Real life impacts on your playstyle

[Flubber]

I have noticed a marked difference in how I play, even PBEMs, depending on whats going on in real life. For instance I recall one night where I started wars in 3 PBEMS after my wife and I had a major disagreement. I was in a contankerous mood and it became

. .. . that guy border pushed me again-- ATTACK
.. . .another probe team trying to sneak by me-- ATTACK
..... this guy has moved offensive military into positions where he can strike me--- ATTACK

Now I don't go beserk attacking everyone but I have noticed that my wars tend to come in bunches. Things that I normally negotiate or live with, become cause to fight. At any given time you have any number of factions that you are suspicious of and you can decide to go either way. Its funny since a few turns later I am often saying "why did I go to war?"


I noticed good moods carry over as well. Someone probed me and I let it go as I had a great day at work and at home . A day or two later I got another turn and I was like "huh"-- I let that go without even some reparations ??


Some people seem to play with machine like precision and never deviate from a plan . .. heck I wish I had plans-- LOL

How about you?? Ever start a war or probe someone or take some other action completely at odds with what you plans would have been, had you been asked a turn before??

[Jamski]

People always start wars on me Then I get pissed at them in RL. I have it backwards, Flubber. As a natural builder, I get so mad if I have to build a military - some bugger messed up my plan, so now he can't expect even a "smilie" at the end of the e-mail with the turn

-Jam

[Zeiter]

I have noticed that I've gone through several phases in my years playing AC. The first stage was when I was still playing on citizen. I would build a bunch of military units, and not know what to do with them. So, I'd invade a neighbor, just to make those units useful, and kill off a few. The second stage was the anal-retentive clean reactor everything stage, where I was almost obsessed with building only clean units so that I wouldn't be wasting any minerals to support. Then I realized that building all of those clean units was slowing down my production too much, so I stopped that. Then I went into my democracy phase, where I only wanted to run democracy, and I actually felt bad about running PS, and committing atrocities. I also tried really hard to Pact with as many people as possible, and I never declared war. I would even do things like give pactmates research and energy as tokens of friendship. Well, I had a few nasty AI backstabs, so I'm past that phase now ("Yes, wipe Morgan Industries from the face of planet!." ).

So maybe my personality has changed or something, but I do play much differently now than I used to, and not just because I'm a better player. I play with a fundamentally different style (no pun intended. I don't think I'll ever be a big fan of running fundy.) Now I play more of a real-politik style where I declare war not out of principle or idealogy, but because of what I can gain from it. Same thing with signing pacts. I don't care about having a friend to chat with. What am I going to get out of this? Although if I am waaaaaay ahead, I'll forget the real-politik and just go on a fun little atrocity spree. Also, now during military campaigns, I'm much more focused on tempo. Often, I'll order my choppers on a bombing run at 50% damage if I think they can do the job. Same thing with other units. I'll often expend several cheap infantry units with 40% damage and 2/3 of a movement point left in trying to kill one vital defender in an enemy city. I know that if I were playing pbem or something, this style would leave me vulnerable to counter-attacks and probe attacks. When I play humans, I know I'll have to play differently. But when I'm playing the AI, this style absolutely slays 'em. The AI rarely counter-attacks or probes effectively, so I can just steamroll through a faction in no time playing this high tempo style.

Anyways, yeah, my style of play does change from time to time, and it probably has something to do with my personality changing and stuff going on in my life, but specifically what that is, I don't know.

[Mr. President]

I used to believe in living in peace and harmony with my neighboring factions. Isn't that a hoot!

[Enigma_Nova]

When you play with both your subconscious and your conscious,
and your emotions weave into your logic,
it is impossible to divorce one's feelings from the game.

That's why I'll preemptively war with anyone who isn't interested in understanding or learning things, and plays solely for 'fun'.
I'm very frustrated when I voice a great idea and people either don't listen or don't understand.
If a pactmate doesn't understand a strategy I send to them,
I war with the pactmate, take over their bases and implement the strategy myself.

Yes, I have a bad temper when it comes to idiocy or incompetence, and it shows in all my games.
It does give me an endless supply of smack talk, though.

[Santiago_Claus]

Alas, Jamski, I'm afraid I'm afflicted by the same disease.

I was driving to my girlfriend's house a few years ago, an hour late because of a game that was really heating up, muttering to myself, "The Psilons will pay! PAY for their treachery!"

I should've been thinking about, well, other stuff, but I was more concerned with how close I was to researching the Repulsor Beam.

You've probably figured out that game was Master of Orion. It was the second time I had ever played it.

[Barinthus]

I don't really let RL issues affect my gameplay and the other way around too.

[Frankychan]

I usually play with "what's best for me" in mind. Luckily, I've learned to be more objective in my decisions...

Originally posted by Mr. President

I used to believe in living in peace and harmony with my neighboring factions. Isn't that a hoot!

Shoot, I still believe this to a certain extent! But I've come to learn that sometimes we can't always get what we want.

I agree with Enigma_Nova. I play to 1)Win. and 2) Have fun. I'm willing to learn and I'll ask questions about why so-and-so. But I want to win (even if it's only co-op win....but I also want to have fun).

But I won't let emotions get in my way.

I always ask myself, "What would Chairman Yang do?"

[binTravkin]

Yeah, mood is a very important thing - especially affects my fac choice:
if Im angry I often take some military-fat fac
if Im feeling good, I make my citizens to feel good too by taking Morgan or Lal and going totally for golden ages!

And if I want sex (my woman is often away) I tend to get popbooms 99% cases..
..as a result of abundant sex in my faction's society!

[si2themax]

Scenario Editor

Hi!

Every time i try to create a new map the whole planet is overrun by ocean after my first turn! Can anyone tell me how stop this from happening?

[GeoModder]

Try creating a new thread with your problem, please.
And give more info (SMAC-SMAX, in the editor or new game startup, the like...).

[Enigma_Nova]

You make a new thread, and avoid polluting this one.

On this subject, I use all of my Left Brain, Right Brain, Subconscious and Conscious.
I try to merge my consciousness with my faction, and let the conflicting needs of my faction equate to the conflicting needs of myself.
Then I resolve my needs, and so too solve the problems in my faction.

I use The Force. It is even more fun in diplomacy, but I normally don't use The Force that far.

[binTravkin]

I use The Force. It is even more fun in diplomacy, but I normally don't use The Force that far.

Have you been cracking alpha(x).txt again?


How did you instate the concept of Force?

Or maybe youve been watching too much StarWars?

[GeoModder]

Enigma, you just admitted that you're a two-headed monster!

Left brain, right brain? shame:

Unless off course there is a minor typo such as the lack of hemisphere in your sentence.

[Enigma_Nova]

Originally posted by GeoModder
shame:

Yes, indeed Mr. Minor Typo.