When to open spoiler threads...

[Déja]

I, personally, am frustrated with how long we have to wait for spoiler threads to be opened. By the time that the first thread for WOTM1 was opened, I had mostly forgotten the early part of the game, and by the time the final spoiler was opened (three weeks after I submitted my save) I had to look at the save thread to even remember which game it was. I haven't been able to offer any of my successes or tragedies as a result of the disparity between when I completed the criteria for each spoiler and when the threads were actually begun.

I'm curious to know what the rest of you think. Do you like how it is? or would it be better to start the spoiler threads at the same time as the save threads?

We already rely on the honor system of people not viewing the spoilers before they meet the criteria, so I don't think that having the threads there would cause any more problems than having them the way that they are now.

 

[ainwood]

I think that we (I) need to be more structured in the timings of these threads - posting the thread timings and scope in the saves-available thread is a good start.

I was thinking yesterday that to improve things, I will open the threads in the staff forum when I post the saves available, and then move them over on the correct date. That way, sticking to the timetable will be easier.

 

[Déja]

My only concern is that every GOTM I've participated in (whether I've submitted or not) I finish my game well before even the first spoiler is opened. I tend to play a lot of games (especially when I'm working on building a mod), so I quickly lose track of which one of them was the GOTM and which were other games. I would like to contribute to the GOTM, but I find that having to wait three weeks before I can talk about this really nifty trick I employed in the year 1945 to turn the tide of the game makes it very difficult to share that effectively.

Besides, I'm sure I'm not alone in wanting to brag/rant about my experience while I'm still flush from the fight.

I'm curious, though. Is there a particular reason that you space the spoiler threads so far apart?

 

[ainwood]

My only concern is that every GOTM I've participated in (whether I've submitted or not) I finish my game well before even the first spoiler is opened. I tend to play a lot of games (especially when I'm working on building a mod), so I quickly lose track of which one of them was the GOTM and which were other games. I would like to contribute to the GOTM, but I find that having to wait three weeks before I can talk about this really nifty trick I employed in the year 1945 to turn the tide of the game makes it very difficult to share that effectively.

Besides, I'm sure I'm not alone in wanting to brag/rant about my experience while I'm still flush from the fight.

Ideally, the first should be opened on the 5th of the month, and the second on the 10th.

I'm curious, though. Is there a particular reason that you space the spoiler threads so far apart?

Primarily for three reasons: First, to promote more discussion. If the spoiler threads are open all on the same day, then people will likely put a full write-up in the final one, rather than two write-ups. Second, not everyone rushes-through and plays the game as soon as its released. The timing doesn't really hurt them. For those that do, they can always use autologger or even note-pad to write the spoiler off-line, to post later. Finally, unfortunately I don't think the 'honour' system always works....

 

[Mad Professor]

My only concern is that every GOTM I've participated in (whether I've submitted or not) I finish my game well before even the first spoiler is opened. I tend to play a lot of games (especially when I'm working on building a mod), so I quickly lose track of which one of them was the GOTM and which were other games. I would like to contribute to the GOTM, but I find that having to wait three weeks before I can talk about this really nifty trick I employed in the year 1945 to turn the tide of the game makes it very difficult to share that effectively.

Besides, I'm sure I'm not alone in wanting to brag/rant about my experience while I'm still flush from the fight.

I'm curious, though. Is there a particular reason that you space the spoiler threads so far apart?

I also usually finish the game earlier rather than later. I don't have your problem of not remembering which game because I don't play as many as you quite obviously. One trick I use however to still write a post in a spoiler thread long after I finish the game, is to write it in a word processor immediately I become eligible for that spoiler, and save it on my computer. When the thread opens, I paste it into a post in the spoiler thread. That way, what is written there was written with the game fresh in my mind, and often (though didn't do this with GOTM11) it is a spoiler post written right when I was eligible, and before I finished the game.

 

[Déja]

Perhaps the solution would be to post the eligibility for the spoilers at the onset instead of finding out once the spoiler is opened.

 

[malekithe]

Perhaps the solution would be to post the eligibility for the spoilers at the onset instead of finding out once the spoiler is opened.

Similar to, say, GOTM10?

Spoilers

First spoiler (Sept. 5th): Up to Full view of starting continent. Need to have reached 0 AD.
Second spoiler (Sept 10th): Requires full world map, and you must have reached 1500 AD.
Final spoiler (Sept 15th): Requires that you have completed and submitted your game.

 

[drkodos]

Ideally, the first should be opened on the 5th of the month, and the second on the 10th.

Do the Warlord's (WotM's) run off a staggered schedule so that Spoilers would be 20th & 25th?

 

[Déja]

Similar to, say, GOTM10?

Yes, though this was not done with WOTM, and I didn't play GOTM10, so I didn't realize this was being done at all.

 

[Shillen]

Speaking of the 10th of the month...

 

[ainwood]

But I was late with the first

 

[DynamicSpirit]

Speaking of threads and dates and things, any GOTM9 results on their way?

 

[ainwood]

Speaking of threads and dates and things, any GOTM9 results on their way?

Yes. We are working to improve the entire results delivery process. We're (or actually, I're ) behind on all of them going back to Civ3 GOTM 57.

Expect progress over the next week (this weekend is looking likely).

 

[Absoleus]

My thought:
Just open all spoilers when the GOTM save is released. I really think people won't read the ones they're not supposed to read, since it would harm their own enjoyment.