We’re looking at putting this forward as a possiblility for the high diplomacy all v all - but this time with the players running two nations instead of one. Check out the duos and feel free to make suggestions (even if you don’t want to play).
If you do want to play then get in touch.
Final rules:
25 turn limit and a vote of active players. 66% of players must vote for carrying (no vote means stop).
Allegiance = Neutral throughout, no changing allegiance is allowed.
Nations 4, 17 and 21 are not in play. They are still on the map BUT they
are not allowed to be impacted in ANY manner.
No replacement of players
Defining Win: We use the Istari rating as a relative success ratio.
Highest ratio wins.
Set-up: Random with 4 excluded duo of nations. List the five nations you don’t want to play (2 and 17 aren’t in play so don’t name them.) You get a random choice from the rest.
Each player players one duo of nations from the list below.
20 points set-up (see below). When you get your first turn send that information back to us BEFORE the turn goes. If you are using AM or MEOW then you need to modify the data when you import it to enable you to do any particular orders (eg if you add 10 Command to Elrond then you’ll need to modify the turn so that he has Command if you want to put orders in. For AM just click in the stat box for that character and amend.
Duos:
Woodmen & Dog Lord
Eothraim & Cloud Lord
Arthedain & Dragon Lord
Cardolan & Ice King
North Gondor & Witchking
South Gondor & Rhudaur
Dwarves & Long Rider
Sindar & Dunlendings
Noldo Elves & Fire King
Blind Sorcerer & Harad
Dark Lieutenants & Easterlings
NG and the WK …oh my god it sounds like my version of heaven…I am like ascending right now…darn I wish I had not promised to play only one game at a time…(takes out a hankie and begins to weep softly)…someone spot me the cash to play a second game…WAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHh!
With each player running 2 nations, Ed, you might have a point there, even though I suspect you have an autoresponder set to post that even in your sleep…
I think it’s a great idea, don’t publish the players, BUT provide an extra diplo service - deliver BEFORE the turn is due (turn 1 that is). At least for the poor Dark Lieutenants…
Do not publish an initial list of players and their positions.
Can you expand on this? Do you mean that the nation duos are kept hidden or something else? It’s an interesting idea - and could well work in this format. Would players like this or not? At present I’m just seeing if we can get this game up and running so ideas are very welcome.
The passing of diplos back and forth was, I’m sure, labor intensive for GSI. If correct, then it follows this was an important element in the game creators’ artistic vision. As in everything surrounding the game’s creation, this is neither obvious nor intended to be.
While I have no first hand knowledge, it seems to me that Harley’s passing back and forth of diplos would be no worse than labors which Harley has already invented for themselves. Say, the maintenance of the PRS, proooofing players’ turns, reminding players their turns are due, etc.
Sorry Ed I don’t understand what you mean can you clarify please.
Do not publish an initial list of players and their positions.
Does this just mean that you don’t want the initial list of who is playing what or do you mean something else - eg like nation duos at game start are hidden (so it could be NG and Wk or NG and Easterlings) or something else. I think you meant that you want to keep the players ID hidden at game start. That can certainly be done. I was hoping for something more though as I’m not sure how that would improve the game. If that’s what players want then that’s fine with us though.
I’m interested in what duos of nations players think are appropriate here and to see if there is a viable game format for this. If not happy to let it drop but there seems to be some interest so I thought I’d give it some time.
…the maintenance of the PRS, proooofing players’ turns, reminding players their turns are due, etc.
Players seem to like this so we’re happy to give some extra service here where the players (on the whole) appreciate it. As I recall you use some of these services yourself.
Back to the original duo list… some duos seems complimentary while others are so far apart they can’t really help each other… however, I don’t see how you are ever going to get the combination perfect, so go for it…
“Do not publish an initial list of players and their positions”
how is this going to be a hardship when the game is advertised on the net, so pretty much most of the take up will be by emailers… the first thing that will happen is a new game string and it doesn’t take long to work out who’s who… you’ve just made us waste time working it out… if the idea is to bring back an element of uncertainty… then you’d need to get back to the game of old - no email, and names withheld… send a diplo through Allsorts/GAD and hope not to receive one by a fake claiming to be someone he isn’t…
Aaaahhh… why would we ever go back to hand writing diplos!!! I have email now… I didn’t spend my money on a PC just to go back to the “good old days”. Who cares about the original vision… the vision was envisioned before modern technology… the vision is changing, and at some point in the future, the programming and gameplay will change to match that new vision.
I hardly have the time to email my allies properly… that must replicate the old letter/diplo in the post… I don’t want to go back to that time.
I don’t bother with the PRS system, but as long as I’m not paying for it (don’t tell me it’s included in the overall price) I don’t care.
Proofing my turns is done by Automagic… great, saves me crap orders… great.
reminding me of turns… I use EVERY turn… great.
reminding me of my low funds… great.
[QUOTE=MichaelK]Back to the original duo list… some duos seems complimentary while others are so far apart they can’t really help each other… however, I don’t see how you are ever going to get the combination perfect, so go for it…
Actually although some duos are far apart for example my dream team…NG and WK they have a similar style of play which makes up for the distance in some ways…bc then you do not have to switch gears with each nation. This may seem silly to some but it is great for us who really love the nations we are playing. Plus seriously how much help does NG and SG really need? Expecially if the two team up against the other nations…which given the set-ups would be very advantageous to these nations. I think this set-up sounds the most interesting one yet that Clint and the others have thrown at us…Even if I would probably fail it…(all that diplomacy stuff gets me…I like the give-me a target kind of fight…)
Trying to scoop together the money to play this one…(dashes out to beg borrow and steal)
Ed, you funny. No really - Fun-un-nee. Show me a “civilization” that had any time for such “truth”… The problem with being right all the time is, it’s lonely.
I suspect that Ed just wants to have the player ID’s/nations hidden so he can masquerade as one nation pair whilst playing another…or else some other sort of devious scam…all under the guise of staying with the “artistic vision of the creator”, “the original intent of the game designers” etc!
Having the two nations being spaced about doesnt seem like a bad thing, as there would be alot of options with who you work with etc. Although I would say maybe have the Sinda-Harad together and put the Duns with the BS. Sinda and Harad could become another naval “power” in the Bay of Belfalast. Plus the Harad characters are pretty worthless, so the Sinda could back them up.
Although Duns with the BS may allow the Dun agents to find some agent artis early on…hmmm…
Fletch you are more perceptive than most. But, I suspect, even you do not see all the possible levels of play.
For ages art and literature have delt with temptation and human conduct. There is Hamlet’s delimma and the MacBeths’ ambition. We have all read Tolkien and what is it but a morality play? How do people deal with temptation and evil? Gandalf might fight evil but Gladriel flees from it while Saruman embraces it. Despite these roots, there are many people so narrow tracked they are unable to imagine dishonorable behavior and they certainly don’t want it practiced against them. Rather than recognize and fight evil behavior they want the GM to protect them from it. Rather than be tempted and make a free choice they want the GM to not allow them that free choice.
This game can be played on many levels. Players, of course, should play on the level that gives them the most emjpyment. But, they should understand that is not the only level that exists.
In the end even Frodo failed before temptation. For Heaven’s sake don’t tempt us, we might be even weaker than Frodo.
