| Customary to use handicaps |
Fri, 21 December 2007 22:07  |
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 knightpraetor |
 | Chief Warrant Officer 1 |
Messages: 154
Registered: October 2006 | |
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is it customary to give handicaps to certain races in mp games?
it appears to avg like 100-200 points CA handicap, then 50 points SD and IT..and then JOAT has NAS banned, and maybe a handicap as well?
so anyways i'm guessing these are what you would consider the top tier of races in the current game.
But anwyays do you feel the handicaps are good/fair?
also, i would really like to sign up for some stars games but i notice that hardly any are listed in the forum..looks like they are all closed:\
[Updated on: Fri, 21 December 2007 23:06] Report message to a moderator
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| Re: Customary to use handicaps |
Sat, 22 December 2007 22:14  |
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| knightpraetor wrote on Fri, 21 December 2007 22:07 |
is it customary to give handicaps to certain races in mp games?
it appears to avg like 100-200 points CA handicap, then 50 points SD and IT..and then JOAT has NAS banned, and maybe a handicap as well?
so anyways i'm guessing these are what you would consider the top tier of races in the current game.
But anwyays do you feel the handicaps are good/fair?
also, i would really like to sign up for some stars games but i notice that hardly any are listed in the forum..looks like they are all closed:\
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Not all games apply handicaps but it is common because certain races are regarded as stronger than others. If a game had no restrictions on races & everyone's only priority was to win that game then everyone be a TT CA since they never have to pay for terraforming, can end up able to live on most/all planets, can sell OA ships at high prices or provide free terraforming to their friends, & more.
JOATs have a big economic advantage over non-CA races &, to a lesser extent so do SD & IS. IT & JOAT races also have a big advantage when it comes to early growth (obviously due to IT gating abilities & JOAT inbuilt penscanning).
So, with the possible exception of special scenarios, I think that it is fair to apply handicaps.
IMO though, beginners should be given reduced handicaps or even have them waived. Note, however, that most beginners select either WM or SS which is a big mistake since they are among the most difficult to play - they should take CA or JOAT which are the easiest to play.
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| Re: Customary to use handicaps |
Sat, 29 December 2007 18:14 |
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| m.a@stars wrote on Wed, 26 December 2007 06:54 |
| vonKreedon wrote on Mon, 24 December 2007 22:42 |
I'm not wild about applying penalties for PRTs, with the exception of CA  A well played SS can indeed eat a well played JoaT, and vice-versa.
Also, there's the issue of game parameters. A TT CA or an IT is not likely to do so well in a small sparse galaxy and indeed in that galaxy an -f WM might eat everybody unless PPs are allowed in which case HWs might find themselves under bombardment early and often etc.
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So very true. 
I've myself beaten vastly superior (economically & militarily) enemies with a lowly SS (which enjoyed a vast tactical advantage). It was immensely fun to play too. 
But far from a foregone conclusion, at any rate. 
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Well, if I were setting a book for a game where CAs are banned, 2 of the best players were involved and had equally good starting positions as a SS and an unhandicapped JOAT & the rest of the field was comprised of lesser players I would set the JOAT as a strong favourite.
Having said that, IMO JOATs are often handicapped too heavily + I'm not convinced that handicaps are necessary for SDs & ISs. OTOH, maybe ITs deserve a bigger handicap than do JOATs (noIFE is not really a handicap for an IT).
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| Re: Customary to use handicaps |
Sun, 30 December 2007 12:05 |
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| vonKreedon |
 | Lieutenant |
Messages: 610
Registered: March 2003
Location: Seattle, WA USA | |
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In terms of raw expansion and econ certainly a JoaT is better than SS. However, the SS has several advantages over the JoaT. They are obviously harder to see. But even better they have toys, Shadow Shields, Rogues, RBs, etc., to trade to the other players and the JoaT does not. The SS are also gaining intel on what is being researched while they gain research tech from spying. So, IMO, the SS is better set up to win the diplomatic and even intel game over the JoaT, and I believe this facet is more important than raw expansion and econ in most multiplayer games.
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| Re: Customary to use handicaps |
Mon, 31 December 2007 12:21 |
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| m.a@stars |
 | Commander |
Messages: 2765
Registered: October 2004
Location: Third star to the left | |
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| vonKreedon wrote on Sun, 30 December 2007 18:05 |
In terms of raw expansion and econ certainly a JoaT is better than SS. However, the SS has several advantages over the JoaT. They are obviously harder to see. But even better they have toys, Shadow Shields, Rogues, RBs, etc., to trade to the other players and the JoaT does not. The SS are also gaining intel on what is being researched while they gain research tech from spying. So, IMO, the SS is better set up to win the diplomatic and even intel game over the JoaT, and I believe this facet is more important than raw expansion and econ in most multiplayer games.
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You're forgetting the one neat toy the JoaT has, perhaps? 
JoaT scanners can easily (and cheaply!) negate (or at least severely limit) the SS advantage of being unseen. 
JoaT scanners also easily get the best intel (on planets and fleets, not just research) and they can get it *earlier and cheaper* than anyone else.
Plus, for some reason, JoaTs can generally pose as harmless/desirable neighbors, which SS find harder to achieve. Thus can the diplomatic game be won... 
So many Stars, so few Missiles!
In space no one can hear you scheme!  Report message to a moderator
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