ArmOrAttAk -- Im one of the GL lovers as well, so if Im insulting you then I guess Im insulting me as well. Im impressed that you have the intensity to focus so deeply and drill for results. I tend to skim lightly and not commit past an 80-90% threshold of work. I tend to take my efficiency gains via effort minimization.
As far as my being an old dog, yeah it does take longer to unlearn bad (prince level) habits & replace them with better ones. So I am slowly going through my lessons (current lesson is to log the games, next lesson is to build more extensively as an attitude), with the goal to be somewhat more competitive. After a couple of months of reading, I attempted the GOTM, and seem to be improving (but maybe not this month -- well see). The games are interesting, and the logs and comments are more enjoyable when youve had the chance to see the same situation first hand.
Rather than being labeled judgmental, Id rather be labeled observant.
Clue #1 -- Authors of works in the War Academy and Winners of the GOTM might be described as experts.
Clue #2: When I see authors of parts of the War Academy (Sodak) and winners of the GOTM (Starlifter) pan the GL, perhaps one can extend the thought -- maybe theyve seen something I havent.
Clue #3 -- when I go reading various items & see the wisdom of these folks in action, it only reaffirms clue #1.
On the other side, greater risk abounds.
New voices (game expertise is uncertain) asking various questions (perhaps Clue #4? -- experts would already know these answers?) might be labeled differently than expert. Clearly any judgment risks being premature before additional data is accumulated. But taking risks is part of the game (pun attempted
). A good benchmark might be the GOTM -- the better players tend to get the better scores -- so much so in fact that they now compete at a level to get those scores faster.
Regarding Wonders and their values -- I dont think that a flat comparison does justice. In the most recent GOTM, four wonders were equally popular at emperor level -- Colossus, Pyramids, Hanging Gardens, and the Great Library (as of this writing, the poll for these ranged from 10 to 14, whereas the other three choices lagged at 1 or 2). It will be interesting to examine the results afterwards & compare the choices with the standings -- did the wonder choice make a significant difference? Did the players who finished at the upper end of the spectrum have a high correlation with some particular choice?
But that is for the emperor level -- we might see different choices for a different level. If I were playing at the warlord level Id go for Pyramids. If I were playing Deity +2, I think that Id opt for the Great Wall. In a similar fashion, a better player than me would probably opt for the Colossus or Hanging Gardens at Deity +2, and a more inexperienced player may choose the Great Wall at a level as high as King.
And those choices only reflect the one dimensional rating of experience or quality. Different styles of play factor into the Wonder choices. Although there are clear overlaps between the conquerors & starshippers, the best of both seem to have similar common elements -- some growth, some science, some security -- perhaps even offensive capability. Those players more adept with ICS may choose HG sooner & GW later, those who gift science and count beakers may choose GL later, those who have a higher camel/settler ratio may choose
those who search faster may choose
and so forth.
AOA, I didnt see your name in last months GOTM -- feel free to play a game & compare results -- even old dogs can find new fun.
It mostly gives me the techs I want to get, but don't want to research. Maybe it slows down a little, but I don't use to experience that. Read my post THE BEST WAY TO RULE THE WORLD and you'll understand why.
cut school, cut work, cut food, neglect my family -sigh-
) That's like me saying.. ah he's old can't be more than a medicore player, can't teach an old dog new tricks, etc. 
, isn't it?![[party]](/images/smilies/partytime.gif "Party [party]")
[dance]
