WOTM02 - Where is Everybody?

[DynamicSpirit]

I just looked at the submissions list. With 2 days and 9 hours to go, there's only 82 submissions. Even allowing for, in recent GOTMs between 20% and 30% of submissions came in during the last two days, that's like - where are you all????

Last few games:
GOTM09 - 189 submissions (August, emperor)
GOTM10 - 195 (September, immortal)
WOTM01 - 159 (Sept 15, noble)
GOTM11 - 138 (Oct, monarch)
WOTM02 - 82 so far (2 days to go)
GOTM12 - 83 so far (18 days to go)

(Edit: With submissions now closed WOTM02 had 97 submissions)
Looks like the arrival of WOTMs has had an impact, presumably due to people only being able to play one game a month and so having to choose either the GOTM or the WOTM. I'm also guessing the GOTMs are attracting more entries than the WOTMs due to not everyone has Warlords (but conversely, it's impossible to have Warlords without also having vanilla civ). I also wonder if the amount of land in GOTM11 may have particularly effected WOTM02 since WOTM02 started when lots of people were getting bogged down in longer-than-normal-to-play GOTM11 games?

 

[AlanH]

A few other guesses:

Players have had a year to get to grips with vanilla. Warlords is still settling down, with a new patch, and players are on a new learning curve. The patch itself may have caused some losses, as people may not have wanted to play another game on 2.00, p'raps preferring to learn about 2.08 ready for the next one.

 

[CliftonBazaar]

Not everyone bought Warlords I'm guessing.

I bought Warlords but regretted it after about 6 hours; I was quite happy with the Vanilla version and didn't feel that warlords warranted the amount of money I spent on it ($60 in Aus, thats US$45).

 

[Thrallia]

well, I submitted...for what that's worth. With only 82 submissions this was probably my best chance to ever win an award...lucky me, I'll probably win the ambulance award

 

[Alraun]

Hurray for raging barbarians!

 

[Thrallia]

well, it wasn't so much the raging barbs as the bad RNG I had in combo with the barbs, I've done pretty well on other games that had raging barbs.

 

[Meatbuster]

I put in a WOTM2 and it probably won't win the fastest diplo but I'd definitely like to see how I fare among the diplomats.

 

[Alekhine]

Another suggestion interest in Civ IV in general is waning. It's been released for about a year and people tend to move on to newer games. Personally I have submitted in every GOTM & the first WOTM but with the release of FM2007 and Med II Total War, Civ is not high on my gaming priorities right now. Although I do love the game and will return to Civ, the grass is greener on the other side at the moment.

 

[drkodos]

Another suggestion interest in Civ IV in general is waning. It's been released for about a year and people tend to move on to newer games. Personally I have submitted in every GOTM & the first WOTM but with the release of FM2007 and Med II Total War, Civ is not high on my gaming priorities right now. Although I do love the game and will return to Civ, the grass is greener on the other side at the moment.

And with release of new Control panels this week, there will be more people moving toward those games. Not me, though. Civ is the only computer game I play (Chess doen't count). I think there will always be a solid core of Civ players and that the numbers suggest we are getting close to that benchmark.

 

[Airny]

I can only speak for myself, but I guess there are a few people who think the same:
-I skipped the last 3 games, because I was disappointed by how long it takes to get the results.
-I don't like to play on epic, it's too boring.

Anyway I'm preparing for WOTM 03 atm, the patch made it interesting again.

 

[Goodenuf]

I find that I have spare time for only 1 GOTM/WOTM per month, so I pick according to my personal schedule. This month I'll likely do both since GOTM 12 (for me, anyway) went fairly quickly; albeit not nearly as good of a score as it could have been, but that's another story completely. The Normal speed had much to do with it.

My preference, though, is for Epic games; at that speed, 2 competitive games per month (plus an SGOTM... may get back in for round 3) is certainly more than enough to keep me busy, especially if I want to try just 'regular' CivIV games as well.

I would agree that the numbers will come down somewhat when the casual CivIV players move back and forth between Civ and other games, and yes (as mentioned by drkodos) the new gaming consoles coming out will steal time away for many.

 

[ainwood]

-I skipped the last 3 games, because I was disappointed by how long it takes to get the results.

I think that may be a valid reason.

We're having a few issues at the moment that we need to resolve, but on the current plan, we should have things sorted so that results can (and will) be published within 3 days of the competition closing. Expect this to be 'the norm' within a few weeks from now.

 

[Lexad]

Hail HOF mod!

 

[drkodos]

I also think some people are put off by all the downloading of mod versions and patches and it can get confusing keeping up with all the nuts & bolts one needs to play a game that can be submitted. Since one is free to download and play and make their own comparisons without having to jump through all the hoops, I believe a number of people are going this route.

 

[Meatbuster]

I also think some people are put off by all the downloading of mod versions and patches and it can get confusing keeping up with all the nuts & bolts one needs to play a game that can be submitted.

Yes, this may be so, isn't WOTM2 when the HOF mod was first required?

 

[Thrallia]

actually, once the mod was required, it became impossible to download and play them on your own unless you downloaded and used the mod also.

 

[AlanH]

Since one is free to download and play and make their own comparisons without having to jump through all the hoops, I believe a number of people are going this route.

Not so. The games can't now be played without the mod, as Thrallia says.

 

[Murky]

Could also be the jump in difficulty levels and time it takes to finish the game. Not everyone is comfortable playing above prince or has the time to play a difficult game on epic speed. Most people probably don't bother submitting a loss or incomplete game.

 

[drkodos]

Not so. The games can't now be played without the mod, as Thrallia says.

Well, I was simply pointing out that it is potentially confusing to some people, and this even further solidifies that idea in my head. Either way, numbers are down, and there is an explanation out there somewhere.

I know why I am not playing as much, and it is exactly the reason I stated. I just don't have the time or inclination to follow all the twists and turns and rapid fire changes.

Fair enough?

 

[akots]

TBH, I have started to play the game (WOTM2) but then patched to version 2.08 and am now playing the Alexander scenario instead.