Divine Intervention

[Egnarts]

Re: r_rolo1

Spoiler :

I figured it would be a bit more challenging if he had a bunch of rubbish cities, I just forgot to put defense in them Anyway, im sure if it gets in the game some other 'god' can decide if he deserves sushi

 

[mice]

absimiliard and Refar, I agree with you guys, creativity is better than "rules"

Winston broke them straight off and it was great. So keep up the ideas. My list was just a guideline. The advanced units might turn people off though. I've seen that before. Better is a big number of them,highly promoted, like that Barb King !

I haven't opened the saves yet ... trembles..

 

[Winston Hughes]

Great work, mice. Hugely entertaining.

And a big to my fellow gods, especially Refar for the inspired Holy Mountain quest.

As for the idea of making this kind of a game a regular thing, I like it a lot, but I'm not sure it would work so well in the current form for several reasons:

Spoiler :

Firstly, as we've seen, it has the potential to get rather confused, with different people all going for the same save. (This is at least partly my fault, though - I should've set a precedent by posting a "got it!" before making my alterations.)

Secondly, and since mice (and the audience) wouldn't want to know in advance what changes were made, there's the potential for someone to really mess things up with an ill-thought out, or overly dramatic, change that doesn't show up early enough for a do over.

Thirdly, too much randomness wouldn't necessarily be that fun. I think it would work best if there was some limited sense of continuity in the changes made, to give the game a bit of a theme, and allow more long term 'stories' to be developed.

Lastly, I'm not sure that this kind of thing belongs in the Strategy and Tips forum. It's great for a one-off festive jolly, but it's so far removed from the usual playing experience that it doesn't really fit with the general ethos here.

So, if mice did want to make this the first in a series, I'd make the following suggestions:

Spoiler :

1) Play the games in the BtS forum. While they won't be great for learning strategy, they could highlight many of the different features of the game, including those which are generally underused because they're not usually very helpful (such as forts, colonies, and certain espionage missions).

2) Have a team of gods sign up before the game begins (as with an SG), who come up with a rough theme or story-plan for the whole game (and suggest any cool ideas they might have for specific changes). They could still react, dungeon master style, to the actions of the player. But by knowing what kinds of major quests and/or events were planned for the future, they could make their changes in a more focused manner, and maintain a theme in the comments/instructions they post with the edited save (inc. a few cryptic hints about what is to come).

3) Whichever god first picks up a save should post a "got it" to prevent duplication, and, perhaps, post a spoilered summary of what they plan to do, so that other gods could make suggestions.

(Spoilers for space)

Just thinkin' out loud (as usual... )

 

[rawthar]

Long time, first time.

Anyway, awesome thread and fun concept. I think Winston Hughes' ideas to tighten up the administrative aspects of the game are valid, and I definitely agree that this should be an ongoing feature.

Look forward to the conclusion.

 

[mice]

Yea Winston maybe a move elsewhere next, and another player. I'm having all the fun as i play out one of the most entertaining games I've played thanks to you guys.

Rolo ,Great save. I went with Egnarts as you will see, but I want that machine

 

[mice]

In Mansa's dreams he sees a terrible war machine. A trebuchet that can kill anything it sees. On metal roads that lead across the sea to Shanigan and Abodehell.

Glory and gifts shower upon Mansa and his people , and Mansa takes his place amoung the Pantheon of the gods.

But then he wakes up.

Spoiler :

News soon arrives that the heavens have wrought changes in Mali. The gods have conjured cities , almost empty , in which the few haunted citizens study only the culture of Mali and it's history guided by a single artist. One city has the plans to build a magnificent chapel.



Advisors tell Mansa that the cost of these cities, which produce almost nothing, is crippling the economy and threatening the Quest and destiny of Mali. After quickly assessing the bizarre gift from above, Mansa decides that the people of these new cities will not study culture but will be made to produce gold. Each artist therein will become a fisherman in order to grow the population of the cities. This new divine population will then contribute to the Quest.

Time for trades to get gold to pay for these cities ,health and happiness.



A great scientist is born and builds an academy in Djenne city.

Our flotilla of trebuchets arrives at Shanigan and attacks. The result is not good. They all die to Abodehell



,and so do the maces,



except for one who remains bleeding and hoping the barbarian king will not venture out to kill him.




An engineer is born


I task him to build a mausoleum to my most beloved wife who died, as thay all do , while I stay immortal.



This monument inspires the gods to make the seas leap with commerce, and the cities ring with hammers on anvils. Mali enters a golden age of research and production.

With Chemistry researched ,we begin to build frigates to see off the barbarian threat once and for all.






Unbelievably the gods taask us with another quest.



To another holy Mountain ! How many Holy mountains do we need to find ? A decision is made to certainly take Shenigan and kill Abodehell with our new..



riflemen.

Ther flotilla returns, this time with three chosen Riflemen and three chosen Knights.



Catherine is there and scouting. We have to take the stronghold soon or we may lose it forever.

Time to die Abodehell.

 

[Refar]

You could concider to move your palace to the bigger landmass - should cut your colonial expenses... The island where Timbuktu is standng has just 3 cities and other than timbuktu no high populations...

 

[pawelo]

mice!
Brilliant & entertaing as usual.
Hope I'll have time to play god as well - not an easy task @work, even during the xmas break.

 

[mice]

Thanks Pawelo , it doesn't take much time to jump into the save and do some divine works good or bad.

Mali sleeps and waits for the gods to play

 

[PimpyMicPimp]

*A high pitched cackle is heard amongst the roar of thunder. A brilliant and ethereal light shines on the Malinese Empire, filling the populous with hope, but at the same time a foul stench covers the land, wrinkling the nose of all who smell it. Something is wrong. Something has changed. The eldest Malienese prophet shudders. He knows that Pimpy, the trickster God, has struck. Has he shown benevolence or malevolence? Only time will tell.*

http://forums.civfanatics.com/uploads/116268/DivineIntervention.zip

 

[mice]

Thanks for the Knight Primpy. I deleted the modern armour. Only current era units or earlier - my only rule

 

[mice]

Spoiler :

King Mansa awoke from a bad sleep. There was a strange smell in the air. It soon became clear that there were some new landforms near the Capital. Odd swampy areas that could not be worked for food.



An unsettling start to the day. Was it the work of Primpy the trickster god?

Rumours of appearances and malicious tricks of this old diety had been reported recently. Then like a thunderbolt Mansa realized that things were far far worse for Mali.

In hallucinations and delusions , no doubt caused by the trickster god, Mali's ambassadors had agreed that Mali would become the Vassal of Catherine of Russia.



Mali the Vassal of Russia.



The destiny of Mali was now in the slapping hands of the ponytailed one. What could be worse ?

First came the gifts . Plenty of technology given.



But then came the slaps.



Resources taken away just after they were given. Was she mad ? Time to build the army.

Meanwhile on the isalnd of Shanigan, Abodelhel was about to meet the rifles. They went in



,and eventually killed the old barbarian king.




His longbows fell ,and at last the Holy Mountain was ours, and the holy city.



Missionaries from the monestary in Shanigan boarded galleons to take the sacred religion to Timbuktu and Djenne.The Divine Quest completed, but the news did not lift the hearts of the vassaled Malinese.


The trickster god had formed and delivered a warrior.



A knight with killing power beyond anything known before. As we researched military technology,




an army formed up on the shore, our demi-god knight now with a rifle and fast horse.


Catherine demanded resources, with the option to go to war if we would like.



She is strong just now.



And looking for war with Sitting Bull.



When our army is strong enough we will refuse such a resource, and tip the world into war.

 

[Winston Hughes]

Having spent several millennia frolicking with mermaids deep beneath the ocean waves, the Great Spirit of the Sea decided to pay a visit to the surface world once more. What he found filled his immortal heart with both joy and pity...

The mortals who had once insulted him with an inappropriate gift had clearly seen the error of their ways, and built a huge bronze statue in his honour. Sadly, their tribute had come too late, and the Sea Spirit had tired of the affairs of men.

Without his guidance and protection, the mortals had fallen under the domination of the evil Russians, whose love of earthly gems displeased him greatly.

So, to make amends for his neglect, and to assist the mortals in throwing off the hated oppressors, the Spirit swam around the globe, collecting the seven greatest thinkers of the age. Depositing them on the Malian shore, he gave this command to the people who gathered there: "Use wisely the talents of these men, and you shall be freed. But under no circumstances should you dare to take to the skies. If you do, I will wreak a terrible vengeance upon you all!".

Translation: don't build aircraft (missiles are ok though) and don't even think about the space race, or there will be some serious smiting.

 

[Refar]

The Great God of No One Really Cares is pleased, seeing his great quest completed. A Great Champion emerges from the heroic battles on the slopes of the holy Mountain. And the God blesses the Malinese People with the true faith.

http://forums.civfanatics.com/uploads/57778/Mansa_MoreGodded_AD-1820.CivBeyondSwordSave

(I edited Winstons save, so his changes are preserved as well. I think those go along well with each other.)

 

[Eldarion]

This is a most entertaining thread, one that I've been following for some time. Keep it up! As has been previously stated by others, I'd be interested to see this as a regular series.

Much as I'd love to play god, though, my game crashes on attempting to load the most recent save, so I'll continue to lurk. Kudos!

 

[Refar]

Uh... Crashes... i hope i did not mess up nothing :S

 

[PimpyMicPimp]

Thanks for the Knight Primpy. I deleted the modern armour. Only current era units or earlier - my only rule

Fair enough. I really just wanted to see how you'd handle the vassal situation

Also, I don't know where you're getting that 'r' in my name from But I'm not offended

I love this thread and hope it becomes a regular series! It's a blast!

 

[mice]

Also, I don't know where you're getting that 'r' in my name from But I'm not offended

Sorry about that. You'll see I've got names wrong all over the place with this thread. Usually I'm careful, but recently I've been posting and playing really randomly.

glad you like it.

Eldarion. Refar's save doesn't crash for me. Must be your build. I'll play soon.

 

[sveint]

The gods demand another turn!

 

[mice]

In these strange times it's good to see the gods pleased.

Spoiler :

The old god NoOneCares, happy that Shanigan was released , has materialized twelve Taoist missionaries to spread the golden word. Also every Malinese city is now Taoist



These missionaries board boats for Holland

'

The gold pours into Shanigan's shrine.

NoOneCares has left us yet another demi-god warrior , a catphract from days gone by, but with power and skills far beyond human.



He will kill our enemies whoever they are.

The spirit of the sea, an even more ancient diety, visited Mansa in a vision one dark morning before sunrise. "Use wisely the talents of these men, and you shall be freed. But under no circumstances should you dare to take to the skies. If you do, I will wreak a terrible vengeance upon you all!".

The spirit of the sea had brought from the waves seven great men.



A merchant a spy a general a prophet a scientist an artist an engineer. How best to use these men?

The most important thing was to shake push off the yoke of vassalage as soon as possible. But under no circumstances are we to use the skies ? How could we use the skies ?

The gods' words and actions are confusing, and so is the situation for the immortal ruler of Mali. What to do ?

The prophet form the sea to Timbuktu, settled as per the cult of Obsolete.

The general to the front, the merchant and the engineer will found enterprises that use all our fish and minerals. The scientist to stay too in the cities.The artist to make gold.

Mansa has moved his capital to Djenne. The economy is healing with reduced costs ,and the shrinegold from Shanigan.



Rifles grenadiers and cannon form up on the south Russian border. Now to send the Taoist missionaries out to bring in gold,



...before we attack our master and see how our demigod warriors can kill Russian rifles.

Catherine gives us more technology



Montezuma would like some, but I refuse.

Rameses would go to war with Catherine,



... but we dont follow this line. Russian land will all be for Mali , gods willing.



Time to act. We withdraw our resource trades with Catherine. She demands one of them, and we are at war.