I have made couple more tweaks to the adjustments. (This is the last time unless some really good data/arguement comes up.)
1) Changed the curve to use the research multipliers from the game.
2) Gave Game 5 an adjustment range. With best scores being Deity by Sun Tzu Wu and Misotu played on more optimal settings, I threw out their games and used the best Emperor vs. the best Settler. Not a big adjustment but it is the best I can do under the circumstances.
The attached pictures show:
1) The best Settler vs. the best High difficulty game which give us the points spread.
2) The adjustments by difficulty for each level. (i.e. point spread along the curve)
3) The old curve vs. the Tech curve
Is the huge Difficulty level difference (Settler versus Deity) in "resources" needed to deal with the Barbarian threat taken into account in these tables?
For Game #5, at Settler level, prior to turn 80 (Normal speed) there exist only Barbarian Animals that suffer a -70% Animal and -40% Barbarian adjustment that effectively makes the Lion (Str 2) virtually no real threat against a Scout (str 1) without Terrain or Fortify defense bonuses. I did not notice Barbarian Animals stronger than a Lion in my Settler Game. In a Settler Game, no fog busting is needed and thus no Warrior fog buster need be built.
By contrast, a Deity Game will have Barbarian Warriors and Archers as early as turn 10-15; later Barbarian Spearmen and Axemen These will quickly attempt to pillage improved Tiles. Fog busting is required and 2-3 Warriors must be built after a Worker for fog busting duty. Even with fog busting, it is difficult to cover all fog and Barbarians generate rather quickly, especially on a Flat Map like Great_Plains where it takes even Deity AI an exceeding long Time to settle the Land leaving less and less for Barbarian generation. The AI Civs are still not any where near the Player's Capital by around turn 100 or so (Normal speed). Without getting Horse or Copper in the BFC, it can be extremely difficult to prevent Barbarian units from pillaging most of the improved Tiles.
Thanks for the Difficulty adjustments for Game #5, but I must agree with
Dynamic, that they probably still strongly favor Settler over Deity. If there is a basis toward a particular Difficulty level (for Game #5, Settler), Players will eventually see that and play that level. This is fine, assuming that Settler Games win all the top spots; the next Challenge series could be adjusted to account for the new data and eventually the Difficulty adjustments will be close enough to satisfy most Players.
When the Challenge series top results have a good mixture of Settler through Deity level Games, that would validate that the Difficulty level turn adjustments are correct (close enough).
Denniz, takes for your
fantastic effort for Challenge Series II. It's turning into a Challenge where every one can participate and compete at the Game level they want (or think is most advantageous) and have a good shot at winning Challenge Series II, regardless of which Difficulty level they are comfortable/prefer playing.
Sun Tzu Wu
The second HOF Challenge has ended. There were 40 participants.
