OBS-4 Discussion (game and roll call)

[jaguars4ever]

 

So it is just a bigger bunch of countries spread out a bit more?

 

And the edges have less SCs, too.

 

Why the sudden attraction to this variant?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I have a Burgundy fetish. "

 

But seriously, it's not so much a sudden attraction as an easing in. Other than the map, which is not drastically different to standard, Abberation is much like the normal game, and so is a good choice, in my opinion, for a first variant, both as a player and more especially as a GM.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If you want us to try out this wacked out variant, you better come up with a non-lame-fisted map.

[Reveilled]

 

So it is just a bigger bunch of countries spread out a bit more?

 

And the edges have less SCs, too.

 

Why the sudden attraction to this variant?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I have a Burgundy fetish. "

 

But seriously, it's not so much a sudden attraction as an easing in. Other than the map, which is not drastically different to standard, Abberation is much like the normal game, and so is a good choice, in my opinion, for a first variant, both as a player and more especially as a GM.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If you want us to try out this wacked out variant, you better come up with a non-lame-fisted map.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

You don't have to play if you don't want to.

[jaguars4ever]

You don't have to play if you don't want to.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'm always up for Diplo, but I doubt many would play unless you refine the map so it's actually legible.

 

This is simply a mess:

 

 

 

----

 

 

Given that's it's only 9 players, that really is rather cluttered. Consider the 30 PLAYER World War 4 variant; see how much more readable it is?

 

 

 

[Reveilled]

Umm...no, I don't. I can read both perfectly well.

[Skynet]

Same here.

[metadigital]

I think WWIV would be a very interesting game, but the map is very, very silly.

 

The main attraction, as far as I can tell, is the more experienced and lucky players taking advantage of the confusion of thirty people trying to escape the early game, only to whittle the players down to end up with a standard game with larger amounts of units.

 

I don't see it being intrinsically more enjoyable ... why do you want to play it so much? Why is it so appealling?

 

 

PS No response from Trobalov, after several prompts, so I still only have six players confirmed for Game 4 ...

[EnderAndrew]

I also think WWIV would take ages. Not only would it take countless turns to eliminate various players, but the late stages would take forever just because the distance it takes to travel across the ocean.

 

We have seven players. Can someone submit a variant for seven players that is perhaps more balanced than the original map?

[jaguars4ever]

Also: If we 10 players, then we can do War in the Americas:

 

 

At the very least it'll be a warmup for WW4. :D

[EnderAndrew]

Also: If we 10 players, then we can do War in the Americas:

 

 

At the very least it'll be a warmup for WW4.  :D

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Not bad, some some people start with 4 supply centers and some start with 3, and I'm not seeing why.

[alanschu]

Maybe it's because they're like Russia and so "disadvantaged"

[jaguars4ever]

Not bad, some some people start with 4 supply centers and some start with 3, and I'm not seeing why.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Rules

 

:cool:

[Deraldin]

Also: If we 10 players, then we can do War in the Americas:

 

 

At the very least it'll be a warmup for WW4.  :D

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Not bad, some some people start with 4 supply centers and some start with 3, and I'm not seeing why.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Some have 5 supply centres...

[jaguars4ever]

Actaully they seem to be pretty well balanced:

 

Power rating

[EnderAndrew]

Spain has the highest probability of being attacked and has the farthest to go to gain 30 supply centers.

 

Great Britain has a 55% advantage over Spain in the Play Balance Ratio. I don't know how a standard game compares, but given those two advantages, does Great Britain really need 5 supply centers to start?

[jaguars4ever]

Surely you're forgetting that Spanish Inquisition = extreme badness. :D

[Reveilled]

The only seven player variants I know of that are more balanced than the standard map are ones that are simply modifications to the standard map (addition of a croatia province, Italy starting with a fleet in Rome), and geometric ones which apparently nobody likes. Abberration (nine player) is supposedly pretty well balanced, as I've heard is Heptarchy (which though of seven players isn't quite as well balanced as the original, though pretty close).

[EnderAndrew]

I was looking at this modern map.

 

http://www.xcelco.on.ca/~ravgames/dipmaps/modern_ra.gif

 

A few things jump out at me, which tell me what players think are the common problems in a standard game.

[Reveilled]

I was looking at this modern map.

 

http://www.xcelco.on.ca/~ravgames/dipmaps/modern_ra.gif

 

A few things jump out at me, which tell me what players think are the common problems in a standard game.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Poland and Spain concern me on that map. Poland's neighbours have four centres each, and three-centre poland is sandwiched between the two, butting it at an unfair advantage at my first glance. Three centre Spain has a corner position, but that Fleet in Gibraltar limits its ability to expand greatly, as it will porbably only be possible to get one of the local neutrals.

[metadigital]

Surely you're forgetting that Spanish Inquisition = extreme badness.  :D

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Nobody expects the spanish inquisition!

I was looking at this modern map.

 

http://www.xcelco.on.ca/~ravgames/dipmaps/modern_ra.gif

 

A few things jump out at me, which tell me what players think are the common problems in a standard game.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Poland and Spain concern me on that map. Poland's neighbours have four centres each, and three-centre poland is sandwiched between the two, butting it at an unfair advantage at my first glance. Three centre Spain has a corner position, but that Fleet in Gibraltar limits its ability to expand greatly, as it will porbably only be possible to get one of the local neutrals.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Maybe the answer is to play it with Spain and Poland neutral territories?

[Kaftan Barlast]

If we're gonna play any map but the sstandard one, count me in. And I mean, every map, even the basic one, has flaws and exploits.

[metadigital]

Yah!

 

But: why you no likey the standard map so much, kemosabe?

[Deraldin]

I was looking at this modern map.

 

http://www.xcelco.on.ca/~ravgames/dipmaps/modern_ra.gif

 

A few things jump out at me, which tell me what players think are the common problems in a standard game.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Poland and Spain concern me on that map. Poland's neighbours have four centres each, and three-centre poland is sandwiched between the two, butting it at an unfair advantage at my first glance. Three centre Spain has a corner position, but that Fleet in Gibraltar limits its ability to expand greatly, as it will porbably only be possible to get one of the local neutrals.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

And it seems that Switzerland is no longer impassable... :ph34r:

[Kaftan Barlast]

Yah!

 

But: why you no likey the standard map so much, kemosabe?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Its boring to play the same level over and over again, Nanook. I like the challenge and fresh sensation of a new map.

 

 

Add it has to be a real map, not some geometric mumbo-jumbo.

[metadigital]

Well, I guess a new map has the advantage of not being so widely played; therefore everyone has to do their own strategising and not rely on previous game results ... "

[jaguars4ever]

Let's make our own map.

 

The map will be of either Star Trek or Star Wars.

 

For example:

 

We can have powers like Ferengi, Romulans, Klingon etc,

 

Or Republic, Mandalorians, Sith Brotherhood, Hutts etc,

 

 

Instead of bodies of water we have space - and use space ships instead of fleets as a result. But we'll keep armies for use on land. And of course the space ships can transport the armies (instead of convoy) to and fro!

 

Bring on Star Wars/Trek Diplomacy!