HOF Questions and Answers Thread

[oyzar]

Will the next hof mod be out in time for sgotm 9?

 

[Denniz]

Will the next hof mod be out in time for sgotm 9?

Unless the start of sgotm 9 is a more than month or two off, it is very unlikely. Sorry.

 

[BLubmuz]

We'll get to it. Right now we are preparing for a server upgrade.

Unless the start of sgotm 9 is a more than month or two off, it is very unlikely. Sorry.

Not clear to me: the 2nd statement is quite different from the 1st.

I was conviced it was out in few days

 

[Denniz]

Not clear to me: the 2nd statement is quite different from the 1st.

I was conviced it was out in few days

I don't know how you got a few days from "We'll get to it."?

Messing around with C++ code is dangerous and requires a lot of testing. Look how many bugs BTS still has and that was written by professionals.

 

[ParadigmShifter]

Well written by professionals, tested by amateurs

C++ is easy Denniz

You can shoot yourself in the foot and reuse the bullets

 

[BLubmuz]

Well written by professionals, tested by amateurs

C++ is easy Denniz

You can shoot yourself in the foot and reuse the bullets

Is this an offer to the Staff?

Of course, if some testing is needed i offer my collaboration too.
Unfortunalely i know nothing of C++.
In case i can help with XMLs.

@Denniz
probably i was duped by "we are preparing for server upgrades"
I thought you was done with the mod and that was only a question of upload it.
Seing your answer i suppose you meant the proggies for the HoF.

 

[Denniz]

@Denniz
probably i was duped by "we are preparing for server upgrades"
I thought you was done with the mod and that was only a question of upload it.
Seing your answer i suppose you meant the proggies for the HoF.

Yes. As I said we will get to it. We have someone new helping that may help get things moving again.

 

[unclethrill]

Well written by professionals, tested by amateurs

C++ is easy Denniz

You can shoot yourself in the foot and reuse the bullets

Its called pointers!!

 

[Almond]

Not a HOF question, but is there a thread anywhere on this site that lists the common acronyms and abbreviations?

 

[Ozbenno]

Like this?

 

[Sun Tzu Wu]

For example, how does one compare the best Deity/Conquest/Duel/Quick game to other Deity/Conquest/Duel/Quick games? The following URL should work, but it offers only comparisons to the top 10 Marathon games as opposed to the top 10 Quick games:

http://hof.civfanatics.net/civ4/game_info.php?entryID=3625

This link was generated from the main HOF table with Quick speed selected, so the expectation is the Quick speed selection will be inherited, but it is not.

Can this be fixed?

Thanks for fixing this issue so quickly! The games offered for comparison now match the Speed of the original game:

http://hof.civfanatics.net/civ4/game_info.php?entryID=14527

Just one trivial point: There doesn't seem to be a way to select Any speed now. Maybe, an alternate means of comparison game selection could be added sometime in the future.

Sun Tzu Wu

 

[Ozbenno]

You can use the new Ad-Hoc query to compare times for any speed (although you can't compare the games).

If you want to compare the games between speeds, you can get the game ID and manually add it to the comparison (not ideal I suppose).

 

[Denniz]

Just one trivial point: There doesn't seem to be a way to select Any speed now. Maybe, an alternate means of comparison game selection could be added sometime in the future.

I started to change the list to include other games from other speeds but I am not sure that having games from other speeds is that useful. It started getting complicated, including a DB change, so I held off.

Adding behavior for speed similar to the other categories to dropdown list is doable as I noted above. It is just a matter of getting all our ducks in a row.

You can use the new Ad-Hoc query to compare times for any speed (although you can't compare the games).

If you want to compare the games between speeds, you can get the game ID and manually add it to the comparison (not ideal I suppose).

the entry id field is not currently visable to non-staff. There is no real reason it couldn't be. Of course, that could create more support questions.

 

[Sun Tzu Wu]

You can use the new Ad-Hoc query to compare times for any speed (although you can't compare the games).

This is a great comparison tool! Thanks!

If you want to compare the games between speeds, you can get the game ID and manually add it to the comparison (not ideal I suppose).

With the tool above to filter-in the desired games, a click of a link to get the game id, a simple copy and paste to the "comparison" URL would achieve the desired result. Good tip. Why didn't I think of it?

If the HOF Ad-Hock Query would list the game ids in a way that would be easy to copy and paste that would be really nice.

Since you are doing such a good job, people will start asking for features like selection of a range of keys rather than just "any" or a specific key.

Sun Tzu Wu

 

[Denniz]

Since you are doing such a good job, people will start asking for features like selection of a range of keys rather than just "any" or a specific key. ;

I was expecting additional requests but that one is a surprise. What would be an example of how you would use ranges? Putting ranges wouldn't be too hard but the interface could get a little confusing for people to use.

I can add the entries IDs to the Ad-Hoc fairly easily but what if I added a few entries that are any speed to the Game Info drop down without going the full prev/next list.

 

[Sun Tzu Wu]

I was expecting additional requests but that one is a surprise. What would be an example of how you would use ranges? Putting ranges wouldn't be too hard but the interface could get a little confusing for people to use.

This suggestion was half serious, because it would be useful to me, but I'm not sure about its usefulness to other Players. Thus, it may not be worth the effort to implement it.

First, let me say that a range of keys is a compromise between what we have ("any" or a single key) and any arbitrary subset of keys. I will cover ranges of keys first and subsets of keys later.

A range of keys would make sense for Difficulty, Speed and Map Size:

For example, The HOF Ad-Hoc Query generates interesting rankings when Difficulty=any. However, most top ranked games would be Settler. That won't be of much interest to someone who usually plays Emperor level. Such a person is primarily interested in Emperor games, but may wonder how Monarch and Immortal games compare to Emperor. Thus, the Difficulty range Monarch-Immortal may be far more interesting for this individual than Difficulty=any.

Another individual may wonder whether his Prince game is the best at Prince difficulty or higher. He would pick the Difficulty range with lower bound of Prince and with no upper bound, in other words, Prince- (Prince-Deity).

Map Size ranges are similarly interesting. One player may concentrate on Standard Maps, but may be interested in how Standard Map games compare to Large and Small Map games; he would use Map Size=Small-Large. On the other hand, someone may want to know how his Tiny Map game compares to other Tiny or larger Map games; he would use the open ended range Tiny- (Tiny-Huge).

Speed=Quick-Epic would be favored by those who believe that Marathon games dominate the Main Table too much.

Diversion on the topic of subsets of keys:

Victory Condition, Civ/Leader and Map Type have no sensible meaning for key ranges, but the more general subset has some usefulness.

Two or more similar Victory Conditions may be filtered-in like Conquest, Domination and Religous or Diplomatic, Space Race, Space Colony and Cultural (the best of these two groups of victories end around the same Era).

The most interesting Key to subset would be Civ/Leader. The most obvious subset would Civ/Leaders with a specific Trait. The subset groupings of Civ/Leaders is almost unlimited.

For example, the Map Type subset of all Single Landmasses (including or excluding Terra) may filter-in all Maps where it is presumed easier to win a Conquest, Domination or Religious Victory. All Flat Maps would be another obvious subset of Maps that someone may want filtered-in for a ranking.

Difficulty, Speed and Map Size where key ranges make sense, can also be specified as key subsets. This is especially true of Speed where it may be useful to specify the key subset {Quick, Marathon} which is not a key range.

I can add the entries IDs to the Ad-Hoc fairly easily but what if I added a few entries that are any speed to the Game Info drop down without going the full prev/next list.

In my opinion, the drop down could include all Speeds with the games matching the Speed of the original game listed first. In this case, the Speed of each game should be clearly identified in the game drop down list.

Games a Map Size smaller or larger are the next most useful game to include in the drop down list.

Other Victory Conditions are the least useful type of game to include.

Thanks for all the great work. The HOF web site is extremely innovative already!

Sun Tzu Wu

 

[kcd_swede]

If you're going for time, you don't build sistin.
As easy as that
And you don't switch to free speech.

Correct.
Nor build Sushi, but Cereals.
If you capture a city with Sistine and other wonders, try to do it as late as possible.
If there's only the Sistine, raze it!!!

Also, build the Eiffel only few turns to the end.

Yes, thanks. I could have used this advice a couple weeks ago. I learned it the hard way. Imagine investing all that time and then getting a lame culture victory in July 2049 or something like that. At least I managed a Time VC... but milking became a periferal concern and score suffered. I'll know better next time (there probably won't be a next Time).

 

[Denniz]

Ad-Hoc Query:

This suggestion was half serious, because it would be useful to me, but I'm not sure about its usefulness to other Players. Thus, it may not be worth the effort to implement it.

First, let me say that a range of keys is a compromise between what we have ("any" or a single key) and any arbitrary subset of keys. I will cover ranges of keys first and subsets of keys later.

First, let me say that you are making my head hurt.

A range of keys would make sense for Difficulty, Speed and Map Size:

Limiting the ranges to only some of the criteria helps some. Wouldn't you be able to get the info by having a couple instances of the query open?

Diversion on the topic of subsets of keys:

These would be much more complex than ranges as it would include creating table(s) to hold the subsets. But probably eaier to understand if they were included in the existing drop downs. I guess the leader traits would really interesting. (Probably deserves it's own dropdown.)

__________________

Game Info Page:

In my opinion, the drop down could include all Speeds with the games matching the Speed of the original game listed first. In this case, the Speed of each game should be clearly identified in the game drop down list.

Games a Map Size smaller or larger are the next most useful game to include in the drop down list.

Other Victory Conditions are the least useful type of game to include.

Including each speed is easier than the prev/next stuff. Taking something out to manage the list size seem like a good idea. Maybe dropping the other Conditions and cutting the lists from Top 10 to Top 5 of each combo. I really don't want to put too much into this one, since finding the ID elsewhere would shortcut a lot of that.

 

[OctavianFlu]

Hello;

I have a question about Quattromaster's game submissions. If I submit a game where I play as England, on an Archipelago map, on Noble difficulty, at quick speed, and win by conquest does that game contribute the following trophies ==> League of Nations (America), Map Quest(Archipelago),Inferno (Noble), Temp(Quick), Machiabelli (Conquest)?

If so then does the game with the highest score always have precedence? For example; If I play another game as England, where I achieve a higher score in result of a space race, would the 'League of Nations' score be updated?

Many thanks;

 

[Ozbenno]

I have a question about Quattromaster's game submissions. If I submit a game where I play as England, on an Archipelago map, on Noble difficulty, at quick speed, and win by conquest does that game contribute the following trophies ==> League of Nations (America), Map Quest(Archipelago),Inferno (Noble), Temp(Quick), Machiabelli (Conquest)?

Yes, it does count for all categories.

If so then does the game with the highest score always have precedence? For example; If I play another game as England, where I achieve a higher score in result of a space race, would the 'League of Nations' score be updated?

Again yes. The highest two scores for every category are counted, so if you play three games as England, your highest two are counted.