SGOTM 6 - Gyathaar's Mystery Game

Welcome to the C-IV SGOTM 04 Maintenance thread. The purpose of this thread is to give you somewhere to post about non-spoiler issues relating to the game. It is a way of communicating to the rest of the players outside your team, and with the staff about matters that affect your team or everyone. You can post about bugs, rule clarifications, problems with the roster etc. Please subscribe to it so that you are kept up to date with new information as the game proceeds.

Team Lists are provided in the second post in this thread.

The Game

Gyathaar is playing this one close to his chest. Here's all the intelligence I've been able to wring out of him:


Prince difficulty
Epic speed
You play as the Charismatic, Protective Churchill of the English Empire.
You start with Fishing and Mining.
Your unique unit is the Redcoat, replacing the Rifleman.
Your Unique building is the Stock Exchange, replacing the Bank.
The map is a highly modified Cylindrical Big And Small map, using the BtS map script. It is Standard, Temperate, Medium sea level.
Always war. All VCs are enabled. I think the barbs are at default setting.

Here's the start - click the picture for one a bit bigger.

http://gotm.civfanatics.net/civ4games/images/SGOTM06small.jpg (http://gotm.civfanatics.net/civ4games/images/SGOTM06.jpg)

Versions
This game will be played in Warlords Version 2.13, on Windows only, with the DLLs as installed with BtS.

It will be played using the current version of the HoF Mod. This is version 2.13.002 for Windows. You will need to ensure that you can run the Asset Checker v2 before you attempt to load this game. Typlically, players who have upgraded to Beyond the Sword will have the right assets. Alternatively, you should be able to make your installation compliant by installing the new .DLLs released for WOTM 15 (http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=251044). If you have a Steam installation then you will need to look at this post by ArcadicGamer for inspiration.

If later versions of Warlords or the HoF Mod are released they cannot be used for this game, and you will need to maintain a copy of your installed software at these versions to complete the game.

Timetable
The game will start on December 14th, at midnight local server time. I recommend you plan for a 4 month deadline for completion.

You will find your starting files in the Progress and Results listing (http://gotm.civfanatics.net/submit/civ4sgotm_submission_list.php). This will also provide the link for your team's latest save at each stage of the game.

Notes

Please visit the Civ4 SGOTM reference thread (http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=168439) to check out the rules and procedures to ensure that you are adequately prepared for this game.

Warlords v.2.13 is supported for this SGOTM. No other versions can be used, and you will have to stick with the same version throughout the game.

Teams will compete for up to four awards - the Gold, Silver and Bronze Laurels for the fastest finishes, and the Wooden Spoons for the lowest scoring finisher. The number of awards may be reduced, depending on the number of teams who sign up.

Awards will be given to teams who win in the least turns.

All saved game files uploaded to the server are parsed through software that extracts and archives data about your save, including reload count for each turn set.

Spoiler information will absolutely NOT be tolerated in this thread.


Enjoy your mystery tour of the World of Warlords.

http://gotm.civfanatics.net/submit/team_list/50006.php

Reserved for Staff

The Gypsy Kings are ready, or at least willing to give it a go!;)

Looking forward to my first SGOTM.
Good luck to all!

Please don't spam this thread.

I need players to take notice when it gets new material, but spamming it will reduce the chances that they will bother to check it, and increase the chances that they will unsubscribe from it.

This time i begin to bother BEFORE the game actually begins!

be worried!

usually the number of rivals is given... i can't see it in the game specifications.

Is a secret?
Am i blind?
It has to be set?

I did try to make it clear that Gyathaar didn't divulge a lot of information about this game:

Gyathaar is playing this one close to his chest. Here's all the intelligence I've been able to wring out of him

However, as a bonus for those who subscribe to, and take the trouble to read, this thread, I can tell you that you have six rivals.

Thanks Alan, very kind, as usual.

So normal settings for the rivals, too.

I'm curious to see what the Evil Viking invented this time.
or perhaps he feels the Xmas and he's a bit less evil?

live and see...

Anyway, thanks to you too Gyathaar, your work is always appreciated (in terms of dedication, at least ;) )

To clarify the start time: The Progress and Results page for this game will become available in about three hours and ten minutes from the time stamp of this post.

A question about SGOTM ethics/etiquette has arisen in our team thread. Obviously the only turns that ever get run using the actual game saves are those run by our team's current player. Are there any restrictions on generating our own maps--possibly editing them with Worldbuilder--and playing practice turns on those self-generated maps to better understand game mechanics or test possible scenarios?

Given the huge amount this have been done in the past i don't think that would be the case(just read some old threads, pretty much everyone are using as closely mimicked maps as possible...

There are no restrictions on using World Builder to make practice maps.

To clarify the start time: The Progress and Results page for this game will become available in about three hours and ten minutes from the time stamp of this post.Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think you usually add this link:
"Start files will be available on the SGOTM Progress and Results Page..."
to the first post of this thread. I found the starting save, but I had to go to the SG4 maintenance thread to pull up the progress page.

What you dont have that in your favorites yet???

http://gotm.civfanatics.net/submit/civ4sgotm_submission_list.php

:lol:

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think you usually add this link:
"Start files will be available on the SGOTM Progress and Results Page..."
to the first post of this thread. I found the starting save, but I had to go to the SG4 maintenance thread to pull up the progress page.

It's also in my sig in every post I make - including the first post above. :p

... however, I will add it explicitly if you think it will help.

Weird. I don't see it in your sig. Do I have something turned off?

It's possible to turn off sigs in your Edit Options page ... Thread Display Options->Visible Post Elements->Show Signatures. If you have done this then you may be missing pearls of wisdom such as my links.

If you can see my sig, then the relevant line is:

C-IV SGOTM Links: Warlords SGOTM 6 Maintenance Thread (http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=254424) | Progress & Results (http://gotm.civfanatics.net/submit/civ4sgotm_submission_list.php).

It includes two links. The second is the one you wanted.

How come there is just score, culture, power, list of saves and team thread posts as options to chose from? No mfg or crop yield graphs are provided for example? Or will these be provided later?

How come there is just score, culture, power, list of saves and team thread posts as options to chose from? No mfg or crop yield graphs are provided for example? Or will these be provided later?

They're only shown after everyone has finished.

CRC can not upload last save. (GOTM25 has the same problem)

Fatal error: Call to undefined function: xmltoaarray() in /home/gotmciv/public_html/submit/c4_submission_check.php on line 70

Fatal error: Call to undefined function: xmltoaarray() in /home/gotmciv/public_html/submit/civ4sgotm.php on line 50

All fixed now, I think. I removed the excess 'a' in the name of that function while working on some replay script enhancements, and failed to repair it in all the places it was called. :blush:

Alan, Strauss has blown us off. Please remove him from Fifth Element roster, when you get a chance. Thanks!

EDIT: Actually, it looks like you already did. Thanks again.

Thanks. BLubmuz already PM'd me and I did it some hours ago.

Does anyone know why Team CRC quit using their team thread? Their perogative certainly, but just wondering if there was common knowledge as to why? No fun for us lurkers... :( and they appear to be doing quite well...

They speak in Russian. Bug Lexad to translate more and faster or maybe even for the link to their Russian thread(and read with bablefish or something :S). Some of the team members don't speak very well English and as such communicating in English would put a damper on their competition. They do restrict their posting in this forum to English which is why there is so little of it.

I'm sure language difficulties are the main issue, but I've sent a reminder to ask them to keep us more up to date.

The GOTM Server is currently down. I've informed TF. If you need to pass the save to another player now then do so via a post attachment, then please upload it when the server returns.

Does anyone know why Team CRC quit using their team thread?

there was russian winter holiday from 31-12-07 till 9-01-08. Lexad had a trip at this time. CRC did not play active at this time period. I believe ours last achievements will be accessible soon.

there was russian winter holiday from 31-12-07 till 9-01-08. Lexad had a trip at this time. CRC did not play active at this time period. I believe ours last achievements will be accessible soon.

Last or latest? (I fear another hyper-early win) :p

Please note everyone that any information regarding the progress of any team provides information to other teams. We in Murky Waters does absolutely not want to know if or why CRC has not uploaded or posted...:D

My humblest apologies. :bowdown:

CRC remember about Murky team :scan:
Last or Latest? Do you think that there is big difference for short english speaking man like me? :D Though.. we are still alive :D

'Latest' means 'most recent'.

'Last' can mean the same, but it can also mean 'final'.

We are not listening :crazyeye: :groucho: :groucho:

Alan, thanks! I was joking a little, you can see some smiles in my post. Really, I understand dutchfire quite enough. Thanks again!

In case you haven't seen my forum announcement, the GOTM Server is down.

Please exchange files via your team thread until the server is restored, then upload them later.

Has something changed on the progress page recently? The right hand column seems to be overlapping part of the team table and graphs. I never used to have this problem.

Yes, sorry, I've fixed it, I think. The graph seems to look much better if you avoid IE, and have a 1280 screen width.

I'm doing some running maintenance on the web site currently, trying to clean up the cruft and get some standards in place. As a result, some of the pages may suffer temporarily while I get everything sorted out. Please shout if you see any more show stoppers.

The graph for me now is much worse than both the original and the changed version from the last few days. Of course, I know what its telling me and can still get the info I need. Quality has dropped considerably though. Just so you know.

Thanks Alan. :goodjob: At least I can see the graph key now which is an improvement.

A few points though:


The right hand column extends further down than the left hand column which makes it look lopsided.
Possibly because the right hand column extends fso far enough down the graph looks squashed and it is difficult to read the text.
Display resolution greater that 1024x748 does not seem to be possible on my laptop with has integrated graphics.
Love it or hate it IE ( IE7 in my case) is used by a lot of people. Since I tend to access a lot of MS websites it is more convenient to use IE by default.

OK, 1024 pixels it is! (How do you play Civ4 on that??!?!)

The graph *was* squashed on a small screen, in order to allow you to see the entire width of the page.

I've now adjusted it so that the right hand column will be off-screen to the right on your system, giving more room for the table and graph. You'll have to scroll right to see the right hand column. I think this is now similar to the way it was before.

The column heights change to accommodate the number of current games. Now that we have three active Civ4 games, the right hand column is longer. Sometimes it's the left. They are seldom equal. Sorry if that offends your eye :(

Even with IE 7, for me the SGOTM results page still looks fine. Only change I see is a vertical compacting of the team member list (most team names now fit on one line), which may have been a font change or some other formatting modification. The graphs look as good as ever.

Might be an issue of what resolution one can (or choses) to run.

dV

Lots of people run 1024, either due to hardware constraints or physical constraints (the old eyes aren't what they used to be). I think the last time I looked at my web logs at work 1024x768 was the biggest segment of our population.

I see the announcement states approximately 4 months allowed for completion. Has a fixed date been set yet? If this game drags on, we certainly don't want to have to rush at the end and make mistakes trying to beat the deadline. If a Team gives up or is eliminated by the AI prior to the deadline, will that information be released?

Most teams have actually finished - one way or another - so they seem to have beaten my original target, which would be 14th April.

1. Do you feel you need to take a lot longer than that?

2. Why do you need to know whether teams have won, lost or retired before we close the game and declare the results?

We (Choknuts) will struggle to finish by 14th April but we'll speed up the pace and see how close we'll get.

If you genuinely need an extra week or so, please ask. We can extend it a little, but I don't want to keep the other teams hanging on for too long.

We probably should be able to get it finished by the 14th on second thoughts. It is our own fault we're running late so the other teams shouldn't be disadvantaged.

We're in a rush, but we'll finish and won (i hope) on time.
Curious to see how so many teams managed to win before 1000 AD, can't wait.

BTW i remember a time when some week before an SG was completed the subscription thread for a new one started.

Unless you are thinking to a very strange game, i don't think 4 months to set up a new game are fair.

If you're concerned about a new BtS patch, just put together another Warlord, or a short BtS, perhaps on a small map with 2 months to complete.

It looks as though everyone has finished, or finished with, this challenge. Well done on keeping to the target finish date.

I'll count up the scores and publish the final results ... tomorrow, as it's past midnight here.

The results thread is posted.

And...

Vanilla SGOTM 07 Sign-up is here (http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=270451)