#503 - The Choosing 2nd Beta

[Thudargh]

Impressions of the Atlantians:

Not surprisingly, the Atlantians are masters of the sea.  I can also tell from the names of my emissaries that they have a Greek flavor - think the Odyssey.  Their Secretive aspect along with their Feudal & Oratory traits definitely give the feel of a hidden civilization that has quietly risen from the depths to once again take a hand in the affairs of the land.

I like the addition of the Forethought trait.  Because the seas cross regional boundaries, I think the Atlantians may tend against getting control of regions and more to disbursing themselves across multiple seas.  For example, I could easily see them making a deal with their southern neighbor to give up a number of land-based PCs in the Eastern Steppes to gain the water-based PCs in Synisvania.  But forgoing regional control means forgoing the additional orders(both standing & normal) that come with that control.  Forethought offsets that somewhat - though it also enhances the benefits of control at the same time.  I think finding useful standing orders will be a significant part of Atlantian play.

I do kind of wonder what a game would be like with both the Atlantians and the Pirates being played...

Another aspect of Atlantian play may well be negotiating safe passage across various seas.  Because you now specify the squares being interdicted(whether by fleets or by Kraken), you can arrange for there to be safe passages through the mine field.  This could turn seas from something most kingdoms avoid to a useful back-door.

That's about it to begin with.

[The Gray Mouser]

(Illusionist)  Turn 2 planning was fun, engrossing.  I also enjoyed the enhancements to the interface.  I can now complete a turn much quicker in the new system than I could typing in all the orders and knowing the correct syntax.  Now I really don't have to refer to the Commands document.

Once again, the decision making with all the new abilities, spells, traits makes choosing commands pretty intriguing.  I've set up 3 standing orders, which I would rarely have done in 2nd Cycle.  The change to the Fool's capability (better odds of an increase in Influence from 0.1 to 0.3) have paid dividends for me.  My cheap and good agents make training attractive, but with limited resources magic research has so far taken a back seat.

Have had some trouble finding PC's.  May switch my P4 Duelidon from summoning Minotaurs to Eagle Familiar.  All in all, its been very entertaining here in the early stage.

[VballMichael]

TY

Between this one and game 502, I think I have done the 483 order (Fool raising influence) 4-5 times and it has worked each time (with varying levels of success).

Also will echo that it is hard to find pop centers.

And, being suspicious in my own region, I cannot compete with taking new pop centers, so my development is really slow.

Will write up more later.

[Ruingurth]

BL

A small glitch I flew over the water this turn and this appeared under Navies:

Sea Fleets Quality Description Elite Ship Last Mission

Drowning 0 0.0 Small Craft At port
Foreboding 0 0.0 Small Craft Sailing with 1BL
Mystery 0 0.0 Small Craft At port
Terror 0 0.0 Small Craft At port

Since the BL has no navies I think this should be adjusted.

Matthew

[Son of Conan]

DW Am in my first games in 198 and 199 and decided to join this one for new player perspective. the order checker is great but I did forget to send an emissary to the city on turn 1. fixed that on turn 2. in 2 turns of moving and looking, I found 2 villages. I have covered almost half of the region. I did a standing 600 order for gold on my capital on turn 1. Gold went up each time by a little over 3,000 due to my Industrious trait. But also, the population went up a little each time. And my turn sheet says that the pop went up because of the action. but what I did not expect is that my capital's defense keeps changing. On turn 1, it was 12,005 for current turn but it was 10,914 for next month. But when turn 2 results came, it shows 12,005 again as defense for current turn and 10,914 as defense for next month. None of the other defense values for my towns or villages show such changes. I did take governor and influence point for turn 1, and also some valyrian steel since I knew I had to go get the axe. by the way, can I move the valyrian steel to another group since I forgot and sent a different group toward the artifact? magic is really bad. limit is power 2. that seems really low. and then my setup shows me spells through level 9, that seems high. am only 4 turns into a couple of games so cannot really comment on strength of kingdom overall. seems like nobody is in my area bothering me so maybe that helps with the slow speed, and the nonmagical status. I like the number of traits, just have to figure out how to use them all - seems like adventuring and artifacts and military. will need to do some 565 work but it becomes available just as we hit a bad season and I will be lucky to get my region by then. fool raised my influence both turns (.1 and .2).

[Ry Vor]

Thanks, Son of Conan, for the new player perspective.  Yes, Dwarven players will seek other avenues than magic research, but they enjoy some magic resistance and of course have all those other traits and advantages.  The kingdoms in Alamaze are much more diverse than in other games.

Wanted to mention Mike was able to adjust the regional reaction of the dispersed kingdoms so that they have tolerant regions including the region with their capitals.  This is good not just for those two positions, but so we get a view as to how they do on the intended footing vs. the other kingdoms.

[VballMichael]

Wanted to mention Mike was able to adjust the regional reaction of the dispersed kingdoms so that they have tolerant regions including the region with their capitals.  This is good not just for those two positions, but so we get a view as to how they do on the intended footing vs. the other kingdoms.

TY
I am still Suspicious in the region of my original capital as of turn 2 results. Because it was not changed for Turn 1 as hoped, I actually spread out and am trying to find towns and villages in numerous regions. Two turns at suspicious means I actually will not be able to judge how I would do on the intended footing versus my region share-mate. Because it was not changed for turn 1, I actually moved my capital to a better region for me given the reaction levels. I then raised to Friendly. Perhaps Mike then increased my reaction where my new capital is, which of course would not help me since I was already raising it to Friendly. Perhaps he can actually raise it in my original home region which may still help me.

[Jumpingfist]

NE
Tried to get a region on T2. Bad luck on random census number of the city. Coming in at 56k census the city was one of the lower ones I have seen. Starting significant in the region I calculated the very max I would need to be at 50% would be 183k census. I finished T2 with 173k so guess I was barely short. Anyway learned a temple add 2k census and as always raising gold or food adds 500 per time or 1500 per order. If I can not raise census enough thru gold increase and spells I will have to wait until t4 to take my region.
NE spells are crazy good still debating if I want to make wraiths or liches. So many of my favorite spells are already available at p5. Also looking how deadly that destroy undead spell is I am thinking of going with Minotaurs instead of undead. Leave undead to what I find laying around on the battle field.

[unclemike]

DW   Am in my first games in 198 and 199 and decided to join this one for new player perspective. the order checker is great but I did forget to send an emissary to the city on turn 1. fixed that on turn 2. in 2 turns of moving and looking, I found 2 villages. I have covered almost half of the region. I did a standing 600 order for gold on my capital on turn 1. Gold went up each time by a little over 3,000 due to my Industrious trait. But also, the population went up a little each time. And my turn sheet says that the pop went up because of the action. but what I did not expect is that my capital's defense keeps changing. On turn 1, it was 12,005 for current turn but it was 10,914 for next month. But when turn 2 results came, it shows 12,005 again as defense for current turn and 10,914 as defense for next month. None of the other defense values for my towns or villages show such changes. I did take governor and influence point for turn 1, and also some valyrian steel since I knew I had to go get the axe. by the way, can I move the valyrian steel to another group since I forgot and sent a different group toward the artifact? magic is really bad. limit is power 2. that seems really low. and then my setup shows me spells through level 9, that seems high. am only 4 turns into a couple of games so cannot really comment on strength of kingdom overall. seems like nobody is in my area bothering me so maybe that helps with the slow speed, and the nonmagical status. I like the number of traits, just have to figure out how to use them all - seems like adventuring and artifacts and military. will need to do some 565 work but it becomes available just as we hit a bad season and I will be lucky to get my region by then. fool raised my influence both turns (.1 and .2).

The normal defense value for your pc is 10,914 and the code wasn't adding +10% every time. I'll correct that problem soon.

[Son of Conan]

DW Cannot find special dwarf 599 order in 3rd cycle order entry tool. expected to see it near the 600 order.