What if Harry Potter played Civilization?

[SCG]

quote: Originally posted by Oldman on 08-21-2000 10:42 AM Obviously Harry Potter is just way over your head isn't SCG, i don't blame you!!! I mean i know how hard it is you old folks to grasp simple plots sometimes, i mean god knows, the crap some of you watch on tv... ...you might want to try graduating down to lord of the rings, then the hobbit, then possible a fighting fantasy book by steve jackson, then maybe you'll be able to figure out why You Know Who, couldn't kill harry!!!! ... Marketing move indeed?!?!?!!?

Oh, just Lovely, now you're picking on me ,

can't say I've read Steve Jackson. How does he compare to Pournelle, Niven, Forward, McCaffrey, Saberhagan, Asimov, Bear, Clarke, or Anthony? I'm sure I missed a few

As for why I think it was a marketing move, have you ever seen the US entertainment business, especially the movies, ever not tamper with something?

Speaking of movies, I hear over there they may have already selected a young lad for the lead role.

[kcbob]

All seriousness aside, are these good books? Would I truly enjoy them? Keep in mind that I'm a HUGE LOTR fan, love Tom Clancy, and believe that James Clavell was the best author of our day.

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Frodo lives!

Better dead than "Red"... or green... or blue... or yellow... or orange... or purple... or white.

[jpk]

They are really nice books. The characters are interesting. The author creats a lot of neat things that would make a wizard's or witch's life a little easier. I would recommend them to anyone. The first one is in paperback, at least in the US; the second one is either in paperback or soon will be.

If you read them, read them in order.

Scouse Gits, the word "git" appears in the Harry Potter novels and in your handle, maybe it's your name; I don't know. What is a git?

This message was edited to ask the previous question.
[This message has been edited by jpk (edited August 21, 2000).]

[Ken Hinds]

Shadowstrike,

The answer to your question is during the final book if I remember correctly. And just to bring this back to Civ so that Ming The Ever Vigilant doesn't zap us, I'm pretty sure that on someone's site I saw an Earthsea map, I just don't remember which one.

That would lead me to believe that someone out there has done an Earthsea scenario. If, not then I would suggest that when Ged "wins" the spell contest that the events file should provide the Barbarians with an instant Manhattan Project. Every 10 - 12 turns thereafter the Barbarians will launch a Shadowbeast that only attacks Ged. Instead of being Nuclear it drains Ged's strenght bar by 75%. Once Ged learns the Secret of the Shadowbeast, then the Shadowbeasts would have a defence of 0 instead of 99 or some similar number. This would allow Ged to conquer the beast.

Ken

[Oldman]

Ken, I've absolutely no idea if that's on topic or not?!?! you've completely lost me!!

jpk, a Git is an insult we use it britain. with Scouse gits, he's from liverpool (like the Beatles) and they're called Scousers, and hence scouse gits, but i'm sure he's an alright guy really?!?!?!

Re: Mr Potter, just buy one and read it!! they are kids books, but the characters are interesting, and it's set in a nice fantasy world about wizards and dragons and magic etc...
I've just read all 4 in the last 3 weeks, i love them all!!! And so long as you don't look for any of them to win a Pulitzer prize, you'll be fine!!
I really want to get the next one, i can pre-order it from amazon, but it's not even been written yet, so i might be in for a wait?!?!

So, what kind of Civs do you think would compare to the various players in Harry Potter, i mean who would be the Muggles? the Death Eaters? Giants?


PS: the last bit is actually a serious question, sort of...

[MacUser]

KCBob - Mrs. MacUser LOVED the Harry Potter series. Well worth the read! She bought all four in hardback first edition; now if she could just get them signed.... I'll ask her to post a reply; my sneaky way of dragging here into Civ!

Ken/Scouse Gits - Are you serious that you aren't inundated with the characters from the largest first printing ever?? Heck with the Bible and Jesus, Harry is more popular than the Beatles!!

Civ on topic - I would bet money that if one were to search the ACS Database (DB) a map and quite possibly an Earthsea scenario would be found! Those are exactly the type of stories and maps that lend themselves to Civ scenarios! And if not, Ken you weren't busy doing anything anyway, so....

Edit: BTW, you guys DO know about the Harlan Thompson "Lord of the Rings" scenario, right?
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"And now for something completely different..."
- John Cleese
[This message has been edited by MacUser (edited August 22, 2000).]

[Ken Hinds]

Now MacUser, that is not entirely true. I have been very faithfully slaving away putting in 15hrs per week of CIV II scenario research time. I'm obtaining information for my Scenario repair project so that we can play FW scenarios with MGE and not get that annoying "Barracks Attack near City X" message whenever a unit that fills missile slot unit or a unit that is destroyed after attacking conducts an attack.

I'm beginning to think that 15 hrs/week is insufficient though and may have to increase it to 20/wk.

Ken

[MacUser]

quote: Originally posted by Oldman on 08-21-2000 10:42 AM ...you might want to try graduating down to lord of the rings, then the hobbit

Oldman - Mrs. MacUser wanted me to severely chastize you for committing heresy against the Lord of the Rings: BAD CIVER! BAD CIVER! Feel free to publicly flagellate yourself...

Now for my bad: "LOVED the Harry Potter series" was my paraphrase. Nothing touches Tolkin. Nothing. Repeat. What she said was that she "liked it very much."
whip-crack "I will not missquote my wife!" whip-crack "I will go and re-read LOR until I remember that they are great!" whip-crack

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"And now for something completely different..."
- John Cleese

[Sten Sture]

I haven't seen an Earthsea scenario, but I'll start looking in earnest today. My brain is a little fuzy on the storyline details - I read them over 20 years ago, but I still try to figure out the true name of things in real life. A Verne type quest scenario would fit pretty well.

If anyone did like the Harry Potter books I would strongly recommend the Earthsea books by LeGuin. They are similar in length and reading level and were popular and award winning books in their day. They fit well in the mystical allegory childrens fantasy genre along side Potter - post CS Lewis, but pre Tolkien. Plus it gives kids (myself included) that are interested in reading a similar alternative while they wait for the next book from Rawling.

[Oldman]

Hey hold on!!!!! i'm sorry (Sobs uncontrollably), i didn't mean it!!!!! Mr MacUser, will you please tell Mrs MacUser, i'm most dreadfully and humbly sorry, i never in any way shape or form meant to insult, diss or Blaspheme against the bible that is The Lord of the Rings!!!!

I'll have you know that i've read The Lord of the Rings twice, cover to cover, well not all of the appendices... I also actually own 2 copies of LOR and 3 copies of the Hobbit, but i won't go into that?!?! I think that for sheer scale, depth, creativity and brilliance Tolkien is beyond a shadow of a doubt a Diety in his own right!! and Harry Potter while Cool, just isn't a Baggins!!!

I've reread my above statement and see how it may have caused harm, and most Bodaciously regret saying what i said...

I'd also like to add as an after thought that, while people say things they don't mean, do things they don't say, say things they don't do and don't do things they say. We're not all bad and if you try to find the light and truth that is within each one of us, you too can live in peace and sail across the sea...

So there!

[Scouse Gits]

Oldman, I do believe that that was a grovel!!
[adopts music hall german accent]Ve must zee more of zis. Ve haf vayz of making you tok![/accent]


slightly more seriously - I too worship at the shrine of St. Tolkien (2 copies of LOTR, but only 1 Hobbit (*hangs head in shame*) and 1 Sylmarilean), love le Guin and would put Earthsea up there in lights, but can't really appreciate Pratchett - my daughter has read every single one of the damn things ...
Should I read HP?

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Scouse Git[1]

"CARTAGO DELENDA EST" - Cato the Censor

[Oldman]

Scouse, [Almight voice of God]Go Forth and Read[/voice]!!! Harry Potter is definetly worth a read, even if you only ever read the 1st book, at least then you've decided not to read the rest on an informed opinion!!!

And Mr Pratchett, you don't like him???? how? why? i mean? what??? He's great, admittedly after 20 some books the style is getting a touch Monotonous, but they're good too!! i've read all the way upto 5th elephant, which is Signed - so there!!!

Back on Mr Potter, Scouse, if you want to get a HP book try amazon.co.uk, i can send you one of those £5 vouchers, they'll deliver the book to your door, next day for £2.54 (rrp £6ish), or use Waterstones.co.uk, they'll sell it to you for £2 and if you want to collect it from one of their stores there is no p&p!!!


Civ Question PS: how do random maps (ie their sizes) affect research rates? is it a uniform scale based on the small, med and large maps?

[MacUser]

[Lady Galadriel voice] You have passed the test. You are pardoned. [/voice]

Damn fine groveling that! I'm tempted to enumerate Mrs Mac's Tolkien related books, but suffice it to say that in addition to other tomes, she still has her original copies that she bought when she was 12!

Also, while ROFLOLM (at the posts not the book), she managed to choke out that the Potter series was a fun read and go out and get them! (I guess that you'll have to give up some more sleep so as not to shorten the time spent on Civ!)

This Reply inspected by and approved for release by Mrs. MacUser.

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"And now for something completely different..."
- John Cleese

[Oldman]

"The Lady... I'd sooner face the Balrog again, than face The Lady", Ha ha, I've just seen the irony Tolkien used there, I bet every man at one time in his life has uttered that statement before, ha ha!! Good on you Boromir!!

Sorry, Mrs MacUser, didn't mean anything derogatory to yourself, woman kind, tolkien or LOR!!!! Oh, i'm just putting my foot deeper in my mouth here aren't i!?!? if i don't stop soon i'll be in past my knee...

[Oldman]

Hey There, Mr and Mrs MacUser... Have either of you guys ever read Bored of the Rings by Harvard Lampoon? DaveV just recommended it in a thread in Civ2 General it might be a good laugh, but not at Tolkien, definetely not at Tolkien, but with him...

...I'm doing that "Foot in Mouth" thing again aren't i?!?!?!