Sid game anyone?

[Karasu]

Well, why not.
I find it a good idea to use a Demigod/Deity game and set the Predator Class to play at Sid level; then, for the sake of simmetry, Conquest would play at Emperor/Demi.

This way you have a high-difficulty game that anyone (in principle) should be able to try, with Sid as an option.

An outright Sid-level game would seem quite a bold move -who would go for a Sid Predator CotM?

Actually, we are planning a Demigod/Deity Pangaea map in December, and possibly a Deity/Demigod Pelago in January, so...

 

[Twonky]

I would definitly play a regular SID G/CotM, and suffer an embarrassing defeat.
So what? To me, G/CotMs are about two things: fun and comparison. Even clearly losing the game, I´d probably have a lot of fun trying to survive as long as possible. And comparing the SID-games in spoilers should be as exciting as educational.
After all, the difficulty can be tweaked severely by the customized map setting. Imagine us being the only SEA civ on a Pelago map with monopolies on every strategic ressource...

 

[Obormot]

Well, why not.
I find it a good idea to use a Demigod/Deity game and set the Predator Class to play at Sid level; then, for the sake of simmetry, Conquest would play at Emperor/Demi.

This way you have a high-difficulty game that anyone (in principle) should be able to try, with Sid as an option.

An outright Sid-level game would seem quite a bold move -who would go for a Sid Predator CotM?

Actually, we are planning a Demigod/Deity Pangaea map in December, and possibly a Deity/Demigod Pelago in January, so...

The difference between Deity and Sid levels is HUGE, much bigger then for example between monarch and emperor and still there were very few predators in the recent games where cost factor was increased. Nobody would take predator if it means playing on sid, and even if anyone would take it he won't be able to compete with open players.

I think it would be a better idea to make a sid game, but allow everybody (not just those who never made it to the top 50%) to play conquest class which would give huge bonuses like extra settlers and reduced cost factor for the AI. I think you might even see a couple of predator players on sid if you don't make the "equalisers" too hard

 

[nerovats]

We could also do a SID game outside of the COTM, if it´s a problem. Someone could just pick a start an everyone can join.
I´m in, in any case wether it´s offical or not. I do however prefer to play a map nobody knows.

 

[Jove]

I dunno.... Here's a suggestion, without landing on either side of the issue. Some of the SID HOF random maps were created using a utility that scanned successive maps for particular charicteristics like for example, being alone on a giant island surrounded by cows. The utility could be run for a day, a week, whatever, and could scan maybe 100,000 random maps , setting aside only the rarest, maybe 5 would make the cut and be 'playable' SID games. So, if there must be a sid game, perhaps the super-computer operators at GOTM Towers could arrange for 1,000,000 iterations, and only the most super sid map would be the one. One that somehow mitigates the lottery factor...

 

[nerovats]

You could also create a custom map on which you put every lux and loads of cows and rivers nearby but then it wouldn´t be SID anymore.

 

[Jove]

I don't see why it wouldn't be sid anymore, but if it's designed, it won't be a 'map nobody knows.'

 

[Obormot]

Top HOFers like Moonsinger use MapFinder not because they cannot win on an average sid map, but because they want to get a higher score. I think we should have a good starting position in a sid game, but not an exceptional 1/1000000 one. Whether or not bad luck can ruin a game actually depends not on the number of cows, but on more general map configuration such as number of agreesive AIs near the start or a possibility for a runaway AI to appear.

 

[Jove]

Yeah, part of the problem is deciding what to ask of the mapfinder. But if you put '1/1,000,000 meatball sid map from GOTM Towers' on the label, I bet you $1 more people would sign up. That's the trouble, right, no one wants to make/play a sid game?

 

[azzaman333]

I would love to play a sid game. Mainly because i dont really mind whether or not i won or lose.

 

[Obormot]

That's the trouble, right, no one wants to make/play a sid game?

As you can see at least a few people want to play a sid game. The participation might actually be better then for Deity games because many people would like to try something new

Then again we don't know when civ4 gotm starts, it might be very soon and we know that many people would move to civ4 then. It could be the last chance for a sid cotm for many of us. Kind of a nice way to say goodbye to civ3, sort of an exclamation mark in the end of civ3 career

 

[civ_steve]

I don't have any time outside of C/G/SGOTM to play civ, so I would welcome a Sid level COTM. I would think you'd want at least a 4-turn capable Settler Factory, a couple of nearby Luxuries with extras to trade, and some extra commerce (like Rivers, and/or Gold). I don't think you need the 1 in a million HOF start - like Obormot said, those programs are used more to generate high scores than to generate a universally winable map.

I'd probably drop Predator level - what 'extra challenges' would be imposed?

 

[Obormot]

I don't have any time outside of C/G/SGOTM to play civ, so I would welcome a Sid level COTM. I would think you'd want at least a 4-turn capable Settler Factory, a couple of nearby Luxuries with extras to trade, and some extra commerce (like Rivers, and/or Gold). I don't think you need the 1 in a million HOF start - like Obormot said, those programs are used more to generate high scores than to generate a universally winable map.

That is exactly why i like this idea. I'm sure there are more people out there who think the same.

I'd probably drop Predator level - what 'extra challenges' would be imposed?

We play as the Iroquois and predators are backwards people

 

[IronKnight]

When I first read this post, I thought somebody was crazy! But as I've followed the discussion my interest has grown. I would try it. It's my understanding that the AI is ultra aggressive? Would it help combat this by playing on an archipelago? Would that also slow down the tech rate? Well, that's my two cents.

 

[DaveMcW]

The AI isn't exactly more aggressive, but they can build any unit in 1 turn. When they are running around with such a big army, people tend to get hurt...

Techs also cost 250% the normal price for a human on Sid.

 

[killercane]

I also vote for a Sid game. It cant hurt. There might be less than 50 submissions but if you are a monarch/emperor player you could only improve by seeing how some dealt with the tougher situations.

 

[killerkid]

Yeah, archepeligo is probably the only world you could survive on. Carthage would be my first choice. Seafaring, and Numids would be the unit you'd want on defence rather than spears for any other civs. The conquest bonuses would have to be pretty sweet for more people to do it.

 

[Zelda's Man]

I have never played a Sid game before, but I would definitely try a Sid COTM. I wouldn't try sid level if open was deity though. I would definitely submit lose or lose just to compare with everyone else.

 

[Own]

My .02- Would be interesting, we need some last civ3 exitement before cIV. Conquest bonuses should be 2 extra settlers, and extra worker, 100 gold, and two extra techs.

 

[Nata]

Everybody is talking about last Civ3 games here: does it mean there would be no more XOTMs after Civ4 is out?

And I was just getting started... Sigh.

Civ4 looks interesting and very different, but I'm sure it will be buggy also, and for a long time. It may take a year or so before it will be stable enough for people to compete.
Maybe there would be enough interest to continue XOTMs for Civ3, until that time?

As for Sid: I'd love to try that, just to see who would survive longer.
Maybe we can be in a great position like Persia in gotm43, to give us more chances.