Thoughts on making games longer, more forgiving and more profitable for Alamaze

[The Usurper]

So after reading issue 9 of Suspense and decision, and reading the rebuttal to Ricks article. The author made some very good observations.

The Primeval format is an amazing format for new players, the games I bet will last longer, you can make mistakes and recover and you can also build your kingdom while learning strategy before you get wiped out. (which many in the game is the funnest part).

If we could get past this outdated map format A-Z which limits the map to a pretty small size, with everything going on in it. 15 kingdoms, all the towns village and cities, with artifacts, (Cypher made a post once, about how there is basically no way to make PC locations that random) it is just a super crowded map. And everything happens so fast. Players drop on turn 5-7 even in exploratory because they overwhelmed early. Whats my point?

Increase the size of the map by 66%, put a buffer region in between each "player region" Example: Region 1 Elf, Region 2 buffer, Region 3 WI, Region 4 Buffer, Region 5 DW ect. The Kingdoms that start in a region with another, TR,RD,UN,SO,WA can be spread over two of the buffer regions in corners.

This would allow for a forgiving format, this would allow for for kingdom building, more artifact locations, and would be perfect for (forgot the original poster) giving PC unique attributes. This would allow for longer more interesting games, This would allow for far less drops early in the contest. It would allow a better integration of new and experienced players.This would allow for Alamaze to make more money per game, less drops, more turns per player. $$$

Keep all the current rules, movement points and ranges, make it epic not claustrophobic. I feel you could fix a lot of the issues that the game is criticized for, by just making the map bigger and keeping all the current rules.

Now there are two kinds of people, those who instantly start thinking and discarding a new idea as bad, and there are those who instantly start thinking how to make the idea better, which are you?

To many times in this world people put way to much energy in tearing down an idea, If they put that same energy into making an idea better, where would the human race be now?

[Cloud]

Now there are two kinds of people, those who instantly start thinking and finding reasons a new idea is bad and won't work, and there are those who instantly start thinking how to make the idea better, which are you?

Those who 'start thinking and finding reasons a new idea is bad and won't work' are either in fact making the idea better or clearing the way for a better idea that will need less tinkering to work. The entire worldview of the scientific method is built upon this fact.

Cloud

[The Usurper]

With respect, I couldn't disagree with you more, and we are not talking about "scientific methodology" here. We aren't trying to convince people that lead is bad for you, or our Earth is the center of the universe.

But tell me, if people would have work on those ideas from the start instead of dismissing them outright, how far would we be now?

[admin]

We aren't trying to convince people that lead is bad for you, or our Earth is the center of the universe.

The center of the universe, from the perspective of people playing in a fantasy game, one where magic exists?

That aside, it's a good start to the thread. It's one of the best postings that I have encountered in this forum, to date.

[Rogal]

How about this for an idea, it is based off of what we call poor man's monopoly. Since we were too lazy to give out the starting cash for monopoly, you began the game on start with 0 dollars. A few players would have to restart since they hit a bad card, but in a game like Alamaze, how would starting with just one village work for longevity. No starting anything but one pop center and your starting adepts and you king. Sure some starting tweaking would need to be done, but how about this for a start.

[Kalrex]

The trouble with the OP's concept is there will still be drops and then instead of a small vacuum like in a 15 player game you will have a much larger one still benefiting its neighbors.

I don't care for any of the ideas above really. I understand them.

If you want prolonged games and whatnot wait for 3rd Cycle imo.

[The Usurper]

The trouble with the OP's concept is there will still be drops and then instead of a small vacuum like in a 15 player game you will have a much larger one still benefiting its neighbors.

I don't care for any of the ideas above really. I understand them.

If you want prolonged games and whatnot wait for 3rd Cycle imo.

This suggestion was for 3rd, and dropped positions could be picked up much easier as the position will most the time be more valuable.

[Airborne Ranger]

I LIKE THE IDEA.

[kevindusi]

I LIKE THE IDEA.

If Zim likes it, I like it.

[Kellenved]

Honestly, how much more forgiving do we want to make the game? Rick has already implemented changes that make it make it easier--chaos, seapower, etc--and more are on the way--170/171, 565, etc. Isn't the point of a game to challenge oneself? Why don't we actually focus on learning how to play the game as is, rather than trying to make it easier to play? Or have we all sunk into the instant gratification morass that seems to exemplify the modern world? Who can claim a sense of satisfaction winning a game that's been nerfed to the lowest common denominator?