Multiplayer Let's Plays - BuilderFTW

[BuilderFTW]

Hello Civfantics,
I would like to end my long time as a lurker to announce my launch of a new Mutiplayer let's play series on you tube.

Why should you watch to multiplayer let's plays?
These games are played by intelligent human beings, which causes the game to be much more interesting (imo). First of all combat is much more fun and intense, it is done by people who know what they are doing and who have nearly equal sized forces; consequently combat becomes a challenge rather than a chore. Also in multiplayer you must rely on your own Civilization to do what ever you want, you cannot sell inordinate amount of luxuries to get gold and spam research agreements to get technology. Multiplayer is a totally different game and after playing a lot of it I find I have a hard time going back to single player because it provides a challenge in a way single player does not. Please check out my first video to see what I mean.

http://www.youtube.com/user/CivBuilderFTW?blend=1&ob=video-mustangbase

Please tell me what you like and how I can get better
-The games are played at 2x speed to make them snappier
-All uploaded videos will have commentary
-Tell me what you think of the video quality
-I Currently only have one game up right now, but I plan to expand in the future

Thank you all, and happy watching
BuilderFTW

 

[Tabarnak]

Nice vid. I personnally prefer 1.5X speed. More easy to follow

Keep them coming!

Commentaries?

Unless you want to comment after the game, i don't think you can add pre-recorded sound with a different speed. Can we? I'm still a noob in this domain.

 

[BuilderFTW]

I am a noob in this as well. I am using Taksi software since I do not want to spend money and some other programs were not working. Currently I am also using windows movie maker to do some basic edits on my videos.

Edit: also, do you think it would be ok to leave it at 2x speed if i explain what I'm doing?

 

[BuilderFTW]

I have uploaded a new video also, I have added commentary to all of my videos now. Please come and check it out.
http://www.youtube.com/user/CivBuilderFTW?feature=mhee

 

[jvidmaar]

i really enjoyed these vids. MP really is a totally different game, i'm realizing. i agree with tabernak about 1.5x speed, or even 1x.

you mentioned in one of the LPs that you have trouble coming up with things to say. for players like me (and i think i'm in the majority in this regard), i'm so accustomed to single player that if your commentary was, say, half about the action on screen and half about the broader MP-specific strategies at play, you'd have more than enough to fill the time with stuff most of us don't know.

for example, it might be worth going through what things are shared with your teammate and what things are separate.

i especially enjoyed the trash talk in the chat window - another thing unique to MP.

highly recommend these LPs. keep up the good work!

 

[BuilderFTW]

i really enjoyed these vids. MP really is a totally different game, i'm realizing. i agree with tabernak about 1.5x speed, or even 1x.

you mentioned in one of the LPs that you have trouble coming up with things to say. for players like me (and i think i'm in the majority in this regard), i'm so accustomed to single player that if your commentary was, say, half about the action on screen and half about the broader MP-specific strategies at play, you'd have more than enough to fill the time with stuff most of us don't know.

for example, it might be worth going through what things are shared with your teammate and what things are separate.

i especially enjoyed the trash talk in the chat window - another thing unique to MP.

highly recommend these LPs. keep up the good work!

Thanks for encouragement, its these type of encouragements that will keep me doing the let's plays.

I will definitely try to get some more info on "basic" multiplayer information in my commentaries. Another part of why I come up blank in commentaries is that I am going through the video in one shot, taking no breaks for the entire 45 minute period, so naturally I get a little tongue tied near the end. Currently I am not sure how to record any other way.

As for play speed, I understand that it might be a little hard to follow at its current speed especially if you don't play multiplayer. The only problem is that there is so much extra time between many turns when other players are doing stuff and you are done. Currently most of my videos are around 40-50 minutes long, the games I am playing could be quite longer or a little shorter. I hesitate to go to 1.5x because I don't want ridiculously long ones.

I believe I may move onto 1.5x speed for duels since they are faster than team games (many less people doing their turns and less lag).
EDIT: I have figured out how to speed up certain parts of the videos. i believe I will speed up the start(early exploration, 2x ish) and slow the game down once we start fighting 1-1.5x

Again thank you for the feedback, I am glad you are enjoying my games
BuilderFTW

 

[BuilderFTW]

Just thought of something, if there is any question you would like me to answer about multiplayer please tell me. So far I've got
- What do you share on teams?
- What tech path do you take?
- What buildings/ national wonders do you prioritize?
- What social policies do you take?
- What wonders do you prioritize?
- What maps do you play on?
- What special settings do you use? Game speed? etc.
- What is Civplayers? Special rules? http://civplayers.com/ - please register
- How do simultaneous turns affect combat?
- What Civs are strong in mp? Weak?

 

[jvidmaar]

kudos for the new siam v england vid.

if you're taking suggestions, i'd like to see more team LPs, maybe even a 3v3 or free for all. not sure if those are laggier or harder to record.

 

[BuilderFTW]

kudos for the new siam v england vid.

if you're taking suggestions, i'd like to see more team LPs, maybe even a 3v3 or free for all. not sure if those are laggier or harder to record.

3v3 is certainly possible(takes a long time to get enought players, and game takes longer), I will think about getting a CTON(ffa) game in.

Im currently working on uploading a 2v2 game with some intense fighting (Rome is very hard to attack). It will be up much later tonight. EDIT: had upload problems, game will be up tonight(Wed) in about an hr

 

[zyx]

I like your videos. Sometimes you play so fast that I have difficulties to follow, so I would suggest, that you "pause" for a few seconds (2-3) before you select a building/unit to build. I think you would still have plenty of time for your move.

I wonder whether the Great Wall would have an effect for all players of a team.

Why did you choose Siam? Wouldn't have been another civ like the Mongols better to counter English Longbowmen?

I'd love to see both sides of a MP game. So if all of your MPs could make a video it would be fantastic.

 

[BuilderFTW]

I like your videos. Sometimes you play so fast that I have difficulties to follow, so I would suggest, that you "pause" for a few seconds (2-3) before you select a building/unit to build. I think you would still have plenty of time for your move.

I wonder whether the Great Wall would have an effect for all players of a team.

Why did you choose Siam? Wouldn't have been another civ like the Mongols better to counter English Longbowmen?

I'd love to see both sides of a MP game. So if all of your MPs could make a video it would be fantastic.

Thanks for the ideas,
Good idea about pausing for choosing production, sometimes I get really into the game and forget I am recording.

Great wall effects the entire team, it is sort of a bug...

I guess I haven't explained this very well, but most of the time we go with random civs, and this was the case with that duel.

Both sides recording- interesting, I will have to get more people on to recording to do this.


NOTE: I am having technical difficulties uploading my latest video and making new ones... I will try to resolve these issues and get the new game up as soon as possible

BuilderFTW

 

[BuilderFTW]

Technical issues solved
New game is up!! A low quality video is currently up, and a higher quality version is currently being uploaded - (dont hold your breath, 360 minutes remaining for the high quality)
BuilderFTW

 

[KiffeLesBiffles]

Maybe you should play against better player, It would be more interesting. Your teamer with fredodo was great ! I want to see this again ! (maybe against me ).

Thanks for that.

 

[BuilderFTW]

I agree, I figured that was a quick game so I might as well upload it. I have a new one coming up which is a high level game, quite exciting. It will be uploaded more than six hours from now though.

Me and silentknight were having trouble finding good players so if you are good, please come and play me!!

 

[jvidmaar]

another interesting vid. the 1.5x was definitely noticeable and appreciated. i think it's better for viewers if you use the chat window instead of teamspeak so we know how you guys are strategizing, although i guess it puts you at a disadvantage, huh?

i was wondering if you could demonstrate an example of the fast move unique to MP. i understand the concept, but it would be cool to see an example of how this proves useful in actual play. also, how much keyboard short-cutting are you guys doing? whenever possible?

each vid is an improvement over the last as far as commentary. keep up the good work!

oh....and more trash talk in the chat, please!

 

[BuilderFTW]

another interesting vid. the 1.5x was definitely noticeable and appreciated. i think it's better for viewers if you use the chat window instead of teamspeak so we know how you guys are strategizing, although i guess it puts you at a disadvantage, huh?

i was wondering if you could demonstrate an example of the fast move unique to MP. i understand the concept, but it would be cool to see an example of how this proves useful in actual play. also, how much keyboard short-cutting are you guys doing? whenever possible?

each vid is an improvement over the last as far as commentary. keep up the good work!

oh....and more trash talk in the chat, please!

About teamspeak vs chat: the problem is that most of the good players use teamspeak so almost all high level games I play will use teamspeak. I will try to convince them not to use it, but since it is a disadvantage, both teams would have to accept it which would be tough.

As to fast moves, the whole game is filled with fast moves. There are so many situations where it is beneficial for you to move before your opponent. If you look at my Japan + Egypt game for example, I move quickly to shut off his warrior with my zone of control in the upper snow. Also, SilentKnight takes Bunkator's free settler right as he adopts the policy, and attacks before Bunkator is able to move, which would not have happened in non-simultaneous turns.

I tried to get a 3v3 going but Kyp had connection problems so we only had 5... hope you like the new 2v2 game I upload. It is pretty high level game with some nice fighting.

BuilderFTW

 

[jvidmaar]

As to fast moves, the whole game is filled with fast moves. There are so many situations where it is beneficial for you to move before your opponent. If you look at my Japan + Egypt game for example, I move quickly to shut off his warrior with my zone of control in the upper snow. Also, SilentKnight takes Bunkator's free settler right as he adopts the policy, and attacks before Bunkator is able to move, which would not have happened in non-simultaneous turns.

ah...by fast move i meant moving right before the end of the turn timer and then moving again as soon as it turns over as a way of catching the opponent by surprise. apparently i was confused about the terminology.

 

[BuilderFTW]

Ok yeah the terminology isn't exact. I believe the official name of what your talking about is a double move, but I may have used the word fast move in my commentary. Anytime where we attack/move at the very end of a turn is setting up a double move. You may see me doing nothing while the timer runs down then with about 5 left on the timer I will move some units. Attacking at the very end of the turn has the advantage of keeping your opponent from being able to react till the next turn when you can fortify your unit, attack again, or run away.

There is a nice double move in the movie I am uploading right now its at 32:48 (EDIT: finished uploading) where Necro attacks a warrior with a companion cavalry at the end of a turn and then attacks again at the start of the next turn to take out a catapult.

New video is up 2v2 with good civplayers

 

[BuilderFTW]

I have recorded a CTON(ffa) game and will upload later this week!!

 

[jvidmaar]

I have recorded a CTON(ffa) game and will upload later this week!!

bad-


assed



!!!