Re: Global War (started!)
 

It sounded like Foodstamp set up secret enemies purely randomly. If so, I suspect that one or two evils are next to a secret enemy and the others are not. At least, that's the impression I am under.

Re: Global War (started!)
 

well, you obviously don't know what's going on in the world. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: Global War (started!)
 

Lack of communication has been a disaster for me. I've lost ### armies because I attacked the same neutral province as my neighbor!

Re: Global War (started!)
 

Well, maybe things are fairly balanced, then.. Good might be overreacting slightly.. We're still in this thing!

Onward, Good Soldiers! Time to spread the light of virtue on their @sses!

Re: Global War (started!)
 

Hey all! Posting here because I have a problem!
After the long time it took to start this game, my time has come to move to japan within the next week. While by itself not a problem, we are too soon in the game for me to keep participating every 24 hours past next week.

I will probably need a perm sub for abysia who isnt bad at the nation. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif I wanted to post in here first before I make a post about it in the general forum. But I will do that next too if you all feel it is as appropriate as i do.

Re: Global War (started!)
 

The game might be over by next week, man. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

Well, the Neutral nations will still probably be in it, but Good will likely be all but destroyed in 7 turns.

Maybe after some Goods are eliminated, they can switch to the winning side and take over Abysia. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

Re: Global War (started!)
 

But don't the Evils only have to knock out the goods to win? and their secret enemy of course http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

Re: Global War (started!)
 

No, the Evils have to kill all the Goods and Neutrals to win.

Re: Global War (started!)
 

Hmm, there's not much I can add to this except to add that this type of game is inherently hard to balance. Maybe we'll get it right the next time around. Unfortunately, having a large number of allies in Dom 3 introduces a lot of inefficiencies since you have to spend a whole turn sending gold or gems or items between each other. And having forts in provinces next to your ally also hurt you because you cannot get resources from their provinces. Maybe with more space and time to expand it would not be such an issue because then allies will not have to worry about micromanaging a very small pool of gems and gold in an early war.

Also, some of the evil nations getting lucky enough to start in the middle of high income grasslands (like Abysia and Ermor and Lanka) has also skewed the balance a lot. If we do this again, it would be important to carefully consider the map and maybe build a custom map for the game. I'm not too unhappy about it though. I'd consider this game a beta test, I think games with such large teams are uncommon, and therefore it will take a good deal of testing to get this type of game balanced.

Re: Global War (started!)
 

Then we are really really screwed http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...ies/tongue.gif

Re: Global War (started!)
 

Let's see how the game plays out before deciding it's over and things are unbalanced please. AFAIK goods are still around, even if in bad shape, and neutrals fare fairly well so...

IMO the main problem with goods and evils is they are fundamentaly at an advantage at different stage of the game.
Goods should have a growing advantage as time passes due to synergies increasing while evils should have an advantage at start by sheer numbers and postponing of secret enemies wars.
And that's exactly what we get.
Besides, neutrals are supposed to balance out things in middle...well, we're just entering mid-game, I don't see how we can judge anything at this point.

Re: Global War (started!)
 

I know I am complaining :p But I don't mean any criticism by it. This was an experiment. It is hard to balance these type of games. When we were planning the game it was not clear to me at least that it would be so uneven.

And as with all team games it's been fun and interesting discussing strategy and tactics within the team. Even though it has been clear for some time that we would lose quickly.

But this game clearly isn't very balanced. It doesn't seem to be that much fun for all the Evils either as some of them are complaining too!

I am definitely up for another themed team game after this. But I think having everyone in teams and allowing diplomacy between teams would have been better.

Re: Global War (started!)
 

you know, in real life, when you've got a war ( cold or not) going on between two nations, if they still want to communicate they use intermediaries.
In this game you can also use them, and guess what, they're called Neutrals...

Re: Global War (started!)
 

very true, good nation will gain advantage later on in the game. That's why i chose Lanka, which is naturally good at rushing, knowing that time is not on evil's side, I played rather aggressively this time. some good nations have been quite incompetent in the initial expansion phase, but they made their own mistakes, can't blame the game balance.

I personally don't think this game can be balanced. If the game is to start over however, IMO the good nations don't need to be next to each other, which might be better for them. and maybe have less evil players - they are going to be allied anyways, maybe ban double 9 blessing as well. And I still think secret enemy is a stupid idea and isn't going to change anything, say if we were to use secret enemy this time, my two enemies is located no where near me and even if they were I would still rush the good nations out before I attack them.

Re: Global War (started!)
 

Heh. Another thing to consider too: we have spent posts and posts making much on how evil gets the early game advantage, but good will gain a huge advantage late game, when their synergies start to truly pay off.

Now. If you were playing evil, and heard that, what would *you* do? I don't know about you, but I would be thinking "Right. Top priority? Get good out of the game before they grow too powerful."

What good needs to do in a game like this is strategize for beating off the hordes of enemies early game so they can survive to end game. Perhaps with an SC pretender, or maybe a double-bless of their own.

I am curious though; I started too far away from most goods to see. What were these 'horrible mistakes' everyone seems to agree good made?

Re: Global War (started!)
 

I agree with Fal.. I don't think the game itself was unbalanced for sure.. (although maybe the map set-up was) and that Good made some mistakes. We could have done a much better job, even given the map and everything.

I don't think we should ban the double-9 blessing, Fal. You are doing everything you are supposed to be doing, it's just that we should have defended better. We should have had a plan for when Lanka and Ermor appeared on our borders in serious numbers on turn 9. We didn't.

Kheldron - we will be continuing to play this game. I will keep fighting until the end!! But, given some of the events unfolding in recent turns, that end is approaching for Good.

We might be able to survive with maybe half our number (2 or 3 players) alive out of the original 5. The problem is, no matter what the Neutrals do at that point, I'm still pretty sure the Evils will press and finish us off. But, we'll have to see how it goes.

If anything, for next game (if we do another one) we should play on a slightly larger map or with slightly fewer players. Good would have done much, much better had we had maybe even 2-3 more turns before meeting the enemy.

Re: Global War (started!)
 

I wonder that, too, IndyPendant. I must be on the wrong side of the map, cause I don't see any horrible mistakes on good's part.

Re: Global War (started!)
 

I haven't seen any fatal mistakes either, but I've seen good being very slow in expansion. I assume the expansion phase must have been a chaos and not coordinated between players, many rich provinces were left unattended, despite the fact they are very lightly guarded (I almost tempted to attack some provinces with my scout!). defense in choke points was not established timely; to my surprise the nations bordering evil seems doing a lot of early research/site searching instead of harassing their enemies. Pythium was very 'timely' attacked by a bunch of barbarians (HAHAHA) but he also made a number of tactical blunders.

Other than these I don't know what other disasters have struck the good. But they could recover, the war is far from over yet.

Re: Global War (started!)
 

Yeah.. maybe we Goods should bite our tongues and just play the game! This past turn didn't go so badly for us. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Our morale is just very poor for some reason. Things could be worse. Our position is probably salvageable at this point.

Good warriors, don't lose faith! We will smash the evil-doers and save the planet! Yeah!!!!! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...ies/stupid.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...ies/stupid.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...es/biggrin.gif

Re: Global War (started!)
 

TNN is fine. We had some bad luck when so-called Indie 3 settings handed us some lemons in the form of an elephant rich, then a heavy cavalry rich province – not at all what our test games told us to expect. But otherwise, we continue to fight the good fight. Spirits are high, despite the whining that we have learned to tune out. It is all about having fun, even in the face of doom.

And leaving Sauro’s hydras stranded on their way to lift the Arcos siege alone will make this game worth having played.
http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...es/biggrin.gif

Re: Global War (started!)
 

An unspecified nation that surprise attacked me this turn will die!! No mercy for your deceitful anonymous nation. LA Ulm will not rest util your people/monsters/animals/etc are utterly destroyed.

Re: Global War (started!)
 

Yes! Fight, FIGHT! Fight each other to the death!

http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/evil.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/mad.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/evil.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/mad.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/evil.gif

Re: Global War (started!)
 

I feel Pythium's pain. I've had my fair share of barbarians early on, too.

Re: Global War (started!)
 

Is the 24 hour time up yet? I don't mind waiting a little longer for turns, but maybe people could announce in the thread if they need a bit more time.

Re: Global War (started!)
 

yes, I do need a little bit more time, sorry, am very busy these days, moving home.

Re: Global War (started!)
 

Fal, no problem! I see you have taken your turn now, too.

Yvali - your Sauromatia has not taken its turn yet. This would be your second stale in a row. If you have given up hope, you should probably get a sub or go AI. In fact, if you stale again, I will probably turn you AI unless Evil has objections to that.

Re: Global War (started!)
 

Hmm... you sound very enthusiastic. I'm not possibly your secret enemy am I?

Re: Global War (started!)
 

Thanks CU, the next few days should be fine, but I will get really busy next weekend, would appreciate if you could turn the game to 48 hours then.

Otthergreat, nope, hehe, I'm just role playing, you know, being evil and all...

Re: Global War (started!)
 

Sure Fal, no problem.

Evil must die!!!!!! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/evil.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/evil.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/evil.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/evil.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/evil.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/evil.gif
I don't want to whine or talk about balance anymore until the game is over. Only smack talk from here on out!!

DIE EVILDOERS!! Starting with you, Bandar!!! HAHAHAHA!!! [img]/threads/images/Graemlins/Envy.gif[/img] [img]/threads/images/Graemlins/Envy.gif[/img] [img]/threads/images/Graemlins/Envy.gif[/img] [img]/threads/images/Graemlins/Envy.gif[/img] [img]/threads/images/Graemlins/Envy.gif[/img]

http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/smile.gif

Re: Global War (started!)
 

Evil appears to be on the verge of losing its first member. Why was good moaning, again? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...ies/tongue.gif

Re: Global War (started!)
 

Good should shut up. Moaning to each other is OK, but we should not be talking
to Evil... even trash talk is too much.

Re: Global War (started!)
 

I for one am gaining a good deal of intel.

Thanks much!

Re: Global War (started!)
 

CUnknown, that sentiment seems most ungoodish! I'm sure that it is written somewhere in our holy scriptures that we must not use the blasphemous emoticon color of the evils.

http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image.../firedevil.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image.../firedevil.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image.../firedevil.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image.../firedevil.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image.../firedevil.gif

http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...es/biggrin.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...es/biggrin.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...es/biggrin.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...es/biggrin.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...es/biggrin.gif

Re: Global War (started!)
 

Should we find a sub for Mictlan? I'm on the verge of being taken out, and I don't particularly want to keep going. Or should I AI? I'm thinking it's down to 7v5 real quick. Neither Sauro nor I had a good elephant counter.

Re: Global War (started!)
 

I can't connect to the server and won't have a chance for the rest of the day. Can we delay hosting by about 24 hours?

Re: Global War (started!)
 

Cerlin:

Ha, gotta visit Japan some day. Too expensive now :/ I though about going to university there, but I would need to know Japanese and have some small fortune to spend for tuition and living.

P.S. There are some really nice Japanese girsl at our dormitory in Xi'An http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: Global War (started!)
 

The server is back up (lightning last night turned off power).

I think we will just switch to 48-h quickhost now.

Re: Global War (started!)
 

okay great, a very timely switch.

Re: Global War (started!)
 

Okay, this is totally off topic, but I want to visit Japan someday too. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: Global War (started!)
 

Is the server down again?

Re: Global War (started!)
 

Server should be up... are you have problems connecting?

Re: Global War (started!)
 

It's working for me now.

Re: Global War (started!)
 

There are 3 hours left in the turn. I hope no one minds me turning Sauromatia AI if he stales again.

Re: Global War (started!)
 

No problem with me, he already seems quite AI to me.
BTW we're now on a full 48h timing, I don't mind either if we automate it again.

Re: Global War (started!)
 

I forgot, Cerlin must be in Japan by now. We will need to get him a sub.

Re: Global War (started!)
 

Do people mind waiting for Baalz to take over Abysia? I don't know his password, or Baalz would have taken over already.

Re: Global War (started!)
 

heard it's possible to recover the password. maybe ask other game admins here.

Re: Global War (started!)
 

How do you go about recovering a password?

Re: Global War (started!)
 

I don't know it's even possible to recover a password but it would be fine if we could reach a decision...is the game still running ? should we turn Abysia AI? I'm completely ok with turning Abysia to Baalz...if it's possible and doesn't take a month to do so.

What do we do ?

Re: Global War (started!)
 

Of all the people to take over Abysia, it had to be Baalz? Damn.