Which was your favourite AU scenario so far?

[Dominae]

Straightforward question, I think. Just vote for the scenario you remember most fondly. This could be Ultimate Power because you love kicking butt, or Total War because you love getting your butt kicked!

Feel free to use this thread to describe why you voted as you did (or why you did not vote). Since one of the main goals in AU is to learn, some mention of how you evolved as a player with the scenario would also be cool.

My vote? AU107: Son of 'So Very Cold...'.

I was really quite green back then, with my rather blind city-spacing and understanding of the AI. Still, I managed to beat the darn thing on Emperor, which gave me a confidence boost for future games. I put a lot of thought into each turn, and somehow it all paid off. Then I got to read how other players trounced the scenario, and felt like a wuss for not attacking Persia right away (or ever!). The main thing I learned from this scenario was: make the best use of availalbe land. Seeing the kind of economy some people got out of the starting island (especially the Coast ones) made me realise that you have to make every tile within your borders work for you.


Dominae

[Konquest02]

I voted for AU 204, because of a couple of reasons.

1- It's the first game in which I really sat down and thought about my moves, trying to incorporate what I had learnt in the strategy forum and from the mistakes in my past games.

2- It was my first real nice AAR. I had some previously but none were as thorough as this one.

3- I had fun picking on the Greeks with the English with archers.

4- The Random map kept us in the dark, which was a good thing.

5- The scenario vreated by Alexman was winnable and challenging, not as AU 208, which was only challenging (although Nathan is about to prove the contrary... GO NATHAN!!!)

6- Catt's AAR was jsut fantastic to read.

I might have to (re)play the older ones though with all that experience...

--Kon--

[MrWhereItsAt]

Never played one, but I'm absolutely dying to show up in the forum when one starts so I can get in on the ground floor.

Like Uni courses, have the later courses been tailored so that skills learned in the earlier ones are pretty much required?

Should I somehow try to start from 101 and work my way up (I'd never get there)?

[Aeson]

I haven't played about half of them.

Some 'impossible' games are truely that, but AU208 gave the feel it was possible to win (on Deity), but that everything would have to be perfect. The difficulty through the ages was much more uniform than any other game I've ever played. So it gets my vote.

[CorpusScorpius]

I voted for Banana Isle.......Since All Parties were equal as far as starting locale I am an as far as paying attention during games goes.......My mind is always cluttered w/ daydreaming

[Dominae]

Originally posted by MrWhereItsAt
Like Uni courses, have the later courses been tailored so that skills learned in the earlier ones are pretty much required?

Not really, although the recent courses have been pretty "advanced", in the sense that they're quite different from your standard Civ3 game (OCC, Total War, etc.). But, no, there are no specific skills to learn from one "course" to the next. One of the aims of this poll is to determine which scenarios were considered best, in case we ever officially re-do one. There's no need to go back and finish them all yourself, but if ever you decide to play a SP game, it sure is fun to compare your game with other people (even if they played it over a year ago!).

Aeson: I'll throw down the gauntlet, and claim that AU208 on Deity is unbeatable the first time around. Especially if the Cultural victory is disabled (makes sense, given the point of the scenario).


Dominae

[vmxa1]

I am not sure I am ready for a vote, since I only play the Banana Isle one and AU208.
I will say that 208 taught me that I need to be a lot more aggressive that I ever thought.
Maybe I can squeeze in some more down the road.

Dom could you post the origin date on the selection as a guide post of the order they came out?

[Dominae]

Originally posted by vmxa1
Dom could you post the origin date on the selection as a guide post of the order they came out?

Sure, but that would require work...

Just go to the AU History 101 thread to find everything you need.


Dominae

[vmxa1]

Wow that is the bomb.

[Catt]

Very tough answer . . .

I voted AU 107 "Son of so very cold . . ." - yes , I admit that it was a random game that I started and that later morphed into an AU game, but that is not the reason for my selection. I was simply more involved, turn-by-turn, in AU 107 for far longer than I am in most games. It appealed to my micromanagement desires that come and go (I'm often not in the mood for heavy MM), and gave me a challenge right up until the end. It demanded "warmonger" and "builder" skills. It also came not to long after Aeson's "So very cold . . ." thread that was such an eye-opener for civ skills. I had a lot of fun with AU 107.

But, as I said, it was a very tough call. Banana Isle (AU 103) was a scenario that was very appealing, and one I would have set up for myself just for the experience if Sir Ralph hadn't done so. AU 106 (Lonesome Blues) - gave me a lot of confidence on Emperor. AU 102 (Give Peace a Chance) was a hoot! and the first (IIRC) of alexman's creative tinkerings with scenario set-ups. AU 204 (The Power of Randomness) was very engaging for the story-telling. AU 103 (Island Hopping) opened my eyes to the power of peace.

Of the others, I either didn't play them or don't have enough of a strong memory of them to merit a spot as challenger to the best of AU. I haven't played AU 208 (Total War) yet, but also haven't read the spoilers; it may still qualify.

A sentimental spot for the mini-tourneys -- they introduced me to playing comparative games and the incredible learning and great fun such games offer.

Catt

[vulture]

I had to vote for one of the mini-tourneys, namely "Babylon and On..." I don't think I ever had more fun in a civ 3 game than in that one, even if 2/3 of my cities were nuked to radioactive slag by the rest of the world. I think it was also the game that finally got me into the civ 3 mindset (as opposed to the civ 2 mindset, where I expected to dominate everything and never lose a single unit in the whole game).

[Mountain Sage]

I voted for Big Planet. No, not for te reasons you think of ( ), but because it was the first one I participated....

[Jawa Jocky]

AU202 Scout and Explorer

It was the only time I ever really put expansionist trait to good use.

[alexman]

OK, the four people who voted for "Total Eternal Forever War" now have a duty to protect alexman from the rest of the angry mob out to lynch him!

[Dominae]

I'll lead the mob (just look at my avatar!).