MP Chlorolera is made of contagious and deadly! - Page 20

JimMorrison · #**191** January 14th, 2009, 10:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AdmiralZhao

Shinuyama was expecting a bit more gratitude after spending so much blood and treasure to help stop the Ashdod threat. If we hadn't grown and taken provinces, the giants would be stomping over us like they have been doing to Mictlan, Tien Chi, Ermor and Man. Still, in order to avoid any sort of unpleasantness with our neighbors, we are willing stop our growth. We will try to take Ashdod's capital and its surrounding provinces in order cut off the flow of giant SCs, but other than that we will not expand further.

Well it's sort of a moot point, and in general terms, it was a great thing that someone was able to step up to Ashdod, and lay down some smack.

But in the specific scenario of the game, really there are only 2 outcomes, you could fall asleep and not notice someone else hit the painfully small VP limit, or you could play the sleeping dragon and let people fart around for a couple of years while you develop your impressive lead into an unstoppable force, and then win anyways. Personally, I'd rather just have it over, and be able to start a similar scenario on the same map perhaps.

And no, the game won't let us continue, a True God will ascend at 6 VPs, and we will receive a final turn, our pretenders and empires obliterated for all of time and history.

Juffos · #**192** January 15th, 2009, 02:11 PM

I put the low vp requirement for victory in order to activate players. In some games I have been, player passivity has been extremely frustrating, and I decided to try to find out whether players will be more active on the diplomatic front if letting some player gather an insurmountable lead would result in quick defeat. You can think it as some kind of a social experiment.

Also, the hosting interval is now 48 hours. This ought to help our North American players.

JimMorrison · #**193** January 15th, 2009, 08:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Juffos

I decided to try to find out whether players will be more active on the diplomatic front if letting some player gather an insurmountable lead would result in quick defeat.

Well, an interesting experiment, though Shinuyama started in a -corner- with vast stretches of unclaimed land nearby. I think this concept would work better with at least preset starting locations, so some people don't get all crammed together (myself, Arco, Jotun, Abysia, Ulm, Marignon are all clustered tightly, for example), while others can travel 8 provinces in one direction before meeting a neighbor. It creates an environment where the tightly packed people are at eachothers' throats already, giving time for the others to expand rapidly through indies. And then we're on what, turn 27? And the game is all but won by Shinuyama, whose amazing recruit-anywhere mages, and monstrous economy can crush 6 capitals in no time, since he is safe on 2 sides, so can never be properly gangbanged.

DonCorazon · #**194** January 15th, 2009, 09:06 PM

Yeah, I am done playing non-wrap around maps after this one. I am surprised though that Shin has been so unstoppable. Admittedly, Arcos signed a NAP with them a while ago so we haven't done our part, but we never thought their province count would just keep running up like it has.

Not sure that the game is "all but won" by Shin but we have no intel up north so just have to take people's word for it.

JimMorrison · #**195** January 15th, 2009, 09:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DonCorazon

Not sure that the game is "all but won" by Shin but we have no intel up north so just have to take people's word for it.

Well, do you have anything that can stand up to his sheer numbers?

What about after the losses you might expect to take against Bandar Log?

What about when the war with Bandar is over, and Shinu has had all that time to build and train, and prepare for the war that you and Jotun will bring to him once you are done with me (according to "the plan")?

Zhao is going to win. If he claims the rest of what Ashdod has, he'll be at 4 capitals already, with income+gems far beyond anyone else, and with research that is even rivaling yours now. If he were a less experienced player (like me, or even less so!), then I'd agree it's still a bit up in the air, but as it sits I'm having a hard time imagining the game making it to year 5 before a Shinuyama victory occurs.

AdmiralZhao · #**196** January 15th, 2009, 09:30 PM

The sage of Bandar Log speaks the truth. The only reasonable course of action at this point is to fall into apathy and despair. Please do not spend more than 5 minutes on your turns as that would just be a waste of time.

Jazzepi · #**197** January 15th, 2009, 09:36 PM

It's actually quite frustrating to have such a low VP count for winning. Generally I dislike VP victory conditions anyways, as they tend towards the "artifical grab capitals" approach which has nothing to do with really dominating the game.

I'm over on the west, and have had no involvement with what's going on in the east, but the game might just end before I've even had a chance. What a waste of time =\ I really wouldn't have joined if I had noticed the VPs were so low.

Jazzepi

DonCorazon · #**198** January 15th, 2009, 09:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimMorrison

Well, do you have anything that can stand up to his sheer numbers?

Magic! And uh, how many nations are still left?

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimMorrison

What about after the losses you might expect to take against Bandar Log?

What losses?

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimMorrison

Zhao is going to win. If he claims the rest of what Ashdod has, he'll be at 4 capitals already, with income+gems far beyond anyone else, and with research that is even rivaling yours now. If he were a less experienced player (like me, or even less so!), then I'd agree it's still a bit up in the air, but as it sits I'm having a hard time imagining the game making it to year 5 before a Shinuyama victory occurs.

Games not over til the fat lady sings.

JimMorrison · #**199** January 15th, 2009, 10:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DonCorazon

Games not over til the fat lady sings.

That's no lady, that's my wife!

And you're right, with 5 more turns of NAP, the Bandar will either be completely hip-deep in giants, or wiped out anyway, and you will get to attack undefended territories, as our reward for sparing your miserable Arcoscephalian lives.

Interesting to note how often I have been stabbed in the kidneys after showing mercy in MP games (here and other games entirely), I suppose it's a response that I must condition myself against.

I think a lot of us have wasted our time here, Jazz. I feel ya. <3

Incabulos · #**200** January 15th, 2009, 10:30 PM

Heh I wasn't sure on the protocol since I had no contact with Bandar. Is it generally considered good form to declare you will be at war the floowoing turn. So that you have a single turn in which to make some adjustments (the turn you get the message) I.E get a message the same turn in which I set my troops to attack you?

I also had little notion that the vp conditions were so low.