PBW: my personal view

[Mudshark]

I have been playing SE3 and 4, mostly AI, Untill I found the play by web. Beyond the obvious advantage of Fleet details. I find the game to be much like Poker. I have had "Generals" stand down by complete BS. I would hope that this would cause a PBW Thread. There are few advantages, and if there is us know

[Mudshark]

BTW diff handle

[Puke]

whats wrong with poker? Id rather be playing a poker game against humans rather than a turkey shoot against the AI. besides, its worth it just to see the walls come down on someone when they find out they called the wrong bluff.

[Puke]

had a thought for a bluff-free game though, try playing with the 'omnipresent view of all systems' turned on.

------------------
"...the green, sticky spawn of the stars"
(with apologies to H.P.L.)

[BeeDee10]

quote:

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Originally posted by Puke:
had a thought for a bluff-free game though, try playing with the 'omnipresent view of all systems' turned on.

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There are still ways to bluff under such circumstances, however. Change your ship designs every turn, even if you don't have new technology; your fleets will be composed of an enormous hodgepodge of ship classes that will be difficult for the enemy to keep track of. Is that group of 8 ships a roving construction fleet, minesweepers, or a killer attack group? Or are they just empty hulls with engines mounted on them? And which of their neighbours do they have mutual defence pacts with, and which are their enemies? Which of _your_ neighbours are allies and enemies, for that matter - are they loyal or are they conspiring with your other opponents? Which planets are full of research facilities, and which are resource storage worlds? Is he trying to build a ringworld, or is there a nova bomb on that "construction" ship just waiting for you to move your fleet into the system?

As long as it is possible to communicate with other players secretly, there is room for bluff and counterbluff

[Puke]

sure, but that takes slightly more skill and intrigue than simply forcing someone to wonder if you have a fleet sitting off of their border poised to strike. what you are describing is the human element, and the good part about playing against people.

in any event, knowing where everything is would certainly change the way you approach the game.

[Saxon]

A couple of advantages of playing other humans

1. Humans are smarter than the AI. Not all of them, but most of them
2. You can play your friends, which is more fun than the AI. Then you gossip, gloat and joke about things.
3. Humans provide a wider range of game experiences, as they use many more strategies.
4. You can bluff humans, adding a new element to the game.
5. You can also be bluffed by total BS or get hammered if you call the wrong bluff. Computer never bluffs.
6. It makes the in game politics much more interesting.
7. You can tell your wife you are not a computer geek, you are actually talking to friends.
8. This Last one is a bit intangible, but I find the game much more engaging. I spend more time thinking about one turn in PBEM (I am not on the web for various reasons) than I spend on 10 single player turns. I will pause at work, wondering how the battle is going to turn out, and really get excited when things work out. It is something that extends beyond the time at the screen. I play for fun and PBEM is far more fun, even if I lose, than single player games.

[geoschmo]

I agree completely Saxon. The best part about playing other Humans IMHO is they adapt. I had a game recently where I formed an alliance with another player and together we wiped out a third guy. Or we thought we did. Actually he saw the inevitable destruction coming and sent a couple colony ships across the galaxy. Mean time we wiped out his Last planets and got the message "We have lost contact with.." Later in the game we met up with him again on the other side of the quadrant, hiding behind another player. If the galaxy had been a little bigger he might have actually had time to rebuild and be a threat. The AI would never pull something like that.

Geoschmo

[LazarusLong42]

Hrm... Geo, I think I remember that game...

LL