GOTM/WOTM/BOTM Schedule

[DynamicSpirit]

Just to let everyone know... Now that BtS is out and BOTMs have started running, the pattern of XOTMs for the foreseeable future will be:

• GOTM (vanilla civ) every month, released around the 1st of the month.
• WOTM (warlords) every odd month (in other words, Jan, Mar, May, etc.), released around the 20th of the month.
• BOTM (BtS) every month, released around the 15th of the month.

You will normally have 6 weeks in which to complete WOTMs (as opposed to 1 month for GOTMs and BOTMs).

This decision comes after extensive discussion amongst the staff as well as reading what XOTM participants have been saying in the forums. Some of the reasons why we decided on doing a WOTM, but only every two months include:

• The desire to have some representation for all three civ variants
• A concern that running too many competitions every month, besides possibly being unsustainable in terms of staff workload, might simply spread the same overall participation level more thinly across more games rather than increasing participation - as people hit their maximum available playing time.
• Running a WOTM every two months also has the advantage of being able to support those players who would like more than a month to complete their games.

We'll obviously monitor interest in the games and may review this schedule as appropriate.

The global rankings will in principle still be calculated the same way, except that in some months your monthly score will be the best of 3 games (WOTM, BOTM and GOTM); in other months where there has been no sufficiently recent WOTM, your score will simply be the best of two (GOTM and BOTM).

Hope that clarifies things for everyone

 

[Jimmy Thunder]

I am pleased with this news.

Thank you to all the GOTM staff for their facilitation of a very fun competition.

 

[Erkon]

This sounds great! Keep up the good work.

 

[DynamicSpirit]

This sounds great! Keep up the good work.

You get a chance to try and complete your WOTM eptathlon now eh

 

[Niklas]

Looks great, thanks a lot for the good work!

A question though, what was the reasoning behind the 6 weeks for the WOTM, as opposed to letting it run the full two months?

 

[DynamicSpirit]

A fair question.

No matter how long we give for the WOTM, some people are still going to download the starting saves within a day of it being released and submit a day or so later. If the game lasts two months, those people are going to have to wait 2 months plus results-processing-admin-time before they see the game results (How many people will still be able to remember much of the game after that time? ). The six weeks was a balance between giving people more time to play and not forcing the earliest participants to wait ages for the results.

 

[Niklas]

I figured the answer would be something like that. Sounds fair by me.

 

[DaviddesJ]

No matter how long we give for the WOTM, some people are still going to download the starting saves within a day of it being released and submit a day or so later.

It would be interesting to put the day and time of submission on the results page. I suspect you might see some (inverse) correlation between speed of submission and quality of results.

Although I always do see people who finish with good results in startlingly low elapsed times (e.g., less time than it takes me to decide on where to settle my initial city!).

Two months would be better than six weeks, but, I still appreciate the extra time, for myself anyway.

 

[Thrallia]

If we ever decide to run a marathon length game though, we may give it a full 2 months

 

[Munro]

The new schedule looks great. Thanks to the staff!

I generally have time for only one game per month, but with the new 6 week schedule for Warlords I may be able to fit in a bit of WOTM on the side. (Still my favourite variant while I learn the ropes with BTS).

 

[Markus5]

Indeed, many thanks!

 

[Markus5]

Spoiler schedules will remain the same? About 5 days after opening, the first spoiler thread will be started and about 10 days for these second?

 

[Thrallia]

It should stay about that, yes.

 

[DynamicSpirit]

It would be interesting to put the day and time of submission on the results page. I suspect you might see some (inverse) correlation between speed of submission and quality of results.

Although I always do see people who finish with good results in startlingly low elapsed times (e.g., less time than it takes me to decide on where to settle my initial city!).

Two months would be better than six weeks, but, I still appreciate the extra time, for myself anyway.

You mean we might *gasp* get a submission from you?

 

[DaviddesJ]

You mean we might *gasp* get a submission from you?

Hard to say.

I should have submitted the deity game, the one I started and then lost my capital to a 2% attack.

 

[Harok]

Sounds like a good plan.
Thanks to the staff for all their unpaid hard work.

 

[ngraner42]

Great plan. Thank you for your efforts.

 

[Harbourboy]

Good work. I support this plan.

 

[SteelHorse]

Good, well thought-out balance. Gets the BtSers going with a monthly, keeps Warlords going. And even gives to those that want 3 games / month (ugh). Great work staff.

 

[Conquistador 63]

Great news! You guys are doing a terrific job!