SGOTM Ideas

[greatbeyond]

Things have been kind of quiet on the Civ3 SGOTM side of the table and with the current epic that is understandable. Without giving anything away about the current game, I thought their could be some discussion about the next game(s). With that in mind, if the mods allow this thread, I propose the following discussions:

Whom do you think would make a challenging player civ and what victory condition to make it a challenge?
I'm looking for challenges, such as playing a non-scientific civ against a majority of scientific civs with a goal of a space win, or a peace monger against all aggressive AIs with a goal of a Diplo win.

Victory conditionsor modifiers that make for a more challenging game)
- perhaps no galleys (naval transport) until Caravels or even Galleons
-a UN win
-a culture win
-a 100 city win
-first team to stockpile 50K gold
-themed games with slightly modified Civs
-no golden ages allowed
etc...

Perhaps we should have Klarius tell us his worst nightmare of an individual game that we could play. If such a thing exists!

I would prefer to play more "short" competitions instead of the long ones. Perhaps alternating a quicker game with a longer game. While the current style of game can be enjoyable, the map size with the number of Civs, makes IBT unbearable for most people and it has dragged on for some time. I loved the idea, perhaps their is some way to have a similiar game that doesn't get bogged down.

 

[eldar]

Well the AW Deity game was a relatively quick one! (Quicker for some than for others, it has to be added!)

The last two (including SGOTM13) have been Space and Diplo, so that really rules them out. We've also had another Space-type (the Gandhi game), and one with naval restrictions (the American hydrophobic game). Then there was the 100K Celtic game, which took a long time but has been made to look like a 3850BC Inca Conquest by comparison to SGOTM13!

One victory condition that hasn't been tried at all lately is 20K. Deity 20K is quite a challenge, but given a "normal" map and some SG teams, shouldn't be that tricky.

Or how about a 5CC game with the main aim being 20K, but with a side-challenge of getting a 5CC 100K win?

 

[nerovats]

I once did a no science space race SG. Maybe for later as last one was space.

Culture seems nice. Maybe a strange twist like making one of the AI win by culture?

Have played with the idea of setting goal in cash as well. Though 50K isn't much of a challange, maybe become 1st miljonair?

Has histo ever been a SGOTM, tiny should not take that long?

 

[DWetzel]

If it's a quick game ye wants, a OCC game, any victory condition open, would be interesting.

 

[TheOverseer714]

The huge map/high level thing is crushingly difficult for older computers to handle. Interesting shorter games that can be played by a moderately powered computer need to be considered. I like the special UUs featured in some recent Cotms/Gotms, that added some spice. The extra movement UUs were really fun. I have seen some interesting ideas in the SGs, such as "gridlocked", where all cities must be settled in a strict grid, or in another where no fast units are allowed in an AW format. In the stories and tales section, there is a no defensive units game and there is a game where the AIs started knowing all ancient ages tech, combined with a space VC. Some variants combined together could be fun and challenging, without burning out the players and their CPUs.

 

[Andronicus]

I've played a few 20k limited no. city games - (3CC can work if allowed to have 4 cities for army but must only have 3 at end of turn). AW makes a nice twist as this really makes balancing out the priorities of warfare / defence, science and infrastructure builds crucial. Just needs the appropriate difficulty level. Limited cities also helps reduce the play time, though AW does not.

 

[greatbeyond]

How about a game where the first team to own all the wonders wins? It would guarantee everyone would have to go to the modern age and would probably combine a mix of warfare and building expertise. On the negative side, it could take a long time to finish.

Has there ever been an "always war" game for SGOTM?

 

[eldar]

Has there ever been an "always war" game for SGOTM?

Yep there was the AW Deity game a while back.

 

[AlanH]

Yep there was the AW Deity game a while back.

SGOTM 3, Rome, Emperor was sort of AW - you had to declare within 20 turns of contact, I think. SGOTM 7 Ottomans, Deity was all-out AW. They were both fun games for warmongers like me .

SGOTM 7 was the one that saw Mad Bax retire from active game design.

 

[CommandoBob]

A while back I had this idea for an SGOTM. I don't know what it would take to make it happen; I haven't tried any modding.

The Buzz: Coastal Carthaginian Conquest
Difficulty/Map/Land size: open
Civ: Carthage
Flavor:

1. Carthage can only build coastal cities (ones that can build boats because they are on or along a shoreline or a lakeline).
2. Carthage can only build three offensive units:
   • Numidian Mercenary
   • Horses
   • Swords
3. Carthage can build any bombarding unit (catapult, trebuchets, cannon, artillery and radar artillery).
4. Carthage can build any naval unit.
5. Carthage cannot build any air units.
6. Carthage can build any nuclear unit.
7. Carthage can learn anything.
8. Carthage can build any improvement/Wonder (so Statue of Zeus/Knights Templar would be available and accepted).

As I said, this is just an idea. I haven't had the chance to make any mods or playtest this variant.

EDIT:
And these 'Flavors' could be changed, also. Some are pretty arbitrary.

 

[Yilar]

How about a Sid AW wonder victory only with a few bonus units, so you don't die to initial rush?

 

[eldar]

I think a Sid "open victory condition" game might be fun for some of us who haven't played Sid before.

 

[TheOverseer714]

How about a DG on a regular huge map but with a twist? The twist? The human player starts on a galley with a settler and worker in 2000 BC, giving the AIs a 2000 year head start. That could be challenging.

 

[DWetzel]

Diplomatic win, with the human player not allowed to build the UN? Alternatively, force a diplomatic win for another civ?

 

[I. Larkin]

Diplomatic win, with the human player not allowed to build the UN? Alternatively, force a diplomatic win for another civ?

It was SGTOM-2, Germany, monarch. Nice game.

How about a DG on a regular huge map but with a twist? The twist? The human player starts on a galley with a settler and worker in 2000 BC, giving the AIs a 2000 year head start. That could be challenging.

It may be too slow. I think Standart map is the best for SGTOM.

I like most SGTOM 12, OCCB, Diplo. Probably we may repeat it on Sid, but with another Civ (Vikings) and open victory conditions.

 

[AlanH]

At CommandoBob's request, I have added a few details to the Civ3 SGOTM Map Gallery so that you can see the previous variants that have been played, along with civ, map size, difficulty.

 

[CommandoBob]

Thank you!

eek: I didn't know that such a page existed.)

 

[AlanH]

It's linked from the main menu on the left of each GOTM web site page. There are pages covering all of the Civ3 and Civ4 xOTM games.

 

[DWetzel]

Well, in looking at things, it looks like there has never been a 20k victory condition. So that might be interesting. Perhaps even a 30k, to spice things up? (Can this be modified in?)

Alternatively, require that teams meet at least three or four (or all!) of the victory conditions (conquest/domination/20k/100k/diplo/space) at some point in their game? I doubt that could be modified, but I'd think it could be done via the "play more turns" option. That should give both warmongers and builders their fill of fun.

I do admit I fancy the idea of starting on a boat with the settler/worker combo to start, that might be very very interesting. (Pirates!) I don't think I'd enjoy doing that on Demigod with a 2000 year head start, but perhaps either on a lower level, or far out to sea, or something, could work well. There's some meat on that bone!

I know that the elite players probably don't find as much of a challenge at levels below about Deity or so, but consider this a humble request for a game at a slightly lower level. I know that SGs can be played at a somewhat higher level than the individual players, but at the same time, it need not be a mad struggle for survival.

 

[Furiey]

I was sure that there had been a 20k game, but looking back it was Carthage 5CC SGOTM4 game, that certainly team tao and I think others won by 20k.

I do enjoy the different GOTM units and have always fancied a game with the special Mongol horse units. I played the taster game that Cracker put out, but never got round to playing the GOTM with them in.

I'm afraid this huge 31 civs game was just too much for my poor PC. The others have all been OK though.

I actually enjoy playing at high level in succession games, even though I've never played a solo game above Monarch.

edit: We've had war game variants and I don't think limiting to only building offensive units would make that much difference to many games, but have we had a peace variant? A limit on only building defensive units would be a turnabout.