Random events on or off?

[plasmacannon]

... and hence the option to be included or excluded in every game.
There are a variety of opinions on the subject, yet, we all enjoy the game.
Have fun.

 

[QuixotesGhost]

Absolutely not! I want o be able to beat MC and Boxer because a random event gives my marines 10 more health, or give me a free factory at the start so I can attack /w helions in impossible timings.

Except that Ladders on strategy games with high instances of random occurances do not have this problem. Good players leverage and mitigate. Random effects, at least those that are balnced well, do not hand the game to one player or the other. The cream still rises to the top.

My point is that randomness and strategy is not, and should not be mutually exclusive. Randomness creates tension, unpredicatbitly, and excitment. Nail-biting moments in which you're never quite sure if that AT gun is going to score that crucical penetrating hit that the game could turn on.

And claiming that Starcraft's use of terrain, unit positioning and tactics is sophisticated is admitting ignorance of the rest of the genre.

 

[Archon_Wing]

And claiming that Starcraft's use of terrain, unit positioning and tactics is sophisticated is admitting ignorance of the rest of the genre.

Interesting idea. But I don't think anyone even said that.

Oh and btw, I only object to random events as implemented in unmodded BTS.

 

[TheMeInTeam]

... and hence the option to be included or excluded in every game.
There are a variety of opinions on the subject, yet, we all enjoy the game.
Have fun.

The problem is when events exist or are forced to exist via luck abuse in competitive settings. Then people with more time or luck > people with more skill. Not cool.

 

[Matty R]

I play with them on, but I've modded out all of the negative ones.

 

[Ambidexter]

I play with them on because random events happen in real life. In 1281 the Mongol invasion of Japan was overwhelmed by a typhoon and Japanese independence was preserved. With random events, sometimes I'm the Mongols, sometimes I'm the Japanese.

 

[Drumheller]

Random events on
Barbs on
Random personalities on
Random leaders on
Random climate
Random Shoreline

Starting the game knowing the personalities of the leaders gives the human player a huge advantage.

 

[r_rolo1]

Random events on
Barbs on
Random personalities on
Random leaders on
Random climate
Random Shoreline

Starting the game knowing the personalities of the leaders gives the human player a huge advantage.

Bah, that argument again ...

If you really, really want to know, you can know with ease what leader is behind the mask in 10 turns after contact.

 

[uat2d]

Bah, that argument again ...

If you really, really want to know, you can know with ease what leader is behind the mask in 10 turns after contact.

Let me guess, if Gandi is spamming swords and cats, he's Monty?

 

[TheMeInTeam]

Random events on
Barbs on
Random personalities on
Random leaders on
Random climate
Random Shoreline

Starting the game knowing the personalities of the leaders gives the human player a huge advantage.

I know! Let's copy this argumentative approach!

Random events off
Barbs off
Random personalities off
Random leaders off
Choose balanced climate
Solid shoreline

"This line is dedicated to making a statement that has nothing to do with the opening post or thread discussion, presenting a non-argument."

Sound about right? Good good. You know, it's OK to simply say "I choose settings that I like". There doesn't have to be a pretend non-argument with no supporting logic or basis whatsoever. It's not like everyone in the thread playing a competitive game, where they'd actually need to present a VERY good argument for the inclusion of trash events, which doesn't exist.

 

[r_rolo1]

Let me guess, if Gandi is spamming swords and cats, he's Monty?

A little of that too

Remember that all the leaders have prefered diferent civics, they have diferent flavour in techs, they give diferent importance to religion, they have more or less focus in the military ... if you cross all that intel it is easy to get in some turns who is who, since random personalities doesn't actually randomize all the paramethers

If you want a good and funny read on this, try giving this a look

 

[Skallagrimson]

Combat is a random event. You can't click that one off.

 

[Archon_Wing]

You can avoid it, or find ways to increase your chances.

You usually can't do that with events, except maybe stockpiling some gold.

 

[Skallagrimson]

You can avoid it, or find ways to increase your chances.

You usually can't do that with events, except maybe stockpiling some gold.

Events would definitely be better if there were more strategic ways of affecting event probabilities.

 

[Archon_Wing]

They just have to be less game breaking.

Yes, we've lost battles at 95% odds, but save for early rushes, usually a few unlucky battles doesn't decide that much, especially in the later ages, where luck usually isn't a factor when you have hundreds of battles. If it was influenced by some unlucky battles, then that might have just been poor planning (you didn't bring enough).

The power of siege pretty much eliminates the luck factor in so many cases, when you're just constantly attacking at 90%+ odds.

However, naval combat does blow before air units... :S

Having your entire army be destroyed with a stupid event just ruins everything. Or having it screw one of your neighbors make it easier for you is just as silly.

 

[Skallagrimson]

I think that's the key, for events to be more "combat-like", with things you can do (besides just hoard gold) to mitigate events, and to have enough of them more often with smaller impact that no single event would be a game-breaker (sidelong glance at the barbarian horde of axemen on turn 1).

 

[Archon_Wing]

Yea I agree, but coming up with such events would be hard.

 

[Skallagrimson]

Yea I agree, but coming up with such events would be hard.

I could probably spec out a "Better Events" mod, and it might be doable just through an XML change, which even I who am python-illiterate, could do:

Barbarian Horde:
1) Post-2000 BC
2) Base 5% chance per turn
3) -1% chance for each axeman or chariot built, down to minimum 1%

Volcano:
1) At game initiation one mountain per major land mass is set as an active volcano
2) Active volcanoes are identified in the early eras when they erupt
3) With the discovery of Chemistry all active volcanoes are revealed
4) NO other mountains spontaneously erupt

Federal Reserve renamed to Central Bank event, decision point 100% occurrence at the discovery of Economics:
1) Select National Treasury ("fiat") Currency, 0% interest cost. Subject to "runaway inflation" event.
2) Select Central Bank, 10% interest cost. Not subject to "runaway inflation" event.

Runaway inflation: 5% per turn chance when subject. Gold cost (random 150 to 450) to re-stabilize the currency. If left unchecked, can derail into National Depression, and one by one banks disappear just like units when in "STRIKE".

A lot of the other events can be reformed in that way, to put more decision-making into it and less a matter of "you are subject to the whims of fate" feeling they can often bring.

 

[TheMeInTeam]

And claiming that Starcraft's use of terrain, unit positioning and tactics is sophisticated is admitting ignorance of the rest of the genre.

The most sophisticated thing there is balance.

However, if you're going to come up with a list of RTS titles that have more variable *and* VIABLE options in the mentioned categories than starcraft2, you're going to give us a short list.

If you want REASONABLE random-ness draws, look no further than HOMM III, which in many of its facets of play is better than any iteration of civ yet. It doesn't quite have civ IV's strategic depth, but hell its controls work and the damage ranges allow you to work around them. "Events" as it were are not truly random, but rather just developer fake difficulty that doesn't exist in competitive settings in the game.

The major features added by civ IV expansion packs are mostly jokes! It's horrible! Vassals, AP, Events are all objectively broken! Espionage and corps are the sole things that are halfway decent, though I'm not convinced EP was actually balanced at least isn't isn't a broken skeleton code joke mechanic!

 

[woooooooor]

I always play with events on, just for the randomness factor. Makes games more interesting.

If I wanted to be super serious business I'd turn them off however.