HOF Challenge Series XI Discussion Thread

[WastinTime]

@enKage +1
Wise post.

 

[najuris]

1
domination
settler
pangea
huge, low sea level
joao
normal speed
always peace
raging barbarians

2
conquest
immortal
global highlands
huge, high sea level
17 opponents
kublai khan
marathon speed
no technology brokering

3
religious
deity
archipalego
ragnar
one city challenge

 

[shulec]

Thanks for the suggestions najuris, but always peace is a setting disallowed for HoF games. Also, we try to avoid Huge map settings for competition games because some players' machines have a hard time handling these settings.

 

[WastinTime]

I won't be insulted if you don't use any of my (crazy) ideas. I just wanted to plant creative seeds.

 

[Sun Tzu Wu]

I won't be insulted if you don't use any of my (crazy) ideas. I just wanted to plant creative seeds.

As I mentioned before, the gauntlets would be a great venue for your "crazy" ideas. I just don't think players would be that interested in the challenge series, if even one of these "crazy" ideas is used. On the other hand, a challenge series of all "crazy" ideas has some merit.

Sun Tzu Wu

 

[Seraiel]

I have to agree with STW that Gauntlets definately would be better for such ideas, as Gauntlets already give the player the Gauntlet entry in EQM. If normal games, i. e. Challenge games were using non-competetive settings, the player would get nothing except maybe the Challenge win itself.

I find the player should always get something and Gauntlets should be something special, so the proposition to move the "crazy" ideas to the Gauntlet makes sense to me.

 

[neilmeister]

I quite like funky challenges, the always-war Culture game was a lot of fun, despite being damn frustrating on occasion.

Happy to have a range, I don't think I have ever played all the games, as some suit me more than others. For instance I haven't completed the Classical start game, though I have started it a few times.

One thing I have learnt from making xotm games is you cannot please everyone, so I no longer try. What I di try to provide is a little variety.

The very first HoF game I played was for the first challenge series, a culture game with Tokugawa on Global Highlands. These are settings we would never play, ever.

Gauntlets are fine for targeting poor slots in the HoF, but the challenge series is unique in that we play non-optimal settings. I know HoF is all about the optimal, but it is good to try different things.

some random thoughts:
-Montezuma space
-Gandhi domination
-No tech trading space
-Shaka diplo

 

[Pollina]

Gauntlets are fine for targeting poor slots in the HoF, but the challenge series is unique in that we play non-optimal settings. I know HoF is all about the optimal, but it is good to try different things.

100% agree.

Some more random ideas:

Boreal-Space-Ethiopia
Ice Age-Score-Always War-Carthage
Terra-Culture-Modern Era-America
Rainforest-Domination-Maya
Archipelago-Diplo-Celts
Lakes-Conquest-OCC-Babylon

Spoiler :

Pure coincidence that these ideas feature the six nations I need to complete LoN.

 

[shulec]

I won't be insulted if you don't use any of my (crazy) ideas. I just wanted to plant creative seeds.

I was looking again at your suggestions, and most of them cannot be used. e.g. AW diplo would (almost surely) require the banned exploit for gifiting cities while at war. Always peace is not allowed and archipeligo cannot be further restricted to tiny islands.

 

[WastinTime]

I forgot about 'always peace' not allowed. I was thinking of when it was used on the BotM.

AW-religous. Would it be 'impossible'? without the banned exploit? that's the whole point of my impossible challenge.

I didn't think about how the HoF can't/won't police the Tiny Island requirement.

Again, no biggie not using my ideas, it was just a brain dump. (ended up looking more like a brain fart.)

 

[shulec]

Again, no biggie not using my ideas, it was just a brain dump. (ended up looking more like a brain fart.)

That helmet you wear is too tight!

 

[Sun Tzu Wu]

e.g. AW diplo would (almost surely) require the banned exploit for gifting cities while at war.

This "exploit" could be redefined so that it does not apply when Always War option is checked. With the Always War option checked, there can never be any peace treaties, thus cities can never be liberated without making this exception.

Sun Tzu Wu

 

[shulec]

This "exploit" could be redefined so that it does not apply when Always War option is checked. With the Always War option checked, there can never be any peace treaties, thus cities can never be liberated without making this exception.

Sun Tzu Wu

Sorry. I cannot compromise on this. That pushes the idea to S & T.

 

[shulec]

Please offer up some suggestions for Challenge-XIIa, which will be all deity, six months.

I may not take your suggestions, but will be open to them. I envision 0-1 games with an overpowered early unit (Quechua/War Chariot/Immortal/Praetorian/Keshik/Vulture/Fast Worker). I will probably go with standard victories with out Espoinage victory since Buffy .004 is not ready. Score and time games are not well received, but I am open to them. If we use non-ancient starts and score/time games, I may use more that six games.

Is six months enough for 6-8 games?

 

[Sun Tzu Wu]

Sorry. I cannot compromise on this. That pushes the idea to S & T.

I believe that GOTM will also allow the liberation while at war without a peace treaty exploit in Always War games to keep diplomatic games reasonably possible to win. This takes the form of rules for a particular xOTM game rather than a permanent allowance for Always War games. Otherwise, GOTM also bans this exploit; guess who requested the GOTM ban.

Sun Tzu Wu

 

[Sun Tzu Wu]

Please offer up some suggestions for Challenge-XIIa, which will be all deity, six months.

... I envision 0-1 games with an overpowered early unit (Quechua/War Chariot/Immortal/Praetorian/Keshik/Vulture/Fast Worker).

Only the Quechua and Fast Worker in the above list can be considered overpowered. All the other early unique units have effective counters (Workers/Fast Workers are countered by any non-scout type land unit) at the time they become available.

Standard Resources being required and Balanced Resources being banned just makes the overpowered factor much worse by making it less likely that all AIs will have the necessary strategic resource to effectively resist early conquest.

Sun Tzu Wu

 

[dohh]

I have couple of questions about this challenge stuff:

1) As I understand I have to generate suitable map by myself, using given conditions?
2) If after few turns it turns out, that map is crap excluding nice capital place, can I start another try? Or is challange like, when I start it, I have only one attempt?
3) how can I be sure, others are not reloading?

 

[vranasm]

I have couple of questions about this challenge stuff:

1) As I understand I have to generate suitable map by myself, using given conditions?
2) If after few turns it turns out, that map is crap excluding nice capital place, can I start another try? Or is challange like, when I start it, I have only one attempt?
3) how can I be sure, others are not reloading?

1) yes
2) generate as many maps as you like
3) buffy is mandatory and has some built in checks which are verified after you submit the game

 

[dohh]

1) yes
2) generate as many maps as you like
3) buffy is mandatory and has some built in checks which are verified after you submit the game

Thx, mby You can help me more:

1) for some reason I cant resgister to HoF with myCfC username.
2) If i try lets say 1st challange and find out that I could have done better, I can generate a new map and attempt same challange again?

 

[vranasm]

Thx, mby You can help me more:

1) for some reason I cant resgister to HoF with myCfC username.
2) If i try lets say 1st challange and find out that I could have done better, I can generate a new map and attempt same challange again?

1) sorry I can't really help you with this one
2) yes ofc... the best result will be used