Provolution
Sage of Quatronia
The Realities of "Realism"
The term "Realism" is a word coined by those that seeks to explain themselves that their rationale for action is sound and fair, and based on good judgment. It is also a political instrument used to ostracize the other side. Someone says, that if you repeat a lie enough times, then it becomes a truth.
Some confuse cynicism, conventional wisdom and timidity with the ability to solve complex problems with a "realistic approach to things". And for numbers, there are three lies, black lies, white lies and then we have statistics.
Knowing from charismatic religious sects, the wording is often "absolutely the only way", "there is no other option" and "we need to do only this", which deludes others from their intended objectives and leaves a situation stale and lethargic.
Now we can bring this from a generic and philosophical point of view, to forum based communications on the Internet. If you want to ridicule another view on things, the political protocol suggests LOL, various smileys, one more insane than the other
If someone would pretend to be scholarly and professional, we could see terms like IMHO, IMO, FYI, TBD and FMHP as short verbal salvos that are used to sink the counterargument with no real substance or content at all to nourish these abbreviations with.
Bringing this to the Civ4 game level, which is the physical universe in which we apply these curious social constructs, we all know that the originators of the game decided to make for example each Civic play a certain function in a certain aspect of the game. And for promotions, we know that they made the game balanced in the way that each promotion would serve a specializing a certain function that would affect the game in a significant way.
This brings us back to the crux of the problem, and I have to learn something here as well, is that we need to weigh the pros and cons more, and not preach "one truth" in selling an argument. This is intellectually dishonest, as it deprives us not only from good intelligence and good discussions. but the positive experience of a nuanced and fresh debate.
What struck me in this game, the latest weeks, has been strong tendencies to hide facts, exaggerate facts, twist and distort background data and glamorize past modes of communications and actions. All this have lead to a situation where we have gotten the worst kind of legalist culture, where you win your argument by ignoring the other side and by using legal technicalities as well as timing of polls and discussions as instruments for delaying, more than pushing the game forwards. Filibusters have been approved, not being an earlybird. We already know by now that most of the debates take place in polls already, since we are now talking about the MTV Generation, where things should be easily digested, and the polls are making things clearer to people.
By having read several articles on Vassalage recently, done extensive game-testing on the issue (I am really doing all this crazy stuff because of BTS), I know, not by heart (because I am a Mongol), but by investigation, that the combination of Aggressive Trait, Barracks, Vassalage and Melee units is very strong. I also know that a quick conclusion of the conquest is wanted and I know that most of the players would rather see buildings than units produced. Heroic Epic and Vassalage will bring you a long way. That is the legacy I give to the next warlords, the best units placed where they should be at the front, the enemy vanquished, the right civics and the right wonder and technology to get the job done. Most likely, the German peace will last until we have rebuilt our army with elite troops, which will be a great start for next term to take out Germany and Rome with.
With this, I would also like to retire as warlord by the end of the term, and see if some Province (German Province?) would be my province for governorship. I will now go to France, and wish you guys a good turnchat and an exciting week of strategy discussions without me to clutter the threads.
Best regards
P Khan
The term "Realism" is a word coined by those that seeks to explain themselves that their rationale for action is sound and fair, and based on good judgment. It is also a political instrument used to ostracize the other side. Someone says, that if you repeat a lie enough times, then it becomes a truth.
Some confuse cynicism, conventional wisdom and timidity with the ability to solve complex problems with a "realistic approach to things". And for numbers, there are three lies, black lies, white lies and then we have statistics.
Knowing from charismatic religious sects, the wording is often "absolutely the only way", "there is no other option" and "we need to do only this", which deludes others from their intended objectives and leaves a situation stale and lethargic.
Now we can bring this from a generic and philosophical point of view, to forum based communications on the Internet. If you want to ridicule another view on things, the political protocol suggests LOL, various smileys, one more insane than the other
If someone would pretend to be scholarly and professional, we could see terms like IMHO, IMO, FYI, TBD and FMHP as short verbal salvos that are used to sink the counterargument with no real substance or content at all to nourish these abbreviations with.
Bringing this to the Civ4 game level, which is the physical universe in which we apply these curious social constructs, we all know that the originators of the game decided to make for example each Civic play a certain function in a certain aspect of the game. And for promotions, we know that they made the game balanced in the way that each promotion would serve a specializing a certain function that would affect the game in a significant way.
This brings us back to the crux of the problem, and I have to learn something here as well, is that we need to weigh the pros and cons more, and not preach "one truth" in selling an argument. This is intellectually dishonest, as it deprives us not only from good intelligence and good discussions. but the positive experience of a nuanced and fresh debate.
What struck me in this game, the latest weeks, has been strong tendencies to hide facts, exaggerate facts, twist and distort background data and glamorize past modes of communications and actions. All this have lead to a situation where we have gotten the worst kind of legalist culture, where you win your argument by ignoring the other side and by using legal technicalities as well as timing of polls and discussions as instruments for delaying, more than pushing the game forwards. Filibusters have been approved, not being an earlybird. We already know by now that most of the debates take place in polls already, since we are now talking about the MTV Generation, where things should be easily digested, and the polls are making things clearer to people.
By having read several articles on Vassalage recently, done extensive game-testing on the issue (I am really doing all this crazy stuff because of BTS), I know, not by heart (because I am a Mongol), but by investigation, that the combination of Aggressive Trait, Barracks, Vassalage and Melee units is very strong. I also know that a quick conclusion of the conquest is wanted and I know that most of the players would rather see buildings than units produced. Heroic Epic and Vassalage will bring you a long way. That is the legacy I give to the next warlords, the best units placed where they should be at the front, the enemy vanquished, the right civics and the right wonder and technology to get the job done. Most likely, the German peace will last until we have rebuilt our army with elite troops, which will be a great start for next term to take out Germany and Rome with.
With this, I would also like to retire as warlord by the end of the term, and see if some Province (German Province?) would be my province for governorship. I will now go to France, and wish you guys a good turnchat and an exciting week of strategy discussions without me to clutter the threads.
Best regards
P Khan
