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Dominions 4 Play By Email - Game Complete!

Mraston

Learned
Joined
Jan 23, 2013
Messages
254
We may as well start discussing the next game's map/victory conditions now, to avoid another morassy end game.
 

Norfleet

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Jun 3, 2005
Messages
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In my experience, very little can prevent a morassy end-game. Whether or not the end-game is morassy depends on conditions that unfold in-play. Victory points are popularly held to cut down on morassy endgameness, and can indeed cut short certain types of morassy end-game, but can also promote other types of morassy end-game. A morassy end-game is the outcome of the playing style of the players. I, for instance, used to attempt to turn just about EVERY endgame into a morass, because that is how I like it: I'm a fairly conservative player that doesn't like to take outlandish risks or overextend my reach, and if two such players are the survivors of the endgame, you're going to get a morassy end-game no matter what, but at least no one will complain. This result also commonly occurs if a conservative player achieves a dominant, but not immediately overpowering, position at the end.

From what I hear of Dom4, the game is probably MORE prone to end-game gridlock than Dom2 was, since there are no longer gem generators, so you cannot have an industrialization race leading to nuclear war anymore, as once the map is fully expanded, there are no more resources to be had and if this isn't enough to achieve a fast breakthrough, you've got a stalemate without end, because nobody can produce NUCLEAR WEAPONS.
 

Johannes

Arcane
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casting coach
From what I hear of Dom4, the game is probably MORE prone to end-game gridlock than Dom2 was, since there are no longer gem generators, so you cannot have an industrialization race leading to nuclear war anymore, as once the map is fully expanded, there are no more resources to be had and if this isn't enough to achieve a fast breakthrough, you've got a stalemate without end, because nobody can produce NUCLEAR WEAPONS.
That's some ass backwards logic. When you don't have gemgens, you can now actually damage a players economy by taking provinces, no matter what turn the game's at.
 

Malakal

Arcane
Glory to Ukraine
Joined
Nov 14, 2009
Messages
10,266
Location
Poland
In my experience, very little can prevent a morassy end-game. Whether or not the end-game is morassy depends on conditions that unfold in-play. Victory points are popularly held to cut down on morassy endgameness, and can indeed cut short certain types of morassy end-game, but can also promote other types of morassy end-game. A morassy end-game is the outcome of the playing style of the players. I, for instance, used to attempt to turn just about EVERY endgame into a morass, because that is how I like it: I'm a fairly conservative player that doesn't like to take outlandish risks or overextend my reach, and if two such players are the survivors of the endgame, you're going to get a morassy end-game no matter what, but at least no one will complain. This result also commonly occurs if a conservative player achieves a dominant, but not immediately overpowering, position at the end.

From what I hear of Dom4, the game is probably MORE prone to end-game gridlock than Dom2 was, since there are no longer gem generators, so you cannot have an industrialization race leading to nuclear war anymore, as once the map is fully expanded, there are no more resources to be had and if this isn't enough to achieve a fast breakthrough, you've got a stalemate without end, because nobody can produce NUCLEAR WEAPONS.

End game scripting take a lot of time but is rather fun in my opinion. With teleporting/cloud trapezing thugs/SCs you can quickly make big gains, forts are no longer a drag to siege. Massed rituals can bankrupt the enemy too.

Since no one can run a full gem economy now (with notable exception of freespawn undead nations) you rely on actually holding the land to stay in the game.
 

KoolNoodles

Arcane
Joined
Apr 28, 2012
Messages
3,545
Disciples or non-Disciples? Disciples games have been good fun in my experience. Also we'll want wrap around(at least east-west, north-south added can get kind of.....weird). We could do a random map, provided it's looked over and posted first. And if we're doing thrones, I'd suggest something like 2x as many thrones as there are "points" to win, and no lvl 3 thrones(but lvl 2 are pretty much OK).
 

Dayyālu

Arcane
Joined
Jul 1, 2012
Messages
4,465
Location
Shaper Crypt
Disciples or non-Disciples? Disciples games have been good fun in my experience. Also we'll want wrap around(at least east-west, north-south added can get kind of.....weird). We could do a random map, provided it's looked over and posted first. And if we're doing thrones, I'd suggest something like 2x as many thrones as there are "points" to win, and no lvl 3 thrones(but lvl 2 are pretty much OK).

Disciples are ok for me. I'd like to try it after two solid MP matches, as a Disciple of course. I agree with Map and Throne options also.

Standard questions: Age, Mods, UW Nations and Ermor-like nations acceptable?
 

KoolNoodles

Arcane
Joined
Apr 28, 2012
Messages
3,545
Well if we do Disciples, all the domkill nations can be Disciples with no adverse effect. Otherwise I'd say we leave them out, but keep UW nations. Figure we should do EA or MA since we just did LA, and mods....probably just Worth Heroes and maybe Underwater Expanded. I just don't really know the balance of many of the others.
 

Mraston

Learned
Joined
Jan 23, 2013
Messages
254
bronze-medal.jpg


Yay! My champion was defeated in single combat by a frog!
 

KoolNoodles

Arcane
Joined
Apr 28, 2012
Messages
3,545
Deadly freakin frog though! That heroic ability is pretty dang good for single combatant. And Ember is a good sword to wield(the tournament armor is not bad either!).
 

Dayyālu

Arcane
Joined
Jul 1, 2012
Messages
4,465
Location
Shaper Crypt
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Do you want a story? A story of Gods, battles and Ascension?

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I don't know if I can give you one. I have one little story here though. It is still a story of Gods, but not one of Ascension. Would you still like to hear it? Here, let me find the page...

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Winter, eight year of the Ascension Wars. Armies of untold power battled on the land. Demons and Devils stalked the earth, corrupting and killing. Undeads monstrosities roamed at night, and endless legions of dead soldiers shadowed the living armies. Magical constructs flew into the skies, raining death upon warrior and farmer alike.
Atlantis, Land of Ice and Bones, fought with grim determination, its iceclad armies unbeatable on the field.
Ragha, the Dual Kingdom, fought with ritual and blade, his servants and champions the greatest.
Abysia, Blood of Humans, fought with numbers and blood, determined to make the enemy pay for every fortress and province lost.
Lemuria.... well, that's something else.

4_zps278016f3.png


And yet the war went on and on.
"My soldiers die by disease and treachery, and even their skill cannot triumph such dark times." thought Sunpu, God of Atlantis, Master of the Winter Realms and Prince of the Deadly Waters.
"Thousands drown in my realm, water itself a treacherous enemy. Even my powers are not enough to save them!" thought Frinaspa, God of Ragha, King of the Blessed Lands.
"Ruin and disease kill my faithful, and nothing can stop it." thought Eannatum, God of Abysia, the brilliant God.



No one remembers who first talked about the Duel. A single champion, one for each Pretender, would have fought for the entire nation and for divinity. The destiny of Pretenders in the hands of servants, and peace for the land as a consequence. The losers would submit to the winner, ambition a fitting sacrifice for the greater good of all. A place was chosen, a circle drawn, and fighters sent.

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For Atlantis, Miki, the Snow Captain, greatest warrior in the Iceclad Host. A veteran of hundreds of battles, his skills unequalled amongst mortal beings. In his hands, Ember, the Sword of Frost and Cold (Gameplay Note: nice piece of equip. A Frost Brand and a Fire Brand in a single package), and a Shadow Brand, his body protected by the Champion's Cuirass, fitting prize for his victory in the Tournament.

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For Abysia, Mabakiel the Heliophagus, Lord of the Abyss. Terryfing to behold, his weapons are a deadly Bane Blade and a Ethereal Crossbow. A single scratch from such a weapon can destroy the very soul of the victim!

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For Ragha, Alalar the Vampire Lord. Skilled in both magic and combat, and equipped with the most precious artifacts, as the invincible Monolith Armour, the Unquenched Sword and the horrible Gift of Kurgi, a unholy item that brings madness and death.


FIRST DUEL: ATLANTIS VERSUS ABYSIA

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The Heliophagus started the fight, shooting a bolt towards the Atlantean. His precision was not enough, and the bolt missed. In an instant, the Snow Captain closed the distance between the two, thanks to the Flying Shoes, and started a barrage of deadly hits from his twin swords: not even the demonic constitution of Mabakiel could stand to the effect of Ice, Flame and Darkness. The Heliophagus was banished, and Atlantis got the field.

SECOND DUEL: ATLANTIS VERSUS RAGHA

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The last Duel would decide the fate of the world. On one side, Alalar went into battle followed by several blood slaves, pitiful humans lacking even the most basic self-defense instinct. Furthermore, the dark Gift of Kurgi gave him the protection, and three Horror Mantises were summoned to help him against Atlantis' champion.
Unfazed, Miki charged, and six blood slaves were utterly annihilated in seconds.
With a simple gesture, Alalar killed one of his blood slaves. Another gesture, and the Atlantean was sent into the fiery pits of Hell itself. Ragha won.
Yet, this was not to be.
The Horrors like to prey on mortals and immortals alike, as we are nothing but toys to them. The Mantises, feeling the Horror Marks on Alalar, attacked, and in a orgy of blood and claws the Champion of Ragha found Final Death.

No one survived, and the Duel ended.

10_zpsfdc7d139.png



All the Gods watched. And despite the death of their chosen champions, they laughed. A solution was found, fitting for True Gods. Each of them would rule for a third of the year, in the season appropriate for their character: Winter for Sunpu, Summer for Eannatum, and the time between them to the God of Ragha, Frinaspa.



It is not more fitting for Gods to let their followers live than to reach ultimate power? Is not this more divine? After all, what is a God without followers?

Hades1_zpszsghjhbh.gif


And what about Lemuria, you ask? The legions of Lemuria had a great role to play, as custodians of the Well of Misery. What a greater role could be found? Even the more destructive force could be bent and employed for the wisest ends.

Thus ends one of the Ascension Wars. Not with an Ascension, but can we ask for more? Peace on the land, and Three Gods now rule this world. A world at peace.

But I feel that something is amiss. Like I forgot something or someone.... but now this chronicle must end.



Ahh, now I remember. The champion of Atlantis. Well, no one *knows* what happened to him, truth be told. Some say he died instantly, burned by the fires of the Inferno. Others that the Devils got the better of him, and his dead body was at last found and brought back to life by the magic of the Ankagoks. Others say that's he's still there, fighting against the demon horde, like the unsung and nameless heroes of old. Who knows.



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*would have typed a stupid Doom comic joke, but Miki is mute. No Rip and Tear, sadly*


Over. Drat, I lost a lot of time typing this stupid thing and playing this. Pardon for the subpar writing and the typos. It was, mostly, fun. Congrats to all and see you next game!
 

Malakal

Arcane
Glory to Ukraine
Joined
Nov 14, 2009
Messages
10,266
Location
Poland
I kinda thought it would end hilariously anti climatic with a single cast of life for a life or something on a B8 mage (instant unresistable 90dmg) and it came close with that banishment but those horrors managed to save the day.
 

Mraston

Learned
Joined
Jan 23, 2013
Messages
254
Awesome write up Dayyālu!

With the game finished, any one want to put there hand up to be in charge of organizing the next one? New Thread?
 

KoolNoodles

Arcane
Joined
Apr 28, 2012
Messages
3,545
Definitely a new thread. I'd rather not organize one(though I am willing to play), as I'm in a couple games currently and I lose time and stale like nobody's business, but if nobody else steps to the plate I can shortly after the holiday hubbub has died down here.
 

KoolNoodles

Arcane
Joined
Apr 28, 2012
Messages
3,545
- wrap around map
- i'd like some EA
- i am still not convinced about thrones, but to speed things up i would go with something like 5x1+2x2+1x3 = 12 and victory at 7

I like thrones simply because they add an extra wrinkle to territory control, and can end games faster provided we have roughly a 2 to 1 throne points-victory ratio(12 and 7 is a good ratio too, to prevent a lucky nation winning after stomping their neighbor). I also like to try and play with as many features as we can(hence Disciples, thrones, etc., though story events can probably safely stay put).

But I'd be up for pretty much whatever EA, with east-west wrap.
 

Dayyālu

Arcane
Joined
Jul 1, 2012
Messages
4,465
Location
Shaper Crypt
I am back! Summary please.

We all won, bar Lemuria that did not sent anyone.

About the new game, well EA is not my favourite era but I'll manage. Thrones I like. Wraparound E-W is also ok.

Can we do disciples? I'd like to try Disciples,as it is the only "new" mode I still have to try.

Someone can start up a new Thread? It's time to let Decline back to the mists of time, methinks.
 

thesheeep

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Mar 16, 2007
Messages
9,939
Location
Tampere, Finland
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Throwing myself into the pit this time.

About disciples, I also fear that it would require an amount of coordination that might not be practical.
But I would like to join either way.

I'm ready to be stomped (I can beat difficult AI games if I play with a nation I prepared for, but I don't know if I could beat better AIs).
I'd probably be a better fit for the noob game, but that is still running it seems and I do not expect being among the last nations standing anyway.
 
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Malakal

Arcane
Glory to Ukraine
Joined
Nov 14, 2009
Messages
10,266
Location
Poland
I recently finished a 10 vs 10 disciple game and wouldn't really recommend two teams, once one team starts rolling there is no stopping them. 4 teams of 3 players would be nice but I doubt you have the manpower for that.
 

Dayyālu

Arcane
Joined
Jul 1, 2012
Messages
4,465
Location
Shaper Crypt
I'm ready to be stomped (I can beat difficult AI games if I play with a nation I prepared for, but I don't know if I could beat better AIs).

Don't worry. Solid preparation and a bit of luck can do wonders. I still got beaten by the AI sometimes and I did almost well. Ask Ragha if I wasn't kinda difficult to take down ;).

We tried Disciples once. It requires a lot of coordination and players.

Coordination is easier to obtain than playing well, IMHO.

I suggest opening a new Thread and start recruitment. I'll do that tomorrow if no one beats me to it. We'll see if disciples are viable . What to choose in EA.... Follow the lure of Blood? Berytos? Ηinnom? Stick to the MASTER RACE of Agartha and Atlantis? Or Ur?
Choices, choices....
 

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