"Predator" Class Game Announcement

[Sirp]

The only time barbarians are really nasty on Deity is if you have an isolated start.

If the AIs are anywhere near you, they'll wipe out the barbarians pretty quick.

Getting no hut bonuses is no biggie, since you wouldn't normally dare to enter huts on Deity anyway unless you were expansionistic. The few you got through 'safe' methods probably wouldn't yield much anyway.

-Sirp.

 

[Peanut]

Considering the place of peanuts on the foodchain, this humble Peanut would very soon be the prey in Predator class. Especially a peaceful Spanish Peanut surrounded by very hungry diety class rivals and swarms of raging barbarians with a taste for light snacks.

However it seems a great idea especially if we less experienced players can gain some deeper insights into how the GOTM Predators approach their game - strategies, techniques, how they handled unforeseen problems and so on.

So, all you Predators out there - please put your thoughts and experiences in writing.

I will be watching keenly to learn something new, probably from the relative safety of the Conquest class (unless I feel particularly bold this month).

I am impressed by the thought Cracker and his team have put into the GOTMs, as well their willingness to put in long hours to help all of us have a more enjoyable game experience.

 

[Txurce]

Sirp makes a good point about the relatively low impact of the barb and hut modifications. It pretty much comes down to whether you want to go for a conquest victory or not. Since I don't have PTW, I don't have a choice.

I am looking forward to more radical Predator mods in future, lower-level games that are available for 1.29.

 

[Sirp]

Well, I wouldn't rule out an isolated start, in which case the barbarian changes make a BIG difference. Do we know what the barbarian settings are going to be for everyone else?

-Sirp.

 

[Txurce]

I don't know what the barb settings are in the other two classes but, based on the last two games' difficulty levels, I'd be stunned if the deity game had an isolated start. For me, that would be tougher than all the Predator modifications combined.

 

[Smirk]

I don't agree with the hut assesment, huts are always of value, its just the value is reduced as the difficulty goes up. I still have no problem trading a few warriors for a free tech. I'm not one to ignore huts and let the expansionist civs get them either.

Also the threat of barbs is minimal, as always. There are acceptable loses, this is mainly workers and improvements. I would never let them sack an important city and destroy a lot of shields, and usually they don't take much gold if you don't have it, so its possible to be wary and ignore barb defense. But in all diety games I doubt this will be much of a problem, the problem will be the civs who have production benefits and a strategy for building real units with real goals. In other words if you are playing defensive and can't stop barbs, its not likely you'll be able to stop any aggressive civs. (Except that you can't bribe barbs with tech deals and the like.) On the other hand if you are the aggressor, then barbs hardly stack up.


I'm undecided whether I am going to play the Predator class, it sounds fun, but I usually get annoyed when the computer opponents gets too many cheating advantages. However, I suspect that cracker's goals are to make for a better challenge in a raw strategic sense, not in the sheer production numbers advantage that is the bulk of the current diety difference. That is, things along the lines of the benefit Rome got last game, and the macer units in gotm18.

 

[Darkness]

Originally posted by pilferman
I'll stick with "Open" for now. I've never beaten Deity....until GOTM 20. (must.....remain.....optimistic.....)

Same here pilferman....

 

[Renata]

No predator class for me this month (says Renata, who has yet to beat deity on her own), but looking forward to seeing what some of the modifications are for the lower levels in future months.

Renata

 

[Sirp]

Well I wouldn't expect to see you playing predator class, Renata, but I do hope you're not tempted to play conquest class. I have full confidence in you to get your first Deity win this month.

Oh, and you haven't beaten Deity on your own *or* in a group.....yet

-Sirp.

 

[Renata]

Yeah, just waiting for Borealis to put the hammer down. Nope, no conquest for me, either. I may even have time to try a couple of deity practice games before June.

Renata

 

[col]

Sigh me too. I've lost the last two deity GOTM games I've attempted and won all the Emperor ones comfortably. I expect there are a lot of others in the same position.

Hopefully next month, there will be a lot of folks beating deity for the first time - and the open game will be fine for me thanks. Sneaking a UN win or a launching spaceship while all the AIs destroy each other will be my aims.

 

[Renata]

@ col: LOL that sounds like a plan.

Renata

 

[Darkness]

Yes, it does. Assuming I'll last that long, off course...

 

[alamo]

Wow, I expected a few more bravado posts. I certainly won't be trying Predator myself, but I expected to see a few heavyweights sign up. No mention of a N city challenge, either.


Barbs could be a real problem if left unchecked, but it could also be a huge cash cow/vet factory if you can farm it.

I'm not crazy about the Conquistador (horses+Nav), but it would probably be useful for the conquest victory.

 

[Yndy]

I'll try it. Since I got outscored by many in the last GOTM's I'll go for Predator only for the glory of doing so. I could justify a defeat with the higher level and claim additional laurels should I manage to get a victory. I lost the Babylon Deity GOTM in December but it was close. I've won several deity games back home but none with raging barbs.

 

[Gen. Maximus]

Yndy, you OUTSCORED me {in the last game if I recall correctly} I think this conquest in Deity will be probably draggin me into the late industrial or even modern ages.

{GM, let us avoid discussing currntly open games and the partial score results outside of the spoiler threads until the games have closed - cracker)

 

[Moonsinger]

I'm so glad that Cracker didn't mandate that upper 25% to be in Predator Class. Let's hope that he doesn't change his mind on this.

 

[civ_steve]

Go away for a few days, and see what has changed at GOTM! Predator Class! Sounds tasty ... but not at Deity level. (Maybe GOTM21)

I like the idea of ramping up the challenge for the more experienced players, while providing additional bonuses to aid the less experienced. This type of simple tailoring should expand the attractiveness of GOTM to the typical player.

 

[Meisier]

The plus to isolated starts on diety is that you may be able to get a signifigant amount of land without needing to go through an early war. It is however very important that you (assuming Islands land mass) get contact with most cives before they do, and use some superior trading techniques to catch up on the techs (Hint - don't trade contacts untill right before they would get them anyway - do trade maps)... which means some boats will be lost in the sea/ocean... I've generaly found raging barbs to work in my favor - it does slow the AI down a turn or two, sometimes more if they manage to kill a settler. If you adjust your play (I build a few early archers - since on PTW you can't depend on them to attack your spearmen...) everything should be fine...

 

[Skyfish]

No GOTM19 spoilers please guys

I like the idea of Predator class and will certainly give it a try, but I don't really like Conquest victories though...

If you recall the ONLY Conquest victory in GOTM14 was from Sirian with Modern Armors in 1750. Since I always have very little time to finish GOTMs I probably will not have the time to finish Predator for GOTM20

Will still have to ponder that decision...