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my one VP game experience was Epotara - 17 players vying for 5 VPs. i thought that game worked fairly well. it was pretty challenging to get 5 capitals - once someone got within 2 everyone was on alert and it was only through some tricky diplomacy (to put it generously) that someone managed to grab the last 1.

the game did get into a bit of a quiet lull for awhile so i don't know if the same ratio would make sense, e.g. using ~ 1/3 of the # players as the target amount of VPs. that sounds a bit high to me - i think the game might be more interesting and exciting with a slightly lower total.

of course this is based on a data set of one...
http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

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Well, what if we compromised? 20 capitals is 1/3 the map, a reasonable number imo. Alternatively, could we say 15 capitals held consecutively for 3 full turns? That would give people a chance to respond if someone does manage it...

And I would really like to push for Very Hard research again. With Hard research, everyone is going to be finished researching like halfway through the game, long before the winner is found. Anyone seconding me--or strongly opposed? ; )

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Very hard sounds good to me.

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I just finished playing a large game with Hard Research, and even with those settings bless nations have a huge advantage in the early game. I was playing with triple blessed jaguars, and the non-bless nations that I steamrolled in the first 2 years of the game did not have much of a chance or very much fun. I think that if with we play with Very Hard Research, we will see an initial phase of the game where all the non-bless nations are scoured from the face of the earth, and then a second phase of the game where the bless nations grudgingly turn to research in order to deal with their similarly blessed neighbors.

In an ideal world, I would like to see the research costs for levels 1-5 set to normal, and then after that have the costs scale far more quickly. That would give non-bless nations more of fighting chance, while still saving some spells for the late game.

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Hmm, that's a good point. One I hadn't thought of. It's too bad though; I *hate* Dom3 lategame. With Hard research, the entire back half of this game will consist of nothing but Mages and SCs, with individual military units useless as anything but meatshields. (Well okay, I exagerrate. But not by much!)

All right, consider me shifted back to neutral on Hard or Very Hard research. I will play either way (which probably means Hard ; ).

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I'm personally in favor of Hard.

I do however understand the concern people have for late game strategies arriving in the middle of the game's run. AdmiralZhao's "ideal world" does sound appealing, but isn't possible as far as I know in the way he would want it.

My best suggestion would actually be to make an additional mod. It wouldn't be hard at all to take all the lower level spells and move them even lower by one rank and then set the research to very hard.

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If you still have room I'd like to join as a player or as an alternate if not.

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If the goal is only to give more chance to non bless nations against sacred/trampler/awake pretenders rushes a mod to reduce just the levels of the few spells countering them, or make some low level spells more efficient, seem easily doable, just changing one or two spells per path (and only fatigue/immobilisation spells, so it doesn't change the balance of battle summons / dammages).

Edit : some suggestions

Air... has already false fetter a very good level 1 spell to immobilize ennemies (but only usable at short range)
confusion may get reduced level (2 or 3 instead of 5, as thaumaturgy is not a very popular school for air nations)

Astral... mind burn (level 2) already give a way to kill low hp sacreds
paralyze level may be reduced to make easier to stop tramplers or other big creatures

Earth... has already earth grip/meld at level 1 and 2
earth meld is fatigue heavy and earth 3 so lowering the cost or earth level may eventually be a good idea to give nations like Ulm more chances against an early rush

Death... terror and ghost grip levels may be reduced

Fire... Prison of fire and rage may get reduced levels

Nature... has tangle vine/vine arrow in level 1/2 but range/precision are bad
Sleep/Sleep Cloud and/or Panic are good candidates for -1 level

Water... Slime (level 1) is a very good spell against low numbers of powerful units out of the seas (if they don't have high MR) ; making possible to use it underwater may reduce the Oceania's sacreds advantage among sea nations
Numbness may get its level reduced to 2, offering a way to weaken high MR units (if they are not cold immune)

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Or just restrict the awesome power of the heavy bless strategies. None of these nations become hopeless if their bless is slightly weakened.

Just don't allow more than one 9+ path on a Pretender. Or don't allow any Imprisoned Pretenders. That will still allow powerful blesses but just weaken them a little.

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i'd like to play if there is still space.

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The game is full, but is is almost guaranteed some players will not like their race, or real life crops up between now and when the game actually starts.

So Janim, while you are a 1st alternate, I would be absolutely shocked if all 60 players in front of you all end up playing.

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If someone is willing to make a "layered research mod" i will endorse it and put it up for vote.

Otherwise I think we should use the hard level. The layers should be as follows:

research paths 1-2=normal
research paths 3-6=hard
research paths 7-9 very hard

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jeez that was fast, ok i'll wait and hope there will be space.

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If someone gives up I would be glad to take his place http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...ies/tongue.gif I am late but thought sign up would open on 1st may :-/

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Another possibility is to remove divine blessing, and lower the area of bless. Then you'll need a bunch of priests to bless your army.

Or cap research at lvl 7. No lvl 8 or 9 spells.

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Ser, I think as the 2nd alternate you are in great shape as well.

My apologies for starting sign up early, but i feared a rush of new games starting on 4/27 when llamabeast got back from his Thailand trip.

And since we needed 60 players, I did not want to risk too many people getting overextended with other games before they realized this game was coming.

I like the idea of a mod making the lower paths easier and working up to very hard for paths 7-9.

With the 1st 2 levels being normal. That gives you a few decent spells(lighting, and also a few buffs if you have an awake sc(personal regen, summon earth power, alt spells).

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A layered research mod is not exactly doable.

It's possible to reduce by one research levels of all spells under a done level, then use very hard research, but it would mean there will be an empty level somewhere (and all level 1 spells would be known from start, or levels 1 and 2 spells merged in level 1).

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I'd like to play in this game if possible. I suppose that makes me 2nd alternate?

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3rd actually. Though a few players only listed a couple nations and said they were only interested in playing those. And they may not get them. And in most bigger games at least a couple players need replaced at the pretender selection stage.

So there is a good chance for 3-5 alternates getting in-as long as you are not terribly picky about the race.

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Apparently a tiered research tree cannot be achieved through a mod. Good idea though.

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Heh, lets not hit bless nations too hard. How many bless nations made it through to the last 10 or so in the last megagame?

Probably best to settle on hard research, it seemed to work out very well in the last megagame.

Are we going for 20 capitals, 1/3 of the total on the map? Or of course as many as anyone can get 1st of May next year.

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I agree with MegloBob, I think this is a paper tiger issue as despite the general sentiment dual bless nations to not dominate games in general, nor the previous mega games with hard research.

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Stop nerfing my evil Rlyeh strats http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

On another note I can sign up me and folket (yes we will share one nation between us due to time/internet restrictions)

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Excuse me
Xietor ¿what is your email? I don´t found it

Thanks

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This is awesome that there are so many new guys expanding the community that this game is already got a queue of alts! Very much welcome guys!

@Cidi: if you click on anybody's name it'll bring you to a screen with an option to send a private message to that user.

Re: Mega Age II (Kingmaker) Sign Up!
 

Reasoning is a bit flawed on the bless nations. The last megagame is not a great indicator for these reasons:

1. Player skill is not equal

2. Just because the bless nations did not do well over the long haul does not mean they did not kill off their 1st victim rather quickly. Lanka had killed 2-3 nations before he ran into me, and the only reason i stopped him was i was number 4 on his list, and not number 1 or 2.

By the time K attacked me i had several banelords in constr 6 and in some cases 8 gear. EA Mictlan was tearing through
2 nations until both ma ryleh and I lent a hand. 4 against 1 and their triple blessed jags finally were vanquished.

3. LA Ermor and LA Ryleh-the free spawn nations killed off some of the more potent bless nations. And they will not be in this game to eat Niefel giants, vanheims etc(tough prenerf).

So yes, once a nation that has good scales gets its research kicking, it can fight off a good bless nation. It is making it to that point that is hard if you are unlucky and start next to a triple blessed jaguar nation.

That said, we will not nerf in any way the bless nations. I think taking away divine bless would lead to more micromanagement-something a long game certainly needs no more of.

So we will just use the hard research, and maybe a down the road patch for next year's game will have a game option to adjust the research levels by each of the 9 paths, and not just all or nothing.

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Could I be put down as an alternate please?

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Kingmaker Cast of Characters(so far)

Kingmaker

1. Xietor
2. Dr. P
3. KristopherO
4. Baalz
5. Indypendant
6. ComTrav
7. Herode
8. Meglobob
9. Zenzei
10. Salamander8
11. Yandav
12. Cupido2
13. Unoptimized
14. Amhazair
15. Twan
16. Bernardo
17. Falkor
18. DonCorazon
19. Zoshan
20. Hoplosternum
21. Slobby
22. Dryaunda
23. Digress
24. Shigure
25. Areaofeffect
26. Hadrian_2
27. Lolomo
28. Chrispedersen
29. Cicadian
30. Lingchih
31. Foodstamp
32. Revolution
33. Fal
34. Admiralzhao
35. Coobe
36. Otthegreat
37. Dedas
38. Tichy
39. Tyrant
40. James243
41. Moderation
42. DaveCG
43. Darkwind
44. Cor2
45. Reay
46. Drake49
47. Mazel
48. Cidi
49. Hellkor
50. Ossa
51. Cleveland
52. Firewalker
53. Jazzepi
54. BigandScary
55. Llamabeast
56. Atul
57. Sum1lost
58. Zeldor(almost missed you!).
59. GWAR
60. Mr. Sparkle

1st alternate- Janim
2nd alternate- seryozha
3rd alternate- baruk
4th alternate- Evilhomer/Folket team
5th alternate Gregstrom

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I hope you make it in. I want my revenge. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

Re: Mega Age II (Kingmaker) Sign Up!
 

Nations that have had 3 people pick them as their number one:
EA Sauromatia
MA Mictlan

Others are free to select these nations as their number one pick, but it is only a 1 in 3 chance now.

I will roll 2 dice on the morning of May 8 for each player in a "tie." Hopefully I will be able to post race selections by the next morning. I may be sending messages to people to ask them if they are ok with a certain race. But I may not have time.

My main goal is to get each person with a race that is on their list, if at all possible. For those with only 2 races on your list and "I do not really care to play anyone else" I hope you get a good roll on your 2 races. Nothing I can do if you do not. That is the reason we have alternates.

For those who said they will play any race, I will see who is left after the 1st round is done, and see if you have a preference among those races that are left. Though i do believe the pickings will be slim after the 1st round.
With a few exceptions, there has been a pretty good spread
so far of people picking different races.

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LOL what? I thought I would have been the only one! haha http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

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How's this? Still needs a great deal more prettying, which I will do steadily until the game starts.

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Lanka joins the list of nations picked by 3 persons as their number one choice.

EA Sauromatia
MA Mictlan
EA Lanka

That does not mean others cannot select them one. It does mean your chance of winning a roll off is not good.

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You'll always look pretty to me.

Jazzepi

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Allways a beautiful sight to see young love bloom.
I wish you two the very best of luck. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

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I'll sign up as well for the alternatives list, or if someone decides they can't make it, etc.

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No offence meant ... but are you sure that Messrs. Jazzepi and DrPraetorious are still in the bloom of youth ?

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Oh no I am another person who missed signup! I was waiting for a new thread, and not reading the existing ones. Alternates are for replacing players who don't ever begin the game right, and are not intended to be mid-game substitutions? Anyway I guess I'm volunteering to be an alternate. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

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won't be long before we can make a second 60 player game with us latecommers...

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45/60 have sent in their pretender picks, or stated in a pm that they have no preference. When I get 50 I will list those who i do not have picks from just to make sure I have no missed someone's picks through inadvertence.

Plenty of time left though. May 7 is the deadline.

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I meant the love to be young, not the people involved. Young love in the retirement home is endearing too. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

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Where's my Viagra?

Jazzepi

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i have no race preference, hope you counted that in =)

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I have you coobe.

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thx for managing this game, will be fun

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Xietor, would you mind putting me down as an alternate as well? I desperately want to play this game but I also desperately fear the micro http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif Might be fun to sub for people tho, perhaps doomed nations if those players walk away?

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I want IN!!

You asked me goddammit..

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IH, you have to get in. Fiddlesticks should not be content to just rule Epotara.

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Xietor, you didn't fix the capital start locations for land nations yet, or did you? If you haven't, seeing how much intrest there is in the game, I see no harm in starting with 63 players instead of 60. That would give an average of 14.29 provinces/player instead of 15. Not like that's exageratedly cramped.

Just an idea.

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I can add more people as alternates, but I have 5 already. It is unlikely more than 5 will not submit a pretender due to real life time issues or not liking their race. In the event that does happen, I will look at the thread to see who is next in line.

Yes, I did alert as many as possible that sign ups were ongoing, but i cannot make more spots than there are(: It is a first come basis. I sent about 50 messages out to players who were in my other games, were in last year's mega game, or who were actually mentioned in this thread by their friends.

But I did not guarantee anyone a spot in the game, other than the person whose server we are using, the map editor, and KO, the game designer. Sorry if anyone got that impression. Though to be honest, I am quite surprised at how quickly the game slots filled up.

There will likely be ample opportunities to sub in this game, but I realize that is not the same as actually starting it.

I could have made the map a little bigger and added a slot for every race, but I am very wary of the unit cap.

There is already 14.68 provinces for each land nation(107 water). I have not yet done starting spot, but I will soon.
Well before May, 7. I want, if at all possible, to give each capital 4 starting adjoining provinces.