Discuss: 4-5 player game, rapid play in 20:00-03:00(UTC+0)

[HorseshoeHermit]

I would say "players in North America" but people are active in different local times.

I'd say this would be a Pitboss game, but Pitboss 100% don't work for Civ4. I want to start this game to actually finish it, so, I think it's IP-live or bust. Obviously one evening for Ancient to Transhuman is delusional. However many nights it takes, it takes. And I can put up with the same tribulations as tabletop dicerollers do for fitting everyone into a compatible evening.

Any multiplayer excursion requires a lot of studious co-ordination of file synchronisation, so let's begin.

For me, the ideal balance of computer players to players in a 4X is 2 to 1, but, I also think that Rise of Mankind isn't meant to have more than 10 civs, so we'll have to work that out. I'd rather we either dwarf the AIs, or dissect them, something rubs me the wrong way about a 1:1 allotment.

Options in the game seem simple enough. Mastery victory is a time victory which makes itself the only victory, so that's a 800 turn game. No thank you. The ROM team sometimes mumbles about Scientific victory (a SMAC Ascension Gate) not really belonging, but I don't care either way.
Diplomatic Victory to me looks to overlap the Domination victory. Becoming the preponderance of world population is about the same thing. Also, I have never ever liked Religion being a way to end the game. I'd prefer if Religions were shared, and each one being a mortal threat prevents that. So really the only thing I'm demanding is that there is no Religion victory.

Difficulty comes from how we have to have all the same settings for the non-gameplay switches, like "Worker wakes up 1 turn before chopping". I think the only efficient way to have this discussion is to post up the entirety of our settings in some kind of tabular format, then burn off the un-necessities in debate.

 

[Slarki]

Is it possible to share the BUG config with other players, so we can just agree on something and then copy and paste it for everyone else?

 

[jtanner28]

Everything you just stated sounds fine to me. I think that the idea of a Diplomatic victory between actual people is not likely to get anywhere. Religious and Scientific also don't really seem to jive well to me for multiplayer either. Time and Mastery are out (not looking for that kind of time commitment, I am already married, thanks).

It looks like we're leaning towards Domination, Conquest, and maybe Cultural victory conditions. This will of course impact our Civ/Leader choices. Speaking of civs and leaders, any we want to out right ban? Some traits and UU's/UB's are very OP in human hands in the early game. I have never played multiplayer before, so I don't even know how that might work.

For settings, I suggest we consider only the deviations from the defaults. This will keep us from getting too deep in the weeds. I suggest a fresh install and no cheat mode. I strongly suggest we directly follow 45's forum post about MP settings to reduce OOS's.

If we are going to do this, then let's plan on multiple play sessions. I think that's the only way to keep from rushing everyone. A bit harder to coordinate, but I think it's worth it.

What do you think about voice comms like Discord? How about streaming on Twitch or YT? This could definitely add quite a lot of fun to the game. Also, maybe recaps and updates posted on the forum so we can record the history of the match. I know I am adding a lot of dimensions here, but this could turn out to be a big fight. I wouldn't be opposed to making it into a real community event.

The first thing we need is player commitments though. So far it's me and you. Who else wants to get in on this?

Are you game Slarki?

 

[Slarki]

Yes, I would like to join.
I have good results in playing other civ mods over hamachi. I am happy with all victory conditions (except mastery of course being gimmicky). Same goes for time victory because the game will most likely end anyway before that will happen

What is just most important for me is the width of play. So I'm all for the "expanded" options (multiple productions, city flipping after conquest, larger cities, advanced diplomacy/espionage, tech diffusion, revolutions if that doesn't cause OOS etc). But we can discuss this as well after we found enough people.
I enjoy both fast paced and leaned back multiplayer. We can either have fixed dates or just find time more flexible. If we play with players from all over the world the second one needs more planning long term.

What do you think about voice comms like Discord? How about streaming on Twitch or YT? This could definitely add quite a lot of fun to the game. Also, maybe recaps and updates posted on the forum so we can record the history of the match. I know I am adding a lot of dimensions here, but this could turn out to be a big fight. I wouldn't be opposed to making it into a real community event.

I like your suggestion of adding more layers around the game. From my experience long 4x games create stories that are worth sharing.
Bannings are alright with me. Also consider that in a multiplayer format players that abuse too powerful abilities get usually teamed up against. So it's in all players interests to play considerate.

 

[HorseshoeHermit]

In what way is an Ascension Gate option contrary to multiplayer? I don't understand.

We can definitely find some filesharing method to get the BUG options. The point here is to decide what file to use.

About the GAME settings, tech diffusion seems unnecessary if the AIs aren't meant to be significant players. Multiple production is a -must-, because it addresses what banked overflow does as an exploit (the exploit of deferring the choice to assign hammers), there's no downside. And we'd be crazy not to take the expanded diplomacy options. MP is the best place to use them.
Rise of Mankind was meant to have Revolutions on. I want the core experience.

Regarding houserules... I don't need to ban a leader. And no one does unless two people both want one. I've seen many claims of OP civs and leader traits... but funnily enough they only coincide at random.

We should determine the largest possible map that is actually under consideration and will technically be playable. Though bloat is one boring way to ensure that wars cannot be carried on.

 

[jtanner28]

In what way is an Ascension Gate option contrary to multiplayer? I don't understand.

Actually, the Ascension Gate itself is not contrary to multiplayer, IMHO. I just thought that reducing the victory conditions might be preferable. I am OK with the Scientific victory condition staying in. Revolutions is not something that I am used to, but I am willing to take a step out of my wheelhouse on it. I'll just have to adapt.

Agreed on the "wide" experience. As many capabilities and options as are available. As far as banning leaders, it doesn't bother me either way. If someone doesn't like a specific civ in the game, that's fine with me. I do stand behind my contention that certain of them are OP in human hands, but that is based on my playing against only AI, and even then only given the right starting circumstances. It is likely a completely different story in multiplayer.

We should determine the largest possible map that is actually under consideration and will technically be playable. Though bloat is one boring way to ensure that wars cannot be carried on.

Are we trying to avoid wars? I am actually rather fond of war. I think map size should be determined based on the total number of players. I like the larger maps, but I also would like to actually meet somebody before the middle ages, lol.

 

[HorseshoeHermit]

There's still Space Race too. I can't imagine Ascension Gates being built if a mere interstellar mission didn't happen first, but no reason to switch off the possibility. Civ4 is in the old style of 4X anyway, it will probably come to war. But maybe we'll all be so good commanders that we'll have a stalemate peace?

Not trying to avoid war; quite the opposite. I think that large maps end up screwing with game balance, and this at least is something that the leagues found in Civ5 and Civ6. This is the counterbalance to wanting to fit in all 15 people who want to play, I mean.


hahahah jk we'll get 6 people even post in thread, max.