Some interest in "cookbooks" ?

[Fippy]

Idea came up, and i thought sure why not..
those were run back then by Kossin (really good deity player, lots including me learned much from him).

Basic idea: one starting save is picked (several could be up for voting).
Peoples then play until a set point (i.e. first 50 turns), post their saves & writeups,
and after a deadline voting starts.

I would suggest 3 saves are declared the best ones after voting,
for the next round any of those 3 can be picked by everybody, and we continue with another set point (i.e. t75),
where voting starts again.

Some notes, it would be ment as friendly forum play.
Even if your save does not win a top 3 spot, you can continue playing with another one of your choice.
Voting should include reasoning what you like about that save

Basic rules are no spoilers until voting starts for each phase, and no spoilers at all for the map / setup.
Since we would like a fair voting as well, reloading and worldbuilder are strictly forbidden.
Only 1 try (gotm style).

Who would be interested?
And on what difficulty level?

 

[Major Tom]

Good suggestion, Fippy. I am in. I would like deity as I am not a deity player but should be a great way to enter that arena.

 

[krikav]

I would really like this!

I would personally prefer deity, since that is the level I'm trying to master now.
I'm abit worried that it could scare would be participants away though.
It really shouldn't however, since it's way open for anyone to play 50 turns, and if your play is sub-par you just don't get any votes, next 50 turns you start from the "best" start.
So you can participate actively, while you constantly have the game "rescued" by stronger players.
I haven't participated in any of the "cookbook" sessions previously, but I see clearly that it's a wonderful opportunity to learn.

 

[Smilingrogue]

I am in.
Any difficulty level is fine.

 

[Major Tom]

Think 50 turns too long. First session should be max 20-30, next perhaps longer.

 

[Anysense]

If its Immortal or below, then I'd suggest setting a specific victory condition, otherwise the game is likely to end in Dom/Conq way too fast if players like Fippy or Lain are involved.

 

[Fippy]

Happy to see so much interest,
i will not play (Anysense), will do map creating & orga

 

[Pedro78]

I like the idea. I'll play if I can find some motivation. I'm fine with any difficulty level, but if it's IMM or below I'd like to avoid Pangaeas (because the game would end too quickly).

 

[Fippy]

I plan on having at least 2 starting saves to vote (pick),
with different map scripts so Pangaea will never be the only choice Pedro.
But yup, not really interested that much in Pangaea either.

Think 50 turns too long. First session should be max 20-30, next perhaps longer.

Maybe 40 turns, time for a first settler but not much more? Remember that voting and evertything will take time, if we do too short sets we will finish in 2 years

On difficulty level, i think we will not go lower than Emperor, and that should also be rare.
Immortal for compromise (still fun for deity players) and deity (challenge) are most likely.

 

[Gumbolt]

I think x turns until it's clear game is likely won. These games were a lot of fun before. I think gradually people got the better of Monarch and we moved up. I think with Deity it's more likely you make mistakes the longer you play. Very little room for error on higher levels.

 

[Fippy]

I think diff levels are overrated overall
I was bad at Emp, and Imm, and Deity before learning some basics.

I had deity games where i wondered what are those AIs doing,
Lain's videos often show why it's very random how they do in war (geez he defeated Arti + Infs with Cannons + Maces and other crappy stuff on some).
Some AZ videos show how he took large deity AIs with weak units.
They are often very passive, and you can walk in with weak SoDs.

I would say, the only big difference between deity and other levels is that you cannot take super easy wars & wins.
If you attack with weak stuff, you might get destroyed.
While on Imm or lower, you can have a big stack of random quality, and still do fine cos AIs are just..AIs.

 

[Tonny]

I'm also interested to play. A perfect way to learn to master immortal and deity games.

 

[6K Man]

I’d play. My skill level is probably Monarch-Emperor but I’m game for Imm/Deity. Not much point in easier levels if we are playing Scramble.

 

[Fish Man]

I think diff levels are overrated overall
I was bad at Emp, and Imm, and Deity before learning some basics.

I had deity games where i wondered what are those AIs doing,
Lain's videos often show why it's very random how they do in war (geez he defeated Arti + Infs with Cannons + Maces and other crappy stuff on some).
Some AZ videos show how he took large deity AIs with weak units.
They are often very passive, and you can walk in with weak SoDs.

I would say, the only big difference between deity and other levels is that you cannot take super easy wars & wins.
If you attack with weak stuff, you might get destroyed.
While on Imm or lower, you can have a big stack of random quality, and still do fine cos AIs are just..AIs.

My two cents, and to add to that:

AI logic is 50% of why they lose. "Sure I'll just walk this stack of 30 units of medieval crap next to the player's main congregation of cuirs, what could go wrong...I have 20 tanks but instead of attacking with them I'll let them get shelled by 20 artillery to the point where elephants could take them out ."

The other 50% is whipping. AI does not like to whip units, buildings, even when their cities are unhappy cesspools of way more pop than they can support. In wartime they whip mostly only when their cities are threatened, by which time an extra longbow does nothing against 20 cuirs. The player, on the other hand, can convert food->hammers in an almost 1:2 ratio with whips, even more with forges. This, combined will all-out unitspamming that most AIs don't do in peacetime, is often enough to overcome the production advantages deity AI gets.

 

[Fippy]

Yup, i will set the first one up soon when i find time.