Nightfall - Newbie EA Game - Running

[statttis]

I've been itching to try some multiplayer, so I've decided to start up a game for fellow newbie players.

Game Details:
Age: Early
Map: Aran
Host: 24hr quickhost, LlamaServer
Number of players: 8 - either 8 lands nations, or 7 land and 1 water
Mods: none
Settings: all standard
Diplomacy: anything goes

It's my first time hosting (or playing) an mp game, but I think I have everything figured out, so don't be afraid to join :)
Nation choice is first come, first serve. I'm hoping to start the game shortly after the new year.

Nations:
1.GrudgeBringer - Arcosephale
2.Alpine Joe - Kailasa
3.Ossa - Abyssia
4.Juffos - Ermor
5.jmb - T'ien Ch'i
6.Redeyes - Caelum
7.statttis - C'tis
8.Slobby - Oceania

Game is running.

[GrudgeBringer]

I'll Take Arco....I have played in 5 games

I have lasted 18 turns in my first game

I lasted 19 in my last one.

LOL, I understand the mechanics but just don't understand the game.:doh:

[Alpine Joe]

I'm in as Kailasa. I am in the middle of my first multiplayer game right now, i think that makes me inexperienced enough.

[GrudgeBringer]

Question...

In Diplomacy when you state anything goes, are you stating that we are playing a game where you make and break alliances, Naps, or any other agreement at will.

AND, there are no 'Honor' reprecussions or angry rants.

Just want to make it clear so we don't have a problem later.

With us all being pretty new, its best to spell it out in no uncetain terms as we all come from some strategy backgrounds and all have a different outlook on agreements.

Also, NO mods is fine...but agian as we are all new the CBM will kind of help if someone makes a bad choice and also not let a powerful nation run all over someone (LOL, Like me) and give them a bad taste for MP.

Agian, its just a thought and any setup is fine with me.

[statttis]

Question...

In Diplomacy when you state anything goes, are you stating that we are playing a game where you make and break alliances, Naps, or any other agreement at will.

AND, there are no 'Honor' reprecussions or angry rants.

Yes, thats what I mean :). I'm hoping that people will honor alliances and so on, but as the manual says "There can only be one."


Also, NO mods is fine...but agian as we are all new the CBM will kind of help if someone makes a bad choice and also not let a powerful nation run all over someone (LOL, Like me) and give them a bad taste for MP.

I didn't want mods because it's a newbie game, and myself and possibly others are still learning the original game. I think adding mods will actually make it more likely for players to make bad choices.
If there's popular demand, we could restict the strongest nations like Niefelheim so nobody gets run over.

[GrudgeBringer]

NP, whatever you want to setup is ok with me.

I'm not sure if I DID pick a powerful nation I would kmow what to do with it!!

Does Aran have preset starting positions? I have never played that map (Actually I have not played many maps as I havn't played much SP either) I just am on here listening and posting a lot (asking questions mostly).

Last thing and i'll be quiet...make sure everyone knows to not have any Mods enabled and have the 3.21 Patch ( I went thru that nightmare in my last game).

And are we doing 24 hour quickhost turns (so whenever everyone gets there turn in it automatically sends out the next turn) or are they preset. I only ask so that I will check my Computer more often if its quickhost.

Game on Gentlemen!!!:eek:

[statttis]

Turns are quickhost, starting at 24hrs. Later into the game I might increase to 48hrs or something if needed.

I don't know if Aran has set starting positions, is there some way to check?

[Ossa]

I'd like to try Abyssia - never played them much.

[GrudgeBringer]

I just tried 4 practice starts with Aran...

1 time I was on a peninsula and had only 2 Provinces around my starting Fortress.

1 time I had 3 Provinces and started VERY close to another faction.

1 time I had 6 starting provinces and no one around me (LOL, wish I could warp that starting position into our game for me).

1 time I had the usual 4 provinces and was in a ok position.

So, I would say NO the positions are not fixed,

Agian, its your game and you set the rules. As I see it you can do any of 3 things.

Start the game and if someone is really screwed you can restart until everyone is ok with thier positions.

Start the game and you get what you get..no whining and no quitting. Just try and make do (sometimes its not much fun if you only have 2 provinces and your cut off and have no army to fight) but usually only 1 has a terrible start.

Ask some of the guys that know and see if you can place nations in starting positions. Or perhaps change the map to one thats about the same size but has starting positions.

I am not the one to ask about maps but ask some of the higher ranks and they would be able help you.

AGIAN, its YOUR game and your preference's so I am in for whatever you decide.:up:

[rdonj]

It's actually really easy to set starting locations up, but you'd probably want to save the map under a slightly different name so you aren't overwriting everyone's copies of Aran.

[statttis]

I'm guessing that the solution would be to mark all but 8 of the provinces as no-start, then save the map under a new name. Once I know whether anybody wants to play as a water nation, I can do that.

[rdonj]

That would be the least complicated way to do it.

[GrudgeBringer]

Sounds good to me....

[Juffos]

I have already some experience under my belt, but I am still itching for some hot online action.

I would like to join as Ermor. It hasn't won any games to the date (at least by the hall of fame), so it should maybe balance a bit.

[jmb]

Can I join as Tien Chi please?

And btw, statttis aren't you participating too? You haven't put yourself in the list ;)

[Redeyes]

Hallelujah
A game for I, a newcomer to the sphere of Dominions

May I join as Caelum? :angel

I would expect any treaty that's publicly stated to be faithfully upheld.
Less than that and I hope backstabbing is on everyones' agenda ;)

Most people like action, I'm one of those.

[GrudgeBringer]

Redeyes,

From my understanding...anything goes means anything goes.

I asked that (see previous post on here) exact question because I know people have different ideas about agreements.

So I would be prepared to be backstabbed.....and if you are you must remember there are no 'Honor' reprecussions or anger expected.

ANYWAY, thats the way I read it and the Admin explained it.

I always keep my agreements to a fault in normal games...but there are a number of games that declare early that treaties are NOT binding.:eek:

[statttis]

I'll be the lizards of C'tis. I knew I forgot something :re:

When I say anything goes that doesn't mean I want to encourage backstabbing, in fact I'd prefer it if allies are faithful. But there are no rules against breaking treaties. I like action :)

[Slobby]

I do have some experience (like juffos I've never won a game yet tho), if that's ok then I'd like to sign up for Oceania.

[GrudgeBringer]

I think you are setting yourself up for a headache.

If you want treaties to be honored then have them registered in the forum and stipulate that.

They can be regulated and if someone breaks one then the rest of the folks in the game can refuse to trade with them or gang up on them or whatever.

IF you DON'T want to make it public (secret agreements are GOOD sometimes) 6then don't be suprised or mad if you are stabbed in the back.

But to say you would like them to be honored but its a war game will pit some folks agianst each other and we will have a 13 page argument likei have seen in some other forums.

OK...I have said what I can, If you want to leave it as it stands I have no problem with it.

Just trying to clarify it because we all are new and friends (and enimies) will be made in the first few games.:D

[rdonj]

I'm probably spreading myself out too thin, but I'll play as tir na n'og if you don't mind. I've got lots of sp experience but I'm still an mp noob. And I don't have a very thorough TNN strategy :)

[statttis]

Sorry rdonj it looks like the game is full :(

GrudgeBriner, when I say that I hope treaties will be honored, I just want to encourage good sportmanship - treaties/alliances shoudn't be completely meaningless. No complaints if they are broken though, that's part of the game.

Before I set up the game I'd like some opinions on the starting positions. I can make a version with fixed positions or just leave it as is (random). I'm fine with either, but if anybody really prefers one or the other I'd like to know.

[rdonj]

Hey, it is. Last I checked there were only 4 people listed as signed up. That's alright, probably better for my sanity that I'm not playing 4 games simultaneously.

[GrudgeBringer]

That makes it as clear as can be expected in respect to traties, Naps, ect.

My vote would be for set strating positions.

As I said in an earlier post, I played a number of test starts and they where all over the place in relation to Provinces around the Capitol closeness to opponents ect.

But the other side is NO ONE knows where anyone is if we do it random.

I'll go with either way you guys decide:)

[GrudgeBringer]

Sorry about the spelling...I HAVE to start proof reading my posts:doh:

[statttis]

Does anybody know how to edit the title? I can edit the post but there doesn't seem to be an option to change the title.

[GrudgeBringer]

I played in a game (very shortly as it turned out) called Buggy.

We had some kind of deal at the start that we had to change the name...

It was changed to Buggy1.

I am NO computer Guru, but do you think if you set up a game called Nightfall 2 and had all the setting positions set up we could join that?

I really don't recall what we did but it DID work.

Hope this gives you some idea...:confused:

[statttis]

I think changing the map name to Aran1 should work. The problem is I don't know how to change the title of the forum post, now that the game is full :doh:

[GrudgeBringer]

Are you sure you have to change the Forum post?

Isn't it only important that where we send our turns to llamaserver is correctly named?

Now remember, I havn't got a clue about computers or admining a game.

Just a thought...

[rdonj]

When you go to edit the post, look beneath the text field and right next to the save button there should be a "go advanced" button. If you click on that it will let you change the title.

[Kamamura]

If there is a slot open still, I would like to join

[statttis]

These are some possible starting positions. I tried to make them balanced, let me know what you think.

http://i39.tinypic.com/2u5f8r7.jpg

[Juffos]

Well placed start positions, considering the map's unfairness. Hopefully I won't be the one starting in that top right corner location without nearby forests or mountains :)

[GrudgeBringer]

Statttis, have you checked your Privite messages?

[Alpine Joe]

That Aran map looks good to me, although I agree top right might be a little tricky

looking forward to a solid game, even if we are noobs

[statttis]

After some helpful suggestions, I've moved some of the starting positions a little bit. I think the starts are spaced out better now, and nearby provinces should be balanced - now every player borders some money and resource provinces. The player in the upper right should be fine, now that he borders a mountain province.

The game is up on LlamaServer and ready to accept pretenders.

The map we'll be using:

http://i39.tinypic.com/nwinlu.jpg

[GrudgeBringer]

Good Job...looks like its the best this map can offer...

This was a tough job with this map, but we will all come out better prepared when we have an easier map!!

Good Luck to all and take it easy on Arco until after turn 19 so I can set a record!!!:D

[GrudgeBringer]

I assume Nightfall is the name of the game we send the pretenders to?:confused:

[GrudgeBringer]

Arco's pretender was accepted under the name Nightfall

[statttis]

Yes, Nightfall is the name of the game. I'll make a note of that on the first post.

[Redeyes]

The new starting locations look great. The two leftmost non-water starts have 6 adjacent provinces unlike the others but things are probably as fair as they can get now.
So I am supposed to a pretender now, how do I do that?

Do we have a tentative start date perhaps?
Any day soon is good for me ;)

[Slobby]

So I am supposed to a pretender now, how do I do that?


There are instructions here http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/showthread.php?t=35160

[Redeyes]

Thank you slobby.
I will submit a pretender tomorrow evening when I have figured pretendermolding and its pitfalls out :doh:

Is everyone else reaching the stage "readiness"?

[GrudgeBringer]

You can go to www.llamaserver.net look for the name of the game you want Click on it and it will give you the info on that game.

Like, who has sent thier Pretender in, turns in, when a turn is due, ect.

[statttis]

Once Ossa and Redeyes submit pretenders we're ready to go.

[Redeyes]

Just submitted my pretender, I imagine you'll be able to see it on llamaserver soon

[Redeyes]

The other GreatNooby thread on the frontpage told me Ossa would be on vacation until the fourth, fyi

[Slobby]

And the game is on! GL & HF!

[statttis]

That was a quick first turn :shock:

Good luck everyone.

[Redeyes]

By the looks of it, this one might be just as quick!
At least Caelum wants to test its wings outside the nest...
And to see whom I share that close border with :rolleyes:

[GrudgeBringer]

Redeyes...Have you checked your PM's?

It could prove important.....:confused:

[Redeyes]

I'm on the other side of the world. Mostly been sleep since you sent your pm ;)

Regardless, it has been answered now

[Juffos]

Ermor would like to let the world know that the burning man-devil abominations of Abysia are not to be trusted. They attacked us the instant following turn after signing a pact of non-aggression. Death to the dishonourable.

[Ossa]

No answer had been made to your proposual. We did not sign a NAP with you, instead calculating our chances.

No dishonor on our side! We shall conquer your lands with rightful fires!

[Juffos]

The message "Agreed!" made us forget your insidiousness. We should have known man-devils are not for trusting.

[Slobby]

"Agreed!"

I sent a message just like that! :shock:

Did I accidently send it to you and then you mistook the message to be from abysia? Probably not...I'm going back under the sea now...:happy:

[GrudgeBringer]

Statttis....Check your Pm's

[Redeyes]

Then "Ermor has had an unexplainable increase in wealth this turn, possibly as the result of cheating".
I don't know the story, if there's a bug involved or what else happened.
Anyone know more?

[Slobby]

Usually this is caused by having troops in queue then getting sieged and cancelling the troops in queue.

[GrudgeBringer]

I know Juffos and he isn't cheating....but he is in the middle of a war so that explanation is probably correct.:up:

[Juffos]

Usually this is caused by having troops in queue then getting sieged and cancelling the troops in queue.

That must be the reason. Abysia was sieging one my forts and I cancelled some troops because the gold was needed elsewhere.

[Juffos]

Alright, we have a nation who is leading in provinces, forts, income, gem income and army size. Unchecked growth. You know the drill.

[GrudgeBringer]

If I could get Alpine Joe to respond to a pM and call a truce I could jump him from behind if we had a coalition...This huy will NOT answer a dang message.:doh:

[GrudgeBringer]

Alpine Joe

Check Your Pm Messages!!!!!

The In-game Messages Are To Slow...things Happen Because Of What They Look Like...not Because Its What You Want..

[statttis]

C'tis is in need of items that provide fire resistance (to fight T'ien Ch'i, not Abyssia :)). We are willing to trade gems or magic items. Contact by PM with offers.

[GrudgeBringer]

Gentlemen,

I have tried to get our new friend Alpine Joe to understand that checking a message system occasionally will/can make what seems obvious mean something completely different.

I have grown weary of receiving in game messages 2 turns after the fact and having to spend all my resources on repairing damages because my neighbor refuses to read any missive sent him.

In the meantime other nations have grown to the size that are steamrolling while I still putter around in a circle trying to make something out of nothing.

So I give notice (he won't see this either), I am goping to do my best to do all the damage I can to his homelands with my POD. All of you are welcome to have a bite of Arco to strengthen your individual empires.

Do it soon, I HATE to not finish a game and will do my best to hold on for a few turns...but this has honestly got me soured on finishing.

Good luck to all of you and I will see you when they have invented the PHONE!!!!!!!!

[statttis]

Well I still really need fire resistance items so I'll make my offer more enticing. Whoever can send me a ring of fire resistance gets a skull mentor or a frost brand, plus a cookie :up:

[Redeyes]

Is your god afraid of being returned to death (again) or what ;)?

[jmb]

I'll be leaving for the WE on Friday morning (French time) and I won't be back until late Sunday evening. Would it be possible to delay hosting during that time please?
Thank you.

[Slobby]

Hehe well Grudge Bringer with Caelum goin after both you and Kailasa, it looks like your efforts are bearing fruit... :)

[Redeyes]

See this picture evidence:

http://www.learnnc.org/lp/media/collections/freeman/thai_ramayana/600/thai_rama_085.jpg

See? Unarmed Eagle King being assaulted by a Dagger-wielding Yaksha.
No such slight can go unpunished. A holy war was inevitable.

[jmb]

I'll be leaving for the WE on Friday morning (French time) and I won't be back until late Sunday evening. Would it be possible to delay hosting during that time please?
Thank you.


Well, I'm off. See you on Sunday...

[Redeyes]

Well, I'm off. See you on Sunday...

I PMed stattis about postpoining the host and he said he was going to do so for the next turn, seeing that you submitted this one :^)

[Alpine Joe]

See this picture evidence:

http://www.learnnc.org/lp/media/collections/freeman/thai_ramayana/600/thai_rama_085.jpg

See? Unarmed Eagle King being assaulted by a Dagger-wielding Yaksha.
No such slight can go unpunished. A holy war was inevitable.

Yeah what that picture isn't showing is the three waves of rain of stones that just killed all my yakshas friends....that eagle king has it coming!

On a more serious note, I am out. Dead pretender, capital conquered, etc.

I have set myself to AI ingame, although i don't really know how that works with llamaserver so advice would be appreciated....

[Redeyes]

Set yourself to AI, submit the turn and that's it...

[statttis]

The game is postponed until monday. Enjoy the intermission, refreshments are available in the lobby.

[jmb]

Thanks, I appreciate it.

[statttis]

C'tis declares war upon Caelum. Other nations are encouraged to join in, before we are all destroyed.

[Redeyes]

I would like to take this chance to clarify that there have been no acts of war between Caelum and C'tis. Or respective borders are undisturbed, nor have either side any forces present at it.

As such as we expect peace to continue even if the C'tisian has felt in necessary to formally declare war in order to agitate others.

Whoever violates our border will be struck by the currently resting armies of Caelum.

It wasn't Caelum who opened the Well of Misery, likely in order to awake the dreaded tartarians!

[jmb]

C'tis declares war upon Caelum. Other nations are encouraged to join in, before we are all destroyed.
Hah! Right now, I am much more worried by the prospect of destruction at the hand of C'tis (who never respected my borders) than at those of Caelum (with whom I don't even share a border)...

[Slobby]

I see the god of Ctis is a spiteful one. Which nation can cast dispel? The people of Oceania will donate astral gems for the casting.

[Redeyes]

I'll gladly cast the dispelling ritual.
All who can spare Astral Pearls I ask to do so. the C'tisian spell is a threat to all

[Redeyes]

This month saw a grant of 15 pearls from Oceania.
Alas, even pooled with my own they'll not be enough.
The Burden of Time will stay for another month at least.

[statttis]

The game hosts in a few hours and most of the players haven't submitted their turn yet, including me (no access to a computer with dom3 until later). I've decided to delay for 24 hours, and if there are no objections, I think this is a good time to move the hosting interval to 48 hours.

[Redeyes]

I'm against any delay at this stage.

My turns are still reasonably short (10 min~),
There has been no staling
We are probably on the game's homestretch :happy:

I'm fairly scared at the prospect of a prolonged game considering my turns mostly consists of moving the same army I have used for thirty turns all over the map.

[statttis]

Well I guess I will leave the hosting at 24hrs. I thought with your HUGE MASSIVE empire ;) you might want more time for your turns. The rest of us only have a few provinces to manage (and now that Burden of Time is up, few mages/troops too :happy:), so your opinion is the only one that matters much.

[Redeyes]

I had my first commander losses since turn 12 that wasn't due to friendly fire just last turn... when I had rolled out all my mages with nature gems instead of earth games :D

Either way, next turn I ought to have the Burden of Time down again. Thank you Oceania, who supplied 15 pearls, and T'ien C'hi, who supplied 30 pearl for the first dispel.

[Redeyes]

Sirakzil fled the destruction of C'tis!
Though as the capital has fallen and the last bastion of the doomed nation is under siege, he who once was called the prince of death will now find his only throne in Tartarus.

[Redeyes]

Since Statttis is going to be forcefully evicted from the game this turn I have taken over the admin role.

Turn 46 is supposed to host in just a few minutes but Slobby hasn't submitted a turn yet and he staled the last one. I'm giving him a few more hours to get this one in and I shot him a pm to check his status.

[jmb]

Well, I've just looked through the statistics and it looks like it's about over: Caelum has:
- About 2/3 of the provinces;
- Nearly twice the income of all the others combined both in gold and in gems;
- The highest research by far;
- The highest dominion;
- And the largest army (plus, the second largest is Oceania who has a lot of purely aquatic units so I'm willing to bet that in terms of land capable units, Caelum is bigger than all the others combined).

That being the case, I guess we might as well declare that Redeyes has won. What do you think?

[Slobby]

Well, I've just looked through the statistics and it looks like it's about over: Caelum has:
- About 2/3 of the provinces;
- Nearly twice the income of all the others combined both in gold and in gems;
- The highest research by far;
- The highest dominion;
- And the largest army (plus, the second largest is Oceania who has a lot of purely aquatic units so I'm willing to bet that in terms of land capable units, Caelum is bigger than all the others combined).

That being the case, I guess we might as well declare that Redeyes has won. What do you think?

Yeah, the troops of Oceania had a hard enough time against your double bless, I don't think they'd fare too well against rain of stone spam. I'd vote Redeyes as winner.

[Redeyes]

That's as much of a consensus as we can get on short order.
Going to host that one last turn (to see what C'tis has hidden inside his last fort!) and then I'll end the game.

Glad to hear my dread of the secret weapons of mass destruction hidden in the oceans was unfounded, I was planning to cast seas of ice in a couple of turns ;)

I'm attaching my last two turns so everyone can see my current state in the game

[statttis]

Congratulations, remember to post the result in the Hall of Honor.

[Slobby]

congrats! :)

[jmb]

That's as much of a consensus as we can get on short order.
Going to host that one last turn (to see what C'tis has hidden inside his last fort!) and then I'll end the game.

Glad to hear my dread of the secret weapons of mass destruction hidden in the oceans was unfounded, I was planning to cast seas of ice in a couple of turns ;)

I'm attaching my last two turns so everyone can see my current state in the game
Congratulations and thanks everyone for a great game.

Sheeeesh and to think I joined this game because I was off to such a poor start in the other game I was playing that I was sure it would be over quickly and here this game is finished and I'm still kicking in the other (albeit feebly).

[Redeyes]

I am quite glad that we could keep the pace of the game up throughout.

Staying alive could very well be your forte, jmb. You and C'tis keeping each other from growing might very well have been my biggest stroke of luck, or perhaps that would be my start adjacent to heat nations when I had cold 3 and mountains/forests only.

I was lucky nobody took Juffos up on his call-to-arms, though I know everyone else was involved in pretty heavy warfare at the time
I don't think I had grown into a superpower yet, then, although I had a whole lot of gold from the eastern farmlands...