Re: The Artifacts Game - [ running ]
 

My wife and I are going in tomorrow morning to induce labor!

This may cause delay in my turns as you can imagine. If it does too much I will have a friend sub. Fun fun!

Re: The Artifacts Game - [ running ]
 

Good luck Rathar!

We are on 48hr schedule now so you should have some slack. Just post if you need extensions.

Re: The Artifacts Game - [ running ]
 

yah, you can have an extra day for every extra baby she pops out ;)

congrats :)

Re: The Artifacts Game - [ running ]
 

Best wishes Rathar!

Re: The Artifacts Game - [ running ]
 

Wow, such happiness :)
Best wishes Rathar esp. to wife and baby.

Re: The Artifacts Game - [ running ]
 

Congrats, Rather, good luck!

-------
In other news, Ulm offers cheap dwarven hammers. Gold is the prefered currency, but 20 gems of any type will also be accepted.

Re: The Artifacts Game - [ running ]
 

Be sure to check prices at MidMart before you buy from anyone else - we are the low price leader for all your forging needs!

Re: The Artifacts Game - [ running ]
 

Madeline Marie McNiece was born last night at 9:40pm.

8 pds 7.6 oz and everyone is doing just great! Thanks for the well wishes. I won't be back home until tomorrow evening but I see that the Llamaserver is down so hopefully that'll work out great.

Thanks!

John/Rathar

Re: The Artifacts Game - [ running ]
 

Congrats Rathar! Welcome to the world Madeline! Good timing - right around Obama's acceptance speech. Hopefully things in the US will get better! :)

Re: The Artifacts Game - [ running ]
 

Rathar, your virus to sabotage the Llamaserver was a stroke of brilliance! Enjoy the time with your baby :)

Re: The Artifacts Game - [ running ]
 

so the game is on hold atm? i have not tried to send in my turn...

Re: The Artifacts Game - [ running ]
 

uhm ... somehow the turn deadline is in the past yet no one staled or hosted? i'm confused.... and in another game i got an email saying my turn was received but its still listed as waiting...


i hope we can make some sort of massive delay to hosting while we all try and figure out when/if llama is up and when/if to patch?

Re: The Artifacts Game - [ running ]
 

Once the server is back up I believe we will have 48 hours to get the current turn in.

Re: The Artifacts Game - [ running ]
 

Yeah I am not sure what the situation with the status page on llamaserver is. You can go to it, and its up, but llamabeast has explicitly told us that the server is down. To prevent any more confusion, I have postponed the turn deadline by 48hrs (until monday). So just hold your turns until then, at which point we will hopefully have some new info from Llamabeast.

And no one worry about missing a turn on this one. Due to all the server wackiness, if any turns get generated accidentally without a proper turn period notice to all the players we will just roll it back.

Re: The Artifacts Game - [ running ]
 

yah llama is resetting all the hosted games to 48 hrs qh once he gets the new server up and running.

It's a free weekend folks - go outside and frolic ;p

Re: The Artifacts Game - [ running ]
 

Went outside.

Frolicked.

Was fun.

:D

Re: The Artifacts Game - [ running ]
 

Yeah I frolicked the hell out of that weekend. Ready to game on now tho

Re: The Artifacts Game - [ running ]
 

BTW, I am subbing for Lingchih from next turn for a short time, so don't forget to change the mail :)

Re: The Artifacts Game - [ running ]
 

Funny I was thinking the exact same when I read llama's message that server is broken.

Had a very nice weekend indeed, peaceful mainly.

Now I got it, whenever I desire I nice two day vacation all I need to do is bomb the server :evil: :)

Re: The Artifacts Game - [ running ]
 

As many of you have probably noticed, the turn timer is all wacked out from the various delays that were imposed on it during the server down time. Instead of trying to mess with the time settings and possibly screw things up even more, I am just going to force hosting at 10pm PST tomorrow. Get your turns in if you havent already.

10:00pm Pacific US Time, Wednesday, Sept. 3, the turn will be forced...

Re: The Artifacts Game - [ running ]
 

I would like to buy a blood booster from anyone ... any type of blood booster will do even cursed. i only need one. lowest price wins!


a rental agreement would also be satisfactory!

PM me please

Re: The Artifacts Game - [ running ]
 

there's still an unsubmitted turn - i suggest IH email him, and perhaps wait a little before forcing host

Re: The Artifacts Game - [ running ]
 

We're all set. QM got his turn in and we are back on track with 48hrs.

Game on!

Re: The Artifacts Game - [ running ]
 

Please switch me back next turn IH. I'm back.

Re: The Artifacts Game - [ running ]
 

Utgard would like to purchase a small number of air gems to be sent this turn (in exchange for death astral nature or other payment) even just a couple will be much nicer than having to turn to an alchemist

Re: The Artifacts Game - [ running ]
 

nevermind the need for air gems has been filled... i'd delete my post but i dont know how

Re: The Artifacts Game - [ running ]
 

I don't think it can be done on this new board.

Re: The Artifacts Game - [ running ]
 

If you were allowed to delete posts, it's like the terrorists would have won.

Re: The Artifacts Game - [ running ]
 

The gov't told me that the terrorists were coming to steal all your gems!!!

Re: The Artifacts Game - [ running ]
 

I've changed it back, Lingchih.

In the future tho - if anyone has a need for thier email to be changed for a sub, please inform me via email. You are taking chances if you rely on IMs or this thread as I may not check it in time for your turn. Email is far more reliable.

Re: The Artifacts Game - [ running ]
 

Only Five and a Half Hours!! remain until the Titanic Clash of Nations between Tien-chi and Agartha! There is still a few seats available by latest calculations although they are festival seating in the upper deck!

These Two Powerhouses promise a thrilling time! A Double Feature! Not one, Not three but TWO massive Gladiatorial engagements are occurring at not one but two Capitol Provinces simultaneously! See the Cavalry Charges! See the Bolts and Arrows fly so thick they blot out our life giving Orb!

No Expense Shall Be Spared! Over SEVENTY FIVE Mages, Necromancers and Undead Magic Wielding Giants have been brought for YOUR enjoyment!

SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY! Rrrrummble in the Jungles! (forests..)

(The first 10,000 seated will receive free Ktonian necromancer or Ancestral Spirit Bobble-heads)

WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!

Re: The Artifacts Game - [ running ]
 

anyone still want some thistle maces made by any chance?

Re: The Artifacts Game - [ running ]
 

Actually it was only a single header :)

And it was remarkably uninteresting: Agarthan forces suffered a TOTAL formation disaster and were easily picked apart by TC artillery mages. The bloodshed continues...

Re: The Artifacts Game - [ running ]
 

We encourage all ticket holders to read the back of your ticket and see where it says "No Refunds!"

Bit of a confused weary mob slammed together sort of battle. I learned that although the descriptive text of Curse of Stones only refers to the "Enemy" the spell affects both sides.

Re: The Artifacts Game - [ running ]
 

trade me some earth gems please! i have WSDN to trade

Re: The Artifacts Game - [ running ]
 

So how is this game going? Are the artifacts having much of an impact, or is it pretty much like any other LA game?

Re: The Artifacts Game - [ running ]
 

My artifacts have had no impact. But then, I had really bad ones.

Re: The Artifacts Game - [ running ]
 

In general my artifacts are having nominal effect but I do have the luck sword which is having a quite nice effect although a bit less than one would guess.

Re: The Artifacts Game - [ running ]
 

I played Mictlan and I'm out. I haven't seen my turn yet, but I suspect this would be my last turn. Congrats to Namad for skillfully organizing a war party against me!
I had the Gift of Kurgi, the Banefire Scepter, and that Blood vengeance armor. I put all of them on one King of Rain thug. The scepter usually kills any horror that shows up in one shot. However, in my case, around turn 9, two horrors show up. My thug killed one, and the other promptly ate him.

So, no, the artifacts did not help me at all. I might have been better able to use them if I saved them up for mid or late game. The minor artifacts I haven't found an elegant way to use them yet. The slave collars were just left in the lab, the hearts I traded for some bone armor which didn't help me.

But then this is my first time playing Mictlan. I might do better next time with what I have learned.

Re: The Artifacts Game - [ running ]
 

you have four provinces and i can only possibly attack two.... i don't see how you will be eliminated this turn.... in fact you are doing a very good job of wasting my time even with 0troops0income0gems0research0recruitment you still manage to seem thorny..feel free to go ai ;)




also someone please trade me some earth gems! i have WSDN to trade

Re: The Artifacts Game - [ running ]
 

Yeah, similarly my artifacts helped a bit with my initial expansion, but having to equip them on low hp guys means it doesn't take a terrible amount of bad luck to sink you (my sad story is posted above). The non-artifacts have actually been more useful because of their numbers. Traded some bone armor for black hearts which really got me into the water well ahead of everybody combined with scouts and bottles of living water. Wavebreakers are also nice for early underwater fighting (cast friendly currents, I think that's a CBM change).

Then again, the artifacts I lost (Nethugul and the Orb of Atlantis) wouldn't really have been much help even in an early war against a real opponent. The sunslayer was been nice as an early D booster, but that's easily replaced once cons-4 is hit.

All in all, I haven't seen too much change in how the game plays, though I'm just starting my first real war so that may change.

Re: The Artifacts Game - [ running ]
 

My artifacts significantly altered the strategy of my nation. Perhaps more than was warranted. However, my hero Granite, whom you have all seen in the HoF, is wielding the Stone Sword to devastating effect. So my artifacts are certainly impacting.

My starting equipment was also exceptionally useful. It boosted me from a lackluster start to a solid one. Even now some of that equipment is still in circulation.

Re: The Artifacts Game - [ running ]
 

all of aby's equipment was junk. completely useless for any expansion. The unquenched sword is ok in mid/late game battles that last a good while, but really that the hvy infantry you are killing has 14 fatigue instead of the 8 they would have had normally, does pretty well sweet f*ck all.

The Ark, on the other hand, especially w/ Gath's high HP sacreds, is basically an "I Win" button.

Re: The Artifacts Game - [ running ]
 

Caelum's artifacts were and are useful. So are most of the items.
The bows are great on Caelumite commanders. The corpse man construction artifact is great for having chaff. The storm sword, in one word, awesome, its my judgment day weapon, hopefully well until nations will start forging SoS.

Re: The Artifacts Game - [ running ]
 

Given the fun I had combining some items for interesting early use, and the disparity of how useful different players found their national items I had a thought that might be fun. Perhaps if each nation had a certain number of gems to 'buy' whichever items they wanted before the game started, with some sort of auction/bidding for the unique items. Everybody gets what they want and can design their strats/pretender around it. Take drain scales and skull mentors? Try to get the chalice or a dozen frost brands? Could lead to some interesting play....

Re: The Artifacts Game - [ running ]
 

awesome idea... but heres another one ... auctions might be too time consuming... how about a draft?


let's say... 12players... randomly assign from 1-12 a number for each player.... player 1 picks nation first player 12picks nation last player 12picks artifact first player 1 picks artifact last


either break the artifacts up into artifact packages... or just make like the first round of artifact picking for artifacts and have another 3rd or 4th round for normal items?


not sure... just brainstorming... auctioning sounds fine but i reckon would take a bit longer..

Re: The Artifacts Game - [ running ]
 

Midgard,s items have proven useful, though not game changing in any sense. The Flying Ship is great for early game expansion as it allows you to shuttle new recruits to the front to replace any casualties from fighting indies. The Spirit Helm turns plain vanilla commanders into long range artillery. But generally speaking these things just provide a modest boost - nothing really spectacular.

Re: The Artifacts Game - [ running ]
 

Bidding wouldn't have to take long. Say each player had 150 gems to allocate. Everyone in secret makes a bid on any artifacts they want with a minimum bid as it's forge price. Whoever bids the most for any artifact gets it, ties resolved at random. At that point everybody allocates any gems they've got left.

Obviously this would be less of an "artifacts" game as there would likely be less artifacts in play, but perhaps some more fun synergies and strategies.

Problem with the lottery system is that there is such a huge difference between choosing between the chalice and the ark, or winding up with the functionally useless last couple picks. If the guy who gets the ark had to give up all his other items though, its a bit more balanced.

Re: The Artifacts Game - [ running ]
 

Thanks for all the feedback, very useful as I'm in teh second artifacts game.

The alternate is perhaps for the players from this game, and perhaps the second one I'm in, to give suggestions to how they think the items could be changed to suit their nation more? Then have the one person make final decision, but at least it will have received more attention for each nation

I know in my game as Pythium I am getting a bit of use out of the items, but not much - most are thug boosters and pythium is really lacking there until mid to late game summons, by which time the items won't mean that much. A couple of magic boosters are handy, but that's about it

Re: The Artifacts Game - [ running ]
 

the guy with the ark get's 12th pick of nation :-p

i figured that was the balancing factor.... but i guess it isn't quite...



i guess i thought the auction would be sequential not all at once... all at once would be quick... maybe all non-artifacts could have price values for people to purchase after the one round of blind bidding on artifacts occured and people got their gems refunded as they lost the bid?