Nothing like the Prodigal Sons: The Odd Couple actually play as themselves.

[Serdoa]

I also find it frankly disgusting that you clearly balanced our capital with the players in that start position in mind. None of the above is really my issue, though.

That's simply not true Gaspar. I made the start positions and gave them a number before your pick order was rolled, which then determined which start you got. But as the pick order was rolled randomly by someone else even if I had wanted I could not have given anyone a specific start.

The issue is this - putting players in duels in a 12 player FFA is frankly, bad design. I'm not belittling Seven's actions - he didn't win this game because of the map, he won this game because he's the second best player at RB and he will win most games he plays because he's that good. But the point is that what happened to retep could have happened to anyone. I don't doubt he had to fuck up pretty badly to get eliminated when he did with copper at everyone's capitals. But anyone could lose their duel quickly. And if, say, we had eliminated Gavagai instead of Seven eliminating retep the rest of the players would be able to feel similarly aggrieved. Look - everytime we do this and we don't explicitly say at the signup "OH BY THE WAY, YOUR NEIGHBOR IS GOING TO BE RIGHT ON TOP OF YOU" the game devolves quickly and everyone is annoyed because it introduces an unwanted additional level of randomness.

I agree on the point of luck and randomness. I thought I had made sure that what happened to retep would not happen to anyone, but it definitely is my fault, partly for not realizing one thing about the map, partly because I did assume certain behaviour (e.g. decisions based on "yolo"...) not to happen because it is imo stupid.

PBEM31 is an excellent example of this and that game was a hell of a lot better balanced in terms of player strength. If I wasn't playing and you showed me this map, that's absolutely the first thing I would have said. Did you show this map to any good players before sending it out? Because I can't believe you did.

I didn't give enough time to chime in on the map. I don't think it is as bad as you think though. Or maybe it is, but I don't think that this does decide the game on its own. I think the player strength might actually be more of a problem then the map. Of course one could argue that when doing the map I should have thought about that. And I would probably agree. There are actually quite a few things that I should have done differently. I'm not an expert mapmaker by any stretch so of course I made dumb decisions.

I love you Serdoa, regardless of how many times we argue or how annoyed with me you are right now, you're absolutely one of my favorite people at RB. You're a better player than me, and probably a better man than me. But this map is absolutely fucking awful.

Gaspar, I'm not annoyed at you. Sorry if that came across like it. I just wanted to say something as I felt you are making the map responsible for everything that has gone wrong, and I think there were some decisions you took along the path that had an impact as well.

(Also, I'm sorry for Gavagais 3rd food resource. That shouldn't have happened and I should have corrected it in time when I realized it.)

[Gaspar]

I felt you are making the map responsible for everything that has gone wrong, and I think there were some decisions you took along the path that had an impact as well.

This I'll agree with 100%, and am happy to otherwise draw a line under the situation (until the next time I have a tantrum to throw.)

[Gaspar]

t105 - Catharsis

So the big loss at Nitrogen was a feint designed to open up this:



And open it up we did.

ROUND 1 FIGHT

c1/shock HA vs. green Spear (23.1%/15.4%) = LOSS (spear down to 50%)
c2 HA vs CG1 Archer at 15% fortify (66.4%/6.7%) = WIN (flawless victory)
c1 HA vs green Archer at full fortify (63.8%/7.2%) = WIN (HA down to 4.9/6)
green HA vs 50% spear (86.1%/2.8%) = WIN (3.8/6)

AND THERE SHALL BE NO PILGRIMAGES TO HONOR CONFUCIUS THIS GAME



I was going to post something gloaty but there's a huge tactical puzzle in the aftermath of this victory and we're probably going to lose some units next turn, but not so many as for this not to be a huge net positive if we can keep him from replanting quickly. Nonetheless, this was pretty satisfying.

Here's the huge tactical puzzle:




Ok, fine. Take this tongue-in-cheek as intended, but I wanted to use this anyway:

[Boldly Going Nowhere]

hammerhammerhammerhammerhammerhammerhammerhammer



hammerhammerhammerhammerhammerhammerhammerhammer

[Brian Shanahan]

hammerhammerhammerhammerhammerhammerhammerhammer



hammerhammerhammerhammerhammerhammerhammerhammer

More blood, less Vinnie Jones.

[MindyMcCready]

P.S. Today is a really bad day to goad me for RL reasons.

Good rant, would read again. Highly recommended. I give it 0.75 Xenus, particularly regarding the tone of anger, use of profanity, and despair about the map. You didn't appear to choke on your rage or make yourself look like a complete ass, though, so you don't get a full 1.0 Xenu.

Oh man, I gotta read this. :LOL:

[Gaspar]

We landed Colossus, FYI.

[NobleHelium]

Pitboss 16: The game where the guys with no chance to win build pretty good wonders at a leisurely pace.

[Boldly Going Nowhere]

How long until currency? Those islands look a whole lot better now.

[NobleHelium]

Greetings, oh loyal and faithful lurkers! You all deserve an overview shot so here it is.




Currency in 7 turns.