MP: Noobs, Vets, & AIs: An evolving concept for a new series.

[Squirrelloid]

I have to say, this is the least interesting of the ideas you were floating at the end of NvV III. You might want to make sure there is sufficient player interest in something like this before spending the time making a map.

[GrudgeBringer]

I think starting EA and working up is more or less the way I would take it, and contrary to Squirrelloid I like the idea myself.

Especially if I was a really new player.

I never played SP and jumped right into MP, that's why I am so bad at it (LOL) and ask so many questions (hence the Captain rank).

If you where taking Terrible somewhat experienced players I would be your guy!!!!

Good Luck

[Septimius Severus]

It is good to hear from my former teammates on these matters.

Thanks rdonj, Ironhawk, and Grudgebringer for the progression suggestions. EA seems a good starting era, as is using custom gods incrementally.

Squirelloid is correct, I do need to discern interest before I set about the time consuming work of creating a map (which would take some time) but of course that is part of the purpose of this thread to "gauge interest and feasability".

I myself do love a good compstomp every now and then. We had many extremely talented and energetic noobs in NvV, I consider Squirreloid one of them, so AI players may not be much of a challenge to them. But for players such as myself, Grudge, brand new players, and those older players with the courage to admit it, whose skills aren't top rank, might benefit from and enjoy such a game. Who knows, I may even get my beat by the comp.

Since there are many other players who like myself jumped into MP without mastering SP, I may loosen the MP qualifications to 10 full games or less.

On my other game ideas, I am waiting for former noobs from all the games to get more experience under their belts before going for the alumni idea and the multiple mixed team idea which is also good will require plenty of available players and so I'd like to wait a bit.

[iainuki]

I'm not sure I'd count as a newbie for this kind of game. I do enjoy killing AIs, but I'm still not sure I should take someone else's slot. I do think that on the whole this is probably the least interesting of the options you proposed, and arguably the most work, so I'd keep that in mind.

I agree with most of what's been posted so far in the thread. You want to set independent strength to 3 or 4, you want to use Better Independents (you may even consider modding nations to make their crap troops too expensive or resource-intensive to build, but that would be a *lot* of work), EA

[Septimius Severus]

Yes, I hope I will have the time to do something unique mapwise.

Would like to hear from more people. If someone else has an opinion, speak up and don't be shy. Currently one can play against AI nations via one of the open games on the dom3minions server but not with the numbers of computer players I am suggesting.

Does anyone think that a team of 4 or 5 noobs would have too much difficulty defeating 8 or 10 AI's even without custom AI builds?

There must be some interest in playing against the AI, as quite of few of the available games on the server are filled and active.

Does anyone think that the AI would fair better in LA vs. EA? If so why?

[viccio]

i'm interested to play another team game

[Septimius Severus]

By the gods, i've had an epiphany! It is nothing short of divine inspiration I tell you.

Combining these two ideas of mine (AI menace and multi-team noobs and vets) makes a great deal of sense:

1. It makes sense thematically: With the defeat of the vets, noobs and vets now co-exist peacefully. This explains why they can be on the same teams together.

2. The rise of a new menace (this time led by the AI) brings noob and vet alike together to confront this new threat. But the new teams are quarrelsome and can't get along so after dealing with the AI threat they vie for dominance.

3. 4 teams composed of 1 vet champion or hall of famer (acting as captain), 1 intermediate level player and 2 noobs allows for players of all skill levels to join in on the action.

4. The fifth team of AI players allows for some compstomping action, provides an interesting twist, and can be placed in between the competing teams forcing the teams to deal with the AI menace first.

5. At 20 nations (5X4) a series of games could be played in each of the era's without having to worry about water nations. Beginning in EA and proceeding to LA, the AI menace could be made increasingly more difficult.

6. A complete custom made map would not be neccessary, this could be done with either a random or suitable pre-existing map.

Sounds like the makings of a new game and thread if people would be interested.

[Squirrelloid]

How does one stop the AIs from fighting each other?

Also, ultimately 16 people vs. 4 AIs sounds to be a very fast game. Bless-rush nations are going to be at a premium. I'm not convinced anyone even gets to real remote attack spells in any notable quantity before the game is over.

[Septimius Severus]

Originally Posted by Squirrelloid

How does one stop the AIs from fighting each other?

A simple map command keeps the AIs from attacking one another.

Originally Posted by Squirrelloid

Also, ultimately 16 people vs. 4 AIs sounds to be a very fast game. Bless-rush nations are going to be at a premium. I'm not convinced anyone even gets to real remote attack spells in any notable quantity before the game is over.

The defeat of the AI team is only the first objective or hurdle of the game.

The actual victory condition is to eliminate all other teams (including the AI team).

[zlefin]

you could make super-powered mod nations for the ai. then it might be a challenge to defeat them.