Why Ada Lovelace is not a good choice to lead Great Britain

[lo24681]

No that's not how many people play. Many of us literally like to play and "pretend" to be the United States and base alot of our choices from laws, civics, policies, what civs we're facing on the map, etc, on which civ we're leading. I have never picked a civilization/leader specifically for its abilities or bonuses (outside of like maybe Venice in Civ V and that was simply to try out its very unique playstyle once) and while I can beat higher level difficulties, I generally don't play to min-max

I can empathize with this a bit, while I do very much play Civ as a boardgame mostly and don't do much rp, how you mentioned playing Civ is absolutely how I play the Paradox GSGs.

 

[MIS]

I am originally from England, and I've never heard of Ada Lovelace (though I left 20 years ago). It's a strange choice in that regard. Funnily enough, I've heard of her father (if it's the same Lord Byron). I've heard of most, if not all, of the other leaders in the game. I agree with the note above that if you want an English computer guy, Alan Turing would be the obvious choice; they even made a film about him.

Non-Firaxis game Through the Ages, a New Story of Civilization: Leaders and Wonders expansion has maybe ten "modern age" leaders, one of which is Sid Meier. Though I guess he's after the 1960s. And he's not from Great Britain but would have been interesting for America. Maybe in the expansion.

 

[trev1972]

We'll have to agree to disagree. I don't think a scientist should be leading the British Empire as a figure head in a game about expanding, exterminating, exploiting, and exploring other civilizations and an escaped slave leading a US themed only to the 1960s in a game about imperialism doesn't sit well with me either. I also don't think her leader abilities reflect the US or Civil war that well imo

While i get what you are saying, now that leaders are dissociated from their country/civ i am not sure it matters? The leaders might as well be pop stars or disney characters now since i dont view 'Mickey mouse leader of the Egyptians' as any more silly than 'Ben Franklin leader of the Egyptians'

 

[Kyriakos]

I didn't know she was the daughter of Byron

 

[Alexander's Hetaroi]

I didn't know she was the daughter of Byron

Yeah, I hope she wants to default to Greece in Antiquity.

 

[Nikolai II]

I didn't know she was the daughter of Byron

It astounds me how few people know about her. But yes, she was and yes it's exceedingly cool!

 

[Kyriakos]

Her own link to Greece is still tenuous. I'd rather have Giorgio de Chirico.

 

[Alexander's Hetaroi]

Her own link to Greece is still tenuous. I'd rather have Giorgio de Chirico.

It's more of the fact that her father fought for Greek Independence, and she'd herself be able to lead a Greece in game. Besides Greek>Norman is already a default path in the game, and presumably Norman>Great Britain will be as well.

 

[Kyriakos]

If we take it like that, Poe is more "eligible" than her to lead Greece, as he at least wanted to fight in the Greek war for independence
De Chiciro, by comparison, was born in Greece, as his father was an engineer working for the local railroad.

 

[The Mighty Quinn]

Data point: I'm a middle aged American with an advanced degree and I'd never heard of her.

 

[Nikolai II]

Data point: I am a middle aged Norwegian with an advanced degree and I HAVE heard of her. She's an interesting character.

 

[stealth_nsk]

Data point: I'm middle aged Seebian of Russian origin and I heard about her from school years

 

[Leyrann]

Data point: I'm a young adult Dutchman and I have no clue where I first heard of her but it was definitely years ago.

 

[Lebo44]

Ada has received more popularity recently as she was included in the very popular book by Walter Isaacson "The Innovators". She is described by Isaacson as a first algorithm coder.

P.S. The guy also wrote these popular biographies of Jobs and Musk.

 

[RedCourtJester]

Data point: I like Ada less now that her mechanics have been revealed. Would have been better as a later addition to the game with a specifically computer-ish ability rather than loosely interpreting Ada through masteries.

But then again, I feel that way about several of the base game leaders, so I guess par for the course. She's aight.

 

[Leyrann]

Data point: I like Ada less now that her mechanics have been revealed. Would have been better as a later addition to the game with a specifically computer-ish ability rather than loosely interpreting Ada through masteries.

But then again, I feel that way about several of the base game leaders, so I guess par for the course. She's aight.

Honestly the masteries kind of make sense.

She basically mastered (simple) computing when everyone else only had the normal computing tech and didn't get around to the mastery until a century later because it was useful for the advanced computing tech.

 

[Leucarum]

Data Point: Somewhat British person. Had definitely heard of her. Very much appreciate her inclusion over the usual crowd and like her abilities.

 

[trev1972]

Brit, degree in computer science and had heard of her before.

I just looked at her abilities, they arent exactly exciting?

 

[RedCourtJester]

Honestly the masteries kind of make sense.

She basically mastered (simple) computing when everyone else only had the normal computing tech and didn't get around to the mastery until a century later because it was useful for the advanced computing tech.

It's not bad, I just really wanted a straight-up technofeudal leader lol.

Also, her ability, although I realize an attempt to balance "socialite" and "computress," really gives off "polymath" in a way I can't help but imagine there are better-suited individuals it would have applied toward. She was a specialist, not so much of a Renaissance woman.

 

[queenpea]

Data Point: Very excited for the "I'm mad Britain isn't in the base game" crowd to start this new and exhilarating chapter of "I'm mad Britain is in the game!"