SGOTM Ideas

[denyd]

I've been in a couple of SGs with interesting premises.

The first allowed you to only found 5 cities. You could capture as many as you wanted, but could only found 5. Making that restriction on a 100K game would be interesting.

Another game was played as the Vikings and we could only build Archers->Berzerks->Guerillas->TOW Infantry and had to win my domination on an Archipelago world.

The last game was played as India and you could not connect any strategic resources until the Industrial Age.

Each of these variations produced very interesting and challenging games.

 

[TheOverseer714]

The second premise is close to what we are doing in Rod-01, and only building 1 move units is very challenging, even at Regent level. The 5BC idea would also be very challenging. Good ideas, Denyd!

 

[ControlFreak]

Not that I had time to participate in the last epic struggle, but...

How about leveling the playing field a bit by governors controlling happiness and automated workers? Victory condition could be any specified. If military victory, then let the advisor choose the builds and techs.

At least without excessive Micro Managing and worker moves, the turns would go faster.

 

[DWetzel]

Whatever the decision is, I hope there is one soon!

*tugs on Superman's cape*

 

[Rodent]

How about this-

You can only build units on horses (Chariot,Horseman, Knight and Cavalry), Other units are not allowed

 

[ignas]

How about this-

You can only build units on horses (Chariot,Horseman, Knight and Cavalry), Other units are not allowed

That would be too easy.

How about random Deity game?

 

[denyd]

Ignas: How about random Deity game?

The last 2 games were DemiGod (Japan with a Gilligan start) and Diety (Byzantines with another Gilligan start). That's over a year of Gilligan starts on a hight level against a lot of AI.

How about something a bit lower or at least give us an AGR team with a river? And enough of starting on a island with less than 40 tiles.

Maybe an Iroquoiis on a Continents game at Emperor or DG.

 

[CommandoBob]

I've read about temporal displacements games. That is, we start at 4000 BC but the AIs are at 3000 BC on Turn 1. I have no real idea as to how this magic is done, but it sounds interesting.

 

[AlanH]

If anyone fancies themselves as a game designer, please feel free to volunteer. You clearly couldn't compete if you design and test the map, but the glory would be yours.

Alternatively, define a clear enough specification that even a dunce like me can follow it, and I could then create a semi-random map to meet that requirement for you all to play. It would probably have to use standard C3C rules, or the ones we already have in place for SGOTMs. Creating a fancy new mod, or changing the game rules, is likely to end in tears if I try to do it

 

[denyd]

I'm playing in a PBEM right now where every team can build every unit - I makes for some interesting decisions (GS or Legions or Immortals, not to mention when Knights show up). Also the AC & Crusaders are available to build without wonders.

 

[Paul#42]

I'm playing in a PBEM right now where every team can build every unit - I makes for some interesting decisions (GS or Legions or Immortals, not to mention when Knights show up). Also the AC & Crusaders are available to build without wonders.

Quite early GAs I'd guess...

Still it would turn to the same most populars as always - a couple of EWs and the rest is MWs upgraded to riders upgraded to cossaks... (wait - did I forget war chariots?)
Okay maybe we'd see some Panzers later in the game if some rivals are protected (hidden) well enough...

But still sounds like fun.
How does it work on upgrades? Can one chose between several options?

On a German site there was a contest where one could only settle on (rare) mountains to eliminate the misuse of the gold mine exploit that was haunting that community at that time. Quite funny variant though.
However some players developed a resource denial exploit strategy to keep the Ai from settling those mountains...

 

[denyd]

How does it work on upgrades? Can one chose between several options?

You can only upgrade to the base unit...
Warrior->Sword->MDI or Chariot->Horseman->Knight
no Warrior->Immortal upgrades
UU would upgrade to the base unit also like Ansar->Cavalry & Hoplite->Musket

Also I turned off GA via units. Only Wonder caused Golden Ages.

The AI seems to be handling the changes pretty well so far. Carthage built EW & Greece built Hoplites to defend their cities. It'll be interesting to see which Swordsman option the AI picks.

 

[Rodent]

How about this-

When you start, the AI is in the Middle ages and has 5-10 cities with population and infrastructure

 

[Paul#42]

How about this-

When you start, the AI is in the Middle ages and has 5-10 cities with population and infrastructure

Oh, we just had this...

 

[DWetzel]

Here's a goofy idea:

How about a Civ III scavenger hunt? Compile a list of items to be gathered and/or locations to be taken. First team to complete all the given tasks wins the game.

 

[nerovats]

I like the all UU idea. Should be interresting. Still like the gold rush as well.

Any random game would work, it doesn't have to be carefully planned for me. Maybe take out MGL's and SGL's as well to make it as fair as possible. Also no suicide curaghs/galley's. As we've seems it can make or break a game if you get lucky or not.

 

[I. Larkin]

I like the all UU idea. Should be interresting. Still like the gold rush as well.

Any random game would work, it doesn't have to be carefully planned for me. Maybe take out MGL's and SGL's as well to make it as fair as possible. Also no suicide curaghs/galley's. As we've seems it can make or break a game if you get lucky or not.

I like these ideas very much. Ship shoud sink with p=1 if stop at dangeros water.
However, I think, MGL may remain or Mil Academy may be built without Army win.

In addition I have in mind following variant: It is forbiden to capture/destroy last AI's City. Conquest will be impossible and Domination will be more difficult. To avoid flips we should care about our culture more.

The best map size for SGTOM is standart, difficulty is around Demigod, but I prefer Diety with good start (2-3 Lux, Food, rivers, room to expand, 70 - 100 tiles at least). Better to have some contacts early, but have a possibility for safe life at the beginig. Also it is good to start from center of the map, not from the conner.

 

[CommandoBob]

It is forbiden to capture/destroy last AI's City.

Sounds good.

However, does that mean we must protect the last AI city from another AI?

 

[nerovats]

There was an sg which was designed to do just that, let the ai win. Also played a game where you were supposed to keep all ai allive, but thats hard as in my case a civ destoryed before I even met them. It think Ivan's rule should be you ae not allowed to take the last city of a civ, if another ai does that it's ok. That means there will always be 1 ai remaining. Don't understand what he means with the flips, I don't see how that makes a difference in this variant.

Often in sg's people find a great start to play, or often in sgotm you get a good start which turns out to be difficult as you're lonely on a tiny island, or something. Could start on a normal world, with a below average start. Onces started in a vast tundra in a deity level sg, which was fun. That was truly deity level. If you start with 2 cows and 3 luxes it plays more like DG or maybe even emperor.

For SG's I usually like to randomize everything. If you know your archipello and huge world you will play different start then when playing something you don't have a clue about. It's more interresting. But also odd objectives/rules can work well. Like the gold rush or get 50K from 1 city win.

 

[DWetzel]

One idea which I'd been toying with for a random succession game, which sort of takes some elements of Ivan's idea:

1. Diplomatic victory for the player (or team).
2. Player (or team) must control all the original AI capitals before they are allowed to win. (If another civ destroys an original AI capital, that's okay--but I don't think that's likely to happen.)
3. Player (or team) may not eliminate an AI civ.