AI as a learning concept, too. That sounds very interesting.