OK, so I've been percolating this idea for a bit and tried a few test games. Looking for singup from VQ vets first, and then I'll open it up to others.
Alg Ore's exploit (title pending)
Warlords or Vanilla
Game Settings up for discussion
A long, long time ago our forefather - Alg Ore - foretold that one day he would gift us with a wonderous invention that would teach us all the most important knowledge, if only we would be worthy of the gift. This invention would be named "In Ter Net" and we must be the first to obtain it.
If we are not working towards our forefather's goal, we are dishonoring him and must return to the path. We will build the Internet, however we will never self-research anything that does not contribute to building the Internet.
That's right, Animal Husbandry and Agriculture will never be researched (just to name two early techs). At the start of the game, I'll click on Fiber Optics and the list of highlighted techs will be posted. We can research them in any order desired, but *never* research anything not listed.
We can trade for techs, but may not receive a tech that is not on our path to the Internet.
Alg Ore was very wise, he told us that his invention would allow us to know much that others may alraedy know. It would be foolish to deny gifts from the world. As such:
We will accept any tech offered to us for free. We will not ask for techs tho.
We will always be happy to get any tech from a hut.
Great People are wonderful, but they may not be used to lightbulb techs off the path. They are true followers of Alg Ore and would never dream of going against his teachings.
Starting techs of our civ are fine (so you could pick a leader with agriculture as a starting tech to avoid that handicap). Depending on going Warlords vs. Original there are some fun and more difficult choices for leader.
All other aspects of civ are left as normal. Which victory condition we choose to pursue is up to the players in the game. However, no vicotyr can be obtained until we have acheived the In Ter Net.
Signed up So far:
Bobrath
GreyFox
Ozbenno
Namliam
Maquis