Cradle to the Grave--for noobies with a record of no staling--FULL

[Saros]

Well CBM seems more popular than the base game. With the base game its essentially a rush to collect as many gem generators as possible (clams being the most popular) and then heading straight for a tartarian factory ASAP.
CBM has been around for ages and has almost become the standard mod for many many games, nearly all use it in some form or another.
All my MP games have been with CBM 1.6 and/or Endgame diversity mod (EDM) and I have to say that compared to the vanilla game they really do add quite a lot, more viable strategies and less micromanagement as well as a fair amount of balancing out all the really ridiculous stuff. A big change is making the gem generators unique. Several nations are rebalanced true but not usually major changes, lots of it seems to be focused on making weaker nations viable choices rather than making any particularly powerful.
CBM 1.7 is not what I would reccomend at this point as it is a major departure from what most people would expect. -no hammers and other weird things.


EDM is really good as well for giving alternatives for tartarians, they're still good but not the only option anymore. Its not a major mod it just adds a few lategame summons to give non astral or death nations a chance to get some SC's. It seems really well balanced to me.

So yeah CBM 1.6 and possibly EDM 1.1 would be mods I would support being used.
CBM 1.6
EDM

[Sephorin]

I think Saros hit it right on the nose. There's certainly nothing wrong with vanilla, but from what I've seen, it tends to point every single player in the same direction for the endgame. There is also a large amount of micro management resulting from massing gem generators. CBM 1.7 would be what I recommend. The endgame diversity mod (EDM) is included in that.

Of course, CBM 1.6 plus EDM would work also. And so would vanilla! Ultimately, the choice is yours, earwicker. I guess the only thing I would add is: I have yet to see a game offered here (newbie or otherwise) that does not use CBM. But then I haven't been around very long.

I think I would enjoy playing in the game no matter what you choose. But the choice of mods (or no mods) would influence my nation pick and pretender design. (Note that you need to have the mods loaded before building your pretender because they affect the cost and composition of some of them.)

Here's the link for CBM 1.7 (which includes the EDM):

http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/showt...eptual+balance

[Korwin]

If we changed to CBM I would NOT play Bandar Log.
Not shure if I would play at all.

I would need time to read up on the changes CBM did do.
(Besides no GemGens, no DwarfenHammers)

EDM allone I would not mind, since (I think) there are extra units in this mod, but no changes to existing ones.