Possible Exploit/Bug

[BCLG100]

Well This was brought up by Rik in the ISDG UN forum, which was inturn found out by Morcar of the CRC team

We just have found an exploit in game mechanics relative to great people. The heart of the problem is simple: we can use 2 or more great people both for starting of GA and, for example, for creating academy in the city. You can try it by yourself: create two different great persons in the city (using WB for example) and then use first for academy, then quickly switch to second great person and choose start GA. This works only in original game and doesn`t work in Warlords.

I have not tested this yet, but assuming this is true I propose the following rule:

No Golden Age may be started in a turn in which a Great Person was already used for something else. (lightbulbing, building, great citizen, etc.)

-> If you notice you can chose a Golden Age first and then use left-over great leaders to do "something else"; you just can't do it in the order Morcar shows that can be exploitive.

RM proposed this rule to counter it

A great person may only be used for one special ability.

Or adding:

No Golden Age may be started in a turn in which a Great Person was already used for something else (lightbulbing, building, great citizen, etc.) unless otherwise approved by the admins.

And grs proposed the simple

Let's put it simple: A single GP should not be used twice.

So anyways what are the teams thoughts on all of this?

 

[Ginger_Ale]

grs' words are fine, but I might just want to add the words "intentionally or unintentionally", because as it is, it sounds weird, as you normally can't use a GP twice.

 

[Robi D]

I had that happen the other day in a single game. At first i thought i had forgotten about a GP i had somewhere.

I agree with grs words and Ginger Ale's addition

 

[RegentMan]

Let's get some more discussion going before putting it to a team vote, but so far...

A single GP should not be used twice, intentionally or unintentionally.

...looks okay?

 

[BCLG100]

looks fine really.

 

[Rik Meleet]

You are creating difficulties with the (IMHO superfluous) addition "intentionally or unintentionally". Is there a 3rd situation that is neither intentionally, nor unintentionally? If there is, is it allowed to use this bug in the 3rd situation? According to this addition it is. If there isn't such a 3rd situation; "intentionally or unintentionally" adds nothing.

And if someone (or a team) does unintentionally use a GL twice - what to do ? Reloading is illegal. 2 wrongs don't make a right.

If you really want it watertight you have to start phrasing it like "in case a team has multiple GL's available and a Golden Age is to be started with a selection (some or all) of them, as well as a different GL-action is to be performed the same turn the Golden Age is to be started than the Golden Age has to be started before the other GL action is allowed to be taken".
That rules out the "use a leader to lightbulb and then for a GA", while still allows a culture bomb + GA as the GA is done first.

My opinion of all this =

In the ISDG we specifically chose to not make rules very clear and covering everything - we choose to make the spirit of the rules and the thought behind the rule clear. That setup prevents lawyer-like players investigating loopholes to still perform the actions and get away with it because "the rules didn't say we couldn't do it".
The idea of this bug/exploit is clear. So the "Do's" and "Don'ts" are clear as well.

 

[RegentMan]

The phrase "intentionally or unintentionally" does not create difficulties. You may not use a great person more than once, whether intentionally (cheating) ir unitentionally (oops). The phrasing doesn't invite a third side to the issue. Imagine saying that with "I'm in this game until the end, win or lose."

If a team accidently does this, they should notify Ginger and myself, and we'll go from there. Odds are, it was a mistake, and no negative action will come about.

"A single GP should not be used twice, intentionally or unintentionally" covers the issue.