Mason11987
Chieftain
- Joined
- Oct 5, 2005
- Messages
- 87
What exactly IS this game of democracy? I never did it for CIV3 so if someone could a good explanation I"m sure it'd help me, and many others 
A little help
- Thread starter Mason11987
- Start date
Stevenpfo
Emperor
GenMarshall
High Elven ISB Capt & Ghost Agent
No need to worry, a few players from the Civ3 DG (Dave and myself (Appologies to thoes whom I forgotten)) shall help you along with the basics of the game .
.
A Democracy Game (DemoGame, DG) is an approach to playing a game (in this case Civ4) where many players collaborate on the game using a democratic style government as the way to govern that collaboration. Several different layers of game play can exist in a DemoGame, depending on the activity level of the players.
One thing about this first Civ4 DemoGame is that very few of us will know how to play Civ4 when it starts. We might have ideas, but we won't be experts, at least not at the beginning.
Hopefully the lucky few who were testers will let the majority of us who are less lucky experience the game and make mistakes.
There have been 7 Civ3 DGs at CFC, as well as a multi-team DG (played as a Play-By-E-Mail PBEM game), and countless others at other sites and two multi-site PBEM games. There was even a Civ2 DG, which was before my time. I don't know if the Civ2 one predated the Civ3 one but would guess probably yes.
Finally, what do you do to participate? Most importantly, get involved!
Many of us established players want to start off more or less with a clean slate for this game. Lend your ideas to the organizational discussions, and when it comes time to start the actual game, participate in discussions, vote in polls, and if you're so inclined then run for office. Many of us are tired after 7+ DemoGames and would welcome new people who are willing to take the lead. Some of us, myself included, hold back during the nomination process (when it is decided who goes on the election ballots) to see how many new people are willing to step up, and then fill in the offices that have no volunteers. Also don't hesitate to challenge someone in a contested election. I got my start that way, in just the 2nd term of the first DemoGame I actively participated in. 
- Playing the actual game (Civ4) as a team, where the individual running the game (the Designated Player) uses team decisions to determine what do do while playing.
- Organizing and running a mock government, with laws which are ratified by the citizens, elected and appointed officials who lead the government, and citizen input in the form of discussions and polls.
- Role playing, which can take many forms ranging from creative writing in the character of citizens of the civilization we are playing, an organized Role Playing Game (RPG) loosely based on the events of the (Civ4) game, or pretty much anything else our creativity leads us to.
One thing about this first Civ4 DemoGame is that very few of us will know how to play Civ4 when it starts. We might have ideas, but we won't be experts, at least not at the beginning.
Hopefully the lucky few who were testers will let the majority of us who are less lucky experience the game and make mistakes.There have been 7 Civ3 DGs at CFC, as well as a multi-team DG (played as a Play-By-E-Mail PBEM game), and countless others at other sites and two multi-site PBEM games. There was even a Civ2 DG, which was before my time. I don't know if the Civ2 one predated the Civ3 one but would guess probably yes.
Finally, what do you do to participate? Most importantly, get involved!
Many of us established players want to start off more or less with a clean slate for this game. Lend your ideas to the organizational discussions, and when it comes time to start the actual game, participate in discussions, vote in polls, and if you're so inclined then run for office. Many of us are tired after 7+ DemoGames and would welcome new people who are willing to take the lead. Some of us, myself included, hold back during the nomination process (when it is decided who goes on the election ballots) to see how many new people are willing to step up, and then fill in the offices that have no volunteers. Also don't hesitate to challenge someone in a contested election. I got my start that way, in just the 2nd term of the first DemoGame I actively participated in. Mason11987
Chieftain
- Joined
- Oct 5, 2005
- Messages
- 87
sounds good. I'll be checking it out often. Thanks
So how does it work in practice as a Citizen?
I am just guessing here as I have never played a team game before.
1. Do we all get to look at the map from the previous round.
2. I take it we are not allowed to make any moves - just look at the map as it is (as moving units may reveal resources, other civs etc.) and then make suggestions. The drawing feature will be usefull here. - is that correct.
3. Then the elected government makes a short list of actions.
4. We all vote via polls on the shortlist.
5. An elected player makes moves as decided by the polls.
How does being governer of a city work? Do you just make a post about what you want built in that City and the worker actions. Can the elected Government over-rule those choices? i.e. You propose building a Spearmen - but they change it to a Maceman.
Finally what is the time limit between turns - for input and discussion.
I am just guessing here as I have never played a team game before.
1. Do we all get to look at the map from the previous round.
2. I take it we are not allowed to make any moves - just look at the map as it is (as moving units may reveal resources, other civs etc.) and then make suggestions. The drawing feature will be usefull here. - is that correct.
3. Then the elected government makes a short list of actions.
4. We all vote via polls on the shortlist.
5. An elected player makes moves as decided by the polls.
How does being governer of a city work? Do you just make a post about what you want built in that City and the worker actions. Can the elected Government over-rule those choices? i.e. You propose building a Spearmen - but they change it to a Maceman.
Finally what is the time limit between turns - for input and discussion.
Generally that's how it has worked before. One of the key rules in past games has been no playing ahead to see what will happen. Some others are no use of utilities which reveal information which isn't available within the game (not a problem yet for Civ4) and no modifications to the game outside the normal consequence of playing (again not a problem since there shouldn't be any utilities which can do this yet).
A couple of things we might want to consider as part of the new rules are not using the world editor, and not editing the python or xml files, since it appears that it might be possible to do these things on the fly. Or we may allow ourselves to do these things by majority vote. See the constitution discussion for progress reports.
The governors have had varying levels of autonomy in previous games. Sometimes their plans can be overridden by other officials, more often not.
For Civ3 we have been playing a set of 10 or so turns every 3-7 days, to allow 24-36 hours for discussion and at least 24 hours for any polls.
A couple of things we might want to consider as part of the new rules are not using the world editor, and not editing the python or xml files, since it appears that it might be possible to do these things on the fly. Or we may allow ourselves to do these things by majority vote. See the constitution discussion for progress reports.
The governors have had varying levels of autonomy in previous games. Sometimes their plans can be overridden by other officials, more often not.
For Civ3 we have been playing a set of 10 or so turns every 3-7 days, to allow 24-36 hours for discussion and at least 24 hours for any polls.
GenMarshall
High Elven ISB Capt & Ghost Agent
@Dave - There used to be a Civ2 Demogame but there was only three of them IIRC.
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