[DRN-001] BtS Any Which Way You Can

[doronron]

Rhye's 24 Man map for Warlords was pretty good. Lots of fun with all that territory. Unfortunately, it hasn't been fully translated to BtS, yet. There is a version available, but it's all random start positions.

I am very impressed with the new map scripts in BtS, though. The Big and Small script is really well done.

 

[Sorceresss]

I'm new to SG. Let's see if I get it right :

1. I check on this thread to see if the gamer who plays before me in the pre-determined sequence (njorls, in my case) has posted the link to his uploaded game-save file.

2. When I have downloaded the file and checked if it is functional within the game-program, I post here (within a 24-hour period, beginning with the time of the previous player's post-time) to declare that I "got it".

3. I then have 48 hours to play my turns, upload my file, and come back here to post that I am finished (with the upload's link included).

Is that correct ? Anything I missed ?

 

[doronron]

Yes, that is pretty much it. We should be posting a turn log of the events that occured in our sequence. In addition, attached screenshots are also useful in determining the in game situation. Just follow the thread as the first turn sets are played to get an idea of what a report would look like.

 

[Sorceresss]

OK. Your "Prince" level of difficulty suits me fine. I have been playing a lot for the past 7 days, but I had totally stopped playing at C4 since January 2006 ! I jumped back in because I felt that the BTS expansion would motivate me.

I'm a cautious civ-builder & manager : don't count on me for ferocious warmongering !

 

[doronron]

Not a problem. Part of the fun is to mesh different player's styles into a unified whole.

 

[Sorceresss]

It depends on what you mean by "mesh different player's styles into a unified whole".

I read the Game Masters' policies on other threads and it seems that some conceive SG as very cohesive "cooperation". The danger, here, is that some team8s (the GM, first & foremost) would want to impose their personal style in order to "win".

My abstract position on that (having never played a SG) is more relaxed. Civilizations, in History, do not grow in a rational, coherent fashion : for example, one ruler who follows another might take his civ in a radically different direction.

I do not know, doronron, your tolerance-level for originality. Personally, I'm not a bossy control-freak and I remain very open to original diversity...but I will comply with the majority opinion of my team8s, if a consensus about "grand strategy" does seem to be emerging.

What is certain is that I am not a spoiler : my turns will be managed in a prudent manner.

But what happens if a player does too irrational things that spoil the game ? Do you kick him out of the team and restart his turn ?

 

[doronron]

It shouldn't be much of an issue. It's personal judgment on the part of the current player. Play your turns how you feel is best, or stop and ask advice if you think you should. Some players might not like dealing with production queues, but that's not enough to get one thrown out.

The only big no-no, I think, is playing ahead in the game. Try not to do that.

We've got a heavy storm here, so I'm waiting it out a bit. I will post a starting position tonight and see if anyone has a suggestion for starting city location.

 

[Sorceresss]

The only big no-no, I think, is playing ahead in the game. Try not to do that.

I will post a starting position tonight and see if anyone has a suggestion for starting city location.

1. What do you mean by "playing ahead in the game" ?

2. Since you are the very first player, why don't you found the city without our advice ? It seems like a waste of time since you should be experienced enough to perceive where the settler should on go on the first turn to maximize map-exploitation. I, for one, trust you.

 

[pigswill]

I've not seen anyone play irrationally; its true that there are different levels of experience and different play styles but I haven't seen anyone deliberately spoil a game (though there's a first time for everything).

The style I'm accustomed to is that people post ideas and suggestions between turn sets and that often leads to some kind of consensus but its up to the person playing the set to play the set.

 

[doronron]

1. What do you mean by "playing ahead in the game" ?

Say if I were to post a save game, and for curiosity's sake, you took it and played until 1000 AD in game time. You'd have quite a bit of advanced knowledge about the terrain and the potential threats from our rivals. In an effort to keep everyone "in the same game", playing ahead from any given save is discouraged.

2. Since you are the very first player, why don't you found the city without our advice ? It seems like a waste of time since you should be experienced enough to perceive where the settler should on go on the first turn to maximize map-exploitation. I, for one, trust you.

Thank you for that vote of confidence. If the starting location is an obvious choice, then I'll likely just go ahead and play out my first 15 turns.

I've not seen anyone play irrationally; its true that there are different levels of experience and different play styles but I haven't seen anyone deliberately spoil a game (though there's a first time for everything).

The style I'm accustomed to is that people post ideas and suggestions between turn sets and that often leads to some kind of consensus but its up to the person playing the set to play the set.

Same here. I expect there will be no issues involving deliberate efforts to ruin the game. Similarly, in situations where a problem might arise, and the player thinks it should be brought before the rest of the team, then discussion and consensus is the norm. Unexpected wars, against us, potentially planned wars against rivals, planned Wonder construction would likely fall in this category.

Of course, one doesn't have to pause at every little thing. It's up to the player's judgement to determine if any given event is a problem.

 

[doronron]

One quick note. We now have a sixth for our team. Yena is on board, and our roster is now full.

 

[Sorceresss]

Some players might not like dealing with production queues

[1] Does that imply, for example, that if the previous player launches a 150-turn production of the Pyramids, that you could bump his choice to the backburner and launch a new production ? Or : Are we bound by the previous player's production choice, to let it run to its projected objective ?

[2] Do we have to consult the other team8s on this thread before launching long-term productions such as, for example, the Pyramids ? [Answered by pigswill.]

Sorry for my n00b questions : it's my very first SG, and I do not want to spoil your fun.

 

[pigswill]

Generally if you're committing other players to an action that will impinge on their turn-set(s) eg building a wonder or starting a war its basic courtesy to discuss it in the thread beforehand.

 

[doronron]

Pigswill is right on both counts. Don't worry, you won't spoil the fun. Hopefully we won't spoil yours! I'm rolling the start now.

Will post opening or first 15 turns shortly.

 

[Sorceresss]

Another question :

Is it acceptable to skip a turn for a good game-related reason ?

For example : We are in a hot war, and I evaluate that my military skills are not competent enough to deal with a very pressing & stressful, tactical situation I inherited. May I then skip my turn to pass the problem to the next player, in the hope that he will have more tactical skill ?

 

[doronron]

I wouldn't consider it a problem, but it's best if a game doesn't end up on the shoulders of two or three players.

 

[doronron]

Beginning Settings are: Big and Small Map, Temperate Climate, Medium Sea Level. Land mass are all set to random. We have seven random rivals to our Abe Lincoln at Prince difficulty. The game speed is Epic. No tech brokering, which means unless we've learned it, we can't trade it. This applies to the AI, as well. All victory conditions are active, so we may need to watch for the Apostolic Palace.

Turn 0 (4000 BC) - I drop our Settler in place. This pops a tribal village for 61 gold in our opening square. We have crab in our opening square, and once the culture pops for our BFC, we'll gain clam, pig, and two silk, as well. We start with Fishing and Agriculture, so workboats and workers ahoy! Washington starts with a Worker to coincide with our tech. Our warriors head south for another goodie hut. My first tech is animal husbandry for horses and pigs.

Lots of forest here, by the way.

Turn 1 (3875 BC) - Nothing.

Turn 2 (3950 BC) - Southern goodie hut pops and gives us Hunting.

Turn 3 (3925 BC) - Warriors heading for the next hill.

Turn 4 (3900 BC) - Southern coast is a cold one.

Turn 5 (3875 BC) - Warriors go north.

Turn 6 (3850 BC) - Nothing.

Turn 7 (3825 BC) - Reveal Corn two tiles east of the pig.

Turn 8 (3800 BC) - Culture pops. We can now take advantage of our resources.

Turn 9 (3775 BC) - Nothing.

Turn 10 (3750 BC) - Nothing.

Turn 11 (3725 BC) - More hills.

Turn 12 (3700 BC) - Possibly useful country in a desert.

Turn 13 (3675 BC) - Nothing.

Turn 14 (3650 BC) - Some territory.

Turn 15 (3625 BC) - Possible city site.

We've got a choke point, and possibly two spots for cities. Given all the trees, I think our next tech(s) should be pretty obvious. I would suggest workboats to hook up our coastal resources, though. Next up is azaris!

SAVEGAME

 

[yena]

Things are looking good. Our capital has a nice mix of food and hammers. Agree on workboats asap.

Something is wrong with the link. I cannot download the save.

 

[doronron]

Hmm. Worked for me. Can you try again?

 

[Sorceresss]

A silky peninsula ! (Download link works fine for me too.) What's the hotkey to capture a screen shot ?