Demo Game #5 - Our journey begins

[rjmatsleepers]

Oh noble leader,

is it time for our great empire to make another leap forward?

I know not what others may say, but as for me, give me cities or give me bananas.

RJM at Sleeper's

[StuporMan]

I apologize to you my noble citizens, but your leader has been quite busy lately. I will try and advance our empire as quickly as time allows. Expect an update fairly soon.

StuporMan

[StuporMan]

All hail your Noble Leader StuporMan!

I bring you a report on our progress over the last 500 years. Work on project "Cover the Earth" progressed normally. I again decided to have my taskmasters encourage your progress in Stuporopolis to build another warrior. I changed my mind, however, and switched you back to building a settler, my taskmasters were rewarded with another gift of 8 gold for their efforts.

In 2750 I was shocked to learn that the Babylonians were no more. Apparently a barbarian horde sacked Babylon, which for so long was the number 1 city in the world. This is most disturbing news, if such a city can fall then all are at risk. No doubt these evil barbarians are using dangerous ideas like "free will" and "individual rights" to undermine their victims. This is a warning to all of us to remain vigilant against dangerous ideas. Perhaps after project "Cover the Earth" is farther along I will gift you with more of my Warriors to protect you from these dangerous ideas.

A mere 100 years later Apolyton builds some new settlers. These settlers were sent to the north and settled RJM-at-Ville in 2550BC. RJM-at-Ville was set to build some warriors for defense against our enemies.

It is now 2500BC and Stuporopolis is a mere 50 years away from building a new Settler. I have a feeling that soon I will be calling upon you, my citizens to think fertile thoughts. I tire of other cities sitting atop the top cities list, we must rectify this situation and soon!

Once more I have commissioned a picture of our empire. We continue to grow and fill the Earth with our might and wisdom. Now, there is much work to do so go now and work my will!

Emperor Stuporman

[rjmatsleepers]

Our noble leader expands our empire - soon we will be as numerous as flies summer.

RJM at Sleeper's

[cavebear]

1. Are there settings and challenges for this game? Is there a goal? Are there prohibited actions?

2. Are there election procedures?

3. How are you deciding that you've won?

4. The map graphics need work. One level lower would be clearer, I think.

5. Where is that Settler going to establish the next city?

[rjmatsleepers]

Originally posted by cavebear
1. Are there settings and challenges for this game? Is there a goal? Are there prohibited actions?

2. Are there election procedures?

3. How are you deciding that you've won?

4. The map graphics need work. One level lower would be clearer, I think.

5. Where is that Settler going to establish the next city?

1. There are prohibited actions, challenges and settings. They include no huts, 0% science, no wonders, no monarchy and spotless reputation. The full set is in one of the other threads.

2. There are no election procedures. If we reach a position where we have 2 people who want to be minister (or leader) we'll sort something out. Judging by the last game, the problem will be a shortage of players.

3. We can win by conquest or AC landing. I think AC landing will only be possible if we stop short of total conquest and keep one or more zoo civs.

4. I'll leave the graphics to our noble leader

5. My view on new cities is as follows:

a) Found a city straight away in the present location of the none settler. I don't think a none unit is so valuable in this game as it is in an OCC. Roading the silk forest can wait.

b) Move the next settler north of RJM-at-Ville to found a city at a suitable location. This will be our fifth city so we will need to take the next warrior along with the settler to deal with the red face. We'll also get a red face in another city, but I don't know which. Is it worth building a barracks in one city to provide veteran warriors to deal with all the unhapiness we will shortly face?

RJM at Sleeper's

[StuporMan]

Cavebear,
I am glad you decided to take an interest in the game! I will work on the graphics of the images for the next update (good artisans are so hard to find).

Just about everything is flexible in this game, as RJM has said. I would even say that we could ADD restrictions if it passed a vote, I would hate to have any removed.

As for the locations of the settlers, I was hoping to get some recommendations from our citizens on the location of our next city (or cities) and what to do with our None settler. So far I have kept it around roading to connect our first few cities, and also to create some trade arrows to help with growth through luxuries should they be needed, but this may change.

As far as RJM's suggestion for cities goes, I think this is a good recommendation with one possible exception, according to my map analysis we will get a 3 map special spot if we move one square to the southwest (onto the plains). This may be worth moving one more square to take advantage of this, or we may want to put each special in a different city. I am very open to suggestions from our citizens and at this point do not plan on going against any votes.

StuporMan

[rjmatsleepers]

A thought about defending our cities

Since we are going to be behind in technology for quite a while, should we think about founding a few cities on mountains just to give us that defensive bonus? OK I know we haven't actually found a mountain yet but perhaps we should be prepared. On a similar thought - perhaps we should found a city on that rivered silk, rather than worry about the multi special near by.

RJM at Sleeper's

[Hydey]

get cities to size 5 and start our techs rolling in

[StuporMan]

RJM,

I am not sure we will be behind for quite as long as you expect. Remember the first tech only requires 10 beakers. Our first turn at Xinning will generate more beakers than this (3 * 5 scientists = 15 beakers). Thus we should be able to generate some decent defensive units quick enough to not lose too many cities should we come under attack.

As to founding on the silk, I would prefer not to found ON the silk as this would prevent another closely founded city from gaining the benefit of the silk. Since (I am assuming at this point) we are going to want many cities Xinning eventually any closely founded cities can share these special tiles by alternating their Xinning turns.

As for my current plan, I want production to remain settlers for the time being (with a few warriors to contian disorder). Whether these settlers should found new cities, or be used to grow existing cities to size 5 is the question I have not answered yet. I am thinking some of both would be the best option, but the percentage of settlers to found vs settlers to grow to maximize the benefits of both eludes me at the moment. Perhaps some of our citizens can assist me in this endeavor?

StuporMan

[atawa]

They include no huts, 0% science, no wonders, no monarchy and spotless reputation.

I'm not sure but I thought you can never get a tech with 0%, even if you have the correct amount of beakers

This wouldl mean our only chance is walking into a city and get writing, or getting it from an ally.

[StuporMan]

atawa,

0% science means that trade arrows will not generate any beakers. It does not mean we cannot use scientists when a city reaches size 5. These beakers can be used to trigger an advance. If the citizens decide they would rather not even use scientist and rely on tech leeching (via conquest or gifts only as diplomats and spies are also against the previously stated rules) for all research. This decision would need to be made quickly, however, as city growth would no longer be desirable and a change of plans would be in order.

StuporMan

[rjmatsleepers]

Originally posted by StuporMan

As for my current plan, I want production to remain settlers for the time being (with a few warriors to contian disorder). Whether these settlers should found new cities, or be used to grow existing cities to size 5 is the question I have not answered yet. I am thinking some of both would be the best option, but the percentage of settlers to found vs settlers to grow to maximize the benefits of both eludes me at the moment. Perhaps some of our citizens can assist me in this endeavor?

StuporMan

I have no analysis to support this, but my approach would be to use settlers to found cities and let one of our existing cities grow naturally. We could easily run out of suitable land for cities, in which case the remaining settlers can be used to grow existing cities. But while there is space for new cities, found them.

RJM at Sleeper's

[StuporMan]

To all my citizens,

Next week I will be unable to play a new turnset. If you just can't wait for a new update, then one of my advisors (RJM or Zedd) can play the turnset for me.

StuporMan

[rjmatsleepers]

Originally posted by StuporMan
To all my citizens,

Next week I will be unable to play a new turnset. If you just can't wait for a new update, then one of my advisors (RJM or Zedd) can play the turnset for me.

StuporMan

I'm a bit busy myself, but I'm very happy to wait for you, or for Zedd to go ahead.

RJM at Sleeper's