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**vmxa1** · December 17, 2003, 01:49

Well its about my .... Oh you meant with a game. Are you thinking about putting in some links to some of those great games of Ducki and Roth and MS, just to name a few.

**Theseus** · December 17, 2003, 01:53

That's a great idea, vxma1... I think I'll suggest that as a new and very valid component of AU.

In the meantime, anyone who DOES ask for some help here, meet one of your most diligent and very best teachers:

vxma1

**Rhothaerill** · December 17, 2003, 02:10

Yes he truly is...especially when you spell his name right.

I can personally vouch for the help that you get both in this forum and the Apolyton University forum. When I first started lurking the threads two years ago (well before I actually joined) I could barely beat regent level. Thanks to following threads and posts by Theseus, vmxa1, Arrian, Dominae, alexman, and a whole horde of others, my skill level rose quickly and I now beat emperor level with a fair degree of success every time.

**Theseus** · December 17, 2003, 02:26

And think what might have happened if you had followed the teachings of vxma1...

Sorry, vmxa1, I always seem to get your name wrong (I am slightly written-word dyslexic, for some weird reason with x's and ;'s... truly).

Anyway, the point is: Don't just lurk. I did for a while too (the 'rpodos' in my sig), but participation, posting, throwing up your saves for commentary... I agree with Ision up to a point, but also think that these forums can be tremendously helpful in bringing newer players up the curve.

**vmxa1** · December 17, 2003, 03:40

Not to worry. BTW good luck in the Hall votes.

**Mountain Sage** · December 17, 2003, 09:42

Originally posted by Theseus
And think what might have happened if you had followed the teachings of vxma1...

Sorry, vmxa1, I always seem to get your name wrong (I am slightly written-word dyslexic, for some weird reason with x's and ;'s... truly).

You're not the only one

v...1, why can't you just be John, Bob, Steve like everybody else?

Theseus (an easy one, that, except for the 'h'):
Excellent thread. I was trying, in my own way, to 'lure' more people to this forum with my 'Emperor games, how to improve your skills' (I'm good at marketing my own products, errr, threads, am I not?), but a thread about 'problem games' would be most helpful.

Let's face it: the real good players, at least at the level they are most comfortable with, don't have real problems. They (we?) know all the tricks in the bag and manage to outrex, outwit, outsmart,outfight, outtrade, outresearch and outx... the AI.

But I am convinced that a good many players who just lurk in this forum experience the feeling of 'losing this one', but are often too 'shy' to ask for advice ('What, if I'm saying that I'm losing at Regent, people will just scoff').

Well, as for my part, I started with Civ2 some years ago at a very basic and lowly Warlord level, and I'm proud to say so. It was only with Civ3 (the plain vanilla one), that I discovered this forum

and since then my game has much improved (oh well, people still scoff at my 'newbee' mistakes, but they know by now that I am hopeless with micro-management and the likes).

Therefore, oh shy ones, POST, ASK and SEEK games, questions, advices. We all started with more questions than answers, now it's your turn. As an example, take YS (yes, another easy name). He's been pestering us for a very long time

and now he even went up a level!

**Gibsie** · December 17, 2003, 10:04

Okay, first case:

I'm Chinese, I take up a 2/5 on a continent on a large map, between the Mongols who take up 2/5 and the Indians who have the rest. The Mongols are polite towards me, but if I dare ask them to vacate my territory or look at them the wrong way they'll invade and crush me.

I am losing the tech race to the mongols, and some other civs on another continent, who have about 5 more industrial techs than me, and are gaining more every couple of turns.

How do I come back from this?

**East Street Trader** · December 17, 2003, 10:21

If you have profressed as far as being able to engage in some diplomacy try for a non aggression pact with the stronger of the Mongols/Indians.

Now have a settler or two ready.

Invade the weaker opponent and they will strike back - triggering war with your pact mate.

Now you will get some chances to pick up cities where the defenders have been weakened by your ally's attacks and some space will also open up allowing you use those settlers to found some more cities.

Maybe you also get lucky with a GL.

It pays not to seek or agree to any right of way through your territory. Otherwise your ally may steamroller the enemy and your aim is to gain a whole lot more from the war than he does. The fact that his commiunications will be so much slower than yours is one of the main points in your favour in achieving this.

**Aeson** · December 17, 2003, 10:22

This seems to be the first (and second) clue that "I think I might be losing this one". I've found the most successful way of beating games like this is proper use of the little 'x' down in the corner.

Attached Files

**planetfall** · December 17, 2003, 10:57

Ok I'll bite. What is AU? I have tried browsing a couple of times but the concept was too confusing. My guess is it is an attempt to be a poly version of civfan GOTM but with a different focus. It does not seem to be like civfan's war academy. What is AU supposed to be in concept and what does it offer?

thanks

== PF

**David Murray** · December 17, 2003, 11:17

Civ3 is a contributory factor to my ongoing madness. Any advice?

Particularly in relation to keeping up with the AI at Emperor and above in terms of tech and expansion. I've been with Civ3 every since it's been released and my single largest problem that I've never really overcome has been fighting musketmen with swordsmen; riflemen with medieval infantry.

**David Murray** · December 17, 2003, 11:19

Just like with mathematics, chess and driving, some people are simply ordained by God never to be good at civ ... some of us are good at none of the above! Oh well!

**Tall Stranger** · December 17, 2003, 12:13

Originally posted by planetfall
Ok I'll bite. What is AU? I have tried browsing a couple of times but the concept was too confusing. My guess is it is an attempt to be a poly version of civfan GOTM but with a different focus. It does not seem to be like civfan's war academy. What is AU supposed to be in concept and what does it offer?

thanks

== PF

It's a little tricky, because there are two components to AU. First, is the AU mod, which is designed to:
1. Improve the ability of the AI;
2. Enhance strategic options for the player;
3. Complete 1. and 2. above without changing the "feel" of standard, stock Civ3.
(There is a bit of tension between these three elements, which current debates in the AU forum make quite clear.)

The other piece of AU are the AU games. In these games, a scenario is developed to explore a certain type of game. Previous AU games have included:
- Win without building ANY military units;
- Total, eternal war (you must declare war with every civ upon meeting them and never make peace with anyone);
- Play a game without triggering your GA;
- One-City Challenge.

There have been many more, but you get the idea.

Don't know much about the CFC GOTM, but I think the AU games differ from GOTM in that scores are never posted and no one is declared the winner. The goal is to a) have fun playing a challenging game; and b) learning something about how to improve your game in the future. Usually, people post During Action Reports or After Action Reports to tell the story of their game.

AU games are great fun and you can learn a lot. I highly recommend them.

**nbarclay** · December 17, 2003, 12:29

One of the biggest differences between Apolyton University and the GOTM is that AU is not about competition. Indeed, the tradition of AU started from people who were more interested in playing the game in ways that are fun for them than in trying to do as well as possible in some kind of scoring system. Some of us do have competitive streaks and enjoy trying to do "better" than others in whatever way we define "better," but mostly, the goal is just to play the best we can at whatever level we happen to be at.

Also, Apolyton University is intended largely as a learning tool, and the games tend to be focused on a theme oriented toward improving some particular aspect of the game. For example, the next game planned is focused on naval strategy in Conquests. And because learning is a key goal, we welcome players of all skill levels. The games are set up so people can play on whatever difficulty level they are comfortable with, and questions are always welcome.

We also have the "Apolyton University Mod," which is a modified version of the game that makes a few changes intended to help the AIs and/or make strategic choices a bit more interesting for players. The mod is intended to be conservative, not changing things without a good reason, but there are a few disagreements regarding exactly how conservative it should be.

Players can play AU games using either the standard rules or the AU Mod, whichever they prefer.

Nathan

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The "I think I might be losing this one, what do I do?" thread

The "I think I might be losing this one, what do I do?" thread

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