PH19: The RNGod Must Be Crazy

[pholkhero]

Prelude

We are a mindless tribe of minions with absolutely no goal in life ... except to worship the RNG (Random Number Generator) God. RNG, in fact, dictates everything in a Civ4 game, from combat outcome to whether you have resources near your capital. So, this SG is an ultimate tribute to Him. The RNGod manifests Himself as all seven forms of religion.

Acknowledgment

The original RNGod SGs were started by GreyFox ~ Fox-02--Praying to the RNG God and Fox-05: The RNGod Strikes Back ~, that lone and intrepid Star Trekker who has since passed into the Great Beyond of RL (ie, no longer on the forums, not actually dead). Of course, Fox passed on further acknowledgements in his SGs, but that is not for us to worry about.


Background

After two previous attempts to bring religion to the infidels, the RNGod, now fat and complacent himself from excess sweets, watched lazily as the world slid away from His Randomness. Snapping out of his funk, the RNGod decided he needed to find a whole new world to bring His Random Word. This, I think, adequately sets up the new game, so anything I left out, you can imagine and fill in on your on.


The Game

Learning from his two previous attempts to spread His Random Word, the RNGod has decreed that his mindless minions' first objective is to seek out the RNGod. This means founding a religion. This first objective has no turn limit, but requires that we NOT found a second city until we have secured a religion.

After acquiring a religion, we must convert to that religions and STAY THERE ALL GAME. We also will start praying to the RNGod on what to do next. RNGod will then tell us, by means of a dice roll, what are our objectives. We will do our best to fulfill the objectives to appease the RNGod.

Failure to achieve any of the objectives and we would be punished.


The Variant

We will, under no circumstances, discuss among ourselves what victory conditions to aim for, and how to achieve victory. We may (and should) discuss how to achieve the current objective as decreed by the RNGod.

We may do other things that may seemingly be unrelated to the objective at hand, but that is actually all part of the grand plan of the RNGod.

[discussion begins in next post]

 

[pholkhero]

Alright, out-of-character stuff ~

We've got 3 sign-ups for sure and one tentative one as well, so there's one (potentially two) spots still open. You can sign up below, and I'll take the second one as the alternate.

First up, objectives:

Prod  Prob   Objective
----  ----   ---------
  1   1/36   Start a Golden Age
  2   2/36   Build a World/Project/National Wonder
  3   2/36   Learn a tech that enables a wonder or a religion
  4   3/36   Kill N*5 enemies [1][2]
  5   2/36   Get something for free [3] from other Civ 
  6   4/36   Capture or found 3 more cities [2]
  8   2/36   Learn a tech in the next age or future tech
  9   1/36   Capture an enemy capitol or size 10 city
 10   2/36   Ensure at least 3 Civs are at war (need not be us)
 12   4/36   Spread any religion to 3 cities
 15   2/36   Disconnect an AI from a type of resources
 16   1/36   Capture cities from 3 different Civs [2]
 18   2/36   Add 10 xp to any single unit [4]
 20   2/36   Capture a city with new resources [2]
 24   2/36   Learn a Tech that allows new unit
 25   1/36   Capture a city with world wonder or shrine
 30   2/36   Learn a Tech no one knows
 36   1/36   Generate a Great Person (can be via tech research)

Footnote:
---------
[1]  N is the millenium number we are in, i.e. 4000BC-3000BC=1, 2999BC-2000BC=2,
     1999BC-10000BC=3, 999BC-0AD=4, 1AD-1000AD=5, 1001AD-2000AD=6, >2000AD=7
[2]  Barbarians units/cities are allowed
[3]  It is okay if we offer only peace treaty
[4]  The unit must be identified at the begining

I think we'll keep these objectives with just a few changes.
#3, I'd like to change to "learn a tech that enables a wonder, and then build that wonder
#10, I'd like to change to "ensure WE are at war with 2 (or 3) civs"
#12, I'd like to change to "Spread OUR religion to at least 3 cities"

Punishments:

Roll  Punishment
----  ----------
 1    Destroy (2d6) own improvements
 2    Whip all cities [1]
 3    Move (1d6) units to the northmost reachable point, another (1d6) to the southmost reachable point.
      OR  Get (1d6) units to circumnavigate the globe
 4    Change all civics to most basic form [2]
 5    Empty all cities for (1d6) turns
 6    Gift away a (1d6: 1,2=city, 3,4=tech, 5,6=great persons) [3]

Footnote:
---------
[1]  Must revolt to slavery if possible.  Escape punishment if it is not.
      If city is not whippable, it must be whipped as it becomes whippable.
[2]  Eg: Free Market -> Decentralization.  
[3]  Escape punishment if no AI is willing to accept any city/tech/GP, 
      or if we do not have anything to gift away in 10 turns.

#2, I'd like to change to "Whip all cities for TotalPop/3 (rounded down) citizens" ~ e.g., if we have a pop4, pop6 and pop8 city, we whip 18/3=6 citizens in any combination at the cities. Simple enough. OR, we could change this to "Whip highest pop city down to 1."
#3 and #5 I'd like to get rid of totally.

As of now, as replacement, I'm thinking "Immediately take peace (regardless of cost) with any civ we are at war with." This would be done through the "What is the price of peace?" option in the diplomacy window. We could also swap "any civ" to "all civs", which I like better.
For a second option, I'd like to have "Change research to 0% science. After ten turns, we must empty our coffers by giving it all away"

In Fox-05, the idea of Personal Objectives was introduced, giving each player a goal to achieve during their turnset.

Roll  Objective
----  ---------
 1    Kill (1d6) enemies [1]
 2    Capture or found a city
 3    Learn a tech 
 4    Spread a religion
 5    Get an AI Civ to improve attitude towards us [2]
   OR Get a cultural pop
 6    Increase (1d6)x100 gold
   OR Increase (1d6)x3 exp points (per military screen)

Footnote:
---------
[1]  Barbarians are counted as enemies
[2]  Eg. Annoyed -> Cautious, Pleased -> Friendly

Roll  Punishment
----  ----------
 1    All workers to stay inside cities simultaneously for 1 turn
 2    Empty (1d6) cities of units for 1 turn
 3    Change civis or state religion
 4    whip away (1d6) pop
 5    Play (1d6) turns less
 6    Jump up and down 10 times, really! :)

Here, I'd like to change Punishment 1, to "All workers stay in cities for your next turnset."
P3, I'd like to change to: "Stay in anarchy throughout your next turnset."
I'd also like to change Punishments 2, 5 and 6, but I can't think of anything right now. Feel free to post ideas.

All thoughts/ideas are also welcome before we begin the actual game.

 

[pholkhero]

Punishment Ideas: "Disconnect all luxury resources for ten turns" OR "Pillage all improvements around our highest pop city (where all improvements must be gone before reconstruction can begin)".

In addition, what I didn't mention is that any Random Objective that the game gives us (e.g., to build 6 temples or axes or whatever), we must succeed at or face punishment if we don't (as determined by the Global Punishments table).

 

[ruff_hi]

Nice! Do you need someone to be the human manifestation of RNGod? Or are you expecting him to actually descend to your plane of existence and physically roll the dice for you?

 

[pholkhero]

Nice! Do you need someone to be the human manifestation of RNGod? Or are you expecting him to actually descend to your plane of existence and physically roll the dice for you?

Well, I was figuring the divine essence of the RNGod would descend to each player individually for their personal objectives, but if you're volunteering to roll up the global objectives and punishments, consider yourself drafted!

 

[r_rolo1]

Signing in

 

[LKendter]

Is someone going to keep an "objective list" at regular intervals? This could get confusing fasts...

Still in tentative state.

 

[pigswill]

Space for a noob in the roster?

 

[pigswill]

Maybe pinch cripp7's idea for random map, leaders etc, though maybe predefine era (ancient), map size(standard) and gamespeed(normal).

 

[pholkhero]

I think there should be a running list posted with each report, perhaps at the beginning when each person can display the personal objective for their set.

@rolo and pigs ~ you're both in and we're full unless lee opts out. One of you signed up in the other thread anyway.

We also need some comments on the objectives and punishments please and thank you.

 

[LKendter]

Hopefully it doesn't get to crazy tracking this...

IN

 

[ruff_hi]

Well, I was figuring the divine essence of the RNGod would descend to each player individually for their personal objectives, but if you're volunteering to roll up the global objectives and punishments, consider yourself drafted!

While day dreaming today about winning mucho $ at some card game, the RNGod visited me and said that he is happy that I pass on any message about game objectives (and punishments!). He also mentioned rewards but I am sure that we don't need any of those. He didn't say anything about personal objectives so I am assuming that he will visit those on the players at the beginning of each set.

 

[pholkhero]

That sounds good, ruff ~

I think, to simplify things, I will also keep track of our global objectives with each roster posting.

E.g.,

Global Objectives
01)  T034: Begin a Golden Age: Completed, T062
02)  T062: Build a World/Project/National Wonder: Completed, T108
03) T108: Learn a tech to build a wonder, and build wonder: In Progress until T141

Roster
pholkhero
rolo
LKendter
pigswill
ozbenno
imhotep

Then, also, each report should begin with your own set's personal objective.

Still waiting on ozzie's and Immy's check-in as well, and thoughts on punishments

as for rewards: isn't serving the RNGod reward enough??

 

[·Imhotep·]

Checking in ! This should be fun. I think we should consider the difficulty level when thinking about the punishments. Emperor+ might be a tall order if we have real harsh punishments...

 

[pholkhero]

Let's set the objectives, and then scale the level appropriately, i think.

also, I'm thinking of maybe using Random Leaders adn Random Personalities on a Random map. We also, though, should think of a leader for ourselves...we should at least have a reasonable chance to grab one of the early religions.

 

[Tatran]

Nice! Do you need someone to be the human manifestation of RNGod?

Actually, a good and an evil RNGod would be great.
Maybe I'll volunteer for one of the two.

 

[Ozbenno]

OK signing in, I'm away hiking until Wednesday next week so won't have be around until then.

Like the changes to the rules as suggested.

 

[ruff_hi]

So - should I just get this game rolling ... or is there more discussion needed?

 

[pigswill]

I've got the general idea. Why not get started and see how it turns out, details can be added as we go.

 

[pholkhero]

well, tbh, I was looking for more input on the objectives and punishments, but I guess I don't see why we can't just get started.

for leader, I was thinking some old fashioned religion ~ Gandhi. As for level, I think we should be alright at Monarch, no?

I'll roll up a start and post it.