Re: Players needed for an experimental game
 

PBEM at first, since I haven't a permanent IP.

If the game concept doesn't prove to be a total failure after a few turns, I will try to find a spot on Mosehansen's server, or similar.

Re: Players needed for an experimental game
 

This sounds very nice -- however, may I ask how quickly turns will be hosted? I cannot do more than 4-7 turns per week maximally, and would like to know your timeframe, feelings on slower folks, and stale turns. Thank you in advance

Re: Players needed for an experimental game
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">See 2) in the original post. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Well, since it's an experiment, I don't really want to spoil the results because of stale turns, at least early. I'll try to have the game moving at ~1 turn/day initially, maybe down to 3/week after a while, or if there's a whole lot of players.

It's likely turns will be generated at midnight, GMT+0. It makes conVersions to local time easier for people from all around the world. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Re: Players needed for an experimental game
 

Sorry, I dont know why I missed that originally. Great. Thanks, I will try to mail you when I get back to Berlin (tomorrow).

Re: Players needed for an experimental game
 

I'm in!!!

Yay!!

http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Re: Players needed for an experimental game
 

Cool! I'm in.
Expect races/lists tomorrow, busy now.

Re: Players needed for an experimental game
 

Email sent...

Players needed for an experimental game
 

1) I won't play, for obvious reasons.

2) Game will start using 2.12, no mods. Indep strength 6, HoF on, public scores off, everything else set to default. Expect 5 turns/week in the beginning, but we'll probably use a slower schedule after a while, or if many players participate. After all, it's an experimental game.

3) Every volunteer will have to email me at jacquesvidalZhotmailZcom (replace the Zs with the relevant characters) with:

* A list of the 17 available nations (or as many as possible, the more the better), listed in order of preference (most preferred top, less preferred bottom).

* The 2h files for every listed nation, zipped in a single archive. Again, I'd prefer you to send as many nations as possible. Please leave the nation files UNPASSWORDED.

* Optionally, the password you want to use in this game. When your nation is chosen, I'll create a new nation file for you using that password. If you don't provide a password, I'll choose one for you.

The subject line of your message must start with [dom2exp] (including the brackets), for convenience.

4) DON'T POST YOUR RACE CHOICES ON THIS FORUM! It's very important you keep your nation secret until I explain what the game will be about!

5) When I have enough volunteers (15+), I'll post the victory conditions on this board. I WON'T ACCEPT NEW NATION FILES AFTER THE VICTORY CONDITIONS ARE MADE PUBLIC. At this point, I expect a few players to retract and refuse to join the game because of these conditions, but that's OK. If I have more than 17 volunteers left, I'll start 2 games instead of one. The map will be chosen at this point, depending on the number of players. Expect ~10 provinces/starting nation.

6) Then nations will be allotted to the remaining players using the following algorithm:

(a) start with N = 1
(b) if a player Nth pick is a nation that's still unowned, and noone else listed it as his Nth choice, give that nation to the player, cross the nation and the player off
(c) if there are still players without nations, increment N and go to (b)

If this isn't enough to resolve ties (people submitting the same list, say), I'll let a flipped coin decide who gets what.

7) Because of the atypic victory conditions, veterans aren't guaranteed to get the sharp edge they usually have over newbies, so the game is open to players of all levels. Further, these victory conditions are likely to make pre-game alliances utterly useless, if not worse - You've been warned!

8) No restriction on nations, strategies, tactics, diplomacy, whatever.

Re: Players needed for an experimental game
 

Nagot (if that is your real name http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif ) will the game be hosted PBEM or network?

Re: Players needed for an experimental game
 

I don't have the time for such a fast-paced game, but you got my curiousity pricked. Inform us poor observers of your non-standard victory conditions once you got started, please. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: Players needed for an experimental game
 

My humble noobness is in now too. Will you email us with confirmations and instructions?

Re: Players needed for an experimental game
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Jawohl. Once I have at least 15 volunteers I'll explain the game conditions in this thread. As I said, I expect a few players to not accept them, but I hope there'll be enough left to make the experiment interesting.

You can make changes to your choices until I post the game conditions, but not after.

Re: Players needed for an experimental game
 

I would like to participate. This would be my first Dom2 MP game, and first PBEM ever.

If that's ok, I will send my mail and nations later today. A short explanation of the PBEM procedures also is needed once the game starts. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Re: Players needed for an experimental game
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Since NGF will be hosting, you send him your .2h files (the first time: from your Newlords folder), and he will send you your turns as .trn files. You copy those to a folder in your dom2 folder on your computer with the name of the game (e.g.: Experimental_Game), then play your turn, and subsequently mail NGF your completed turn in the form of a .2h file you will find in the Experimental_Game folder. Repeat.

Re: Players needed for an experimental game
 

I have sent 17 pretender files.

How do you make the draw for pretenders, if some players just posted 3 files and other 17?

Re: Players needed for an experimental game
 

Files sent. 9 Pretender choices entered.

Looking forward to trying this out! Sounds interesting!

http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: Players needed for an experimental game
 

Files sent today. 14 pretenders.
Waiting for some news http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: Players needed for an experimental game
 

So far I've received only pretenders from the following players:

metanile
Stelteck (only 4, a few more would be better)
Zenus
tinkthank
Balmoth

I still need about twice as many. C'mon people, a recent poll showed that your main interest in Dominions is to play to 'experiment new things'. That's your chance!

Re: Players needed for an experimental game
 

Nagot, didn't you receive my files?

Re: Players needed for an experimental game
 

Mail sent. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif

Only 11 nations, if you need more, let me know.

My designs probably will cause some laughter, but I'm in for the fun anyway. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Re: Players needed for an experimental game
 

Does anyone else think this sound really dodgy? He wants you to leave all of the pretender files unpassworded. No reason is given. He expects you to just tell him your password instead, even though he has the master password and doesn't need such a thing. Once again, no reason is given. Combined with the secrecy of just about everything involved in the game, including even what map is involved. Plus he expects that people will then immediately drop.

Does this sound a bit suspicious to you? Experimental is one thing, but this sounds like an outright scam.

Re: Players needed for an experimental game
 

16 pretenders sent.

Re: Players needed for an experimental game
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Hehe. It took you much longer than I expected to come up with this. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

It may sound 'dodgy' but there's a reason for this, and you and everyone else will understand when the game & victory conditions are made public. At this point, you'll be free to quit if these conditions don't suit you. Meanwhile, you have nothing to loose bar the time it takes to design a few pretenders and send them to me.

And I remind you rule #1: I won't play in this game.

Re: Players needed for an experimental game
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">That should be fine. The problem is you used a format I'm not familiar with (.ace). What kind of tool do I need to unpack this? If none is available as freeware, I'd like you to send them in zip format.

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">That Last point is the one that really matters. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

Re: Players needed for an experimental game
 

Oh, sorry. I always use winace ( www.winace.com ), since it usually has a better compression than .zip

Btw. some scam indeed. Stealing our precious pretenders, lol. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif

Re: Players needed for an experimental game
 

No, it sounds quite reasonable and good-willed. I even have an idea of sort of what he has in mind, and it sounds interesting. I would have signed up if I didn't already have too many games going and way too much work to do and other stuff to do etc.

As for why people might drop after learning the rules, that's understandable, since he means to do something unexpected that some players might not like. Many players only like certain kinds of games and certain approaches to play. I won't speculate, since I wouldn't want to influence the experiment that way.

PvK

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">

Re: Players needed for an experimental game
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">THANK YOU! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

Re: Players needed for an experimental game
 

I'm in! Just sent my list of preferences and pretender files. I'm still very new to the game, so I hope I don't embarass myself TOO much, but either way, I'm ready to have some fun! Plus MP is always the best way I know to learn more.

Re: Players needed for an experimental game
 

Ok, I couldn't resist at least giving it a shot. It was interesting picking a god for everyone. There sure are a ton of nations I've not tried yet!

PvK

Re: Players needed for an experimental game
 

I'm in- 17 pretenders sent!

Re: Players needed for an experimental game
 

How many players do we still need to start the game?

Re: Players needed for an experimental game
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">I think I'll post the VC tomorrow, or at the very Last Wednesday (I'm not at home today). Expect the game to start very soon after that.

Re: Players needed for an experimental game
 

Superb, merci Jacques!

In case you or anyone else cares, I will be gone all day tomorrow on a conference, will be able to be on Wednesday evening (Europe time) at the earliest -- sorry if this is a hangup.

EDIT: It would be most wonderful if you could notify the players per Email as well as to conditions, just in case some do not access this website...

[ July 05, 2004, 17:35: Message edited by: tinkthank ]

Re: Players needed for an experimental game
 

So far I have received files from:

metanile
Stelteck
Zenus
tinkthank
Balmoth
reverend
Daesthai
En Forcer
Tannath
Tuna-Fish
PvK
Bobum (you forgot your list of preferences)
Kalkkis

I've had problem with my HotMail account lately, so if your name isn't listed above (Teraswaerto, maybe others), try to email your files again, it should be fixed now. Or you may want to try this alternate address:

nagotgickfelZyahooZfr

(as usual, replace the Zs with the ad hoc characters - also note the fr suffix, instead of the more usual com).

That's 12 players, 13 with Teraswaerto. I would have liked a few more, anyway I'll submit the VCs as soon as I receive Teraswaerto's files. Remember, NO SUBMISSION WILL BE ACCEPTED AFTER THE VICTORY CONDITIONS ARE MADE PUBLIC, so if you want to give this one a try, you'd better hurry! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

Re: Players needed for an experimental game
 

Pretenders sent (for the third time now). Hopefully they get there this time.

Re: Players needed for an experimental game
 

DP

[ July 07, 2004, 07:05: Message edited by: Teraswaerto ]

Re: Players needed for an experimental game
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">If your initials are T.V. and you're from Finland, you're in this time. I'll let you confirm this since neither your profile nor your Messages give a clue you're really that person.

Re: Players needed for an experimental game
 

Yup, that's me. Sorry about that. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/blush.gif

Re: Players needed for an experimental game
 

Submissions closed.

So what's this game all about?

Simple: it's a Killer game. You're both an assassin and a victim, and you score points for killing your victim(s) while avoiding being killed.

The catch is this: your victim will play your chosen nation, and you'll use your own assassin's chosen nation. So as an assassin, you'll get complete knowledge of your victim's nation and pretender. OTOH as a victim you have absolutely no clue about who your assassin is.

I suppose some of you will feel 'cheated' by this and decide to drop out. I understand that. I just hope you won't be too many in that case. For the remaining players, see that as a test of your own adaptability. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

Once I know who the remaining players are, I'll do the following:

(1) pick nations depending on your preferences

(2) randomly choose assassin/victim relationships (it will be a loop: A kills B kills C ... kills Z kills A)

(3) generate new pretender files using the chosen designs, except I'll let the game pick random names for pretenders (just so victims have absolutely no clue about who designed the nation they'll play), and OFC I'll put your chosen password on the nation you'll actually play.

(4) pick a map depending on the number of players (probably Inland, because of the wraparound)

(5) place capitals in such a way that the distance from assassin to victim is about the same for everyone

(6) generate the game

With your 1st turn you'll also receive a reminder of your password, and the identity of your victim. Try to keep that info secret, or sell it for something that's really worth it. OFC no rule forces you to tell the truth http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

Scoring:

The first nation to suffer extinction will grant 6 points to its assassin, even if the said assassin didn't participate in its victim's oblirteration. You don't get points for actively obliterating a nation that's not your designated victim.

The 2nd dead victim is worth 4 points.

The 3rd dead victim is worth 2 point.

The game will end as soon as 3 nations are extinguished. Each survivor will get 5 points.

Note with this system it's possible for 2 succesful killers to win at the same time. That's intended, but I'll leave you as an exercise to figure out why. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Victim status is transferable when a nation dies. Eg, if A is B's assassin, and B is C's assassin, C becomes A's new victim if B dies.

I'm not that happy with the scoring system, but I haven't found anything that did really please me. If anyone thinks of something better, feel free to post your ideas here. It might be these conditions make the game somewhat somewhat unplayable, but after all I stressed the fact it's an experiment enough. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

Questions?

Re: Players needed for an experimental game
 

Sounds like a kick! I'm still in. =)

Re: Players needed for an experimental game
 

Count me in. Sounds like a lot of fun!


Oh, question: http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

How do you "generate new pretender files using the chosen designs"? Do you just start a game and look at the starting province and the pretender, or is there a tool to actually read the pretender designs from the files?

[ July 07, 2004, 20:01: Message edited by: reverend ]

Re: Players needed for an experimental game
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Assume your victim will be given "your" Abysia.

I just put the abysia.2h you sent me in my newlords directory, create a new game with Abysia as a human player, load the 1st turn, look at the theme, god, god's magic, castle, dominion strength and scales, and duplicate the design using this data, except I'll add your victim's password. I'll use that duplicate design for your victim when I create the game.

Not simple enough? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

[ July 07, 2004, 20:10: Message edited by: Nagot Gick Fel ]

Re: Players needed for an experimental game
 

Sounds interesting - I'll stay.

Re: Players needed for an experimental game
 

I'm in.

Re: Players needed for an experimental game
 

Heh. You know, somebody, somewhere, is laughing about this.....the guy who sent 17 FUBAR pretenders is going to be laughing when he winds up having to play none of them.

Re: Players needed for an experimental game
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Yes but that is part of the fun. Especially if he gets beaten by his own FUBAR pretenders. But I don't think anybody sent in 17 bad pretenders on purpose. That doesn't necessarily mean that they aren't bad - they were just not intended to. :-)

Being very new to this game, and never having played an aquatic race before, I am not sure I would want to play with my own pretenders.

Re: Players needed for an experimental game
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Maybe, but I seriously doubt that anyone would make 17 FUBAR's for himself to use in MP and nobody knew that opponents will be using them until all pretenders were submitted. That's probably the reason why Nagot was so secretive.

Re: Players needed for an experimental game
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Actually, at least one player I spoke to had been pondering exactly that. Whether he actually carried through, I don't know. If he did, he's laughing very hard right about now...

And hey, I warned you there was something dodgy involved. The sheer oddness of insisting that we not set a password, and actually tell HIM that password, was pretty suspicious right there.

Re: Players needed for an experimental game
 

I am definately in -- thanks for your effort so far!

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">I'm afraid I don't understand at all, sorry.

1. Do you mean by "assassin" that my job will be to eliminate a specific opponent nation (either by out-preaching or by conquering all provinces)?
2. Is this correct: If my first choice was, say, Caelum, and I get "assigned" my first choice by the algorithm you mentioned in your first post, then my job will be to assassinate Caelum and I will do this by playing the nation which the Caelum player originally wanted to play?
I don't understand which race it is I will be playing and against whom.
3. To be honest, I can't remember at all which pretender designs I sent in; this was a very busy week. Does that matter?
4. If I know whom I am supposed to "assassinate", won't they know who it is that is supposed to assassinate them (because I will be playing the nation which they wanted)?

Thanks for clarifying, sorry if I am slow today

Re: Players needed for an experimental game
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Are you really as untrusting and sceptical as you make yourself appear in your Posts or is this merely a witty and ironic masquerade for the good-natured philanthropic person you really are?