Greek communication thread

[Rik Meleet]

Anyone know the MTDG rules about this? Can we tell KISS or MIA about our war even if they don't have an embassy with us or Team Doughnut? Admins and lurkers feel free to reply.

lurker's comment: I'd consider it perfectly legal to inform the teams you've met on aspects of the state-of-your-nation. Remarks like: "We don't need tech XXX from you as we get it from team YYY" / "We are planning on fighting a war with team XXX, will you support us?" / "We'll connect # copies of resource AAA in # turns. Are you interested in trading ?" etc. -> I would consider them perfectly allowable. The rules specifically regulate the map-sharing and contact-trading since it is limited in-game.

-=> But I'm just a lurker; what do I know ? Ginger_Ale and Regentman will decide.

 

[RegentMan]

There's nothing wrong about telling Greek or Gall about the Iroq war. Feel free!

 

[Ginger_Ale]

Yep, that's fine.

 

[donsig]

Thanks!

So, now we must decide if we want to share that information. Of course, they may already know if the donuts have told them. I've been wondering if our lack of communication with KISS and M.I.A. could be our downfall. If the other teams are actively trading techs and each one researching a different path so as to maximize their trading possibilities then remianing so isolated will soon see us left far behind in the tech race.

I really doubt that the Iroqi popped a hut to get masonry. We have immortals moving south and they know this so they don't have any warriors out exploring. I guess they could have a warrior moving north to sneak up on us. If one had followed the Iroqi women they would have seen the two huts the women saw. But I doubt they did this. They either got masonry from the Greeks or they researched it themselves. Perhaps they wanted masonry so they could build walls knowing we're on our way to attack them.

In any event, we need to decide whether we want to trade math away. Doing so may mean we lose our chance to build the Statue of Zeus but that may be gone already because of our war effort. If M.I.A. wants Zeus they can research it themselves and switch over from the Pyramids.

I do not think we should take warrior code, ceremonial burial and the wheel for Math. Maybe those and writing or writing and the wheel and either ceremonial burial or warrior code. I'll put up a poll.

 

[donsig]

Greetings Classical_Hero - TNT ambassador and Feaurius III - Acting Foreign Minister!

We did not make a mistake in our offer to you. We did not know how close your glorious people were to discovering the secrets of masonry. We are pleased that you and your loved ones will no longer have to live in houses made of straw or sticks. At the time of our dispatch my people were indeed the only ones able to live in houses made of stone. I assure you the Iroqi did not learn techniques in masonry from us. We are in no position to teach those barbarians such 'fine technologies' though we will soon be giving them other more practical lessons.

Along with this dispatch my people are offering to teach your people about math. We know your offer of cermonial burial, warrior code and the wheel for math was made in good faith but math is worth more than this. I'd explain this to you further but I'd have to teach you math for you to understand and that would make the trade moot, wouldn't it? If you threw in writing and / or a fair amount of gold we would surely accept such a trade. We realize that time is short so we invite you to make us an official (in game) offer (and accept it) and if we deem it to be fair we will surely accept it ourselves (next turn).

We look forward to working hand in hand with you in the future and hope that your nation prospers.

donsig
Grand Vizier of the Ironic People

 

[donsig]

This is the latest message from the Greeks / M.I.A.:

Hail and well met donsig, Grand Vizier of the Ironic People.

You honour us with your communiqué, we trust your sport with the Nutters was not interrupted too long attending to our previous request for clarification. We found them to be an uppity bunch and full of bluster, much like our neighbours who are equally boorish.

We send this image that was produced by a gift machine from the Great Meleet ... It was taken when we met the Nutters in diplomacy and shows the inner working of the slow Doughnut mind ... we trust you will find use for this intelligence, excuse the pun ...

Unfortunately the person in charge of the device had an accident and it now lies inert and broken. The responsible person also suffered an accident, an extendedly painful one.

OK frivolity over, onwards to business, you mentioned that we did not mistake your offer to trade Masonry for the three other technologies ... hmmm ... I fear that we must have strict words with our pigeon postal service, and perhaps have them train ones that can swim ... but seriously we have been building brickworks for some time prior to your message (I would have discussions with your foreign advisor for issuing outdated intel).

Therefore we felt confident that you obviously meant Mathematics and thus tailored the deal to be fair ... see for yourself our thinking logic ...
The tech prices - base cost/monopoly beaker price on Emperor level (in-game beaker price based on who knows it so far)

Your request from MIA - Wheel 4/120 (68) + Warrior Code 3/90 (51) + Ceremonial Burial 2/60 (34) = Total 9/270 with current value (153)

In return for - Masonry was 4/120 (86) ... hmmm ... ... while Mathematics 8/240 (205) and therefore obviously the proposed technology.

Now, we understand that the initial technology values lower slightly but not to the degree of Writing 8/240 (137) ... so we can only think that you have set a test for us ... and that we have passed and indeed graduated from Haggle University with honours


So to business, interpreting your letter, we see that there are three serious options to be considered :

Mathematics (205) in exchange for Writing (137) and a small purse.
or
Mathematics (205) for the Initial Knowledge Trinity valued at (153) and a small purse.
or
Mathematics (205) for the Pseudo Great Library (290) which would require much compensation in gold from you ... in a large reinforced purse.

Which option and the weight of the purse are the issues ... we also do not expect you to send with accept trade items, since we will not until a trusting relationship has been formed, which is the first rule learnt at Haggle University.

These trade options all are designed to alleviate the tedium of researching those pesky commonly known basic skills, thus allowing you the freedom to engage in Happy Doughnut Hunting and concentrate on gathering as many scalps, that should irritate the irony, that you can from the Nutters.


May you and yours prosper ... we eagerly await your response ... and to reading your thoughts as to the trade option chosen and the weight of the respective purses ...


MIA

Feaurius III - Foreign Minister - (Official, No Longer Acting)
Points if you can tell me the actor, character and series the image is from

Please also send the contact details of your people or state the preferred method of communication ... I shall send you the details of my staff as we aim to be available in all timezones 24/7.

 

[donsig]

Sent this message with the latest save:

Greetings Feaurius III,

Love the pictures you sent. You look positively stunning. I've always wondered what a Greek looked like. There are legends in our land about a people called the Romani and you Greeks remind me of these legendary people. It is well that you included pictures as we cannot decipher the other scribbles on your message. It was a good idea to send a courier that could tell us what the message says. We have designated one of our people to be an *official* official to handle communications with your great people. We have dubbed him greekguy. Please feel free to send messages directly to him. You may also, of course, continue to send messages the old way.

We would love to choose the Great Library option but, alas, we cannot afford to send gold to you. We have spent all our gold on Doughnuts. We will accept the Initial Trinity of ceremonial burial, warrior code and the wheel along with a little gold from you (for our doughnut hunting). All that remains to be settled is the amount of gold. According to your figures the difference in value is 52 gold. Once the trade is made you will see that this is true since you will be able to do the math yourself. In the interest of goodwill we will begin the Haggling by asking that you include 50 pieces of gold in the deal.

We look forward to hearing from you soon regarding our latest proposal and we do hope to keep the haggling to a minimum so that we can seal a deal.

May your neighbors be weak.

donsig
Grand Vizier of the Ironic People

 

[greekguy]

I got this communication from MIA today. Once we decide if we are going to accept the deal or not, I'll write up a reply.

Hi Greekguy

What a wonderfully noble name, when Classical_Hero mentioned that you were the contact with the TNT ... our team did celebrate in your honour and raised a glass to your health

As the newly elected Foreign Minister I would like to inform you of changes to our diplomacy system.

We no longer have teams assigned to specific diplomats ... each member of the foreign staff are available to be contacted by any of our neigbouring teams ... this is designed to ensure swift responses to international issues ... and affairs

I will send you the list of brave MIAers, complete with contact details, when they have been employed into service ... why brave ?! in addition of the cut and thrust of the quill and tongue our diplomatic warriors must undergo a small ceremony of initiation (that involves a goat, herbal remedies, feathers, flame and honey)

Also I would like you to consider getting AIM ... it is the only chat programme I have on my computer and due to slooow dialup DLing others is a hassle ... So I would like very much if you were AIM capable and ready to chat

Like the Twain quote ... he was an amazing man, a futurist and contemporaty and firend of my personal hero Nikola Tesla.

>>>

Enough banter ... to business

50gp is considered a kings ransom to us ... it equates to the risky business of cleansing two barbarian nests ...

We are of the view that 1 gold piece does not equate directly to 1 beaker of research.

Therefore we would suggest that since gold goes to the upkeep of buildings and units, that the accumulation of spare coinage is a process taking many turns ... Similarily, we prefer to look at the time taken for researching a technology as the meter of it's value ...

Bottom line and cutting the crap ... we offer 10gp ... as it would probably take us that many turns to research it ... In other terms a Small Purse.

This figure is also close to those of us who cavort with numbers and try to understand the beauty of the numerical dances ...

Definition of a Small Purse ... from the Logic of the Numerialisters
= Maths (205) - Initial Trinity (153)
= 52 ... bigger by how many fingers
= 52/10 ... what is that in hands
= 5
= 5 *2 ... same again please
= 10gp
So this formular may give us turns of gold value for technology

There you go ... this is very near ... not yet concrete, may be raised a turn of gold or two ... but doubling this figure is not an option.

At your service

Feaurius III
MIA Foreign Minister

 

[donsig]

Wonderful! Let's try one more round of haggling and see if we can get a couple extra gold. Tell them we need two more gold pieces for Prince Strider's allowance.

According to our poll we would take the three techs for math so any gold we get is a bonus. Haggle just a little though so we can close this deal next turn. We really need to see if the Iroqi have horses!

 

[Strider]

Yeah... I need the money. I'm going to open up a rival starbucks across the street from the Iroqs.

 

[greekguy]

Here is my proposed communication to MIA. Please post feedback!

Greetings again Greeks!

My nation has discussed and I have come to a decision. We will gladly trade the Initial Trinity for Mathematics. We are getting bored of discussing caculus and algebra all by our lonesome. Your participation in these discussions would be greatly welcome. But the matter of the gold payment to us is still an issue. As compensation for teaching you of the numbers, we would like to be given an extra 2 gold in addition to the 10 gold you proposed earlier. Thus, using mathematics, that comes to a total of 12 gold bars. We hope you will be willing to accept this fair offer. Our people badly need this for Prince Strider, who needs the money for his allowance. He's building a Starbucks, so if you give us the money, you will get a discount at Strider's Coffee Shop.

Please also include in your response the names of all your Diplomats, so we can contact them with future messages. Also, my AIM screename is Tidalwave178, although I'm on very rarely. I will only use that diplomatic channel in extreme emergencies.

Please respond soon. Talking with you is quite entertaining. Goodbye.

greekguy, TNT Greek Ambassador

 

[donsig]

I love it. Don't see anything that needs changing.

 

[greekguy]

Message has been sent to MIA Foreign Minister fe3333au.

 

[donsig]

Having not heard back from the Greeks I accepted the offer of the Initial Trinity and 10 gold for math.

 

[greekguy]

Oh no, did you really? Because i got this message back from fe3333au:

Excellent I will send offical responce in due course (busy with RL this weekend ) ... but we agree to 12 gp

Cheers Mate

next time wait a little longer, as i am not on all day too post what i get Pmed to me. maybe we should tell MIA to also send a PM to you (donsig) when they are sending diplomatic messages.

 

[donsig]

Wait, never mind. This is from the Galls. Please move along to the Gall communication threrad for further details...

Late breaking news from turn 64:

We sent math to the Greeks in return for cremonial burial, warrior code, the wheel and 12 (yes, 12, that's twelve) gold.

 

[donsig]

We rec'd an e-mail from MIA with a document for us to *sign*. Hey, they know we can't write yet. Anyway its a neat picture but not a jpeg file so I don't even know how to post it here, let alone add our mark to it and sent it back. Would someone please see what they can do with it? It's in our team's g-mail e-mail box. Thanks.

 

[greekguy]

I tried my hand at "signing" the document. What do you think?

 

[Rik Meleet]

lurker's comment: I really like the extra's in the game. Using scrolls for tradea-greements is just brilliant.

Just to make sure; is the above-mentioned deal signed or is it a proposal ?

 

[donsig]

lurker's comment: I really like the extra's in the game. Using scrolls for tradea-greements is just brilliant.

Just to make sure; is the above-mentioned deal signed or is it a proposal ?

This deal is already in the books.