Thought it was about time I got an interesting number message!
Alex
           
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Anybody else feeling weary about all these scoring discussions? I am. Yesterday, I was seriously considering wandering off this game and forum to something else because all these bad vibes were starting to get to me. 
I will give myself a bit more time to think about it though.
    
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Ray: I'm disappointed! I think those kind of discussions (I'm just talking about our exchanges on this thread and the other one) are healthy for the community and tease out some interesting issues. I certainly didn't intend to inspire that kind of thinking in you, and regret doing so. I felt we both came to the conclusion that we live in Frogboy's world and would just have to see what outcome arises. Trust me, I know how it feels to get shat off and leave  ...so go play something else for a day or two and lull Cotal into a false sense that she might be able to catch you someday...  
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Ray,
I think "bad vibes" is an exaggeration of what we've been seeing here. I think the spike at Maso came as a surprise to more than a few, and there isn't any more venting than could be expected with that big a change.
If you decide to take a vacation from your submission schedule, though, feel free to stop by the Jedi halls any time to say hello.
P.S. I for one appreciate your level of involvement with this game. Not just in submissions, but also in tech support here on the Forum and detailed guides over on JoeUser. Your future is your call, but if you leave you'll be sorely missed.
[Message Edited]
 
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Rick,
I got the impression from your post in Black Shade's thread that you feel that I'm not doing enough to help would-be Maso players. Don't want to be too defensive here (just slightly defensive  ), putting the Maso Strat thread aside, I have been trying my best to help Maso players such as Jeff Desilva, Andreas Finn and others when they expressed an interest to beat Maso. My belief is that the Maso student should first read up on all the material already available in the forum (such as the Maso Strats in Strat Forum), play a couple of Maso games then revert in this forum on their problems. Much like Black Shade who had expressed problems with tech trade and influence so people like vincible or myself or other Maso players could give him specific advice.
But I take your point that some people would like a walkthrough so since you asked specifically for it. I would come out with one for you.
Got to go for a meeting now (yes, I still have a job but I'm neither accomplished nor successful ). Will post the walkthru here and in the Maso Strats thread later.
[Message Edited]
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Cotal, Wombie, Obi-Wan,
Thanks for your comments. I was just trying to be get some sympathy with my post.
I'm alright but really I don't know how long I can keep my interest here.
It's already been 5 1/2 months!! Never ever played a game for so long.
I said I will write a "guide" when I retire. Who knows, the Galciv blog may be that.
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But Ray, what games are out there that are calling to you?
For me, I don't enjoy real-time strategy games. So until MOO4 is released (are they making it?) or Final Fantasy x-2, I have little to look forward to. I want to know whether Stardock could take over the MOO franchise and build the next MOO game? Now that would be exciting for 2006.
   
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Ahh...a plea for sympathy. Hell yeah, I can relate to that! I'm having six litres of liquid sympathy air-freighted to Singapore on the next flight out of Melbourne. There will also be a couple of kilos of "Ultra Spices" in the false bottom of the crate, if you know what I mean
Cheers!
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| liquid sympathy air-freighted to Singapore |
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Just remember that Singapore is a fine city.... they'll fine you for almost anything there!
Alex
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| But Ray, what games are out there that are calling to you? |
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I dislike RTS too. But I noticed that Temple of Elemental Evil and UFO-? is out.
I'm waiting for their reviews. I like CRPGs and squad based TBS.
| Just remember that Singapore is a fine city.... they'll fine you for almost anything there! |
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Yes, in fact, all my posts in the forum have been scanned through and censored by our authorities
before they can get posted.
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Thanks for the ToEE review, Bucman.
I hope so too. I really liked X-Com 1 (and maybe 2).
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Bucman - ToEE is out where you are? Not available in Aust yet, as far as I know. Supposed to be the next big RPG thing, as it's using D&D 3.5 rules and you get to have a PARTY again (as opposed to the Neverwinter single person experience) - any thoughts on gaemplay apart from your comments above?
And I've been to Singapore - I thought it was lovely (but bloody hot and steamy) - the zoo is great! They can fine me for the sympathy...as long as they dont find the Ultra Spice....
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Careful about that Ultra Spice, Wombie. Or it's a straight march down to the Death Furnaces. 
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Maso Tiny Walkthrough
1. Choose Populists, +60Diplo, +1Spd
2. Choose Tiny, Rare
3. All AIs to Pure Evil or leave them at default
4. All AIs to Incredible (for an easier Maso game, put 2 AIs to Genius)
5. Ctl-N till you have at least 1 yellow star in starting sector besides Sol
6. Colonize Star
7. Send surveyor to establish contact with AIs, esp Alexians and Carinoids. Try to get +1 wpn or free warship/s (corvette or starfighter is best)
8. The key strat is a frigate rush. If you are more experienced, you can substitute with an earlier SF/corvette rush before moping up with frigates.
9. Build Soil and research up to Universal Translator asap.
10. Establish contact with minors. Note the techs they don’t have and research them (eg, Medical Theory). Trade your tech with as many techs they have. Good early ones to get are Industrial Theory, Cold Fusion, Impulse Drive, Trade, Basic Env Ctl. Trade with the minor with more techs first. Then use techs obtained to trade further with the minor with less techs. Check the majors to see if you can trade techs but that may be unlikely as the majors should be well ahead. If you want, you can buy a rare tech from one Major and trade that to the others for more tech. Always buy at 100 turns.
11. Your build queue should focus on the various social improvements – Soil, Bank, Habitat, Entertainment, Fusion, Manufacturing, Antimatter. Order depends on when you get the tech. Focus here is on growing population and industrial production.
12. Minimize research if possible by trading and buying techs. Important techs to get subsequently are speed (warp, hyperspace), pop growth (imp env control), soldering (nanobots) and production (interstellar refining, zero-grav manufacturing).
13. Get Diplomatic Translators and Gravity Accelerators asap, likely to be through purchases (thank your lucky stars if Minors build them because they will cost less).
14. Trade for Energy Channeling and Space Militarilization, research Interstellar Tactics. Buy this tech from Minor if available.
15. Once your production plants are done and your population is high enough (1-2Mil) to support transports, look around for nearby targets. Minors can easy to take and once they have outlive their usefulness, take them out quickly before they fall to Majors (before you do that, see below on bribing). Your soldier can kill 2-3 of the enemies (esp if you have soldering techs like nanobots), so if you don’t really have to load full transports if you can get the numbers right. You need to factor in population growth in the target planet as the transport travels.
16. Build frigates and transports. 2-4 frigates are enough if you do it right. You need to estimate transports and troops based on 1:2 ratio (to be safe).
17. For Majors, the Arceans are the easiest to take out from experience as they launch all warships in war, including defenders and battleaxes. Sometimes, they would move out of orbit if you bait them with an undefended transport.
18. Bribe Minors to attack the Majors (with tech, if possible). If you can’t bribe a Minor, bribe Majors but you would likely have to use cash (buy over 100 turns). Once the warships vacate the planets, attack all the Major’s planets in an alpha strike. Take them with your transports. All your ships should be staged nearby to execute this in a single turn. If all warships vacate, only colony ships would be defending their planets so you actually don’t really need frigates for this case. Starfighters, Corvettes or Hero can do the job as well. Frigates are needed to take down defenders and battleaxes that don’t leave orbit. Another exploit you can use is to buy the enemy defender or battleaxe but they will be expensive.
19. The AI would likely have Battleships or Dreads by now, if you are lucky, they will have them in production. Gauge the need and rush them if necessary (over the longest period). If you get a capital ship now, your alpha strikes will be much easier as you can take orbiting battleaxes down.
20. Repeat strat by bribing and alpha striking the other AIs. Note about bribing - don’t do it too soon because the AIs may make peace before you accomplish your mission.
21. Use speed to your advantage. Evade enemy ships and only attack transports if they threaten your home planets.
22. AIs’ transports will launch when they go to war. That’s good because they reduce population on target planets. Don’t bother about them unless they become threats.
23. One of the main problems you will face is AIs declaring war on you before you are ready. You can either use the 1 influence exploit (give 1 influence point as tribute every other turn) or just deal with the transports if they come. Your ships should be fast enough to evade their warships.
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| Or it's a straight march down to the Death Furnaces |
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That's why it's so hot and steamy in Singapore!
And thanks for sharing your strats!
[Message Edited]
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| And thanks for sharing your strats! |
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No problems. As I said, nothing earth-shattering. But it probably good to put it all down together.
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Almost forgot to say goodbye to Freya. Good luck with reviving Frogboy's Arnor empire.
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Just posted a short article on my Galciv blog.  Link
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Good morning!
I'm back from my vacation. Hurricane Isabel didn't bother us too much as it passed just north of where I was. Mainly just a rainy and windy day on Thursday.
Imagaine my surprise to come back to a new title! Thanks to Stardock for Veteran! And thanks to everyone for your thoughts! It's nice to know people notice what you do.
I'm waaaayyyy behind in updating the website and so forth. I probably need to spend a couple of hours sifting through threads just so I can write a little something for the Metaverse Review, too. Looks like a busy day at work!
Ray, lets not have any of this retiring nonsense! Vacation, maybe? It might do you good to take a little break. We'll try to hold back the pirate hordes while you're gone.
G-Force, consider diplomatic relations open with the European Alliance! As soon as I get a little more settled, I'll work on updating the diplomacy page.
It's good to be back. Hopefully I can get back into the swing of things quickly! 
 
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Welcome back, Theoden! You were missed!
Congrats again on your promotion! You deserved it.
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Thanks!
I just updated the Metaverse Review. Link
I'm gonna try to update the roster on the website now.
Then, I might try to do a little work here. I know they pay me to do something here......
Okay, Roster and Diplomacy pages updated. Now, I've got to do some work.
[Message Edited]
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Thanks for the strategy, I can't wait to get home and put it to practice, I played the other day couple of maso, but the Drenging killed me in both. I hate those *&^%### Drengins!!!!
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