Platypus: Noob Team Game Full
 

<font color="blue">Game is in progress. Enjoy!
</font>
MAP:Urraparrand with the recommended 150% gold. graphs off, renaming on, rest default for EA.

TEAMS

Name .......... Preferred Race
---------------------------------------
<font color="green">Coturnix.........Bandar Log
ExitJudas........Arcosephale</font>
<font color="blue">Cleveland.......Lanka
Cicadian.........Tien Chi</font>
<font color="red">Sivoc..............Abysia
Egoix..............C'tis</font>
<font color="purple">Zylithan ......... Agartha
TrajanX..........Mictlan</font>

Re: Signup for Noob Team Game : Platypus
 

I would like to play. I have been in about 5 games. I would like to play R'lyeh

Re: Signup for Noob Team Game : Platypus
 

Interested. I'm in my second team game now, the first was doomed from the start due to a bad start position (resources up the wazoo but terrible income.)

Re: Signup for Noob Team Game : Platypus
 

I'm interested too.. I don't have a lot of time but figure I can easily do 1 turn a day if thats the goal. I'm up for trying Mictlan.

Have played err.. 3 turns of MP too (same game as you Opossom. And what's with all the Australian animals?)

Re: Signup for Noob Team Game : Platypus
 

Opossums aren't Australian http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif They are North America's only native marsupial.

Re: Signup for Noob Team Game : Platypus
 

Thanks for the invite.

I'll definately give it a shot, but I just bought the game yesterday, it hasn't even been delivered yet. I certainly won't put up much of a fight, but I'll be glad to take a beating if you can wait a few days for USPS.

No nation preference, believe it or not. But I gather Ulm is sort-of the beginner's best bet, so I guess I'll be them, if available.

Re: Signup for Noob Team Game : Platypus
 

I must say, Platypus definitely sounds like an Australian mammal to me, breaking the strict South American mammals-only naming convention on the LlamaServer.

Re: Signup for Noob Team Game : Platypus
 

I'd definitely be up for this. I've played a bit of SP but no MP at all (0 turns!)

I'd like to be Tien Chi if possible please.

Re: Signup for Noob Team Game : Platypus
 

Oh come on, Platypus are cool. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: Signup for Noob Team Game : Platypus
 

i'd like to play, i got something like 5 games under my belt, all except one are still very early. I'll figure out a nation later today http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: Signup for Noob Team Game : Platypus
 

I'm up for it, and it will be my first public MP.

Name .......... Preferred Race ...... MP turns
---------------------------------------------------------
Sivoc.......... Abysian.............. 0

Re: Signup for Noob Team Game : Platypus
 

Platypi

Re: Signup for Noob Team Game : Platypus
 

PLatypussies are not south american I am sorry, they are Australian, but they are very cool. They have:

1. poisonous claws!
2. the ability to detect the electric fields that results from your muscle contractions!
3. abnormally low body temperature!
4. huge underground citystates!
5. other incredible things!
6. and more!

(If wikipedia lied about the citystate thing I'm gonna be mad.)

Re: Signup for Noob Team Game : Platypus
 

i'd like to play aswell. any nation really. i have a massive 5 turn dominions 2 MP experience!

Re: Signup for Noob Team Game : Platypus
 

Great for all the sign-ups already!

If you havent done so, please let me know race preferences.

Also, tell me if you would be okay with playing Eight Gates map (let's say, version 2, gates exist and have bad sides effects if you stay in them too long, but do not enable recruitment of special mages)

If not, please suggest another map.

Thanks,
Zylithan

Edit... hmmm... I just saw Zoshan said R'lyeh. If he is in and playing them, we might need a diff map. Eight Gates has water, but I don't think its a very good start position. Honestly, I've never played or seen any water race, so I don't know much about their balance.

Re: Signup for Noob Team Game : Platypus
 

I don't know it, can you link to it, or attach it or something?

Re: Signup for Noob Team Game : Platypus
 

Here's a link to the thread, with discussion, .rar and .zip:

http://www.shrapnelcommunity.com/thr...&amp;fpart=all

As I have said, I made this map. I want to be very clear about that, and I would rather use a different map than have anyone unhappy. I propose it because:

1. I'd like to get it some pub/play.
2. I think it is more balanced than a random map.
3. I think it looks nice.
4. I think it has interesting connectivity, balance of open spaces and chokepoints.

Re: Signup for Noob Team Game : Platypus
 

i would definitely prefer a normal map for my first multiplayer game. something that is easy to understand. I'm worried i will get owned by a map with gates and secret recruiting places etc. what about urraparand? it also has sea for rlyeh.

eight gates is a lovely map, but having a home province within 2 moves of 3 different gates to whereever is a bit too "connected" for my noob brain. i
I foresee me dying to an army than suddenly pops out of a gate i had missed, laying waste to my already feeble strategies http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...es/biggrin.gif

Re: Signup for Noob Team Game : Platypus
 

Poisonous claws?

Zylithan, if you want to try your map out, I would stick to your guns. It is up to the host to choose what game will be played, and people can choose to join or not as they wish. You are also free to say that there should be no water nations.

If you just want to start another ordinary newbie game up and don't really mind about the map then fair enough.

Re: Signup for Noob Team Game : Platypus
 

poisonous claws, for reals. it's in wikipedia! enough poison to bring an average human serious pain, or paralyze smaller creatures. The platypus is known to fight viciously if cornered, or if denied server space because of its lack of south american heritage. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: Signup for Noob Team Game : Platypus
 

hehehe. i'd like to try my hand at Man

doh man is ME let me try tir na nog.

Re: Signup for Noob Team Game : Platypus
 

my prefered nation is Mictlan

Re: Signup for Noob Team Game : Platypus
 

If there´s enough space i would also like to join the game. I´m a quasi-total noob, bought the game weeks ago, and haven´t played multi (and only once in single, but i have read the manual and know how to play). I don´t mind playing Eight Gates.

My preferred race would be Bandar Log.

Re: Signup for Noob Team Game : Platypus
 

Hello, i´d like to join the game if it is possible too. I have no experience in multiplayer (only in single mode)and i´d like to play with C´tis.

Regards, Egoix.

Re: Signup for Noob Team Game : Platypus
 

Hey if you play your map and their is no water on the map, I would like to play Agartha.

Re: Signup for Noob Team Game : Platypus
 

Folks - In the first post I said I was hoping for 8 people, 4 teams of 2. We had 11 sign up, 8 of which seemed be to newer. I'm going to use this as a cut off, and apologise profusely to the 3 people who did not make it in. I will send your name on to Llama - he recently started a noob game (Opossum) that, once again, 3 people didnt get into and 7 did. Perhaps he (or one of you) can start a third noob game with those three.

Apologies, and I hope to play with you folks in a different game. I just didn't want to get this game too big!
Thanks for understanding.

Re: Signup for Noob Team Game : Platypus
 

wtf???

Re: Signup for Noob Team Game : Platypus
 

Host's prerogative! It's sensible to keep the game smallish, and probably also to take the most new players. Frustrating for those of you who're left out though.

I am intending to start another newbie game soon, and also an anyone-can-play Eight Gates game once I get my internet back at home, which will be in a fortnight or so. So there will be other game soon.

Re: Signup for Noob Team Game : Platypus
 

Okay, I'm gonna make a stab at a few game settings now.

Please let me know if you have STRONG objections to anything below. I want all to enjoy the game, but if minor objections keep coming up we might not start ever... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Llama suggested people might want to know their teams for thinking about making a pretender. This made sense to me. I didn't know a better way, so I have randomly made teams of 2, they are color coded in the first post.

I am willing to do Urraparrand as a map. I have never played it before. I was thinking I would look at it this weekend, and pick 4 sets of start locastions for 4 teams. I would try to make them all as balanced as I can. I would then number them 1-4, and tell Llambeast the numbers. The three teams I am not on would each pick a random number, first come first serve. My team gets whatever number is left. Everyone would then know where everyone else starts. This is the only solution I can think of for Urrapparrand. If we did 8 Gates, we could have random starts (well, each start is roughly balanced). That is easier, and perhaps more balanced, but I think we have objections. One advantage to 8Gates would be that because of the gates you could probably make it to your ally pretty quickly no matter where you started on the map.

I will have graphs off, renaming on. All othe settings default. For Urraparrand, it is set to 150% gold I think. I would leave this as is.

So.. in summary:

-randomly made teams of 2 (1st post)
-default settings, graphs off, renaming on
-urraparrand with semibalanced, semi lottery starts

Please post to confirm this is okay, or to post major issues. Thanks!

Re: Signup for Noob Team Game : Platypus
 

I don't wish to offend anyone, but I think it might be better to balance the teams a bit. Cleveland and I both have 0 MP experience; I have a little enough SP experience and he only bought the game a couple of days ago http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: Signup for Noob Team Game : Platypus
 

Indeed. I would also recommend not having Ulm and T'ien Ch'i (both traditionally considered on the weaker side, although T'ien Ch'i may have been boosted by the patch) on the same time, nor Lanka and Mictlan (both powerful bless nations).

In fact I would be inclined to do teams along the lines of:

Ulm &amp; Lanka
T'ien Ch'i &amp; Mictlan
Bandar Log and Tir na n'Og
Abysia and C'tis

I haven't taken player experience into account here, since you are all very new (which is great - always nice to see fresh faces, er, usernames). But those setups look a bit more balanced to me - none of them looks obviously stronger. Hope you don't mind me contributing my opinion Zylithan.

Re: Signup for Noob Team Game : Platypus
 

Also, I know this is kind of a fundamental change, but might it not be better to have an 8 player FFA instead of 4 teams? It seems like 2v2v2v2 is effectively a 4 player game in terms of diplomacy, which doesn't seem like it would leave a lot of options in that area.

Re: Signup for Noob Team Game : Platypus
 

Sorry for the OT but: Cicadian, where are you from in Birmingham? I'm from Sutton Coldfield (although I now mainly live in Oxford, but my parents are still in Brum).

Re: Signup for Noob Team Game : Platypus
 

Hey - llama and cicadian, thanks for the input.

I'd like to keep the game TEAMS, because I'd like to try to play around with having an ally, and how that changes things. Also, I'd like to be on a team with TrajanX, a buddy of mine from back when I was in college. I'm playing against him in my one other game that just started(now on turn 6?), so I thought it would be nice to play together in one.

I am fine with people switching races if people think that the races are imbalanced. I can switch mine as well if people want.

I'm fine switching teams around, but as far as experince, the most number of multiplayer TURNS anyone in here claimed to have when we signed up was 5. Which seems like none to me(5 turns into a game, you havent seen anyone but independants).

Re: Signup for Noob Team Game : Platypus
 

If you and TrajanX want to be on the same team it would probably be better if one of you wasn't a bless nation (Lanka, Mictlan, Niefelheim, Vanheim, Helheim). Or Arco for that matter, since elephants are pretty much as good as bless rushes. Or if you prefer, you can just say say there should be no double-9 blesses in the game. That might be a good rule to use anyway, come to think of it.

I'm just thinking if you had a team with two nations with highly blessed and powerful sacreds, whoever you go up against first just won't have a fair fight.

Re: Signup for Noob Team Game : Platypus
 

Avoiding putting two rush races together sounds fair to me. I'll look at some other races and will change. I reckon Formoria is also a good bless rush race, so I'll avoid them, as well as the ones you listed.

Would me being Yomi, Ermor, Agartha or Pangaea be okay?

I haven't played any of these races, so I'm not familiar with their units/strats.

Re: Signup for Noob Team Game : Platypus
 

So my game just arrived, right about to install.

Again, I'd like to reiterate that I'm going to be terrible. So maybe I (Ulm) should be paired with someone/ some nation that's considered "good."

Anyways, I'm all set. Please let me know what comes next.

Re: Signup for Noob Team Game : Platypus
 

Cleveland - are you going to have any time to play this weekend? Of the people who signed up, ExitJudas might have had the most experience (he said a whopping 5 turns). but... I dont think thats very meaningful.

Aside from mapmaking, I have played &lt; 10 hours single player and no online multiplayer games before this week. I've been on the forums more than I've played the games.

I'm willing to put off starting the game a while. EVeryone can play with pretender builds (make a pretender, play a little single player with that pretender and race, etc.)

Other suggestions?
-------------------------
I'm temporarily switching to Ermor, but might switch again.
Anyone else wants to switch races just say so.
-------------------------
Everyone is okay with the proposed start spots idea if we can settle on teams? If so, I might work on that tonight.

Re: Signup for Noob Team Game : Platypus
 

Cleveland - In my opinion, playing bless rush races are easier . If you took someone like Niefelheim or Lanka or Vanheim or Heilheim (the races Llama mentioned) that might make it easier for you?
If I switch away from Lanka and you swithced to Lanka, for example, the race pairings would be similar to what Llamabeast suggested.


Also, make sure you download the recent 3.10 patch. You can get it from shrapnelgames.com I think.

Re: Signup for Noob Team Game : Platypus
 

Yes, I'll have time to play this weekend.

I certainly don't mind switching nations, they're all the same to me.

3.10 installed.

Re: Signup for Noob Team Game : Platypus
 

okay, update for folks. As of now, teams remain the same, but I am changing to a non-bless-rush race.

I looked at urraparrand. I tried to find 4 sets of start points that are as fair as possible, in starting income and in position for play.

This is the best I can do:
8&amp;23
141&amp;118
84&amp;52
146&amp;153
So those will be the start points. As discussed above, llama will help in randomly determining which team ges which set of 2. You can then decide which of you goes in which. Tell me, and I will adjust the map. (Everyone will know where everyone starts). Then we begin.

Please state strong objections.

(as said before, all settings default, excpet 150% gold as recommended by the map, and graphs off, renaming on).

Re: Signup for Noob Team Game : Platypus
 

Giving Cleveland Lanka might be a good idea, they are a strong and interesting race.

All the ones you suggested for yourself would be good Zylithan. They are all nice, interesting races, and none of them are very rush-y.

Re: Signup for Noob Team Game : Platypus
 

sounds great everyone. llama thanks for the coaching. btw. is tir nan og an ok race to start with or are they difficult to play? any pointers? they are not in the manual.

Re: Signup for Noob Team Game : Platypus
 

Actually I am not sure if giving cleveland Lanka is a good idea. They are a blood heavy nation, which might be a bit difficult for a new player to pick up on. Niefelheim and Helheim are better choices, but that is just my opinion.

Zylithan, I would suggest that you avoid going with Pangaea. With the right bless, a White Centaur is comparable to a Helhirding.

ExitJudas, I have never played Tir na n'Og, but by just glancing at them, I would say that they could have a problem with nations who have skilled archers such as T'ien Ch'i. Most of their units have weak to medium-ish body armor and have no helmets. They also have no archers of their own, only slingers. I would suggest to recruit independent archers to help combat enemy archers. Your air magic can help with that problem as well. The Baobhan Sidhe is an expensive but potentially great assassin with the right spells researched. Tir na n'Og's magic is very similar to MA Man's, and Man often has trouble diversifying their magic. You might want to put magic on your pretender that your national mages cannot get. Overall I would consider them a medium to weaker nation. It is not that they are hard to play, but that their military and magic options are somewhat limited. On the upside, you can forge air boosters (magic items that increase a mage's skill in air magic) which is uncommon for national mages to be able to do. You are also paired up with Kailasa, who can help you with increasing your skills in water and earth magic. Remember that I have never played Tir na n'Og though, so take whatever I say with a grain of salt.

Re: Signup for Noob Team Game : Platypus
 

Hey. Thanks for your input everyone! This is a great community, with "elders" who drop by to help out the young ones. I'll avoid Pangaea.

I had thought Lanka might be easy because their base units are just so darn good.. I played them once in SP a little, and found expansion easy. But I never used blood with them, so... I don't know anything http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: Platypus: Noob Team Game Full
 

Ok fair enough. When are we thinking of starting? I need to confer with my teammate http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Llama - I'm living in Selly Park at the moment, working at the University.

Re: Platypus: Noob Team Game Full
 

I'd love to start soonish.

I am waiting for: Cleveland to play around a little more and chose a race if he wants to switch from Ulm.

Also, right now I am going to send Llamabeast numbers 1-4 that go with the 4 sets of start provinces:
8&amp;23
141&amp;118
84&amp;52
146&amp;153.

Obviously I will mix the order up. In my mind they are all about equally fair. <font color="blue">Each team needs to pick a number 1-4, just post below first come first serve.</font> My team won't pick and will get last set. Then I'll edit the map, show everyone where everyone starts, and we're good to go.

Also, everyone should read this link, to understand how to upload pretenders when thats an option and etc....:
http://www.shrapnelcommunity.com/thr...o=&amp;fpart=1

Z

Re: Platypus: Noob Team Game Full
 

after having had time to play around with a couple of EA nations i would like to switch to Arcoscephale or - if taht isn't possible - sauromatia.

Re: Platypus: Noob Team Game Full
 

I pick number 3 for my teams starting spot.

I'm really looking forward try Dom 3 in MP, so when can we expect the game to be ready for pretender upload and start?

Re: Platypus: Noob Team Game Full
 

ExitJudas = Arcos is fine.

I'd like to start asap.

To start we need:

1. Every team to pick a number - just pick 1,2, or 4. There's nop judgement call, it's just a random number.

Current Standings:

..............................Start Position
<font color="green">Coturnix.........Bandar Log
ExitJudas........Arcosephale</font>
<font color="blue">Cleveland.......Lanka.......1
Cicadian.........Tien Chi.......1</font>
<font color="red">Sivoc..............Abysia.......3
Egoix..............C'tis.......3</font>
<font color="purple">Zylithan ......... Agartha
TrajanX..........Mictlan </font>