Nerds in Space

[Rex Tyrannus]

Well, it seems we have an increasingly anemic roster here. Frankly, I blame the map type. These tiny islands just suck.

Let's take a vote on whether to abandon the game or keep trudging along. (ie can mlinneak and I finish this alone, do we want to, and would anyone notice one way or the other?)

if we abandon, I'll finish it in SP and report.

 

[mlinneak]

I'd continue trudging along with you, Mr. Rex Tyrannus. We also still have Mr. Bindamel around at times as well. But I won't be offended or anything if you think it would be better just to finish it up SP. If it's just the 2-3 of us we could also perhaps try lengthening the turnsets to 15 or so.

 

[Rex Tyrannus]

I like the idea of longer sets for those of us who want to just get through it. Maybe a more minimal report, too, just giving the crucial facts.

At this point, there's no real strategy discussion left outside of whether we need to war again. Joao's the front runner, but Qin is close. I say we build ships, marines, and fighters, but hold them unless we really, really need them. Something like one giant SOD for use in taking out an enemy capital after he launches.

We could also take out more of Zara's cities but, really, what's the point? He's out of the running.

Bindy's technically up. I'll give him a chance to chime in here. If we don't hear from him in a reasonable time, mlinneak, go ahead and take it for as long as you'd like. I'll then follow unless Ruff, Whosit, Ozzy, or Bindy decides to stop in for some fun.

 

[Whosit]

Well, it seems we have an increasingly anemic roster here. Frankly, I blame the map type. These tiny islands just suck.

Well, granted, Archipelago maps aren't my cup of tea, but it's really just my slow-ass computer. When played a 10-turn set takes four hours, it kind of sucks the fun out of it. I'll chip in with advice, though, if I think of anything useful.

For what it's worth, it's been a whole lot of fun seeing everyone nerd-out!

 

[Bindamel]

I like the idea of longer sets for those of us who want to just get through it. Maybe a more minimal report, too, just giving the crucial facts.

At this point, there's no real strategy discussion left outside of whether we need to war again. Joao's the front runner, but Qin is close. I say we build ships, marines, and fighters, but hold them unless we really, really need them. Something like one giant SOD for use in taking out an enemy capital after he launches.

We could also take out more of Zara's cities but, really, what's the point? He's out of the running.

Bindy's technically up. I'll give him a chance to chime in here. If we don't hear from him in a reasonable time, mlinneak, go ahead and take it for as long as you'd like. I'll then follow unless Ruff, Whosit, Ozzy, or Bindy decides to stop in for some fun.

I've always taken my DM reports very seriously (moreso than the actual turns, at any rate) and that often ends up being my reason for needing skips / swaps. I may have time to play tonight, as things turn out, so I'll check back in tonight and let you know.

 

[Bindamel]

tallking to spam-bots is a certain sign of an unwell mind. And thanks for reading.

Which is worse, replying to them, or replying to myself?

Those are my only two choices.

Your answer will likely have no effect on what I do, but information is power, they say.

 

[mlinneak]

I'm happy to let you take your time on a report, Bindamel, the earliest I can play is Thursday anyway

 

[Rex Tyrannus]

Absolutely. I'd much rather you take four days to play/report than skip because you can't get it in time.

 

[Bindamel]

Didn't play last night, not playing tonight.

I SHOULD be able to get to it tomorrow evening though!

 

[Bindamel]

I think it's time to get down to the basics of science fiction here, and literature in general, really.

First we need a hero. That's me!

Spoiler :

No, really, that's me

Next we need a villain. In this case, that's Rex:

Thanks, REX! That looks promising!

Foreshadowing is a good tool in any writer's toolbox:

Spoiler :

Oh, brother, you have no idea how much you could use that...

Then of course is conflict.

Usually, however, the hero is somehow involved in the conflict. Hmm, WWSBD?

Maybe I need a sign...

Spoiler :

HERE'S YOUR SIGN!

Nice idea, but I think we need a bit more oomph:

Better. Now the hero has to face underwhelming odds and die:

No, wait, that's not quite right. The hero has to succeed by completely overpowering his foe!

I don't think that's quite right either, but it works for me!

Twice!

Somewhere along the way there has to be a plot twist:

and then there's the saved game, where someone else picks up the story


Notes:

Satellites in next turn, Apollo can be started anytime, takes 25 turns in the capital as things stand now.

I left a transport waiting to pick up a tank in Sally territory, but it's still a couple turns away, so not going to make much difference.

I put all those stupid workers to sleep. Honestly, most of them should probably be put to sleep, if you know what I mean.

We got another artist, I used both to hurry radio.

I lost exactly one unit (the infantry that lost to the longbow) in taking those two cities. Sury would capitulate right now, but I believe we would inherit his wars, no?

Sury's capital (the second city I took) had Parthenon and Sistine in it.

 

[mlinneak]

Nice work, Bindamel and nice report.

I agree that we have a few too many workers. I had no idea what to do with them during my set. We may want to look at possibly disbanding a few (or a lot) of them. What is there really left for them to do?

I have the save, but it will be a few days before I can post a report. I may play a few turns tomorrow but I will have a lot more time Sunday or Monday. We've been moving to a new apartment and so my schedule has been all wonky.

I'll see about starting Apollo in my set.

I think, if you are not at war with the other civs, if you capitulate someone then it forces the other civs to peace with the vassal as well - but I'm not 100% sure on that.

 

[Rex Tyrannus]

I am, at least from the other side. In an SP game last weekend, war with Alex vs France. I'm about to take Paris when I'm suddenly at peace. Louis capitulated to Alex and I lose Paris, all the cultural pressure still on my new French-ish provinces.

 

[Brian Shanahan]

Lurker comment:

I think you forgot something Bindamel in your construction of the perfect SF format; the McGuffin.

By the way good on you all keeping the game going, I've been following it since day one, even if all the nerdiness sometimes made me forget what you were doing.

 

[Whosit]

Sury would capitulate right now, but I believe we would inherit his wars, no?

Actually, we would not.

If we accept a vassal while we are at peace with that civilization, we inherit their diplomatic situation.

If we accept a capitulation, the vassal inherits our diplomatic situation, which in this case is peace with everyone else.

Do we want him as a Vassal, though?

Anyway, very entertaining set. Good idea to base it (if somewhat loosely) on the Hero's Journey! I think it would be a good idea to start on Apollo now, since it's gonna take a long time for our soggy cities to produce all the parts.

Disbanding Workers may be a good thing. Once everything is improved and rail-roaded, not much else to do, unless we get nuked . . . .

 

[Bindamel]

Lurker comment:

I think you forgot something Bindamel in your construction of the perfect SF format; the McGuffin.

By the way good on you all keeping the game going, I've been following it since day one, even if all the nerdiness sometimes made me forget what you were doing.

That sort of suggests that I plan these reports. I've never really thought to ask how others go about writing their reports, but my reports are, shall we say, inspired, sometimes during the turnset, sometimes during the editing of the screenshots, and rarely (fortunately) during the writeup of the report.

This one came to me when I looked at my screenshots. The foreshadowing one was an afterthought during the report writing when I realized it was the only screenshot I hadn't used. If you think about it, I had no real reason to take that screenshot while playing; it just struck me as amusing that Mr. 2nd from the bottom thought he could use my help. At that point, I was still expecting Joao to declare on me at any moment.

 

[arkenstone]

1 thing YOU CAN NEVER HAVE TO MANY WORKES!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Whosit]

1 thing YOU CAN NEVER HAVE TO MANY WORKES!!!!!!!!!!!

Except when you do.

On maps like this with a lot of water, once you've improved everything and built railroads everywhere, Workers don't do much except cost you money. Unless we get nuked, we won't miss them.

 

[mlinneak]

Hey guys, I'm sorry I haven't played yet. We have just a few more days to get everything left at our old place and take it to our new place I should be able to play Tuesday at the latest though if you don't mind waiting just a couple more days.

 

[mlinneak]

1912 AD - January, 1940 AD

Traded our extra gold to Joao II for his 25 gpt

Satellites came in, set research to Medicine to deal with some unhealthy issues

On the IBT, Sury vassaled to Joao

Started Apollo in Rome

China is in WHEOOHRN mode

Zara Yaqob built Standard Ethanol

Boudica offered a defensive pact - I wasn't sure we wanted to tie ourselves to a relationship with her and declined

Medicine came in, set research to Ecology - health benefits and Life Support

The vote for the UN came up and it was between us and Joao II - I voted for us, we won the vote

Slotted Hospital in front of Apollo in Rome as we were really unhealthy

Ecology came in, set Plastics - leads to Computers and Superconductors

Trade Electricity to Sitting Bull for Military Tradition, Military Science, his map and 215 gold - most other AIs already had the tech so it seemed safe to trade away

We get a nice event for our Fighters

We pop some gems by Massawa

Egypt is also in WHEOOHRN mode

There was an Ethiopian revolt in Yeha

I put up the Single Currency vote in the UN - it passes unanimously

Qin Shi Huang completed Mining Inc

Open borders with Boudica

Plastics comes in, set Composites for the casings

Hatshepsut wants a defensive pact - I consider it, because we are friendly and she seems to have a decent set up, but decline because I am thinking China may be building up to go against her

Joao II completed Apollo - we still have 12 turns left on ours at this point

Boudica wants us to adopt Universal Suffrage - I decline because I don't remember any civics discussions

Qin Shi Huang completed the Internet

I evened out the Espionage distribution - I'd like to see everyone's research especially now that the Internet has been completed. We can check to see if someone is researching something we have a monopoly on (like Satellites) and trade it to China before he gets it for free (ideally) - then I see that he is researching it himself

Put up the UN vote for Free Religion - it succeeds but not unanimously

We get The Overwhelm Doctrine quest

Composites came in, set Laser

Zara Yaqob "requests" Ecology - I send him away empty handed and angry

Qin wants to trade Computers and 390 gold for Composites - I decline right now but next player can probably make the deal if he wants

We still have 6 turns on Apollo, and we should seriously consider revolting to Emancipation, or putting up for UN vote Emancipation, our people are really unhappy about it.

The save ~

 

[Rex Tyrannus]

Good job on the health issue. I like the overwhelm doctrine on this map. You never know when we'll need to rush a capital to take out its space ship and every city is coastal.

If we don't have any beakers invested, I'd like to not research lasers. If I remember correctly, it's not a spaceship tech and doesn't let us build anything useful. Leads to stealth, right? Our research is not the best and our biggest advantage will be in not researching useless techs while the AI will.