Au

[Beta]

Hi Rhoth. You posted this in the other thread:

"Probably too busy playing the new AU course. It's interesting and not as masochistic as the last one."

Now I know AU is Apol. University. What are the courses? Pre-set games?

Do you just go and download them?

Do you have to get through first year? ie are there pre-requisites?

And I presume they are all single player games.

Now - I suppose I could be less lazy and go look for myself....

Anybody else here on Vox play them?

[Rhothaerill]

Hi Beta.

Each of the Apolyton University courses are SP games set up by one of the strat thread people (lately it has been Alexman and Dominae setting them up, though the current one was driven by nbarclay). The premise is that each course has certain parameters to it that are "unusual" for a standard game. The current one is a beyond huge map (230x230 I believe) with mostly water, 24 civs, and a less than optimal start. You download it and start playing it just like a normal game, and then you can write DARs (During-Action Reports) if you want to. That is much of the point of the AU is to get a whole bunch of people playing the same game and then talk about how each one did it and what their strategy was.

You don't have to have any special prerequisites to play (though a fast computer is an asset for this one). I only just started with the last one which was Total War...meaning you had to declare war on each of the other civs as soon as you meet them and can never have peace. It was a killer, but fun! I was able to sack the first three civs I faced, but then the four on the other continent finally ganged up on me and I lost. I think Nathan was the only one to actually win that one.

[Rhothaerill]

Quick question for you too Beta...how are the non-democracy PBEM games? I noticed that one of your icons was a C3PBEM. I've never played one (ever ), but I've thought about trying one. The PBEM forum seems to be full of a bunch that are already under way though.

Thanks.

[Beta]

Hang tight. I am starting two more shortly. Including one called Dynamic Duo, where each team has two players. The biggest hassle so far with the pbem games have been when one of the players disappears for awhile. This should help.

[Beta]

Originally posted by Rhothaerill
Hi Beta.

Each of the Apolyton University courses are SP games set up by one of the strat thread people (lately it has been Alexman and Dominae setting them up, though the current one was driven by nbarclay). The premise is that each course has certain parameters to it that are "unusual" for a standard game. The current one is a beyond huge map (230x230 I believe) with mostly water, 24 civs, and a less than optimal start. You download it and start playing it just like a normal game, and then you can write DARs (During-Action Reports) if you want to. That is much of the point of the AU is to get a whole bunch of people playing the same game and then talk about how each one did it and what their strategy was.

You don't have to have any special prerequisites to play (though a fast computer is an asset for this one). I only just started with the last one which was Total War...meaning you had to declare war on each of the other civs as soon as you meet them and can never have peace. It was a killer, but fun! I was able to sack the first three civs I faced, but then the four on the other continent finally ganged up on me and I lost. I think Nathan was the only one to actually win that one.

Ok Thanks. I think I will try one. And yes - I have a fast computer. Fairly new - I love it.

2.4 mhz, 512 meg, and a 64 meg geforce card. Runs civ just fine.

[Rhothaerill]

Originally posted by Beta
Ok Thanks. I think I will try one. And yes - I have a fast computer. Fairly new - I love it.

2.4 mhz, 512 meg, and a 64 meg geforce card. Runs civ just fine.

Glad to help. Thanks to your question I just posed a thought for adding an AU civgroup icon to get the word out to those who don't frequent the strat forum.

I wish I had a better computer. We still have a P3 850mhz. It runs civ fine up until the modern age or so. But my wife and I are saving for a down payment on a new house. Buying a new computer just to play civ wouldn't go over very well.

[Rhothaerill]

Originally posted by Beta
Hang tight. I am starting two more shortly. Including one called Dynamic Duo, where each team has two players. The biggest hassle so far with the pbem games have been when one of the players disappears for awhile. This should help.

Keep me in mind for it. I think I'd like to try one. And that dynamic duo might be good to avoid those hassles you mentioned.

Are you starting them up in the PBEM thread or asking people you know from other threads?

[Konquest02]

I play AU a lot, in fact, I missed only 5-6 since the beginning.

From the words of Alexman:

Apolyton University is a school of strategy, where students sharpen their Civ3 skills and share their experiences in a series of thematic games. When playing an Apolyton University game, gaining and sharing knowledge is more important than getting a high score, or even winning the game. Participants are encouraged to share their strategy after the game, and even to try several attempts.

For single-player games we have developed the AU mod, whose main purpose is to challenge the player with a need for deeper strategy. To accomplish that goal, the mod tries to improve the AI and present the player with more strategic decisions, while changing as little as possible.

You can find all AU history here in one handy thread (btw topped in the strat forum.)

AU is a great way of practicing yourself, comparing with others, learn from mistakes. I think it's the best way to enjoy civ, as there is no pressure to win, yet to have to get the best out of yourself.

But..., what is really great with AU is the reports from all players about their game.

From Cort Haus, after playing his first AU game... which was AU 101 (more than 1 year after everyone else. It still generated a lot of discussion about this game...!)

There's something about the process of writing these things down which both makes a game truly memorable and crystalises understanding of things. Documenting mistakes helps prevent repetition, recording success helps recall the best practice, and lets face it, a game of Civ can make a pretty decent story.

Apolyton University is growing quite popular and new people are appearing at every "course".

Have fun!

--Kon--

[Beta]

OK - So I download the zipped file AU402-garantua. It goes into my saves file. I use WinZip to open it. It is now something called a .bix file. I cannot find it with either the load game or load scenario.

Help. (in here where I can make a techno-fool of myself with a limited number of folks. )

[Rhothaerill]

Originally posted by Beta
OK - So I download the zipped file AU402-garantua. It goes into my saves file. I use WinZip to open it. It is now something called a .bix file. I cannot find it with either the load game or load scenario.

Help. (in here where I can make a techno-fool of myself with a limited number of folks. )

You have to save it into your PTW scenario folder. Then use load scenario to open it. The load scenario defaults to that folder and won't even look in another one.

[Beta]

Works fine. Thanks!

And I have the Greeks on an island. I almost have map making.

[Rhothaerill]

Cool. Hope you do well with it. It's starting to make havoc with my computer right now (barely into AD times and I already have two minute in-between-turn times).

Are you going to write any DAR's? If you need examples just open up one of them in the strat forum. Everyone does theirs a little differerently.

[Rhothaerill]

If anyone is interested, I'm currently setting up an Apolyton University Succession Game in the strategy forum. The particulars are still being worked out, but if you'd like to play it will probably be starting within the next two weeks.

[Beta]

Hi Rhoth. I was thinking of proposing AU use my current 'Saturday night' game as one of its cases.

I started in the centre of a roughly x shaped continent of about 12 civs. I am the Babs. I am at the cross roads of a lot of coming and going. I have had to work extra hard on my diplomacy and building skills - more than I usually do in a SP game. I still have avoide all wars and am up to 190ad. I have had to give in to some unreasonable demands at time- but have recently beefed up my military to the point where no one is threatening me. But I am still in 4th or 5th place, and there is a whole other continent out there somewhere.

And btw, I have used RCP successfully to build my civ.

I was thinking I would flip it to you and Harry and Witt, both the 4000 bc save as well as the current, and see what you think.

I suggest it would make a worthwhile learning experience - it could be titled "Meet and Greet" or "Meet your Neighbours".

And yes - I would be keen to try the new AU game.

[Rhothaerill]

Send it on to me. I'd be happy to take a look. I might not be able to play it right away, but I'd be happy to look at what you've done. Besides setting up this AU succession game I'm in the middle of MZO Boot Camp IV which is essentially the same idea as AU. I'm using RCP in that one for the first time too, and it's kickin' butt so far on an island that's half ice.