History of the World 8 - Set Up Thread

[OzzyKP]

Ok, it is still somewhat early since HOTW7 is still going and has several weeks left to go. But this place is kind of dead and nothing livens everyone up more than planning out a new diplogame.

So how about it?

Things to discuss:

Timeslot
How many players
Which players
Which map or map settings
Tech trading rules
Mods

I'm tenitively in.

[Robert]

That's always nice, a good setup thread!
Way to go to start it Ozz!

My first ideas (which may change of course if people come with good arguments)

Timeslot: maybe try epic for once. Marathon is great though.

9 players, maybe 10 at most. Maybe just all players in HOTWVII now. I'd love it to have a solid game now without droppers, leavers and many changes.

Map: Terra is doing great. Pangea might be fun for once as well though.

Tech Trading: I'd say: Trade Only Self Researched Techs (Unlimited) (TOSRT)
The bad thing at TORaCTT is the limit, it creates fixed 3 player alliances. It's impossible to help backwards civilizations and therefor it's hard to get back in the game once you're behind.

With TOSRT we still have the benefits of inventing something yourself and not losing control of your tech after you gave it to someone. Inventing a tech has a huge value in TOSRT.
Maybe a 2nd rule might be trowed in, only trade techs with civs with whom you have open borders.

Mods: UN Mod (all players can be voted in as UN Secretary General)

I would LOVE it if we could start earlier then the current game starts.

[Toni]

YES HOTW8

Timeslot: Ok with what we got now opened to changes too. (possible 4hrs session?)

How many players:

9 players, maybe 10 at most. Maybe just all players in HOTWVII now. I'd love it to have a solid game now without droppers, leavers and many changes.

I agree with CS, but also lets include Levi who is pretty reliable. I talked to him and he will love to join us in HOTW8. A bit worried about Cole and Conq. I think we should not risk adding unproven players and players without Good Connection into HOTW8. Because you saw what happened in HOYW7.


Which players:
Players I would love to see in HOTW8 are: Deity, Ozzy, Nolan, CS, Kuno, Ryk, Mike, Dangime(Frank), Levi and myself.

Maybe one or two more players can be added but only RELIABLE PLS and if game allows it ONLY. I got a friend who I spoke too already and he said he would love to join us, he is 100% reliable. (but will check on him once more before we add him officially to the roster)


Which map or map settings:

maybe try epic for once. Marathon is great though.

I would love to stick to the Marathon speed guys!

Map: Terra is doing great. Pangea might be fun for once as well though.

Both work for me!


Tech trading rules:
Tech rules, what makes the group happy I don't care, will go with what the group decides on.

About the map size, I would love to have a bit more of land pls.

Also I would love it if we start off the HOTW8 immediately after ending HOTW7. I really don't wona wait for a +1 month to start it off. We got enough time while we are finishing the current game to set the HOTW8 up and fire it up asap after HOTW7

[OzzyKP]

For the tech trading I'm wondering whether it would be a good idea to try some of Aussie's tech mods and just use that instead of tech trading. i.e. ban all tech trading and just use the mods.

The three mods would do the following:
1. If you sign open borders with a civ that has X tech, your research time of that tech is sped up.
2. If you conquer a city from a civ with X tech, you get beakers toward inventing that tech yourself.
3. Certain resources speed the research of certain techs. For example, having iron would make railroad quicker to invent.

I like 1 and 2, I'm not so sure on 3.

[OzzyKP]

I agree that we should aim for like 10 players. Reliable of course is good. But I don't want to just mirror the cast from HOTW7. Getting new blood in is always good. And maybe Capo or Raz or someone is interested.

As for map, I definitely prefer Terra over Pangea. But I'm always open to trying a World Map now and then. I like having the map be a little squished, so I wouldn't want to give it more land.

I'd definitely like to use the Unit Stats mod. And probably others, but we need to check that out.

Also, since Toni asked about it, no doubling up on leaders. Ideally no doubling up on civs either, but possibly.

[Robert]

I'm sorry, I don't like to alter the tech-mod as you describe it.
The 'twice' part of the rule did much harm to our last game (as I predicted already). Now just drop the 'twice' part and keep things as they are.

[deity]

Originally posted by CyberShy
That's always nice, a good setup thread!
Way to go to start it Ozz!

My first ideas (which may change of course if people come with good arguments)

Timeslot: I would LOVE it if we could start earlier then the current game starts. (maybe try epic for once. Marathon is great though)

Timeslot: Agree with Cyber. I can go a few hours earlier too.
Games speed: Marathon

9 players, maybe 10 at most. Maybe just all players in HOTWVII now. I'd love it to have a solid game now without droppers, leavers and many changes.

Agreed

Map: Terra is doing great. Pangea might be fun for once as well though.

Map: Terra only way to go.

Tech Trading: I'd say: Trade Only Self Researched Techs (Unlimited) (TOSRT)

Totally agree on TORaCTT.

My vote:
1) No Tech Trading if group is all experienced players
2) TORST

Mods: UN Mod (all players can be voted in as UN Secretary General)

Agreed

[Toni]

But I don't want to just mirror the cast from HOTW7. Getting new blood in is always good. And maybe Capo or Raz or someone is interested.

IF only they are reliable and got good connection and a decent PC.

[The_Aussie_Lurker]

Well, one thing I can do is remove the botched 'ResearchTrade' mod from the TechMod and give you guys what is left. Is that OK? I am hoping that I can have a proper ResearchTrade mod for you before too long. When were you planning to start the game?

Aussie_Lurker.

[deity]

Originally posted by OzzyKP

Also, since Toni asked about it, no doubling up on leaders. Ideally no doubling up on civs either, but possibly.

Now, we have to think this through carefully and fairly. HOTW7 was a grab bag. So don't post preferences just yet.

Firstly we need to confirm the players.

Then I suggest a rough ranking of the players overall (which might be interesting as a vote).

Then I suggest the civs and leaders are picked from the weakest to the strongest

OR

we all pick random.

Just a suggestion.... thoughts?

[OzzyKP]

I could go for the ranking and picking. Could be interesting. Though I dunno about bad feelings from being voted the worst player, heh.

But definitely no random civs.

[Toni]

Now, we have to think this through carefully and fairly. HOTW7 was a grab bag. So don't post preferences just yet.

I agree here I was one of the last to pick

Then I suggest the civs and leaders are picked from the weakest to the strongest

Like that Deity, not sure how that will be helpful to the weakest but hey its interesting!

[Frank Johnson]

I think a return to a more normal tech trade reigeme could do diplo games some good. This game as well as some other limited or no trade games I've played kind of degrade as leaders emerge who go a set of units ahead of most of the other players and they take over the game. What's worse in this case is the diplo rules kind of expect players to resign themselves to this fate, even when they are effectively out of the game and could (and should) be brushed aside for the good of the game.

Go down to trade only techs you research yourself. This allows minor powers to keep in the action. There are a lot of other ways to measure power other than just tech. There were times in HOTW5 when America had more tech than the Chinese, since they were paying multiple clients for it. This current game lacks that dynamic.

Anyway I prefer to see trade only techs you research yourself. If someone can perfect one of the mods where you get a bonus for having open boarders with someone who already knows the tech your learning that would be great too.

Otherwise I think you guys did pretty well to overcome the connection issues to go as far as you have.

[deity]

Originally posted by OzzyKP
I could go for the ranking and picking. Could be interesting. Though I dunno about bad feelings from being voted the worst player, heh.

But definitely no random civs.

I would roughly rank diplo players of recent games this way, taking into account starts and performance in the last two games:

1) ozzy - HOTW 5 winner
2) Toni - probable HOTW7 winner, maybe
3) Frank
4) deity
5) Cyber
6) Kuno
7) Capo
7) Mike - new comer
8) Nolan - sorry
9) Ryke - new comer
10) Levi - new comer - needs to trust us more

Others:

Raz
Marcus
Conq...

Sorry if I forgot anyone...

Add these from Civ 2 days if they are interested:

Ljube
DD...

And of course Trev would be near the top of the list if he played diplos but the time-slots seem not to work for him

[KunojiLym]

I can pretty safely say that Ryk won't be joining future Diplo games, though he *will* play the current one to completion. For myself, it depends on my schedule as to whether I can make it.

I agree that we need to scrap the 'trade twice only' rule. Other than that, I'm open to ideas regarding rules for tech trading.