No more training days???

Hmmm... I have been feeling difference in the force... no more training days maybe??

What happend to those times there were training days??? I used to love to read them when I was starting out in the game and probably many others too...

I was thinking of starting one myself but I may not be skilled enough for it...

This was just a suggestion and "*bump*" reminder for those that forgot about them...

Training days usually go in streaks. One of the senior, very good players (T-hawk, Sirian, Sullla, Skyfish, Speaker, etc. etc. etc.) will decide he's got time on his hands and will run a trainer. [Ed: What's with all the S names?] [Ed2: I kept the list intentionally fairly short, because I KNOW I will leave out fantastic players no matter how long a list I try to make, so I just went with those whose names first popped into my head.]

When that happens, there is almost always overwhelming interest, so some other player or two starts one, too, and maybe a third. Thus, a glut.

Very few people (Sullla is the only one I can think of) ever run a second training game, because they are EXHAUSTING and take a lot of time and effort. In fact, quite a few never finish at all.

Little bits of training are always occurring. LotR7, for example, I posted a new-to-me idea of a 5-turn settler factory, using the particular terrain around our capital. It might not be new to everybody, but I'm guessing some people can learn from it. Opportunities are everywhere, if you know how/where to look....

Of course, posting a desire for TDGs is also very OK, and I hope you get a taker.

I'm in no position to do so, unfortunately, at this time.

Arathorn

I would like to run another one, but the next few weeks will be crazy for me, moving back home for a week and then back to school. Maybe when school gets started and I'm settled in, I might start a new one. The TDG I ran was a ton of fun.

Having been one of the few that ran multiple training games the are 2 to 3 times the work of a regular SG.

Training games for me always had a higher problem with drop outs, and that alone burned me out on training games. My last game died due to lack of players.

I find that hard to beleive(not that I'm doubting you as you've done you're share of them), I just refuse to beleive people would drop out of a game where they had so much to learn.

On top of that there was someone(with a ton of experience no less) to evaluate they're every move. While some may have a problem with they're mistakes being pointed out to them, thats the only way you'll learn. If people drop out I'm sure they would be some intellegent newbies more then willing to take their place!

If anyone has the patience & exp to start one......... Sign Me Up!!

I had two players out of four drop out of my game, although we were able to replace one of them with a lurker. Playing in a TDG is a huge time commitment (as is running one), so I think the next time I run one, I will start with 5 or 6 players to make sure we have enough to continue.

The problem being that as they learn and get to the position to win the game without a problem, the game gets boring in that format.

On top of that, the people aren't just playing the TDG, they are play other games. They take what they learn and tend to go beyond the level that the TDG can teach at.

I actually had one player drop out in the Ancient Age and one in the Medieval Age, but your words make plenty of sense Meldor and seem right based on other TDGs I have read.

Whats a TDGs??

Training Day Game(s)...

JMB

I can understand people dropping out of TDGs when they find that the game is a little more 'intense' than what they expected, or when they decide they don't like the strategies that are required to win on higher levels, or simply because they don't like being critiqued.

However in the three TDGs I ran, I never had any players drop out (although I did have to kick one player out once...), but I found the amount of effort one has to invest to be the limiting factor. I enjoyed the first and second TDG immensely, and got out of both of them, but didn't have as much energy for the third, and I think it showed with the players learning less. I wouldn't consider another training game unless I had lots of time and compulsion to lead one.

-Sirp.

Having been in a couple of TDG, I really appreciate being a student of the great players. (Thanks you guys)

I am wondering what goes on on the other side of the game though. All trainers talk about what a huge commitment it is. Could any of you who've run TDGs elaborate. What is the big commitment? I can understand running the LK Infinite Player Game took a ton of time evaluating every save and picking a winner. But in a normal TDG, only one players save needs to be evaluated.

Is it the reviewing time, the managerial time, or the reporting time that is most involved? What things need to be done in each catagory to run a successful TDG?

I'm not anywhere near good enough to run a TDG but the teacher within me really wants to some day. An I have learned so much about civ that I could see myself running a regent level TDG. My questions and your answers will help me decide if this is even feasible for me to do.

One of the problem with teacher is that you have to do something EVERY turn. In a typical SG you are off 3-4 rounds, then play. When doing the TDG game, you are involved every round.

In addition, you are the bottleneck. You have constant pressure to turn around comments quickly to avoid people losing interest.

Reviewing and commenting on each set of 10 turns took me about an hour to an hour and a half, so with a set of turns to comment on nearly every day, thats an hour or more a day. Compare that to a regular SG where you may play your own 10 turns for an hour or so every 5 days, and it's 5 times the time commitment. In my game I also inclulded other exercises such as dotmapping that took extra time. Lastly, when playing my own turns, I took two or three times my normal amount of care, to make sure my turns were as flawless as I could possibly make them. As the teacher, I don't want to look bad...

With that said, I knew the time committment involved and was glad to run the game. It was a great experience for me and I think for the players involved. And seeing you ControlFreak, along with Grimjack (and SHard when he comes back from vacation) playing well in high level games has made it all the more worthwhile.

I have had the opportunity to play with a few of the best Sirian, LK, Sullla. Each game was a learning experience that has allowed me to actively participate in SG's devloped by Lee and others as well as my own SG series of games at Emperor difficulty.

Playing in TDG's, and other SG's with players willing to discuss theory strategy and focus on events help to push players to improve.

If you think about it any SG, where discussion is strong, can be considered a Training game. By playing at higher levels with advanced players has also improved my game.

i want to be in training game as well. I suck at civ3 and want to get better. sign me up if someones having one

Since it is the summer hols, I'd be willing to run a training game. I'm certainly not one of the Civ 3 gods that dominate the SG forum, but a TDG sounds like fun and I'd enjoy running one on anything up to emperor proficiency (I've won on deity but not mastered that level yet, so I don't think I could run a training game on deity!). I'm sure I'd learn plenty too by running one, so who wants to join?

Originally posted by umanwizard
i want to be in training game as well. I suck at civ3 and want to get better. sign me up if someones having one

Click to expand...

He probably would. I mastered Emperor as well, but I havent quite mastered Diety, I have won, but I cant say mastered.

Why don't you both run it in tandem? It would make for an interesting game and between you, I bet it would be a great Emperor TDG.

Hmmmmmm, that sounds like a good idea.