[Freeciv-Dev] Re: (Non-)Smallpox server.

["Mike Jing" <miky40@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

dnh <dnh@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Jing, I played a game on the smallpox server and I have one major gripe.  
> The game seems to be less fun.
You are not the first person to think so, and definitely not the last.

> Firstly, I found the limited amount of cities a clever idea and it did add 
> a certain new element which is good. It basically makes war pointless, even 
> if you get a city it isn't worth much cause your whole empire goes crazy.
Correction: it makes it difficult to engage in an all-out war early in the 
game, but war is still very important.  Case in point: at the very beginning 
of the game, if you are close to an opponent, it is often necessary to 
strike early so that you will have enough room to expand.  Although the 
number of cities is limited, you still want them to cover as much ground as 
possible, while weakening your enemy and limiting his expansion.  It's still 
possible to wage war early, but you have to select your targets much more 
carefully.  For example, you could target your strongest enemy and take his 
capital (thank you very much, K).  It should weaken him greatly, both 
physically and mentally.  Limited strategic strike is the order of the day 
until you are strong enough to take on total war.  You just need more time 
to build up your empire to a point where happiness is no longer a problem.
> Problems are, temples don't do nearly enough. I build one and it doesn't 
> even stop one unhappiness in a city of 2 =(. With temples in every city and 
> all cities on 3.. if I build up to 12 there is no way to cure unhappiness 
> but with lux rates and elvis. Yawn.
Lesson number one: stay at 11 cities if you are a Republic.  Lesson number 
two: build marketplaces and banks, or lux rate won't do you any good.  They 
also generate more tax besides luxury, which can be used to buy necessary 
city improvements.
> It has become a really sad race for wonders. Once someone gets Michs or JS' 
> they have won it (unless they are a very poor player). The amount of 
> happiness that adds is beyond silly. While everyone else is struggling with 
> 9 cities or whatever, the person with both or either of those is up at 6 - 
> 8. Players can't even make up that difference by building more smaller 
> cities... unhappiness is uncombatible. Colosseums just cost way way too 
> much to maintain.. and that leaves only cathedrals.
Again, marketplace/bank + lux rate is the answer.  They also provide you 
with gold to buy and maintain Cathedrals and Collosseums.  And don't 
overlook the Hanging Gardens or the Oracle.  There are certainly more than 
one way to happiness.
> I didn't enjoy it im afraid, I feel it is alot more fun to maintain a huge 
> empire than to muck around with a few puny cities and watch as one players 
> gets every wonder, has every tech and is a democracy. There is no way you 
> can use any other tactics AFAICS which means there isn't even any 
> variation.
There are plenty of variations once you have learned how to deal with the 
new rules.  The mistake almost everyone makes is to play as if it is still 
under the default rules.  In many ways, it's a completely different game.  
But as K demostrates again and again, a really good player will find ways to 
win under any rules.
> Solutions? Well I suppose alittle less restriction on cities, or a
> little more size before unhappiness. Reducing wonders, increasing temples, 
> decreasing colosseums maintanence.
I suppose one can try adjusting the rules, but IMHO it is not really 
necessary.  Instead, you have to change the way you think and play.  Instead 
of building more cities, you have to learn how to grow them to a bigger size 
(how many times do I have to repeat this?), which nobody in his right mind 
would bother to do under default rules.
> Currently it isn't fun, and being fun is by far the most important part of 
> a game.
I do hope you could give it another chance.  I will talk to you in #freeciv 
soon.
Mike


_________________________________________________________________
Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com