DW01: Whistling In The Dark

[DWetzel]

There's only one thing that I know how to do well
And I've often been told that you only can do
What you know how to do well
And that's be you,
Be what you're like,
Be like yourself,
And so I'm having a wonderful time
But I'd rather be whistling in the dark

-They Might Be Giants, Whistling In The Dark

This is my first attempt to start a succession game. At present, I have no teammates (which makes for a very poor succession game indeed!), but hopefully this variant will prove interesting enough to at least a few poor souls besides me. (Translation: If interested in participating, say so!)

Here is the general outline of game parameters that I have in mind:

Game Level: TBD, probably Emperor, but open to discussion.
Victory Condition: Space (but of course all the usual VCs will be enabled to lose by)
Map Size: TBD, but almost certainly Large.
Map Parameters: TBD by team consensus, but my preference is for something middle of the road (70% continents or so).
Civilization: TBD by team consensus, though I have a few in mind.

Special Variant: Once a build order is set for a city, it may not be changed until that build order is no longer available in the build options. Further, build orders which are set may not be changed while the current build is in progress.

This may require a translation. As an example, City A starts to produce a granary. It cannot thenceforth be changed until the granary is completed. Once the granary is completed, City A may then build anything it wants (since the granary is no longer available to build).

City B starts producing a warrior. This build order may not be changed. Once the warrior is completed, assuming "warrior" is still available as a build order, City B must continue to produce warriors. Once "warrior" is no longer available as a build order (say, once City B hooks up to iron), the build orders may be changed to anything (once the current warrior build is complete).

City C starts producing a settler. This build order may not be changed. And, since settlers never go obsolete, City C will be building those for the remainder of the game! (This also applies to workers, wealth, and armies.)

This variant should provide some unique challenges and constraints, while giving both the warmonger and the builder something to think about. At least, I hope so!

So, who's with me?

The Team So Far:
DWetzel
anaxagoras
Bucephalus
TheOverseer714 (part-time)
Elephantium

(and if I left someone out, it really was NOT intentional!)

 

[Optional]

Special Variant: Once a build order is set for a city, it may not be changed until that build order is no longer available in the build options. Further, build orders which are set may not be changed while the current build is in progress.

Well, that'll lead to some head crunching! You're probably best off going with a civ that starts with pottery, and from a 4-turner position? Start with granery, then settlers? And perhaps setting your next town to warriors? It will be interesting to see how this pans out!
Although I'm really into Succession Games just now, this variant would be way too restrictive for me to consider joining.

 

[vmxa]

The only pre builds will be wonders and then you have to hope the pre build is finished, someplace else, in the right time to be able to switch. I guess you may be able to use a unit build that is due to expire in some cases.

 

[Aabraxan]

lurker's comment: I have a question/comments: A Settler City -- I guess you'll need to be careful that a settler city doesn't build settler faster than it can regrow. In the event that it does so, do you wind up abandoning the city?

 

[Tasslehoff]

lurker's comment: I'd assume that you'd have to wait until the city grows sufficiently to build it. That would mean a considerable waste of shields.

 

[DWetzel]

lurker's comment: I have a question/comments: A Settler City -- I guess you'll need to be careful that a settler city doesn't build settler faster than it can regrow. In the event that it does so, do you wind up abandoning the city?

I think you have the option of delaying the settler build or abandoning the city.

I'd envision a number of ways to break the cycles as far as unit builds go, including gifting cities away and retaking (which has its own consequences), disconnecting resources to make a unit build no longer availbale, and in some cases just abandoning a city that's either in the way or can be resettled to make a more productive town. The challenge is in figuring out the right way in each case. I've played a few test games just through about the end of the ancient ages, so I know it's viable, but definitely trickier than a usual game. In particular, you do definitely figure out a few new ways to do things! (All concepts of city spacing go out the window as well...)

I thought of leaving an open VC, but that lends itself too easily to just cranking out hordes of units and turning it into almost an AW-type game.

 

[anaxagoras]

lurker's comment: I have a question/comments: A Settler City -- I guess you'll need to be careful that a settler city doesn't build settler faster than it can regrow. In the event that it does so, do you wind up abandoning the city?

You only abandon a city if the city isn't growing, and only then if you confirm it. If you say no to the "Abandon City" question, or if there is surplus food, the city will just "hold" the settler build until there is enough population to complete it.

This is an interesting variant. It will make the beginning of the game VERY difficult, and the team will need to be consulted frequently - pretty much every time a new city is founded.

I don't think this variant will be survivable above Emperor, and even Emperor will be a big challenge, I'm thinking. The capital will be doomed to eternal settler building at some point, unless it is abandoned or unless extraordinary luck from a goody hut pops a settler or second city before the capital can be set to build a settler. I'm thinking that delaying the second city by building "one-off" buildings is the only way this will work.

I'm intrigued. Sign me up.

 

[Bucephalus]

Nice variant, DW.

My pc cannot handle Huge maps, but if you settle for 'Large' I'll give it a shot.

 

[DWetzel]

I would be willing to settle for Large.

 

[templar_x]

lurker's comment: great you already managed to setup your announced SG, DWetzel
i won´t be able to participate, but i´ll be lurking and maybe even spamming when i return from my holidays
good luck with this variant!

 

[anaxagoras]

Rules question: Assume I have City B from your example producing warriors, and halfway through a warrior build, iron is hooked. That build will remain a warrior for one turn, but won't the game automatically covert that build to a swordsman after a turn? I know that happens when I am building, say, a swordsman, and I learn Feudalism. The build remains a sword until the next interturn, and then the game automatically converts the build to a MI.

When, exactly, are we permitted to change the build in this situation?

Large is fine, I prefer random landform, random opponents, all the middle climate settings, but I'm fine if someone else just picks 'em. (70% continents is fine by me, for instance.) I don't really even care which civ we play. I'd even be fine with choosing that randomly. It is what I usually do at home.

 

[TheOverseer714]

The answer to the capital question: build a palace at your new capital and never build units there, only buildings. If you run out of buildings to build, sell one and build it again, or start a wonder. Your original capital can keep building settlers forever and not kill you by being unable to build anything else. Sounds like an interesting variant, but I'd be certifiable if I were to join yet another SG.

 

[DWetzel]

Hmm. Good question. I'll have to double check how it treats that--it hadn't occured to me.

Conceptually, my thought was "complete warrior, then are free to build anything, since warrior isn't there anymore" -- so, in the spirit of that, one would be allowed to change to anything at the moment the iron is hooked up, I guess.

 

[DWetzel]

Sounds like an interesting variant, but I'd be certifiable if I were to join yet another SG.

You're already certifiable. So this means I can sign you up, right? *nudge*

 

[TheOverseer714]

I could be an alternate, if I'm not up anywhere else. Sign me up as a part-timer, since I'm already certifiable.

 

[templar_x]

did you get your user name back optional?
be sure you have your horse around within the next 2 weeks - i´ll be over to scotland and might recognize you

 

[darski]

just a quick question...

Can you ever just go to wealth to fill in time waiting for pop for settlers or whatever? What about considering settlers and workers as "being the same thing" for the sake of the game?

I think this will be a very challenging variant. you won't get many barracks this way I'd guess.

 

[anaxagoras]

I think this will be a very challenging variant. you won't get many barracks this way I'd guess.

Actually, barracks will be easy. It is a one-off building. The problem will be that once we have a barracks and start building a unit, we can't ever again build a different unit until the first one is obsolete. That becomes a problem in the case of workers and settlers which use population but aren't EVER obsolete. The only way to stop building either is to get rid of the town somehow.

I'm thinking about hoarding cash for massive upgrades, and trying to get Leo's. But the more I think about this, the more I think it won't be that bad. We'll have to be careful, but this is more than possible.

 

[DWetzel]

just a quick question...

Can you ever just go to wealth to fill in time waiting for pop for settlers or whatever? What about considering settlers and workers as "being the same thing" for the sake of the game?

I think this will be a very challenging variant. you won't get many barracks this way I'd guess.

Wealth is a no-no; it's a build order that never goes obsolete. Well, it's not a no-no if that's what you want.

 

[Bucephalus]

did you get your user name back optional?
be sure you have your horse around within the next 2 weeks - i´ll be over to scotland and might recognize you

Just look out for a man wearing a kilt....