New FFH/EITB PBEM?

[HidingKneel]

Wanted to gauge interest in getting a new FFH PBEM started, maybe shortly after the new year.

Settings (to be negotiated):

FFH or EITB (maybe v10 if it's ready?); either is fine by me.

Diplomacy on (this is the only deal-breaker for me)

Map: something natural looking.

Bans: Stasis. Keelyn (unless we're trying EITB v10 and she's more viable).

Gimmicks: We could try the three-spell adept game idea that was being tossed around a while back.

Another idea which occurred to me is that it might be fun to have an "everyone against the world" theme going on before
it turned into "all players against each other". For example, maybe we could have a really strong AI Averax in the game
who starts with the Prophecy of Ragnarok, scary enough to encourage players to team up to avert armageddon before going at each other's throats. (In this case, we should also ban the other barbarian leaders.)

Any takers?

[Mardoc]

Put me down as a solid maybe. My other games are taking a lot of time at the moment, but I think they'll all be to endgame by the time you're looking to start. If they turn the corner and finish, I should have some time. For example, ahem, the one we're both in . And there's still some factions I'd like to try out.

I think I'd only be interested if it's a larger than average map. I tend to prefer the builder games. No opinion on the gimmicks, except that the everyone against the world sort of thing would need careful balancing to ensure it doesn't just snuff someone out entirely. Maybe something like Deity Raging Barbs again?

Alternately - if you really want a players vs. the world game, we could do a succession game again.

[HidingKneel]

I think I'd only be interested if it's a larger than average map. I tend to prefer the builder games. No opinion on the gimmicks, except that the everyone against the world sort of thing would need careful balancing to ensure it doesn't just snuff someone out entirely. Maybe something like Deity Raging Barbs again?

Large map sounds fine to me.

As for the gimmick, how about an AI Averax that starts on his own island with the PoR? So he's threatening armageddon, but can't hurt you directly unless you take the fight to him. Deity raging barbs could be fun too, but wouldn't incline the players to cooperate in the way that I was thinking.

[Selrahc]

Put me down as a solid maybe.

Ditto.

Another idea which occurred to me is that it might be fun to have an "everyone against the world" theme going on before
it turned into "all players against each other". For example, maybe we could have a really strong AI Averax in the game
who starts with the Prophecy of Ragnarok, scary enough to encourage players to team up to avert armageddon before going at each other's throats. (In this case, we should also ban the other barbarian leaders.)

Could be fun.

Hum. Got me thinking about that now. I did once discuss with Bob an idea about players getting a small team of *powerful* heroes, with a large highly populated AI empire put in place. With the idea of the PBEM being to rip that AI empire to shreds and grab as big a chunk as you could with your heroes, while the other players are all doing the same. See who can grab the biggest chunk, and what kind of game develops from there. It would take a highly ambitious and very skilled mapmaker(where is Mist again?), a lot of planning around what the heroes available for your kill squad are, and might still all fail spectacularly.

[HidingKneel]

Hum. Got me thinking about that now. I did once discuss with Bob an idea about players getting a small team of *powerful* heroes, with a large highly populated AI empire put in place. With the idea of the PBEM being to rip that AI empire to shreds and grab as big a chunk as you could with your heroes, while the other players are all doing the same. See who can grab the biggest chunk, and what kind of game develops from there. It would take a highly ambitious and very skilled mapmaker(where is Mist again?), a lot of planning around what the heroes available for your kill squad are, and might still all fail spectacularly.

My main concern about something like this is that if we start with a small number of top-tier heroes, then the
optimal strategy would just be to lunge straight for another player and try to cripple them by taking out their irreplaceable units. Unless the map is big enough to make that unrealistic...

[Thoth]

My main concern about something like this is that if we start with a small number of top-tier heroes, then the
optimal strategy would just be to lunge straight for another player and try to cripple them by taking out their irreplaceable units. Unless the map is big enough to make that unrealistic...

That sounds more like a gamble than an optimal strategy. Defender has the advantage pre-stack damage.


Seems like a fun variant in terms of options to me.

(NOT a signup. )

[HidingKneel]

That sounds more like a gamble than an optimal strategy. Defender has the advantage pre-stack damage.

I guess it depends what kind of heroes we're talking about. If everybody gets a copy of Gilden or equivalent? Sure, terrible idea. But make that Hemah or Chalid, and I'd much rather be on offense.

What if instead of powerful heroes, we started with a couple of adventurers? Similar idea but without completely overpowering early-era units. And could offer interesting choices for how to promote your team.

But let's not put the cart before the horse... first we need some interested players.

[Thoth]

I guess it depends what kind of heroes we're talking about. If everybody gets a copy of Gilden or equivalent? Sure, terrible idea. But make that Hemah or Chalid, and I'd much rather be on offense.

Indeed. I was thinking "heroes" meant a couple of adventurers or warriors with some free xp or the hero promo.

Having everyone start with a Chalid doesn't sound much fun to me. YMMV

What if instead of powerful heroes, we started with a couple of adventurers? Similar idea but without completely overpowering early-era units. And could offer interesting choices for how to promote your team.

That sounds like fun.

But let's not put the cart before the horse... first we need some interested players.

I'm interested....just not enough time right now to add another game.

[Qgqqqqq]

I'm confused - is there still a ai or just adventurers?

[Yell0w]

A "maybe" for me too.

The "hero" idea sounds funny. I think haste shouldn't be available to any unit right from the get go, as well as more than two moves. This way you restrict how fast and far a player can go, and defense vs slow movers is considerable easier.