Game 5643

[Zar@shand]

Well we are 4 turns in and no thread so here goes. 

Good luck everybody and happy new year.

             Rulers in this Campaign:
        Abbr    Region                      Kingdom                                   Ruled By

         IL    The Crown Islands(1)    The Sphere of the Illusionist                  Vball Michael
         SA    Darkover(2)             The Theocracy of the Sacred Order of Knights   Zarashand
         DU    The Diamond Coast(3)    The Domain of the Great Druid                  Lord Garth
         RA    Krynn(4)                The Iron Province of the Rangers               shaun tolley
         DE    Triumvia(5)             The Seven Hells of the Demon Princes           Windstar
         LY    Zanthia(6)              The Vile Culture of the Lycans                 Eregnon the Black
         GI    Nyvaria(7)              The Giants Above The Trembling Ground          Strylian
         DK    The Sword Coast(8)      The Everlasting Night of the Deathknights      Canticar
         FT    Pellinor(9)             The Expanse of the Free Traders                Drogo
         AL    Zamora(10)              The Experimental Studies of the Alchemist      DuPont
         UN    Mythgar(11)             The Underworld Cult of Secrets                 Percolay
         RD    The Untamed Lands(12)   The Reign of Terror of the Red Dragons         Harry O

[DuPont]

Hello all - unfortunately, I am going to drop my position in this game. I have no problem with the DK player attacking as he's well within bounds but I simply won't play against this filthy kingdom. I'll try to find a replacement but if not, I will post the location of all the Zamora pop centers when I drop.

[gkmetty]

Hello all - unfortunately, I am going to drop my position in this game. I have no problem with the DK player attacking as he's well within bounds but I simply won't play against this filthy kingdom. I'll try to find a replacement but if not, I will post the location of all the Zamora pop centers when I drop.

Since the DK position has made efforts to identify all the PCs in the region. I oppose your posting that data.

[DuPont]

Happily, somebody seems to have taken the AL position. Good luck all and enjoy the game.

[unclemike]

Happily, somebody seems to have taken the AL position. Good luck all and enjoy the game.

The Man (new/experienced player?) with only one game under his belt was willing to help out. I mentioned it's a free game since it's standby but I nearly didn't look for another player. The previous player didn't really leave the kingdom in that good of a position. No pwr-5 wizards, low level agents, built a fortress but not at the capital, etc. It was an unusual series of opening moves for a wizard kingdom for sure, but everybody tries something different every once in a while I guess. I'm hoping that the standby will help make this game more challenging than having this game fall apart with a drop over a silly reason...

[gkmetty]

Happily, somebody seems to have taken the AL position. Good luck all and enjoy the game.

The Man (new/experienced player?) with only one game under his belt was willing to help out. I mentioned it's a free game since it's standby but I nearly didn't look for another player. The previous player didn't really leave the kingdom in that good of a position. No pwr-5 wizards, low level agents, built a fortress but not at the capital, etc. It was an unusual series of opening moves for a wizard kingdom for sure, but everybody tries something different every once in a while I guess. I'm hoping that the standby will help make this game more challenging than having this game fall apart with a drop over a silly reason...

I know DuPont to be a very capable player. Its easy to step in and suggest things could have been done better but the DK were in the AL region from turn 1. To DuPont's credit he still gained control of his region and for one turn had tight control but as the DK found PCs it was difficult for the AL to maintain their control. The AL capital was discovered and it was moved when it was apparent that even with a Fotress it would not stop the conquest of the capital.

[DuPont]

Happily, somebody seems to have taken the AL position. Good luck all and enjoy the game.

The Man (new/experienced player?) with only one game under his belt was willing to help out. I mentioned it's a free game since it's standby but I nearly didn't look for another player. The previous player didn't really leave the kingdom in that good of a position. No pwr-5 wizards, low level agents, built a fortress but not at the capital, etc. It was an unusual series of opening moves for a wizard kingdom for sure, but everybody tries something different every once in a while I guess. I'm hoping that the standby will help make this game more challenging than having this game fall apart with a drop over a silly reason...

Best of luck to The Man. Otherwise, I find this comment rather snarky and offensive. Not as offensive as the filthy Death Knights, though.

[Strylian]

Happily, somebody seems to have taken the AL position. Good luck all and enjoy the game.

The Man (new/experienced player?) with only one game under his belt was willing to help out. I mentioned it's a free game since it's standby but I nearly didn't look for another player. The previous player didn't really leave the kingdom in that good of a position. No pwr-5 wizards, low level agents, built a fortress but not at the capital, etc. It was an unusual series of opening moves for a wizard kingdom for sure, but everybody tries something different every once in a while I guess. I'm hoping that the standby will help make this game more challenging than having this game fall apart with a drop over a silly reason...

Best of luck to The Man. Otherwise, I find this comment rather snarky and offensive. Not as offensive as the filthy Death Knights, though.

Yea I think DuPont has played more games than any other player alive. He has earned his right to play his turns any way he wants to. He is also someone who is well-positioned to know when a kingdom is out of balance. But it is a poor businessman who insults their most loyal players and dismisses their customer's concerns.

[unclemike]

Happily, somebody seems to have taken the AL position. Good luck all and enjoy the game.

The Man (new/experienced player?) with only one game under his belt was willing to help out. I mentioned it's a free game since it's standby but I nearly didn't look for another player. The previous player didn't really leave the kingdom in that good of a position. No pwr-5 wizards, low level agents, built a fortress but not at the capital, etc. It was an unusual series of opening moves for a wizard kingdom for sure, but everybody tries something different every once in a while I guess. I'm hoping that the standby will help make this game more challenging than having this game fall apart with a drop over a silly reason...

Best of luck to The Man. Otherwise, I find this comment rather snarky and offensive. Not as offensive as the filthy Death Knights, though.

Yea I think DuPont has played more games than any other player alive. He has earned his right to play his turns any way he wants to. He is also someone who is well-positioned to know when a kingdom is out of balance. But it is a poor businessman who insults their most loyal players and dismisses their customer's concerns.

Huh?

[admin]

Yea I think DuPont has played more games than any other player alive. He has earned his right to play his turns any way he wants to. He is also someone who is well-positioned to know when a kingdom is out of balance. But it is a poor businessman who insults their most loyal players and dismisses their customer's concerns.

I come and go, now and again, and I've been aware of the complaints about the Death Knights from my casual browsing.

That said, I haven't really ran across much in the way of actual debate of size on the issue, only just some recent postings. I don't have a dog in the fight, per se, and have no vested interest in how this particular problem gets resolved, one way or the other.

Just curious, but how many players are threatening to quit over the Death Knight issue? How many games with this Death Knights power in question has its most notable and most outspoken critic players in, where this particular power/severity of power has been available? Five? Ten? Twenty games or more? The reason that I ask is because as I sit here, tonight, browsing the forum postings here, I find myself wondering how many different attempts have been made by this individual to come up with a viable counter for this supposed Death Knight "super" power?

A player who plays in a lot of games of Alamaze likely learns a lot along the way. Likewise, though, the person who actually programs the game likely knows a lot, also. It the programmer didn't, then how much of what currently comprises Alamaze would actually have been implemented to begin with?

A few months back, I was led to believe that the Alamaze player community isn't all that large. Accordingly, for an individual who has perhaps "played more games that any other player alive" to decide to not play strikes me as a sizable blow to a player community so small. How is that in the best interests of the Alamaze player community? Me? I say debate the issue at length. If that's actually happened, already, then perhaps I simply overlooked it. In that case, if someone would be so kind, please direct my attention to the particular discussion thread where that has happened.

If when players encounter a particular "power" in the game, a particular advantage or disadvantage encountered over the way, should they all just up and quit playing in particular games of Alamaze where those powers, advantages, and disadvantages are in play?

These days, most of my PBM-time tends to get devoted to my efforts with publishing PBM Unearthed, a play by mail gaming newsletter in PDF format. This disagreement over this particular death Knights power might make an interesting topic to cover with an article or articles. Why don't all parties to the disagreement consider putting their thoughts on the subject into written form, at length, and I could include those very same thoughts in a future issue of PBM Unearthed. It's not as though Alamaze and its player community suffer from over-reporting, you know. It might help gain a few new players, as individuals who feel strongly about this particular issue could argue their case with the full array of their lines of reasoning, supporting logic, and passion for both the game, itself, and on this particular matter.

No one has to take me up on this suggestion, of course, but I figure that it probably can't hurt anything to try and create an additional option beyond what's already been placed on the table. Think it over at your respective convenience and leisure, and if you would like to take me up on the offer, then send em your thoughts at: playbymail.net@gmail.com

Regardless, I do hope that you fellows are able to resolve the issue in a way that benefits the Alamaze player community at large.

- Charles -