PBEM game "Not Stupid But Slow": Running

[Alneyan]

The settings for this game are currently as follow:

- A PBEM game hosted by myself (not TCP/IP)
- Turnaround is set to 48 hours, and will run every 24 hours if everyone gets their files in before this moment. The turns should more or less run at the same hour of the day (as much as real life and Murphy's laws will allow).
- Independent Strength: 9 (as asked by En Forcer)
- Magic Research: Very Difficult
- Magic site frequency: 50
- Map: Karan
- 2.13 Version
- All else set as default

The current players are:
- Blofeld: Marignon
- Boron: Ermoria
- Cainehill: Jotunheim
- Deccan: Man
- Enforcer: Pangaea
- Graeme Dice: Pythium
- Ighalli: Abysia
- Vicious Love: Atlantis
- Yellow Cactus: Ulm
- Myself: Arcoscephale

The original message was:
Would anyone be interested in a game featuring a very hard magic research? The tentative settings would be as follow:

- A very hard research cost (duh!).
- Likely standard magic sites frequency (50) and independent strength (6).
- As many players as will fit, if possible. Ten or twelve would be a more reasonable figure though (and more likely to happen I guess).
- The map will depend on the number of players; suggestions would be appreciated regarding the choice of the map.
- The turn duration would be either of 24 hours early on, switched to 48 hours once the game grows bigger, or 48 hours right from the start. Quickhost would probably be disabled so that the turns will run at a fixed time.
- Lastly, I will only claim my nation once several players have already done so (or, if we only have a few players, I will pick my nation Last). This rule stands even if I am no longer host for this game.

There remain the matter of hosting the game as well; Mosehansen has reached its limit, and I do not know about any other similar server. If all players are fine with it, I do not mind doing this game in a PBEM way.

If you are interested, please do post in this thread. If the very thought of playing in this game makes you faint, what part of the settings bother you? With the exception of the research setting (which may or may not be popular enough to warrant creating a game built around it; we shall see), none of the settings is written in stone.

[En Forcer]

I, for one, would LOVE to play in this game. I always play at very hard magic and maximum drain and with Indie 9 (I'd kinda like to see Indie 9 here) because it forces one to stay with conventional troops longer and to be more careful with which magic paths to research.

However, I have one issue. I have no choice but to play PBEM. I am talking to Illwinter Tech Support about my network issues but so far no luck.

If you PBEM, I would like to play.

[deccan]

I might want in too. I'm a bit busy at the moment, so I'll post more later. Nations I'm particularly interested in are Ulm and (depending on map) Atlantis.

[Alneyan]

I would have no problem with going PBEM myself; however, it will either mean I will have to be only the game host (and not a player), or that the players trust me enough not to do some cheating while nobody is watching (mainly reloading the turn if something goes awry for my nation).

I am fine with Indie 9; it shouldn't be *that* meaner compared to Indie 6. Hopefully.

[Boron]

En Forcer said:
I, for one, would LOVE to play in this game. I always play at very hard magic and maximum drain and with Indie 9 (I'd kinda like to see Indie 9 here) because it forces one to stay with conventional troops longer and to be more careful with which magic paths to research.

I personally would like ideas to improve national troops too but the problem with very hard research is that it makes blood even stronger . LVL 3 is enough for Bind Devil / Crossbreed .
Blessable troops have an edge too .
So i think especially Vanheim/Jotunheim/Abysia might have an almost unfair advantage with these settings .


I am curious and would like to participate as ermor though , probably AE

[Alneyan]

I am none too sure about blood nations in this setting; you still have some research to do, and early expansion may be slower (making it harder to get the blood economy up and running). Feel free to mock me when/if my castle's gates are knocked down by a few happy go-lucky devils.

At any rate, it was the reason why I prevented myself from being able to say dibs on any nation. Not that I would have had a great idea, but...

Any comment about the PBEM matter? Is anybody against using PBEM? And are you fine with someone being both host and player?

[Boron]

I am fine with you as host and pbem

In theory you could always ask Sheap for hosting too . I play 3 games on his server atm

[En Forcer]

I am fine with it. PBEM it is then?

I would like to try Pangea.

[Vicious Love]

Sounds like fun. I've always favored the very hard research setting, myself, for the same reasons En Forcer mentioned.

I'm also worried about the whole blood nation thing, especially since Vanheim, DF Marignon, and Mictlan can all make excellent use of blessings for earlygame expansion, and Abysia... is not the sort of nation that has trouble against indies, even level 6/9 ones.
Then again, I've never really cared all that much for game balance, and this sort of thing could add some flavor.

In as Atlantis, if deccum doesn't mind. If he does... C'tis or Marignon, I suppose. That oughta be fun.

Update: By the way, shame you missed so many turns on Try Something New. It's never easy, bidding farewell to someone who owes you money.
On the bright side, you're being avenged as I type this.

[deccan]

It's okay, Vicious Love, I'll take Ulm then.