Cavebear Diplo Game

[cavebear]

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</font>&lt;font size=1&gt;Originally posted by Epik on 01-07-2001 05:04 PM&lt;/font&gt;
"If Barbarians are set to villages only and you have no huts, will barbarians every show up?"

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I hope not.

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"King level seems soft. As does the barbarian setting. You will not have much trouble with happiness or defense. This would make the game less challenging. I prefer Diety, but Emperor would force some early happiness issues. Restless tribes would force defense of cities, with units other than token warriors."

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My thought is that a Diplo game should focus more on Player relations and interactions than on fighting Barbarians and tipping randomly-generous huts. I am hoping that all Players will be able to build viable Civs at the start and engage more in shifting alliances and trade in tech and commodities later. Otherwise, it is just another 7-Player game.

In that regard, the difficulty level is not very important. However, in the same way, it would not bother me to make it Deity (I skip Emperor level only because of the 1 vs 2 settler inequities for some Civs at the start).

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</font>"Will the premade map equalize productive squares to some extent? The standard map is hard on any tribe in the southern hemisphere."

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Yes. I insist on at least some degree of balanced starting position just to avoid ill-feelings at the beginning of the game. Not exact, but everyone should be assured of a decent start opportunity. Besides, there is really no point in massive desert areas. Same thing with jungle. Some random difficult areas, yes; some places with unusual resources, yes: whole tracts of unusable land, no.

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"On the standard map, America is rich in productive land, so I would love to be the American tribe. If they are unavailable, I will take the French.

"Actually I think we should leave the Americans and Aztecs out of it, and then one goal of the game would be to settle the new world. This would let us share the good land of Americas."

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As the old song goes, "The English were Egyptians Long Ago". This will be an unknown world.

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"Were you planning on beginning next Sunday the 14th?"

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I intend to. Unless we suddenly have a shortage of eager participants (unlikely), plan on it.


<font size=1 face=Arial color=444444>[This message has been edited by cavebear (edited January 07, 2001).]</font>

[Epik]

Well I will miss the ransom money, but I can play without Barbarians. The idea of no huts interests me, because it will take some of the luck out of the game.

If there is no relationship with the map to the real world, then it seems we do not need to chose a tribe before the game begins.

As I mentioned in a previous post, story telling is harder when you do not have a common reference point, but this might clear up later in the game.

Cya Sunday at 4 PM eastern.

[cavebear]

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</font><font size=1>Originally posted by Epik on 01-07-2001 09:53 PM</font>
If there is no relationship with the map to the real world, then it seems we do not need to chose a tribe before the game begins.
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Since the starting positions will be preset, it will be easier on the person who is making the map to only have to do 7 civs instead of all of them. So I need everyone to choose a civ (and some players are really dedicated to a particular civ).

I want to be Americans or English, or Sioux.

[Epik]

Don't forget the the color limitation...

I will take dark blue. That is German, French or Viking. Of those tribes, I will choose Viking.

[KenThur]

Halla Luya!! This puppy is getting ready to fly!!
I'v got my personal prefers (diety,raging,huts) but can certainly live with these.

I have become a real fan of this simul moves thing, after initially disliking it. REALLY speeds things up... as long as players realize it is TOTALLY unfair when it comes to battles & other encounters. And therefore must be turned off during times of border clashes or outright war.

The unknown world = a great challenge & interesting!
It will be fun not only to see how it unfolds, but how we all report our little pieces to the world.

As for the King setting... i'v got to go along with it, simply because it doesn't make a race-for-Mich's & then race-for-Bach's, winner takes all contest.

Good work Cavebear!! Look forward to reading your eloquent commuiques on the progress of your Sioux elders & citizens!
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I'll opt for the Green's call me Babys, Zulus, or Japs matters like by me. If have to prefer... go w/ "Z" for Zulu.

What time Sunday? The earlier the better for moi'.
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CapTVK: Glad U grabbed a spot (we need your wonderful graphics skills). Your English, can't lose because U R either a gentleman or a war hero, will be a welcome addition too (as long as U use the gentleman part with the Z's).

Nappy: Grab a civ! Nothing like having the best as part of the assembly.

Talented Map Maker whomever art thou: Please help ASAP!
(ps-s-s-t... start the little green settler on the mouth of a river with a whale, some fish, a silk, + say a wheat or buffalo or even a pheasant-in-the-woods... your choice. We'll share the victory credits, gift U 3 techs, & 250 gold next game )


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"Hm-m-m, doubt me you will?"

[CapTVK]

ALL AAABOAAAARD!

Seems like the train is leaving the station, if you want to catch the train do it now!

Don't worry if you miss the first train, if you really want to get in you'll get in. Every diplogame needs subs, and some subs become permanent.


About the map:
although I would like to play on Earth or a pseudo-Earth I don't have much trouble with random maps. If you do, at least make it an interesting map. Don't make it a seven evenly balanced continents for seven players kind of map, there's no challenge in that. No huts and barbs at all would be a bad idea IMO. Huts and barbs give it that random factor that allows some civs to get ahead (like in real life). And barbs also have a lower attack strength at king-level (100%, 150% at Deity), so raging hordes please (or Emperor/Deity-level)

[cavebear]

It occurs to me that there are *almost* enough players for 2 Diplo games. So I suggest that there be 2 games at the same time, but different settings.

Game A would be the one I described (King, 1x1x, village barbs, no huts.

Game B would be the same map, but Deity, 2x1x (maybe), raging barbs, and huts.

Just name your choice of game and your Civ. When a color in a game is taken, other civs in that color are gone.

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Cavebear, Game A, Americans

[absurddoctor]

Since this is my first diplogame, I'll join game A as the Celts (Irish).

AD

[KenThur]

I'll stay with the 1st choice, Cave.
Not my usual prefers, but given the overall goal of the game... can live with.
The challenge & randomness of the barbs & huts, as CapTV says = fun. But these are over-shadowed by the randomness & adventure of discovering a whole new world... like really happened!
I am, again like CapTV, hopeful that our mapmaker is creative & diverse in his/her creation of starting points.
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Biggest concern... will players REALLY show up & when?
Somone mentioned Sunday 4pm EST US (GMT-5)as a starting time. Why do we wait so long? If we fail to get started then... it will be another week before re-trying.
Is it possible to get started sooner?
How about, Sat AM eastern US / afternoon European time?
At least long enuf to see who shows & who is just talking & dreaming on this post.
(sorry to be so blunt, but talk seems to be rather cheap with many MP players when it comes to showing up as agreed / when agreed... & this sort of long-running game needs committed & serious players)

[Nap Bonaparte]

I am totally open on game settings and maps. However, I cannot realistically commit to 10-20 consecutive Sun. (or weekends) to play this game out. Is there any interest in this thread in playing one of the diplo games on on a weekday night like Tues or Wed. 6pm PST on a continuing basis. This would obviously work best for PST, MST, and CST players. The idea here is to get a group of players who will commit to playing out the entire game at a pre-set time .

[KenThur]

I definately can on a weeknite(s)... if i can ever get my ICQ to start working again.

PS: Nap... glad to see U survived the storm (or are U playing from the your hot tub on the roof?

[War4ever]

Cavebear, i posted my own diplo thread but Milo told me to post here in case mine lacks people. I would love to be in a diplo game. My cousin (Mercantile wishes to be in it too) in this respect, as we live in the same house, and share my puter as his now needs a new cd rom we will share a civ. Our pref being Purple as Mongols as this is the only tribe i play and Merc bought one of those asian bamboo hats and wishes to wear it and he needs to be an Asian culture in order to do so. Because we are both busy, we in fact may sub for each other or play together and make decisions together, thus adding a neat element to are participation, very different playing styles, which would also add more character development to the story.
Weeknights after 5pm PST and weedends anytime after 12 noon pst

[Epik]

Cavebear, did you find a mapmaker?

I am going to go for option B (Diety, Raging Hoards and huts). This sounds like the game War4Ever is setting up.

[cavebear]

The mapmaker has pulled himself away from his scenario development (for our sake) and promises to have our map ready (hopefully by this evening).

So far, for Game A:

Cavebear - Americans
Absurddoctor - Celts
KenThur - Zulu
CapTVK - English
War4Ever - Mongol

That leaves a Navy and a Yellow Civ needed. Did I miss listing someone?

I need someone to host (I don't have DSL or Cable available where I am yet). The map will be a .sav file.

Remember, this game is Sundays at 4-7 p.m. EST. King, 1x1x, non-real large map, village barbs, no huts. We still want simultaneous play, right?

[War4ever]

Hosting is no problem for me..... i have cable modem