PBEM58 Tech Thread

[Catwalk]

I say we discuss settings now, and if a fourth player jumps in before we're done then that's fine.

EDIT: Well, there we go

[B4ndit]

Great That would be it?

What settings do you propose?

[Catwalk]

Before discussing specific settings, maybe we should discuss what kind of game we want.

Quick or long game?
More of a builder or fighter focus?
Lush or sparse map?
Heavy or light city upkeep?
Conventional RB bans or a more liberal approach?

If we can get on the same boat about questions like these (or others), we might have an easier time agreeing on the specifics. At least we'll know what others like.

[B4ndit]

1. I don't have experience with other game speeds then normal and I personally enjoy normal speed even for very small maps with a lot of players, but I'm open for other propositions.
2. I would opt more for fighter focus, but what exact settings do you have in mind? Builder focus -> each player on his own continent separated by ocean tiles? Fighter focus -> very small pangea map (space for only ~3 cities per player) also sounds a little bit drastic but still much better then one continent per player.
3. In terms of resources? If so I vote for lush, but without strong preference. But 2 iron resources on whole map for 4 players wouldn't be funny.
4. No idea...
5. What are conventional RB Bans?

War Elephants
State of Zeus
Great Artist bombs
Nukes
Spies
?

I would also disable random events, huts, barbarians. What about tech trading?

[Catwalk]

Err... not really sure what exactly a builder focus would entail Various settings would push in that direction, along with the map of course. By 1) I was thinking mostly about game length in real days, not so much game speed. Would you prefer this game lasting a long time or reaching a conclusion in a decent amount of time?

Tech trading is definitely a conventional RB ban, turning it on would be highly experimental. It is generally seen to badly skew game balance. I think it could be interesting with an AI diplo game where tech trading (but not brokering) was allowed. I'm perfectly willing to go along with what others want on this one, though.

Upkeep has a huge effect on how the game shapes up. Some games you feel your economy crashing after two cities (my first game on here was a harsh lesson), and other games you can profit instantly from the first handful of cities you plant. Which balance do you prefer?

[Cheater Hater]

1, 2, and 4: Aren't these generally the same question, since faster speeds make military worse, and higher difficulty makes tech slower? I'm generally more of a builder, but I'm not that picky about that (mainly since I need to improve my war game regardless)
3: I think this is mainly up to the mapmaker--do we have a map yet?
5: Standard bans include War Elephants, Nukes, Spies, Blockades, Events/Huts, Corporations, and Tech Trading among others. I'm not too stressed about which bans we use, as long the most game-breaking stuff goes away--I personally think Spies and Corps are probably fine, but I'll side with the majority on that

[Catwalk]

Speed does indeed affect how much of a builder game it is. For all practical purposes, slow speed is the same as military units moving farther each turn which makes conquest more viable. I like Normal speed personally, but it will probably extend the game duration by 20-30%.

Map size will also have a huge impact on how much of a builder game it is, whether there's land access between us or not. Look at PBEM24 for an example of a builder focus, it was huge for 4 players. Many 4 player maps lately have been very tight, allowing for sneaky maneuvers to take place any given turn. Can be stressful, can also be exhilarating.

[B4ndit]

It is hard to tell what do you mean by "high" upkeep. I guess higher upkeep can somehow prevent blobbing and discourage from conquering whole opponent in one war, but that's a wild guess from my side.

I would prefer shorter game in term of "real days". Lose first game asap and get most of it before next one

Turned off tech trading is fine for me.

edit: PBEM24 map in my opinon would be waayyyy toooo big, but again: I can comply

[Catwalk]

I'd argue the other way around, higher upkeep means conquest is more likely. You can't build more workers or settlers or your economy will crash, if you build shiny wonders you risk your opponents getting jealous and using their hammers on units instead. Tends to lead to an arms race. Whereas growth potential means that it pays off to try to get an economic advantage as long as you can defend it.

I would also prefer a shorter game, I guess Quick speed is fine. How does everybody feel about a small map where we start close to each other?

[spacetyrantxenu]

You guys want a forum created for this? Looks like we're up to PBEM58 now.