Aridia- LA game for intermediate players
 

Looking for intermediate players (10 or so MP games).

Map: Urraparand
Players: 10
Mods: CBM 1.84
Era: late age
site frequency: 40
Hall of Fame: 15
all other settings default
Banned nations: Ermor, R'lyeh
hosting: Llamaserver
hosting interval: 24h to start, extensions upon request
diplomacy: NAPs are non-binding (you may attack other provinces, overwrite global enchantments, steal artifacts, seduce commanders, etc. at will), though honorable behavior pays off in kind. Trade agreements (gold, gems, magic items, province swaps) are inviolable.
victory conditions: Become Pantokrator the old-fashioned way, hold 6 or more capital provinces for 3 consecutive turns (screenshots may be requested), or with the consensus of all remaining players. This should mitigate end-game micro and horror.

I'm open to suggestions, if people have different ideas about what would make for a better game.

Player roster:
1) Groundworm- Mictlan
2) Catquiet- Marignon
3) tratorix- Arcoscephale
4) kasnavada- Ulm
5) yandav- Bogarus
6) Sil- Patala
7) Bjaarn- Jomon
8) Anaconda- Pythium
9) Ossa- C'tis
10) Deadnature- Midgard

Re: Aridia- LA game for intermediate players, now recruiting
 

I'll take Marignon.

Re: Aridia- LA game for intermediate players, now recruiting
 

You like Marignon, Catquiet. :) Welcome aboard

Re: Aridia- LA game for intermediate players, now recruiting
 

I'll take Arco.

Re: Aridia- LA game for intermediate players, now recruiting
 

Can we have renaming on in this game? It makes it a lot easier to keep track of your mages.

Re: Aridia- LA game for intermediate players, now recruiting
 

Also I'd say up the magic site settings. The late age having less gem income makes sense from a thematic reason, but i've always found it annoying.

Re: Aridia- LA game for intermediate players, now recruiting
 

Welcome aboard, tratorix.

Renaming on is fine.

I'm ok with increasing magic site frequency a little bit, but my recent games (Faithless excluded) have been with very high site frequency (50+). I've found that this adds significantly to the power level and micromanagement of the game, while adding relatively little to the entertainment value. I'd be ok with 40, I'm a little more reluctant to go as high as 45 but could be convinced if the majority are in favor of. Let me know what you think.

Re: Aridia- LA game for intermediate players, now recruiting
 

I'll join as LA Ulm.

Re: Aridia- LA game for intermediate players, now recruiting
 

Count me in as Bogarus.

Re: Aridia- LA game for intermediate players, now recruiting
 

I'll have Patala. I'd be in favor of high magic site settings, but then having chosen Patala that is a tad self-serving.

Re: Aridia- LA game for intermediate players, now recruiting
 

Sign me up for Jomon

Re: Aridia- LA game for intermediate players, now recruiting
 

Hola Groundworm,

would let me lead LA Pythium to glory?

Re: Aridia- LA game for intermediate players, now recruiting
 

I stand with you, if you let me in.

For the reasons... well less is more in some weird way here. I used to play a lot of SP games with fast research and high site F, but eventually found that annoying.
Lots of micro in the end, with zero to none satisfaction from it.

Nowadays I favor having slow research, 40-45 site frequency, because it in a way engages the player more. It forces the player to make sophisticated decisions how to effectively distribute the scarce resourses and forces him/her to make use of more primitive spells too, because they need love also. Lower lvl spells make the difference when every1 is forced to use lower level stuff, therefore the brightest mind prevails. More thinking and playing, less random factors such as who is gonna be the researcher left alone long enough to march out the big guns in large numbers first.



But if allowed at all, I play it anyhow.

Re: Aridia- LA game for intermediate players, now recruiting
 

Welcome aboard, everyone.

I'm not hearing overwhelming objection to scarce magic sites, so I'm going to keep it at 40 for now. Thanks for the thoughtful post on the subject, Anaconda.

Re: Aridia- LA game for intermediate players, now recruiting
 

I'd like to join with... hmm... Ctis.

Re: Aridia- LA game for intermediate players, now recruiting
 

Done, Ossa. One slot left!

Re: Aridia- LA game for intermediate players, now recruiting
 

Midgard!...please...

Re: Aridia- LA game for intermediate players, now recruiting
 

And we're full. Welcome aboard, Deadnature.

Let's take a few days to design our pretenders. I'll throw the game up sometime on Tuesday, and will post here with a link to the game.

Re: Aridia- LA game for intermediate players
 

Wow, games fill up quickly around here. Wasn't this just posted yesterday?

Re: Aridia- LA game for intermediate players, now recruiting
 

Here's my counter point to this. There are two major issues with low magic sites, and indeed the CBM gem gen changes, particularly the lack of clams: they make Blood much more powerful since you can't counter/compete with it with big Astral spam and they make caster nations a lot tougher to play. The usefulness of any bless is also considerably increased, which is a good or bad thing depending on how long in the game you think sacred recruitables should be a major force.

As for low research, the problem is that some nations desperately need a certain research goal. Patala for instance NEEDS Alt 3 by the end of year 1 to actually a) defeat rushes and b) expand in a not crippled manner. LA Utgard with a decent bless doesn't have this issue, for instance.

This, of course doesn't mean I have a major issue with doing a rare gem site game(slow research would be another thing :P) even playing a gem hungry nation.

Re: Aridia- LA game for intermediate players, now recruiting
 

I always felt that the Gem Generators warped long games. Blood, while powerful, has a constant cost. You are giving up gold from the province and research from the hunters. After a one time payment for a clam or blood stone, they are all profit with no real limit to how many you can ultimately collect. Blood income is also a lot more vulnerable than clams. You can raid, assassinate, or conquer blood hunting provinces but a clam hoarder can maintain a 50 astral income even if he is reduced to just his capital.

Re: Aridia- LA game for intermediate players
 

I tend to agree with Catquiet. In addition to his points, there's also the fact that the most recent version of CBM effectively eliminates SDRs. This admittedly is a semi-biased fix, as it affects blood nations disproportionately- Lanka and Vanheim, for instance, are hit much harder than Niefelheim.

As for certain nations needing to meet research goals, I don't advocate slow research (though I've never actually tried altered research settings), and altering site frequency doesn't effect researching at all. To address your specific point, Sil, I would argue that Patala needing Alt 3 by the end of year 1 to counter rushes is fine, but if you're waiting until the end of year 1 to expand in a not crippled manner, you're already way too late to join the party.

Re: Aridia- LA game for intermediate players
 

Also, the game is up: http://www.llamaserver.net/gameinfo.cgi?game=Aridia

Re: Aridia- LA game for intermediate players
 

The number of blood slaves collected is actually affected by the site frequency, so in theory at least this shouldn't be true.

Re: Aridia- LA game for intermediate players
 

so whats costing?

Re: Aridia- LA game for intermediate players
 

I will no be there from friday night (GMT) to sunday afternoon (GMT time again). Could you delay hosting accordingly ?

Thanks.

Re: Aridia- LA game for intermediate players
 

I'm faced with a possible hurricane and loss of power this weekend, and kasnavada will be unable to take his turn from tonight until Sunday (though he's already submitted the current turn)

I'll watch the game clock closely, and will apply a 72 hour extension on the next turn (turn 5). This should cover those of us who may be unable to take our turns this weekend. Quickhost will still be on, so the turn will cycle if we all get it in.

Re: Aridia- LA game for intermediate players
 

Bjaarn, why no private messages?

Re: Aridia- LA game for intermediate players
 

Thanks for extending !

Re: Aridia- LA game for intermediate players
 

I would like to request a 24 hour extension since im moving into a new place and am unsure when ill get my internet up and have time for my turn.

thanks guys...I probably wont need the full 24 hours.

Re: Aridia- LA game for intermediate players
 

Done, turn extended by 24 hours. I'll keep an eye on the timer for next turn as well, and extend again if it looks like you're not going to make it.

Re: Aridia- LA game for intermediate players
 

thanks Groundworm, it turns out I didn't need it though :)

Re: Aridia- LA game for intermediate players
 

The cunning nation of Ulm has attacked a province of Ctis despite the signing of a NAP. Though it may be a misunderstanding, you should better be prepared for such moves.

Re: Aridia- LA game for intermediate players
 

I am traveling back the the US as fall semester is starting and I'd like hosting to be delayed until something like 19:00 GMT on this Sunday. Normally I'd take my turn on my laptop in the airport but the damn thing's fan died and it started billowing smoke earlier today. I probably won't need the full time to sort things out.

Re: Aridia- LA game for intermediate players
 

It was just an answer to you... building up an production center enclaved in Ulmite territory, with no other frontier than Ulm's, and enclaving us completely. You forced our hands, and continue to do so, and even worse, you start warfare on a political front...

I have a last proposal for peace. However, if Ulm does not have a way out, you WILL be our next target, for lack of another one.

Re: Aridia- LA game for intermediate players
 

The lands behind the provinces you demanded were not subject of our pact. You forced our scaly hand...

Re: Aridia- LA game for intermediate players
 

Midgard has attacked Marignon. If anyone is worried about the speed of Midgard's expansion, NOW is the time to do something about it. Join me and we can stop him before he grows too large to be stopped.

Re: Aridia- LA game for intermediate players
 

For me it seems that one whos growing too fast isd Yomon. Hes been hammering in the gates of my villages and soon nothing will stop 'em.

Re: Aridia- LA game for intermediate players
 

Don't believe the fanatical heathen of Marignon! There are still 54 independent provinces left, NOW is the time to grab those.

Sadly, Midgard must struggle with the false-zealots and their cruel inquisitors who themselves block our access to the free-lands.

Re: Aridia- LA game for intermediate players
 

If you only want access to free provinces, return the two province you took from my heartland and Marignon will yield up enough of our eastern provinces to provide a path to the independent provinces you seek.

Re: Aridia- LA game for intermediate players
 

So my dom3 cd is dead and I can't find any way to download the game legally or torrent (since my school network seems to block that) and input my serial key. Soooo, pretty much I think I'll need to be subbed out.

This wouldn't have been an issue if my laptop hadn't burnt out right before leaving. Or if I'd backed up the CD online but... :( Awesome start to the semester for me.

Apologies for the inconvenience.

Re: Aridia- LA game for intermediate players
 

Sorry to hear that, Sil. I'll start looking for a sub.

Re: Aridia- LA game for intermediate players
 

Bummer Sil, thanks for letting us know though

Re: Aridia- LA game for intermediate players
 

Good news: We have a sub. Allium has agreed to play Patala. Welcome, Allium, and thanks!

Bad news: the llamaserver has apparently stalled, and our gracious host is unable to fix it for the moment due to personal issues. The game will continue when the llamaserver is back up, except for:

Worse news: I'll be leaving on Sunday 9/11 for vacation until 9/20. I'm uncertain about my internet access, but hope to have it. If I do, I'll attempt to take my turns as reliably as possible, but there may be delays.

Apologies for all of this- I did not expect quite this many issues with the game in the first year of play. Hopefully, the llamaserver will be back up soon, and we'll be able to resume a decent pace once I'm back.

Thanks for your patience with all this.

Re: Aridia- LA game for intermediate players
 

Hello, everyone. This early in the game, I doubt there's any diplomatic negotiations/agreements I need to know of, but on the off chance there are, drop me a PM.

Re: Aridia- LA game for intermediate players
 

Ossa, check your inbox!

Re: Aridia- LA game for intermediate players
 

Ouchhhh...

Now that failed somewhat badly.

Re: Aridia- LA game for intermediate players
 

please postpone the turn 12 h just to be safe - I am away till tomorrow.

Re: Aridia- LA game for intermediate players
 

Turn is postponed as requested. I will be away for the next 10 days and will take turns as often as I can. For any requests, please post here or PM Allium.

Re: Aridia- LA game for intermediate players
 

@kasnavada:
Your capital will fall anyway. Your cries and plies dont help you in any way.