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Favorite game setup Thu, 07 July 2011 21:32 Go to next message
Void is currently offline Void

 
Ensign

Messages: 369
Registered: January 2011
Location: California, GMT -7
 Looking through the archive of game postings, I see many different kinds of games. Different galaxy setups, difference team dynamics, different race restrictions, difference tech restrictions...there's no shortage of variety.

Which game setups do you enjoy the most? Or if there are too many to choose from, list your top two or three!

Cheers,
Void

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Re: Favorite game setup Fri, 08 July 2011 05:31 Go to previous messageGo to next message
ForceUser is currently offline ForceUser

 
Lt. Junior Grade
Stars! Nova developer
Stars! Nova developer

Messages: 383
Registered: January 2004
Location: South Africa
 As host I used to setup small short and violent games but as a player I prefer longer/larger ally games

"There are two types of people in the world. AR players and non-AR players" Nick Fraser

Working on some new stuff: http://sourceforge.net/apps/mediawiki/stars-nova/index.php?t itle=Graphics
And the Mentor Database www.groep7.co.za/Mentor/ ZOMGWTFBBQ!! it still works lol!
Check out my old site with old pics at www.groep7.co.za/Stars/

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Re: Favorite game setup Fri, 08 July 2011 06:33 Go to previous messageGo to next message
m.a@stars is currently offline m.a@stars

 
Commander

Messages: 2765
Registered: October 2004
Location: Third star to the left
 Large or larger. Rolling Eyes
No Clumping, please. Confused
Few, if any, restrictions. Twisted Evil

So many Stars, so few Missiles!

In space no one can hear you scheme! Deal

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Re: Favorite game setup Mon, 11 July 2011 03:34 Go to previous messageGo to next message
iztok is currently offline iztok

 
Commander

Messages: 1206
Registered: April 2003
Location: Slovenia, Europe
 Hi!
I short: the weirder, the beter. I actually don't remember when I've played a game without some special rule(s). Wink

Just one limit though: less than 40 stars per player.

BR, Iztok

[Updated on: Mon, 11 July 2011 03:37]

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Re: Favorite game setup Mon, 11 July 2011 10:12 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Void is currently offline Void

 
Ensign

Messages: 369
Registered: January 2011
Location: California, GMT -7
iztok wrote on Mon, 11 July 2011 00:34

Hi!
I short: the weirder, the beter. I actually don't remember when I've played a game without some special rule(s). Wink

Do share! What were some of those 'weird' game settings/rules?

Cheers,
Void

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Re: Favorite game setup Mon, 11 July 2011 13:52 Go to previous messageGo to next message
magic9mushroom is currently offline magic9mushroom

 
Commander

Messages: 1361
Registered: May 2008
I've only played three games with other people, all vanilla.

The first (not on AH) had way too much room, but had backstabbing. I got butthurt, but it did make the game interesting.

The second was All Quiet, which had the special rule of starting NAPs with all races (I dropped due to RL while in 2nd place).

The third is Tenderfoot, which is ongoing, though I'm struggling to get turns in (having my empire being systematically dismantled doesn't help my morale much).

My biggest issue with the latter two has been alliance ossification. I'm not a huge fan of backstabbing, but shifting alliances are a good thing (especially since they help prevent runaway winners), and are something I've seen very little of in All Quiet or Tenderfoot. Instead, the allies of the "runaway players" stay allied with them. Why? I have no clue. I know I'd certainly go looking for other allies if stuck in such a situation.

So I guess the sort of game setup I'd like is not one in the rules but one in the mindset - one in which people play to win.

Maybe we need another "enforced backstabbing" game to get us AHers more into the spirit of things.

[Updated on: Mon, 11 July 2011 13:54]

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Re: Favorite game setup Mon, 11 July 2011 14:59 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Void is currently offline Void

 
Ensign

Messages: 369
Registered: January 2011
Location: California, GMT -7
magic9mushroom wrote on Mon, 11 July 2011 10:52

I've only played three games with other people, all vanilla.

I am absolutely gobsmacked to hear this. I had the impression you'd played dozens of games with other people. For what it's worth.

Quote:

So I guess the sort of game setup I'd like is not one in the rules but one in the mindset - one in which people play to win.

Maybe we need another "enforced backstabbing" game to get us AHers more into the spirit of things.

Would a single-player victory condition help at all?

Cheers,
Void

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Re: Favorite game setup Mon, 11 July 2011 16:11 Go to previous messageGo to next message
ManicLurch is currently offline ManicLurch

 
Lt. Junior Grade

Messages: 462
Registered: May 2009
Quote:

Would a single-player victory condition help at all?



Sometimes this will help, though I have played in single player victory only games that ended up with huge alliances anyway.

I think the issue is a majority of players would rather stay allied to the player with the strongest position, to claim 2nd or 3rd place rather than risk being the next target by breaking off from the leader.

Games would be a lot more interesting if the leaders allies would break their naps and join the coalition against the leader.

That is why some games have rules regarding alliances, for just this issue.

I think the only sure way to prevent this is a one winner/no communication game. These games are interesting, much more fighting and earlier fighting seems to happen when you can't email your neighbor to set up agreed boundaries.

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Re: Favorite game setup Mon, 11 July 2011 17:08 Go to previous messageGo to next message
gible

 
Commander

Messages: 1343
Registered: November 2002
Location: Wellington, New Zealand

 I'm with Iztok. Weird is good. Tho I prefer weird setups to weird rules (cf the rules bending threadS)

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Re: Favorite game setup Tue, 12 July 2011 06:05 Go to previous messageGo to next message
iztok is currently offline iztok

 
Commander

Messages: 1206
Registered: April 2003
Location: Slovenia, Europe
 Hi!

Because you asked for it:
- (AH) New AR-only game
- (AH) Life Is Eternal Struggle (formerly: "I have an idea...")
- (AH) New game - Twin World Wonder
- (AH) Quite All Right
- (AH) New Game: The Dark Ages III
- (AH) New Game: Stone Age Slaughter 2 (intermediate to advanced)
- (AH) Spring Fever I & II [EDIT: about the only "normal" Wink game ]
- (AH) Galactic Awakening - Part One
- (RGCS) Well's bottom
- (RGCS) New Game - Complete Chaos
- Stars crossed [EDIT: couldn't find the reference - it was 4 players in a cross-remapped uni, each starting in his own arm]
- ...

There were some more, but there were also quite some years that went by, and my hard disk with my Stars! archive crashed some years ago, so ... Sad

BR, Iztok

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Re: Favorite game setup Tue, 12 July 2011 06:57 Go to previous messageGo to next message
m.a@stars is currently offline m.a@stars

 
Commander

Messages: 2765
Registered: October 2004
Location: Third star to the left
 I have enjoyed some weird "scenarios" too, even if they weren't perfect. The best example would be "Dead Empires". Pirate

So many Stars, so few Missiles!

In space no one can hear you scheme! Deal

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Re: Favorite game setup Tue, 12 July 2011 08:29 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Void is currently offline Void

 
Ensign

Messages: 369
Registered: January 2011
Location: California, GMT -7
iztok wrote on Tue, 12 July 2011 03:05

Hi!

Because you asked for it:
- (AH) Galactic Awakening - Part One

Very interesting setup. I'm glad you decided the MM wouldn't be as bad as you thought. Did that pan out? How long did turns take after the jump?

Cheers,
Void

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Re: Favorite game setup Tue, 12 July 2011 10:38 Go to previous messageGo to next message
magic9mushroom is currently offline magic9mushroom

 
Commander

Messages: 1361
Registered: May 2008
Void wrote on Tue, 12 July 2011 04:59

I am absolutely gobsmacked to hear this. I had the impression you'd played dozens of games with other people. For what it's worth.


Lol. This is because I'm a uni student who sperges (and I mean that in its most precise form, I have HFA/Asperger's) over Stars!.

I'm actually a really crappy player. I just post on here a lot about the theoretical and mathsy aspects of the game, which I can crunch quite easily thanks to my intuitive grasp of maths.

Quote:

Would a single-player victory condition help at all?

Cheers,
Void


Most games are. Doesn't help a great deal because, as Manic said, many players will settle for second or third when the game finishes rather than risk getting wiped out.

IMO that's not the point. You either win, or you lose. Either way, you can have a lot of fun, but those are the only two outcomes, and the point of the game is that the first is preferable. Doing it without breaking agreements (exit clauses are another matter, and are there for a reason) is certainly preferable, and doing it without breaking rules is mandatory, but in any game I play, my goal is to *win*.

[Updated on: Tue, 12 July 2011 10:41]

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Re: Favorite game setup Tue, 12 July 2011 10:42 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Void is currently offline Void

 
Ensign

Messages: 369
Registered: January 2011
Location: California, GMT -7
magic9mushroom wrote on Tue, 12 July 2011 07:38

in any game I play, my goal is to *win*.

I kinda suck at it, tho. Sad

It's always good to have self-awareness and be cognizant of one's limitations. Smile As long as you're having fun! And the community here certainly benefits from your special skills.

Cheers,
Void

[Edit: Fixed quote markup issue]

[Updated on: Tue, 12 July 2011 10:42]

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Re: Favorite game setup Wed, 13 July 2011 05:18 Go to previous messageGo to next message
iztok is currently offline iztok

 
Commander

Messages: 1206
Registered: April 2003
Location: Slovenia, Europe
 Hi!
Void wrote on Tue, 12 July 2011 14:29

iztok wrote on Tue, 12 July 2011 03:05

- (AH) Galactic Awakening - Part One

Very interesting setup. I'm glad you decided the MM wouldn't be as bad as you thought. Did that pan out? How long did turns take after the jump?

I fielded a 3-immune 5% PGR HE, colonized ~110 planets and got max tech despite all tech expensive. Got minerals for 50+ turns of noninterrupted Nub building.

However the game was abandoned after about turn 125 (only ~25 turns after forced gen) and about 100 hours spent on it. New Shocked Yes, insane MM Sad . I very often had to do turns in 2 shifts of 2-3 hours, and started whining about it the second turn after forced gen. The good part was I learned a lot about automation, Stars! hard limits and similar things. Rolling Eyes Also wrote a post about it: Academy - Tips for playing in huge game.

BR, Iztok

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Re: Favorite game setup Wed, 13 July 2011 07:49 Go to previous messageGo to next message
m.a@stars is currently offline m.a@stars

 
Commander

Messages: 2765
Registered: October 2004
Location: Third star to the left
iztok wrote on Wed, 13 July 2011 11:18

I very often had to do turns in 2 shifts of 2-3 hours, and started whining about it the second turn after forced gen. The good part was I learned a lot about automation, Stars! hard limits and similar things. Rolling Eyes

GA II wasn't too different, except that I managed to fully automate our 3i-HE's production and most of the fleet shepherding, and got to spend most of the time plotting titanic battles and the demise of our enemies. Deal

Of course half the players left, prey to MM-sickness and RL needs, but still all the Teams managed to fight till the end. Twisted Evil

So many Stars, so few Missiles!

In space no one can hear you scheme! Deal

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Re: Favorite game setup Wed, 27 July 2011 19:42 Go to previous messageGo to next message
AlfredWAB is currently offline AlfredWAB

 
Crewman 1st Class

Messages: 31
Registered: June 2011
Location: California
 What I Like:
1. Team games of all varieties.
2. Medium to Large Universe (Huge is just too MM)
3. ACC BS
4. Public Scores NO (Seems to generate more drops)

Easier to describe what I don't like in a game:
1. One player win games that result in Alliances anyway.
2. Heavy Politics - can be interesting, but just increases the turn time requirement. Don't mind in-game only messaging, but impossible ot enforce.
3. Tight close opponents like "Knife Fight" or "Duals"

Possible Scenario without predefined teams:
1. Play with Public Scores - is there any way to turn them on at a later Year?
2. Alliances are set when the scores publish.
Team 1 = Player 1 and Bottom Player
Team 2 = Player 2 and 2nd from Bottom Player
Etc.

Another scenario that looked fun:
"Champions & Underdogs"
Like a 2 on 4 game.
Only the 2 are allowed to play during a pregen of x number of turns.
Then all are allowed to play and the 4 are allied against the 2.

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Re: Favorite game setup Thu, 28 July 2011 09:57 Go to previous message
m.a@stars is currently offline m.a@stars

 
Commander

Messages: 2765
Registered: October 2004
Location: Third star to the left
AlfredWAB wrote on Thu, 28 July 2011 01:42

1. Play with Public Scores - is there any way to turn them on at a later Year?

Sure! Just set some very easy Victory Conditions and play with the "x years must have passed" option. Deal

You also need to make real sure that everybody understands that the "victor" as declared by the Victory Conditions is not for real, and the game doesn't end when said victor is declared. 2 Guns Hit over head

So many Stars, so few Missiles!

In space no one can hear you scheme! Deal

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