OK, Spagetti switch to a settler which will be whipped next turn, at that should probably be the last settler built for a while as that one with be the 4th new city to be founded in the near future (with newest border city Soma being the 1st). Which will certainly help, but now I'm concerned about workers/MP/missionaries. And by the time that's done then we'll be ready for the next round of cities. REXing ahoy.
I'll see if I can time the Caste switch to be the same as when we get Feudalism, as a double switch would be convenient (although somewhat unnecessary).
Can we (the lurkers and I) get an overview update or picture sometime soon?
If you're busy, I can probably pop into the game on Saturday.
Merovech's Mapmaking Guidelines:
0. Player Requests: The player's requests take precedence, even if they contradict the following guidelines.
1. Balance: The map must be balanced, both in regards to land quality and availability and in regards to special civilization features. A map may be wonderfully unique and surprising, but, if it is unbalanced, the game will suffer and the player's enjoyment will not be as high as it could be.
2. Identity and Enjoyment: The map should be interesting to play at all levels, from city placement and management to the border-created interactions between civilizations, and should include varied terrain. Flavor should enhance the inherent pleasure resulting from the underlying tile arrangements. The map should not be exceedingly lush, but it is better to err on the lush side than on the poor side when placing terrain.
3. Feel (Avoiding Gimmicks): The map should not be overwhelmed or dominated by the mapmaker's flavor. Embellishment of the map through the use of special improvements, barbarian units, and abnormal terrain can enhance the identity and enjoyment of the map, but should take a backseat to the more normal aspects of the map. The game should usually not revolve around the flavor, but merely be accented by it.
4. Realism: Where possible, the terrain of the map should be realistic. Jungles on desert tiles, or even next to desert tiles, should therefore have a very specific reason for existing. Rivers should run downhill or across level ground into bodies of water. Irrigated terrain should have a higher grassland to plains ratio than dry terrain. Mountain chains should cast rain shadows. Islands, mountains, and peninsulas should follow logical plate tectonics.
Well, here's some overview shots which is the best I can do atm.
It's still a bit of an agressive plant, so I'm a little concerned Sian might retaliate. Got an axe and a spear here, but I think adding a LBow once Feudalism comes in should make sure nothing happens.
With the jungle almost gone, my workers are running out of things to do on the mainland.
Free Confu spread in Fettucine. Settling SE city in a few turns.
Looks like there's another island to the W. Have to send a galley this way at some point, as I'd like to ensure that our backline is indeed backline, although the closer we get to Astro the less it matters. A 2nd seafood at iron site is nice, and there's a settler enroute that should settle ~5t.
Feudalism is almost done. I'm tempted to go MC next for Colossus but even if it remains unbuilt between now and then, I dunno if it'll be worth it despite our large coastal empire, not to mention put us off from teching Astro which we can't afford to delay. Still we need it anyway and it's either that, Construction or HBR.
Awesome with the free spread, and great job overall! As for the tech order, the only things that we really need to make sure are that we get barracks down (and stables, for those cities that will produce knights) before we start unlocking the units that we want to build (cats, chos, and knights, I assume). I'm not sure that we want to build any more than a longbow on the Sian border, since we will hopefully be entirely on the offensive against Yuri. Metal Casting next seems fine. We could use a forge or two anyway, and if we build one in a high hammer-per-turn city, or a city that we will whip incredibly frequently, they should pay back before the war.
Some general questions, if you find the time to answer them. None are super urgent.
How are the war preparations going, btw? I left with you with basically nothing more than "I think that war, with preparation, is a good idea," so I'm interested in seeing how that is going. Of course, we can still change our minds, but we have to do so soon.
How much commerce is gnocchi producing? Is a library the best build there, or more workers/settlers (workboats?). I trust your judgement, of course, I just haven't checked into the game in a while. The only really attractive other city that we've uncovered is the iron/fish/crab, so you're probbly right to to go on to big of a settling spurt.
How bad are maintenance costs? Have we built any courthouses? Do we finally have city visibility on Yuri? If not, how many more turns?
Merovech's Mapmaking Guidelines:
0. Player Requests: The player's requests take precedence, even if they contradict the following guidelines.
1. Balance: The map must be balanced, both in regards to land quality and availability and in regards to special civilization features. A map may be wonderfully unique and surprising, but, if it is unbalanced, the game will suffer and the player's enjoyment will not be as high as it could be.
2. Identity and Enjoyment: The map should be interesting to play at all levels, from city placement and management to the border-created interactions between civilizations, and should include varied terrain. Flavor should enhance the inherent pleasure resulting from the underlying tile arrangements. The map should not be exceedingly lush, but it is better to err on the lush side than on the poor side when placing terrain.
3. Feel (Avoiding Gimmicks): The map should not be overwhelmed or dominated by the mapmaker's flavor. Embellishment of the map through the use of special improvements, barbarian units, and abnormal terrain can enhance the identity and enjoyment of the map, but should take a backseat to the more normal aspects of the map. The game should usually not revolve around the flavor, but merely be accented by it.
4. Realism: Where possible, the terrain of the map should be realistic. Jungles on desert tiles, or even next to desert tiles, should therefore have a very specific reason for existing. Rivers should run downhill or across level ground into bodies of water. Irrigated terrain should have a higher grassland to plains ratio than dry terrain. Mountain chains should cast rain shadows. Islands, mountains, and peninsulas should follow logical plate tectonics.
(September 19th, 2013, 20:30)Merovech Wrote: Awesome with the free spread, and great job overall! As for the tech order, the only things that we really need to make sure are that we get barracks down (and stables, for those cities that will produce knights) before we start unlocking the units that we want to build (cats, chos, and knights, I assume). I'm not sure that we want to build any more than a longbow on the Sian border, since we will hopefully be entirely on the offensive against Yuri. Metal Casting next seems fine. We could use a forge or two anyway, and if we build one in a high hammer-per-turn city, or a city that we will whip incredibly frequently, they should pay back before the war.
We don't need stables if we're in Vassalage, since that + Barracks is enough for 5xp for all of our units. MC next it is. And thanks.
(September 19th, 2013, 20:30)Merovech Wrote: How are the war preparations going, btw? I left with you with basically nothing more than "I think that war, with preparation, is a good idea," so I'm interested in seeing how that is going. Of course, we can still change our minds, but we have to do so soon.
Haven't really done any war prep, as we're still nowhere really near Machinery/Guilds. It took us about 10t to get Feudalism and will need about 15 more at least before Machinery never mind Guilds, so we have a bit of time. The only prep we really need to do is Barracks everywhere, which is easy enough, and Iron, which I'm fairly certain we can get easily enough with a Caste switch if need to. Been busy with REX so far, but with no more obvious spots to go for I'll start switching over.
(September 19th, 2013, 20:30)Merovech Wrote: How much commerce is gnocchi producing? Is a library the best build there, or more workers/settlers (workboats?). I trust your judgement, of course, I just haven't checked into the game in a while. The only really attractive other city that we've uncovered is the iron/fish/crab, so you're probbly right to to go on to big of a settling spurt.
Your right Lib may not be best there. With CH there already, the best alternative is HR units though, which may not be so bad (although MFG is pretty sad regardless). Will switch it.
(September 19th, 2013, 20:30)Merovech Wrote: How bad are maintenance costs? Have we built any courthouses? Do we finally have city visibility on Yuri? If not, how many more turns?
We have 1 CH in Gnochhi. The rest of our cities aren't far enough away/high pop/developed to justify a 3pop whip into a CH. Worst I think is around 5gpt in Fettuccine, I may build a CH there soon but otherwise not worth it anywhere else.
We don't have city visibility on yuri. I haven't really been keeping track either, but I wouldn't be surprised if we weren't getting anywhere with it. It would be pretty useful in the war now that I think about it, so I'll start keeping track. Although if we really want to, we can probably just use the Espionage slider just before we DOW since it won't be that useful until then.
As for city visibility, the last few turns that I played, we were slowly getting towards it, placing 4ep per turn on Yuri (pre-courthouse), with the cost going up by slightly less that 3 ep per turn, and we were about 20 ep away. So, unless something has changed, we should be slowly trudging towards it. Has Yuri teched any military techs lately, btw?
Merovech's Mapmaking Guidelines:
0. Player Requests: The player's requests take precedence, even if they contradict the following guidelines.
1. Balance: The map must be balanced, both in regards to land quality and availability and in regards to special civilization features. A map may be wonderfully unique and surprising, but, if it is unbalanced, the game will suffer and the player's enjoyment will not be as high as it could be.
2. Identity and Enjoyment: The map should be interesting to play at all levels, from city placement and management to the border-created interactions between civilizations, and should include varied terrain. Flavor should enhance the inherent pleasure resulting from the underlying tile arrangements. The map should not be exceedingly lush, but it is better to err on the lush side than on the poor side when placing terrain.
3. Feel (Avoiding Gimmicks): The map should not be overwhelmed or dominated by the mapmaker's flavor. Embellishment of the map through the use of special improvements, barbarian units, and abnormal terrain can enhance the identity and enjoyment of the map, but should take a backseat to the more normal aspects of the map. The game should usually not revolve around the flavor, but merely be accented by it.
4. Realism: Where possible, the terrain of the map should be realistic. Jungles on desert tiles, or even next to desert tiles, should therefore have a very specific reason for existing. Rivers should run downhill or across level ground into bodies of water. Irrigated terrain should have a higher grassland to plains ratio than dry terrain. Mountain chains should cast rain shadows. Islands, mountains, and peninsulas should follow logical plate tectonics.
Yuri has at least HBR as of this turn. I can't remember if he has Construction or not, but he probably will by the time we attack. Otherwise he's been researching Calendar, Monarchy etc.
We're 8EP from city visibility on his border city (which we already have vision on via sentries) and some 26 away from cities that would actually give useful info. OTOH, I think there's a great chance that CH will get built in several of our S cities (despite what I said above, but we're about to plant 2 more cities within the next 5t), and I'm guessing we're the only people we know of that have CH up, so we might not have to even seriously worry about it.
0. Player Requests: The player's requests take precedence, even if they contradict the following guidelines.
1. Balance: The map must be balanced, both in regards to land quality and availability and in regards to special civilization features. A map may be wonderfully unique and surprising, but, if it is unbalanced, the game will suffer and the player's enjoyment will not be as high as it could be.
2. Identity and Enjoyment: The map should be interesting to play at all levels, from city placement and management to the border-created interactions between civilizations, and should include varied terrain. Flavor should enhance the inherent pleasure resulting from the underlying tile arrangements. The map should not be exceedingly lush, but it is better to err on the lush side than on the poor side when placing terrain.
3. Feel (Avoiding Gimmicks): The map should not be overwhelmed or dominated by the mapmaker's flavor. Embellishment of the map through the use of special improvements, barbarian units, and abnormal terrain can enhance the identity and enjoyment of the map, but should take a backseat to the more normal aspects of the map. The game should usually not revolve around the flavor, but merely be accented by it.
4. Realism: Where possible, the terrain of the map should be realistic. Jungles on desert tiles, or even next to desert tiles, should therefore have a very specific reason for existing. Rivers should run downhill or across level ground into bodies of water. Irrigated terrain should have a higher grassland to plains ratio than dry terrain. Mountain chains should cast rain shadows. Islands, mountains, and peninsulas should follow logical plate tectonics.
Since I was last to end turn and first to play next, I checked the EP rate on yuri and city visibility is actually quite close. We just managed to get his border city this turn (which we can see already, but another source is good), and will be able to view the other cities we can see in about 6t or so. Now, if only we could see some of his other cities so we can see them too, but I think that's a pipe dream at this point.
Domestically, Moai is done as is the last city I'm going to settle in quite a while. Next up, some MP units in all the cities I just settled, as well as some to abuse HR in the more developed cities and also getting the new cities up to speed. We're still ages from Guilds unfortunately, but I've gone pretty hard on the whip lately too so once new cities get a granary and stuff I might switch into Caste. Although I don't think any of the GP's Caste offers really do us much good at this point, although a Artist for the war could be fun.
Well, basically either a pre-war golden age to help us prepare or a post-war (and post-captured city rebellion) golden age to consolidate our hopeful gains are probably our best uses for a GP. An artist would either be really good or fairly useless, depending on how we use it. A pre-war golden age would actually be really useful, now that I think about it. Getting to guilds a few turns faster, plus some bonus production to take advantage of the faster teching, could be a huge difference in the actual war. I'm not sure what is best.
Merovech's Mapmaking Guidelines:
0. Player Requests: The player's requests take precedence, even if they contradict the following guidelines.
1. Balance: The map must be balanced, both in regards to land quality and availability and in regards to special civilization features. A map may be wonderfully unique and surprising, but, if it is unbalanced, the game will suffer and the player's enjoyment will not be as high as it could be.
2. Identity and Enjoyment: The map should be interesting to play at all levels, from city placement and management to the border-created interactions between civilizations, and should include varied terrain. Flavor should enhance the inherent pleasure resulting from the underlying tile arrangements. The map should not be exceedingly lush, but it is better to err on the lush side than on the poor side when placing terrain.
3. Feel (Avoiding Gimmicks): The map should not be overwhelmed or dominated by the mapmaker's flavor. Embellishment of the map through the use of special improvements, barbarian units, and abnormal terrain can enhance the identity and enjoyment of the map, but should take a backseat to the more normal aspects of the map. The game should usually not revolve around the flavor, but merely be accented by it.
4. Realism: Where possible, the terrain of the map should be realistic. Jungles on desert tiles, or even next to desert tiles, should therefore have a very specific reason for existing. Rivers should run downhill or across level ground into bodies of water. Irrigated terrain should have a higher grassland to plains ratio than dry terrain. Mountain chains should cast rain shadows. Islands, mountains, and peninsulas should follow logical plate tectonics.
![[Image: T123%20NE.jpg]](https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/15873301/Pitboss%2012/T123%20NE.jpg)
![[Image: T123%20NW.jpg]](https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/15873301/Pitboss%2012/T123%20NW.jpg)
![[Image: T123%20SE.jpg]](https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/15873301/Pitboss%2012/T123%20SE.jpg)
Settling SE city in a few turns.![[Image: T123%20SW.jpg]](https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/15873301/Pitboss%2012/T123%20SW.jpg)
![[Image: T123.jpg]](https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/15873301/Pitboss%2012/T123.jpg)
