First inkling that you�ve won/lost an MP Game?

[vfb]

Zeldor:

Carrying over a grievance from one game to another is a violation of Sheap's rules. Of course, not all games are played by Sheap's rules, I just wish they were.

Teaming with the strongest player is not good it you don't have a secret plan to win. But if he is not too far ahead, and you are in a position to, say, snap up all the rear provinces of another nation while the biggest nation is stuck in a bunch of sieges, you may have an opportunity to become the leader yourself. It's really risky to do this, and evil, and everyone will hate you. But hey, being evil can be fun too!

ano:

Yes, it sounds like we've got different goals in playing. I'm not saying I don't care about winning. I always start with a plan to win now. It's just that there are so many obstacles! Those obstacles are AKA other players. When my plan doesn't work out, I just need a new plan. From the historical perspective, my plans have a 0% chance of success unfortunately. However, I still enjoy making my schemes and plans, no matter how remote the chance of victory.

Plus I also enjoy the story of the game. It's not like I'm playing Risk. I am the leader of my nation, and I will lead them to glorious victory, or death! (Most likely death).

And I will get my revenge on Arco for the massacre of the sages! (Because if I didn't, I might as well go play chess.)

Dedas:

Sorry, I misunderstood your post completely! I think I understand now, thanks for the explanation. I often ascribe imaginary personalities to the gods of the other nations. Makes it more fun for me, that's all!

[sansanjuan]

Very nice to read all these poignant replies. Thank you all for the responses.

To an earlier point regarding �lost� I might restate that as �when you realized your pretender would not ascend as the One True God�.

I've played a number of MMORPG games and this was my first try at a PBEM game. It's great fun, though hard to explain to the wife (�it's like an international game of Risk with storylines, magic, tons of units, a dominion influence components and...... 1x10e9 ways of winning!... umm, ok , it's not like Risk at all except for the map�)


-SSJ

[thejeff]

It's probably also true that teaming up to stop the strongest will just replace him with the next strongest. So if you're not second or maybe third why bother.

You could just go AI, when you're far enough behind to be out of the running. But if you're having fun in a war with your rival why not continue.

[llamabeast]

You can't really have winning as your only objective in an MP game, because the chances are strongly against it happening. I think setting yourself to AI as soon as you think you're unlikely to win is a bit unsporting.

[Dedas]

I've found that the way towards the goal is often more rewarding than the goal in itself. But if you somehow achieve the goal and also took the time to enjoy the way towards it, it will be an even more rewarding experience. So all in all you have very little to lose, taking your time with the turns, relaxing and letting your imagination have its way.

[Xietor]

I have never set myself to ai in a mp game. While I like to win, if I know i cannot do that, then i am content to be kingmaker or make sure someone else does not win.

In the Big Game I knew from very early on it was unlikely anyone other than LA Ermor, LA Ryleh, or LA Atlantis Allaince would actually win among the 62 nations. But I developed a good hate for an alliance that attacked me in the game and i was just as content with seeing that alliance destroyed as i was with winning.

Also, i enjoy playing. So I am not really tempted to go ai if I can still have an effect on the outcome of the game-whether i win or not.

[Gregstrom]

I play to have a good time, mostly. Winning is an unlikely bonus. Surviving to the endgame is fun.

[Kristoffer O]

> I play to have a good time, mostly. Winning is an unlikely bonus. Surviving to the endgame is fun.

I agree with Gregstrom, except I prefer to die before endgame.

I like local politics and petty wars. In a game I (or my pretender alter ego) would be surprised and annoyed if another nation expected me to attack some kind of mighty far away nation. My war is my fun. A good dominions game are several games in one. Some of these might culminate to a greater epic, but I don't mind a mosaic of politics and lesser goals.

But I believe I'm more of a roleplayer than a cometitive player. Not that I don't like competition, but I prefer it on a regional level, in a global setting so to speak.

[Velusion]

llamabeast said:
You can't really have winning as your only objective in an MP game, because the chances are strongly against it happening. I think setting yourself to AI as soon as you think you're unlikely to win is a bit unsporting.

That's why I usually try to cultivate and grow slights into deep resentments... so when I know I can't win I can play just to tear someone down.

[Zeldor]

Velusion:

And what you do when you have that war, suddenly somene attacks your enemy from other side and kills him in 5 turns, when you were fighting him for 40 turns?