Council Vote

[jdlessl]

I love it when someone is elected and I refuse the ruling and then everyone gangs up against me. Sometimes it's actually easier to win that way (if you were losing before, that is) since the new alliance can't do mutiple research goals (unless the Psilons were elected instead).

Has anyone ever had a situation where you were elected but one of the computer players opposed it and you have to go whoop up on them? Every time we vote I wish someone would. At least it'd make the game go on a bit longer.

--
Jared Lessl

[Morganstern]

You have a different take on the voting thing. I despise it. Most posters who've discussed the topic, to my knowledge, despise it. This just proves it's possible to turn anything into a positive.

In my current game, I've turned down my prospective election by abstaining three or four times. I'd rather just play the game. Is there any way to disable this option?

[vmxa1]

No you can not disbale it. I do not care for it either. The fisrt time I went to Final War I was worried as the doc says you can't win. Now I sometimes vote for myself and refuse it to force the war. I do this to stop the vote and to have them all share research so I only need to steal from one.

[Father Beast]

I have never had a situation where a computer player refused the ruling. I laughed pretty hard the first time I voted for myself and got elected, then refused the ruling for myself and they all declared final war on me. I thought that was so absurd.

If I can win a council vote on my own votes, then the final war isn't that big of a deal.

I did have this one situation on average difficulty where I was growing on my own, doing just fine, had just taken orion, was on my way to being dominant. all of a sudden the rest of the galaxy elects the sakkra emperor high master.

That was quite a struggle as I tried to get ahead and stay ahead of them all together. I was a bit ticked when I bombed out the last alkari world and got that six eyed robot saying "oh well, another thousand years under a tyrant...."

[vmxa1]

True. I think the vote is the most dangerous thing in Hard and Impossible levels. I like to leave Orion until I had finished the tech tree so I can get some new stuff.Especially if I missed a good one like atmospheric terraforming. In Moo2 I do not do that as they will come after Orion if you wait to long.

[Urban Ranger]

One thing I don't quite like about MoO is how research is handled. I call techs that do similar things "serial techs," and techs that do unique things "critical techs."

Serial techs are things like "terraforming +n," various torpedoes, and so forth. Critical techs are ones such as atmospheric terraforming and repulsor beams.

My view is the program should let all the players have all the critical techs, and the final tech in all serial techs.

[vmxa1]

First I do not see repulse as critial tech and I never use, it is better to have more weapons. The AI will often have the long range versions of a given weapon. If I am having that much trouble holding a planet I would not go after that soon. Even if we agree it can be useful the fact that I win at hard and impossible without it means it is not critical. I can not think of a tech that I have not had to do without at some time. Some are much more useful than others. Second, I sort of agree that maybe they could be made available, but the caveat I would have is that missing techs makes the game replayable. Having to figure out how to get by minus a given tech is a fun challenge. Some species have a predispostion to not do well in certain types of reseach. The Klacs have a hard time getting propulsion. I will say that if you do not get terraform + 10 or 20 and are not able to steal it, you will be in a bigger hole at Hard level. So it is nearly critical, but is possible to win without it, but it is harder and takes longer. The farther you have to go without a pop boost or a robotic improvement the worse it is. I have gone to +60 without one and no soil or advance soil and could not steal one. That was a tough game until I finally got the boost.

[Stason]

When I was just novice player I had to use council vote once to save myself. I can't remember why they all were against me, but I lost all my fleet and those bastards started to destroy my colonies. Fortunately council vote came in and I got elected with 1 vote advantage.

Later however I observed that AI never totally annihilates you and you always have a chance to rebuild.

[Ironwood]

Actually, one of my early games was made fun by the vote, though, once again, that's because I enjoy playing the peacemaker. I was playing Human (as I so often do) on, get this, Easy. It was one of my first games (of MOO2)

I was rushing up the fuel and drive techs, and quickly gained diplomatic access to the entire galaxy. Among my early neighbors was the Psilons, who I traded my more specialized high level techs for the lower level ones I missed. I then "tech-whored" all around the galaxy, while at the same time keeping up exactly two alliances (one with the pacifist Psilons, who also occupied a central position thus extending my diplomatic reach considerably), and one with a small guy near the biggest guy (the Sakarra, in the end).

I had just ended an alliance with the Melkar, who I felt could now take care of themselves, and formed one with, I can't remember. But the Sakarra were their neighbors. The next turn (this was very early in the game), I was unanimously elected galactic leader. I speculate it was all the tech-whoring that did it (the turn just before), as everybody was still remembering me as the "great dealmaker." I think my number of personal votes was actually less than the Sakarra.

Since then, I've won several on Medium (usually by election, though a few by conquest), and am now playing on Hard. The score I got simply for winning as early as I did remains unbeaten (by me, that is).

Hard is frustrating. I enjoy the place of the "great dealmaker", but with all the repulsives out there, it's getting more and more difficult to play that role. I'm having to shift into high gear, militarily. I'm still addicted to that human commerce and research bonus, though. Maybe I should give playing the Gnolam a shot...

[vmxa1]

I never make allies with anyone. As soon as I upgrade the two ships I get to start with on hard level I go around and demand tribute of 5% from all that I can. Soon as I get another ship or two I ask for a system.

[Ironwood]

Doesn't anybody here play as anything but a conquering power-hungry maniac?

As for me, I'll be trying to fine-tune my strategy to the point where I can beat impossible... and if it can be done, and anyone takes offense to the above statement, I'll challenge that person to a one on one, eight player, medium map dual, me and my politics vs. you and your megalomania.