Game #110 - First Anonymous Game

[DuPont]

I would think that at least the 341-349 orders would be ones people would want to use, limited though they are. I could see an argument either way on the player orders. They are limited in size, yes? It would seem to me they would make sense to use - you wouldn't know who you were talking to. My hope is that bluefile and uncle mike get into this game and become loyal allies throughout.

[Kalrex]

Regards Titan,

Will ONLY wants to play this variant and I'm unlikely to sign up for another game other than Titan after my single games and game 10 conclude/s-

2 Titan games just recently began- 1 last week and 1 the week prior.
It's a great variant.

Hopefully this game takes off and good luck to everyone playing it!

[Ry Vor]

I would think that at least the 341-349 orders would be ones people would want to use, limited though they are. I could see an argument either way on the player orders. They are limited in size, yes? It would seem to me they would make sense to use - you wouldn't know who you were talking to. My hope is that bluefile and uncle mike get into this game and become loyal allies throughout.

Having agreed to this format, I will leave it to, first, Cipher, and second, the players in the game to decide where they wish to go on this issue. That said, I think the problem with the 341 - 349 orders is that players would use the 341 order because that is in their blood, and my interest in this variant is to see how players, those viewed as very good players, do when they don't have allies. By the way, should we change the name of this variant from "Anonymous", to "Lone Wolf"?

BTW, since Cipher has returned on his G8 from a weekend in Maui, he can make the final call on the 341 - 349 issue. Once I hear from him on other changes needed, we'll post about any additional setup charge. Since he is from the future where they don't use money, I think I know how this will go.

[Kalrex]

Regards Work,

For sure Titan has the issue of basically running 3 less turns but only having 2 paying customers. This issue is slightly compensated by those players paying a higher subscription rate-

This issue hasn't been resolved, IMO, and the trouble is that 2 players can knock out turns every day (or more) and these cannot be processed as soon as they're being submitted without Rick and Cipher making less $$ per game and doing more work running the game- Considering a typical game right now is ending in the teens that means Will/Thanatos's game could typically end this week (they made an agreement to play 40 turns I believe) OR even last week if they were having turns processed at the rate they were being submitted.

If order entry were simple like FOR it would be a non-issue, IMO, but it's an issue. Any non-normal game entails more work so I think asking more set-up $$ or whatever is fair.

Titan is an extreme example and Rick is faced with the problem of making diehard players happy AND making equitable $$ to pay Cipher and whatnot- This probably belongs in the Titan games thread but I can see logically why Rick is asking for more $$ to get this game going-

[bluefile2]

If I was still 16 and had to make a conscious decision over whether or not to spend $10-20, I'd probably care about a bump in setup fees for something new & unique. I'm guessing that most of the Alamaze community is 30+ and maaaaaaybe has some discretionary income. I will also make another assumption that each kingdom rates a few hours of brainpower each week with strategizing, interplayer diplomacy/backstabbing, order entry, revising pooched order entry, ect. Point being, the entertainment cost at a per hour basis is very low and that's just counting the tangible factors.

My last assumption is that this is a reboot/ startup and its far from being profitable at the moment. If you are currently enjoying Alamaze, cut them some slack and pony up a few more dollars if they need it. It's not a rapage fee.

[Lord Thanatos]

Regards Titan,

Will ONLY wants to play this variant and I'm unlikely to sign up for another game other than Titan after my single games and game 10 conclude/s-

2 Titan games just recently began- 1 last week and 1 the week prior.
It's a great variant.

Hopefully this game takes off and good luck to everyone playing it!

This is easily my favorite variant. Years ago when Phil ran things I almost exclusively played this format because I am too impatient to wait forever to have turns processed and too busy in real life to engage in much diplomacy and too annoying when people do decide to talk to me to actually accomplish any diplomatic feats that Titan is clearly the best option for me.

If I remember correctly the only non-Titan games I played were when my Titan opponents set up their own games and sent the names of 15 players to Phil to get things going - along with 15 setup fees, of course.

[Lord Diamond]

If Rick asks me for more money because he needs it, I'll give it to him. I just don't see why this game would justify 150% bump to the setup fee. I can affiord it, but I need to see value for my money or at least understand why the additional expense is justified. It could be that I just wouldn't value this format enough to pay more for it.

That being said, Rick can charge whatever he likes. If 15 players sign up in a reasonable time, the price bump will have been justified. My concern is that there aren't 15 players with open game slots who are willing to pay it. In that case, the game will languish.

I wasn't going to belabor the point, but felt compelled to reply to BlueFile. I'll let it go now. I hope the game fills quickly and that the players have a lot of fun.

I do have one question for Rick. If a player has 3 Alamaze Game Credits, would that qualify for a free setup in this game? Or would it require 7 or 8 Alamaze Game Credits? That might make a difference for some now that the credits are starting to come in.

[Lord Thanatos]

If I was still 16 and had to make a conscious decision over whether or not to spend $10-20, I'd probably care about a bump in setup fees for something new & unique. I'm guessing that most of the Alamaze community is 30+ and maaaaaaybe has some discretionary income. I will also make another assumption that each kingdom rates a few hours of brainpower each week with strategizing, interplayer diplomacy/backstabbing, order entry, revising pooched order entry, ect. Point being, the entertainment cost at a per hour basis is very low and that's just counting the tangible factors.

My last assumption is that this is a reboot/ startup and its far from being profitable at the moment. If you are currently enjoying Alamaze, cut them some slack and pony up a few more dollars if they need it. It's not a rapage fee.

I completely agree!

Before Rick set subscription rates he asked my opinion (among many others he asked, I am sure) and I remember telling him, "I will pay whatever you ask."

Alamaze is so clearly the best game available I was definitely all in...

But Rick's business model requires many, many more players to eventually subscribe so he set rates at an amount that he thinks will appeal to vastly more players than one. Until our gaming community greatly increases in size it is certainly reasonable to expect some slight variation in setup costs.

In the old days the setup cost was $25 and $7.50 per turn. And there was a fairly large player base. Easy to understand because Alamaze has great appeal to gamers.

Eventually Rick intends to increase his marketing efforts (and cost) to attract a much larger player base (which gives us many more opponents!) and that greater volume will allow him to offer more diverse games while keeping the prices we pay stable. Until then, if we can't agree to minor increases once in a while we will find ourselves once again mourning the demise of the great Alamaze world because it is not a financially viable product.

I kept my previous maps and setups and charts and Alamaze stuff for nearly ten years simply in the distant hope that Alamaze would eventually be available again. When I bought a new house last October I finally relented and threw that old stuff out. Too bad for me!

The point is: if the choice is $20 for an occasional setup (for a variant I don't have to sign up for) or not having Alamaze available it is an easy decision to make.

Bottom line: the business venture MUST eventually become profitable for Rick or we all lose...

[Lord Diamond]

The point is: if the choice is $20 for an occasional setup (for a variant I don't have to sign up for) or not having Alamaze available it is an easy decision to make.

I think I missed something. What did you mean by "for a variant I don't have to sign up for"?

[Lord Thanatos]

The point is: if the choice is $20 for an occasional setup (for a variant I don't have to sign up for) or not having Alamaze available it is an easy decision to make.

I think I missed something. What did you mean by "for a variant I don't have to sign up for"?

The anonymous game may have a $20 setup. For players who value this type of contest they can sign up and be billed accordingly.

The normal steel game has a $8 setup. If that is all one is willing to pay then simply keep playing this game.

But if Rick's business venture isn't eventually profitable it may mean that every game eventually has a $20 setup. Even worse, the game may not be available at any price if profits aren't soon earned. Thus, even if players enjoy paying only $8 when compared to $20 they may eventually find themselves unable to get a game at any price. That would be a truly terrible outcome. I guess I am imploring my fellow gamers to avoid becoming "penny wise and pound foolish."

Maybe the answer is that only Imperator players are allowed to play any variant other than the basic steel game? This would create a greater subscription rate every month and in exchange players would have a greater range of variants available to them. [The mathematicians (gamers?) among us will quickly recognize that a one-time additional fee of $12 is a paltry fee compared to requiring everyone to become Imperators.]

It truly amazes me that (1) Rick hasn't already limited the great variants to Imperators only and (2) that consumers aren't willing to pay a paltry $12 more simply to have such variety.

Many of us were asking for this new variant. Rick said "yes" but it costs $12 more. Now we see if it is worth it to the players. Ooopps... Rick didn't actually say this. What he said was, "Would this variant be worth $12 more?" If the answer is "no" then we simply keep paying the $8 setup fee and this variant goes away - until we have a much larger player base.

Just my two cents...