Balance without a Mod? A Discussion (Long)

[Ezco]

Nice topic. I like this kind of discussion/argument too. So here's is my input.

1. I think you would have to play at least 100 medium games with every nation (every player would take turns playing different nations). On a medium random map to make any kind of statistical information and claim one pretender point strategy/nation is better than another. Versus having just more skilled player playing the game.

2. Diplomacy. Like I said in one of my earlier post. Smart guys try to eliminate their biggest threat. And because it in this game usually is the nation closest to winning.... How can you possible try to eliminate that in an non-AI game?

3. Luck. I mean it is so deeply in this game you can never completely remove its effect. What if someones SC pretender gets killed by Bogus and his band early in the game? Does that make SC pretender strategy bad? Certainly chance of it does make it worse.

4. And at last the almighty: How I would do it. I would make a wraparound map with all independents set to same strenght, no magic sites, every nation having as many neighbours as far as everybody else and every province/capital having same pop, res etc. That would lessen the effect of luck (but I'm aware even that would make some strats less effective than others than in a normal [is there really such thing] game). Then to test those bless strats/pretenders. Make them for AI and tweak it so it would use them. After that you would only play endless amount of test games to make any kind of claim that one of yours starting strategy is superior to others. Quite difficult. Almost impossible to be sure.

Bottom line: How did they manage to make this game so balanced I don't understand. Maybe its just because there's so many variables.

And there's some who complain about stupid AI. Well in chess good computers nowadays always beat average players. Soon (I think) they beat average players at GO. So when will they beat average players at a game that has endless amount of move possibilities from turn 1? And that grows exponentially as does your nation. I really hope Illwinter programs that real artificial intelligence soon.