Survey: Middle Game Onset

[cleveland]

I need data for a secret project I'm working on. Kindly answer the attached survey.

Also, please answer the following question in a post:
Does CBM change the onset of the Middle Game? If so, sooner or later?

[Gregstrom]

A lot depends on what you would call the middle game, surely?

[vfb]

I call the middle game: "Hey, this game is fun. Doh! All the artifacts are gone."

I think CBM doesn't change the onset of the Middle Game.

[Meglobob]

Middle game is bane lords, gargolyles, flying thugs and armies with flaming arrows, wind guide etc...

Be careful you might miss it...

[Jazzepi]

BAM! Right in the middle of the normal curve.

Eat my EV.

Jazzepi

[statttis]

I've always that the middle game begins when battles are decided more by magic/thugs than just plain troops. In that case CBM does make the middle game occur sooner because it makes low level spells and summons viable.

[Redeyes]

BAM! Right in the middle of the normal curveLike most others, same here!

One provision though: I voted for when the leading players usually reach mid-game, stragglers can take quite a bit longer to reach maturity.

[JimMorrison]

OMG Cleveland is spamming the forums. O.O

What, no "Survey: When does the Early Game begin?"

;)

For most nations, I could consider the "Mid-Game" to officiallt begin once you have developed 2, separate but synergistic level 4-5 spells that can be used to dramatically increase your military effectiveness.

For some nations, this includes getting Cons4 for thuggery, or even just for Dousing Rods so you can ramp your Blood into high gear, and start getting some serious demon power out.

For a nation of mega-blessed giants, the mid-game might be typified by the moment you say "Oh god I'm no longer completely invincible, why did I take Drain scale??". :re:

A nation with decent research capacity can easily reach this point (with a couple schools at 2-3 for site searching or minor concerns, as well) somewhere between 20-25, and a nation with poorer research pushes it to 25-30, so that's pretty in-line with the aggregate perception of it. ;)

[cleveland]

OMG Cleveland is spamming the forums. O.O

cleveland just had to take a job in a different state than his wife thanks to the stupid economy. He's now very, very bored. He spends his time wondering if he's now required to change his forum name... :confused:

I'd tell you what I think about Middle Game Onset, but I don't want to skew the results...but this is all great stuff! Thanks for contributing everyone.

[NTJedi]

Not enough information to answer this poll... the middle game greatly depends on the number of players, but even more importantly the size of the map. A map of 10 provinces will have a different middlegame than a map of 1200 provinces.

[Agema]

I'd consider early game to be when research averages about levels 0-3, mid 4-6, and late 7+. Research determines warfare: early game tends to be heavily dominated by raw army power, this evolves into mid which more prominently has thugs and strong mage dependence, and this then evolves into late game, where huge BF spells and SCs start dominating.