Destiny of Empires [Diplo Game] [Organization Thread]

[Robert]

That sucks Mongolia
Is there anything we can do?

@China: totally forgot about the vote comments.

@Inca: the vote rules say that it's possible to make a post close to the voting about what your characters did and how. A small post with some links to remind everybody. I personally believe that everybody should do that. It's a little campaign for yourself just for the votes. More civs should do that.

@Germany: thanks for subbing and saving the Mongols.

[Russia (DoE)]

I have noted something I forgot all the time to mention. When particular players log in the game - it said something like "Player 8" which I believe was Mongolia or Arabia (I have a screenshots so I can check if need be), the game says something like "Player 8 have a different version of files, please check if it is a trusted player".

I think it is not possible to cheat in this game (except for the Oracle bug), but still - maybe even unintentional someone can get advantage or disadvantage by having different files from the others... Dont know if it is important or it is not, but worths the mention. Someone with more experience at modding and game mechanics can explain what this means.

Also, Mongolia, I have army nearby your borders which I can spare and if you want me to, I can help you fight the incoming barbarians.

[Robert]

@Russia: I think it only affects the UI if people have a different set of files. (ie. blue marble mod, etc.)
The game can't start if someone hasn't the right mod (destiny of empires) loaded.

[Russia (DoE)]

I am quite sure its nothing on purpose, but I know sometimes with mods the things can be messy with mods. For sure I know the NoScore mod sometimes behaves strange if not installed correct and can give advantage to someone.

I am against the use of mods at all, Destiny of Empires mod being not exclusion Few days ago I just calculated that if this game is going to last 600 turns, and on my computer the mod is loading for 25 seconds approximately, this means that 600(turns)*25(seconds) = 15000 seconds, which translates in more than 4 hours in the game-span looking at the monitor waiting the mod to be loaded. If I include the accidents when I start the game, forget to load the mod, then the game throws me out, then again starting the game and loading the mod, this is going to be a lot of time lost for the questionable benefit of moving armies with transports from London to New York for example for 3 turns instead of 6. 3 turns saved in-game time for just someone, against hours lost in waiting for all the 18 players.

Just thinking, as the vote was clear, and I had to speak then.

[Robert]

I have a shortcut that automatically loads the right mod. No time lost.
Not to mention that waiting time is good, you can reflect on your life and try to solve the problems of man!

[Russia (DoE)]

The time the mod to load is still lost as I believe it loads the original files first and just then it loads the mod, but anyway.

[Robert]

I don't think so, I'll clock it!

edit:
6 seconds for vanilla BtS
8 seconds for DoE

600(turns)*25(seconds) = 15000 seconds, which translates in more than 4 hours in the game-span looking at the monitor waiting the mod to be loaded.

then becomes

600 * 2 = 1200 seconds, which translates into 20 minutes looking at the monitor waiting the mod to be loaded.
Personally I always click the game to load and then proceed to do other stuff, make breakfast, clean up the room, kiss the wife, etc. etc.
In fact longer loading time means that I have do more interesting stuff with my life

[Robert]

This is what mzprox (tmp-sub of India) wrote to me:

Poor indians are just being attacked by barbarian hordes.. they cant kill the pillaging axeman without horse or bronze, the other city protected by a warrior might get destroyed too..
The future is not so bright for them. I 'd say maybe we should make a viable civ from 2 dying civ (mongolia+india).. maybe it's not fair to inca and mali, but i think it worths considering.

St Jon found a sub for India, but this sub never played. I've tried to contact St Jon but no response yet.
India wasn't played for 10 turns in a row before I asked mzprox to sub, which he's doing now.

I think it may be a good idea. We can hand over the Indian cities to the Mongolian player, which makes sure there's a strong force in Asia and Russia and Arabia won't get a walk in the park.

In the meanwhile, maybe Russia / China can send some armies to India to help them to fight the Barbarians?

Merging India and Mongolia is maybe not a very fair thing to do to other civs, and it should be a one time thing.
So maybe it's only good if everybody agrees. What do you all think?

[Russia (DoE)]

6 seconds for vanilla BtS

Thats damn fast - you have quite a computer RP Mine 2-3 years old laptop is doing it much much slower.

About India/Mongolia issue - I need Open Borders with Mongolia and will send chariots to India.

And I am against merging 2 nations, as it will be highly ineffective - one of the capitols will still have to fall to the barbarians. And merging will means only 1 city will be transferred to the other. I might gift settler/s and/or workers and army to Mongolia.
Let ask China consider doing the same to India.

The only problem will be finding replacement for India and if their Capitol falls now.

[mzprox]

It was just an inital thought I sent to Robert, I know doing this is not really good precedent, even talking about these ooc stuff is quite bad, but I just think the alternative is worse. Actually I don't know too much about mongolia except what I have heard from here (having the pyramid is huge) I think their situation is not half as bad as India's. But they are both between powerfull civs, they are quite become dependent on their mercy now, and I can speak for India only-I don't think it would change.. I think it just will become worse.
This merge don't have to be done right now(it wouldnt do any good), but eventually. So there would be an undeveloped country with quite big land (potentially). the alternative is undevelpoed country squesed by powerfull neighbours-and you have to try to find asub for it.. who would just play for the stories -there are players like that just harder to find.

(India's capitol will not fall, but they are in trouble)

[Germany (DoE)]

Mongolia is back into the action now, internet back into action after over a weeks downtime. I see Mongolia has suffered with 4 pillaged improvements and 2 lost workers, never had much of a chance with lack of starting food, spoilt even more by a sub who located 2nd city badly, it seems all is against me this game

oop, sorry i just play your turn then! yes, civ in bad way and agree on second city placement. note was not me!

[Germany (DoE)]

i count 13 turns in pyt that mongolia did not play before rp/me subbed it.

i think mongolia should get a few free workers and a settler somehow? it really unfair. not his fault he loses connection and he did inform although there was that password issue.

[Russia (DoE)]

Russia will show her generosity and gift a settler to Mongolia. Furthermore a beneficial deal can be arranged with the new-original player.
You are not alone, Mongolia. The Great Catherine will help you.

Of course you will have to adopt and start to write with our Cyrillic alphabet.

Ето вас понравится. Я уверена.

[Arabia (DoE)]

Ok, I am going to have to ask for a pause until I can get this mod working.

I put the file in the MODS folder and publicmaps folder of both civ4 and bts. Still gettting the error.

RP - Can you post a link to the mod with some instructions. The instructions on the first page of the thread don't seem to align with Windows 7 at all.

[Robert]

Pausing the game now.
Does it work when you manually load the mod?

(in the game, go to advanced - load a mod, then select 'destiny of empires' in that list).

Is there anybody else who runs Windows 7 who can help Arabia?