Settings discussion.

[Sullla]

Difficulty level no longer affects health/happiness levels in Beyond the Sword (above Noble, anyway). I preferred the old system, as you REALLY felt it when you played Immortal or Deity, but that's the version we're using, might as well understand it.

The only things that difficulty level will affect are barb activity and tech costs. Although Deity Raging Barbs is a hoot, putting the game on Deity is going to drastically slow down the progression through the tech tree - and I think we've all generally agreed that this game needs to keep moving along. It will also open up the possibility for more super-early cheeze rushes and massive chopping strats, ugh.

Of course, now that I've said that, I'm sure that the other teams will all decide to vote for Deity, heh.

EDIT: Whoops, I didn't even think of maintenance costs! sooooo is right, Deity will be a pain in the ass all around. Avoid at all costs.

[Zeviz]

Sorry, I didn't know high difficulty levels don't impact happiness and health caps any more. (Shows how much CIV I've been playing lately.) My vote was half-joking anyway.

So I'll change my vote to Noble.

[Swiss Pauli]

Originally posted by sooooo
Er, deity? While I don't mind the barb activity or health caps, the tech cost and maintenence increases will be very annoying and slow the game down. I vote for noble. There's no chance anyone else will vote for deity either, and we would just come off looking like smartarses. Also I reckon many people will vote for tribal villages, and tribal villages at deity could be a game turner.

Require Complete Kills - unchecked
No Tribal Villages - checked
No Random Events - checked
Difficulty Level - Noble

What he said!

[Zeviz]

Looks like we have unanimous consent again.

Swiss, I am not sure when you'll be able to send out the vote PM, so I'll send the following votes now. (I think they are due tomorrow.)

Require Complete Kills - unchecked
No Tribal Villages - checked
No Random Events - checked
Difficulty Level - Noble

[Swiss Pauli]

Originally posted by Zeviz
Looks like we have unanimous consent again.

Swiss, I am not sure when you'll be able to send out the vote PM, so I'll send the following votes now. (I think they are due tomorrow.)

Require Complete Kills - unchecked
No Tribal Villages - checked
No Random Events - checked
Difficulty Level - Noble

Thanks, Zeviz, for taking over the hot-seat (or maybe that should be lukewarm seat, given the activity level ).

[Zeviz]

Looks like I missed one of the polls.

What is our opinion on Aggressive AI? (Matters for colonies that break free, and for teams that are replaced by AIs.)

[sooooo]

Vote for checked? It could be amusing.

[sunrise089]

Checked, I guess.

[Zeviz]

The race is getting close to the finish line, and with an amazing last minute push, Aggressive AI wins by just two votes, getting an uprecedented 100% support.

(Translation: It's past the deadline already, so I'll send in a vote for aggressive AI just for completeness. After this, it will be back to Swiss.)

[Zeviz]

Yet another poll. (Good news is that we finally have a defined starting date: April 28th.)

How much public posting do we want to allow:

a) Unlimited, as long as people don't try to compare maps before they can do it in game.

b) Only after a team has met another team. (I wonder how it can be public if communication is allowed only between teams that have met.)

c) Only after all teams have met.

d) Two weeks before next Tuesday after last Friday.

I vote for option a.

[sunrise089]

a, but no spoilers by third parties

[Swiss Pauli]

Originally posted by Swiss Pauli
I'd say 'let the poster beware' when it comes to spoilers: public posting inevitably gives (mis)information to the other teams, so I don't see any reason to forbid it until later. After all, teams can communicate privately from the beginning, so why bar public posts?