[10-Jul-2006] Terminator games

[lackattack]

Many gameplay enhancements in today's update...

Terminator Games:
We have a new game type that I'm sure you bloodthirsty conquer clubbers will find interesting. It's appropriately called Terminator and the points are awarded per kill instead of going to the winner. Watch your back!

Fortifications:
Our new default type of fortification is called Chained and is a cross between One and Unlimited. One fortification has been renamed Adjacent.

Team Games:
Hate getting stuck with a deadbeat partner in a doubles match? Now when someone is auto-kicked in a team game, the teammate will inherit the armies. If there are two surviving teammates, the armies go to the one that joined the game first. Also, when playing sequential team games many find it unfair that the first team gets a lot of firepower while their opponents have their hands tied. The order is now staggered to alternate between teams. I know some people find it fun to be able to coordinate a double or triple play with your team - you can still pull that off in a freestyle game where it would be more appropriate.

Freestyle Simplified:
Speaking of freestyle, I never liked the complication of having two types (double turns / no double turns). Freestyle (double turns) is not so popular and is not newbie-friendly or balanced in my opinion. Freestyle (no double turns) is misleading because you can pull a "fake double turn" by finishing your turn just before the 24 hours are up and playing again in the next round. Solution: drop Freestyle (double turns) and rename Freestyle (no double turns) to plain old Freestyle. This game type is now balanced and follows the KISS principle (keep it simple, stupid!).

Deadbeats Lose Points:
Sometimes people don't like the way the game was initialized and decide to go deadbeat on purpose to avoid playing the game. While working on a way to discourage deadbeating, I began to reconsider my decision to take deadbeats out of the points. Besides "strategic deadbeating" it caused other problems - confusion between auto-kick and the deadbeat/points rule and players being robbed of points after winning the game in round two. So, I scrapped the entire deadbeat/points rule. Everyone in the game will now gain or lose points whether they play or not.

Ranks Updated:
Because the completed games count goes up now even if you don't play the game, New Recruits must now finish 5 games before being promoted. I also reduced the score required for General to 3000.

Ignore List:
Can't stand the foul language used by an opponent in your game? Take matters into your own hands by adding the bugger to your Ignore List, which will now filter ignorees out of your game chat.

Credits
Terminator was suggested by Itrade and Haydena. Hazmaniac coined the name.
Chained fortifications was suggested by thegrimsleeper.
Team deadbeat inheritance was suggested by Machine, patakylaw, Skriptal, and Giff07.
Team sequeential staggered order was suggested by thegrimsleeper, madeinchinain85, johnnyrotten, 2dimes, Enter Smith, bluesrock12000, agarvin, and kingwaffles.
Deadbeats losing points was suggested by many, many people.

[zip_disk]

Just noticed the Freestyle change while looking for games and then went hunting for announcements.

[AK_iceman]

WOOOHOOO!! This site just got a lot better. Thanks lack and twill.

[alster]

Yes. Have to say that this was a great package of improvements. I just hope that my 20 bucks contributed a tad bit to the project... Anyway, hats off to lack for the development. Unfortunately it seems though like all my killing strategy moves went down the drain... But, we'll live with that.

As a personal note, I couldn't help notice that the phrase "fake double turn" was used in the announcement…

[joetalk]

you guys up there in the corporate world of Conquer Club deserve metals
I continue to be surprized by the improvements that are made here in the C.C. Community.
Above and beyond every other change made i just have to mention that this new terminator move is in my books goin to make a huge difference to many like me who do all the work and get non of the points, now that age is over and look out point leaders here comes joetalk.
Thanks again one more time this is just so cool i just cant get over it!!!

[General Mayhem]

do the deadbeat score changes take effect in games already established??????

not that ive deadbeated to cheat but we started a single game by mistake and all decided to deadbeat apart from one numskull!!!

[Loudawg]

ok this is just a thought ... a person could create a recuit .. play with his normal account player and the recruit .. dead beat the recruit and have a huge advantage in a doubles game .. I think this for the reason that in general people do not like to attack countries that have three armies unless its in a stragical location .. so when the dead beater recruit was kicked out it could be a huge boost for that player ... In my opinion how to rectify this situation would be to not allow recruits from joining doubles game and to take the "new" recruit and simplify it to recruit ... also make it 5 games and a minimum score of say 900 ... under the new rules with players able to get points without winning would mean that the recruits have to just make a couple of kills each game this would insure that someone would have to build there multi account loser/poser recruit to a playable level before deadbeating him out to take advantage .. just a thought ...you smart guys play kick the can with it and see what you think

[alster]

Ok, making a new post. As I said above, I like the changes. Two suggestions though.

1. As has been pointed out, “it takes no skill to kill a deadbeat.” So at least in standard games (where the deadbeat armies aren’t transferred) why not have points deducted from the deadbeat, but no points given to the winner? And with team games, since there’s a three round time lag before the deadbeat’s team mate gets the armies, perhaps cut down 50% of the points that are given to the winning team from the deadbeat since the three round inactivity puts the deadbeat’s team mate in a tougher position (even if he inherits the armies). Especially in card games, those three rounds will hurt due to the lack of cards gathered by the deadbeat’s team. Actually, even in team games, perhaps it’s fairer if the winners don’t get any points from the deadbeat player.

2. A suggestion for future updates. Perhaps maybe implementing a policy of notice, like an Armageddon warning. “Dudes, this is the changes and those will come into effect at this time. Be prepared for it to wreck havoc with the setting and take proper precautions to avoid an Armageddon.”

I just experienced the new updates in person since they kicked in during the middle of a real time game (42648). All of a sudden my team mate didn’t get to play his round (probably due to some glitch) which caused him to loose 3 standard armies and a territorial bonus of 4 armies, no chance of getting a card as well as not being able to take an additional territory for which I had fortified him a shitload of armies to use. From having the upper hand, we all of a sudden were the weak team since my team mate didn’t get any doubled troops for the round the game engine robbed from him. Then, both teams all of a sudden were in a position where the new team alternation kicked in to everyone’s surprise. The changes are good, but they really screwed up this particular game since we had began playing it with one set of rules and both teams played accordingly. Finally the game was decided when yellow player in team two forgot about the alternate rounds and left himself wide open to be wiped out (thank you very much).

All in all, the changes are good. But I don’t even want to think about what they will do to my 10 Middle Earth Sequential maps on my game list. A policy of notice may be an idea for the future perhaps just to smooth the impact of the changes in the ongoing games a little.

[General Mayhem]

Also, when playing sequential team games many find it unfair that the first team gets a lot of firepower while their opponents have their hands tied. The order is now staggered to alternate between teams. I know some people find it fun to be able to coordinate a double or triple play with your team - you can still pull that off in a freestyle game where it would be more appropriate.

So I guess from this that it aint true sequential then??
Hmmm dont know if i like that. even when Im not going first in a doubles I dont really mind. The only time you really lose out is in a 4 person doubles as the first team really can get into a strong position.

[Utafar]

[quote="alstergren"]Finally the game was decided when yellow player in team two forgot about the alternate rounds and left himself wide open to be wiped out (thank you very much).quote]

I didnt forget I just gave all my armies to blue so his defense would be better........Its not like I had a chance anyway

[Patroclus]

Nice job, Lack!

I wish you could have called me first, though. And maybe come over with coffee and donuts, beer and burgers and some beef tenderloin, chicken and ribs for the grill. Won't hold that against you, though.

Man....All of a sudden things got sooooooo much more fair here at Conquer Club!

[areyouincahoots]

So, THAT'S why you've been ignoring my pm's, phone calls, and other pleas for attention...you've been working on all that...lol...j/k, of course! Thank you SO SO SO much for all that you've done!!!

LOVE!!!

MWAH!

--Cahoots

[alster]

I didnt forget I just gave all my armies to blue so his defense would be better........Its not like I had a chance anyway

Sorry to say this dude, you blew the game there. You should just have sit thight and hoped that my dice wouldn't have been good. But I don't hold it against you...

[thommo]

While not against the new changes, I am pretty dissappointed thaat you would decide to kick them in in the middle of existing games.
I had specifically joined some double turns allowed games and feel it is wrong to have changed the rules mid-game.

[wicked]

Hey Lack,
Can you please elaborate on "chained"?
THanks!

[Sir Luke]

Tight! Thanks guys

[mrdexter]

Hey Lack,
Can you please elaborate on "chained"?
THanks!

The chained Lack refers to is explained here as originally posted by Grim.

The chained you are referring to though, well best to take that to Off Topics

[Phx99]

Hey Lack,
Can you please elaborate on "chained"?
THanks!

I have to agree...am I missing what it means exactly?

Phx99

[Marvaddin]

I was liking this site very much in the begginning. I dont know why, but now Im HATING each update. I believe lack is giving more attention than he should to some people. Rely on you, lack!

Terminator Games:
We have a new game type that I'm sure you bloodthirsty conquer clubbers will find interesting. It's appropriately called Terminator and the points are awarded per kill instead of going to the winner. Watch your back!

An easy way to get points even if you commit a terrible error or something. Not fair in my opinion, but different, I need admit, but with my score I will never play it, by the way.

Fortifications:
Our new default type of fortification is called Chained and is a cross between One and Unlimited. One fortification has been renamed Adjacent.

I dislike the names, but its a good feature.

Team Games:
Hate getting stuck with a deadbeat partner in a doubles match? Now when someone is auto-kicked in a team game, the teammate will inherit the armies. If there are two surviving teammates, the armies go to the one that joined the game first. Also, when playing sequential team games many find it unfair that the first team gets a lot of firepower while their opponents have their hands tied. The order is now staggered to alternate between teams. I know some people find it fun to be able to coordinate a double or triple play with your team - you can still pull that off in a freestyle game where it would be more appropriate.

Pure shit. Deadbeat thing will usually not change the game in the final, but I would become really angry if I lose because of this. Suddenly, a guy with 2 continents? And without lose armies, while I spend 3 armies to kill my opponent guy, I kill his army, and I need still one more to the occupation? sarcasm>GREAT!!</sarcasm> If you provide an automatic fortification to adjacent territory, ok, but THIS IS UNFAIR!
About the sequential order change, sincerely, it makes me want abandon the site. OH, GOD, WHY???? WHY SOME LOSERS CANT WIN STARTING FOR THE LAST!! We all know, a team can have a great turn, but this would usually need perfect dice. Whats the problem? I lose because of this already, and won too. Why some guys cant accept this? Now its not a team game. Its a standard game where you dont need kill other player to win. How can I use team strategy, if I cant give my armies to my partner, so he can use and return them to me (I would be killed in other team turn!)? Where is the cooperation and the strategy? AND NOW, THIS IS NOT AN OPTION, I NEED PLAY THIS WAY?! I CANT BELIEVE IT, ITS PURE PURE PURE SHIIIIIIT! I have a suggestion, too. If losers cant accept the double turn of other teams, then make the cards get a uniform distribution, because one team with 2 mixed sets and you and your partner with 4 cards each and no sets is unfair, too. And dice too. I dislike how sometimes some teams have luck and we dont. Bah! Go cry in the bed, which is a hot place, losers. As if the starting order was not random... the losers have now the same chance of get the start, why to complain?

Freestyle Simplified:
Speaking of freestyle, I never liked the complication of having two types (double turns / no double turns). Freestyle (double turns) is not so popular and is not newbie-friendly or balanced in my opinion. Freestyle (no double turns) is misleading because you can pull a "fake double turn" by finishing your turn just before the 24 hours are up and playing again in the next round. Solution: drop Freestyle (double turns) and rename Freestyle (no double turns) to plain old Freestyle. This game type is now balanced and follows the KISS principle (keep it simple, stupid!).

Nothing to me. I never play double turns, so... And I think its not a good option, too. Ok (although some people can become furious).

Deadbeats Lose Points:
Sometimes people don't like the way the game was initialized and decide to go deadbeat on purpose to avoid playing the game. While working on a way to discourage deadbeating, I began to reconsider my decision to take deadbeats out of the points. Besides "strategic deadbeating" it caused other problems - confusion between auto-kick and the deadbeat/points rule and players being robbed of points after winning the game in round two. So, I scrapped the entire deadbeat/points rule. Everyone in the game will now gain or lose points whether they play or not.

GREAT! Now I will look for standard games with recruits. Easy points. Even the pigeons will probably join some standard, now.

Ranks Updated:
Because the completed games count goes up now even if you don't play the game, New Recruits must now finish 5 games before being promoted. I also reduced the score required for General to 3000.

Can't stand the foul language used by an opponent in your game? Take matters into your own hands by adding the bugger to your Ignore List, which will now filter ignorees out of your game chat.

Minor changes, nothing to comment.

Lack, please rely on yourself and stop make modifications because losers ask for. No one will complaint about a feature he likes, surely. How many people goes to the forum only to file a complaint (or "suggestion") about the sequential order, etc... but how many dont go there, because think the feature is great and has no habit of visit the forum? And then, you attend 3-4 people without to know what other 2000 think about?

Please, pleeeeease, you can increase the options, but dont change the rules and make them obrigatory simply because a few people can win using them, lack.

[hotgun]

what... I finished like 34 games without doing anything.. may I ask how that happened??? did I miss something?

Woot! for doing over 500 games

[Marvaddin]

Another thing, are these <sarcasm> great <\sarcasm> team game features already in effect, I believe. If I dont want more play team games that just started, will you delete them? Because that was not my fault, I started them thinking about the old rules, and since you didnt announce it first, I believe I shouldnt be punished being obligated to play, losing points or having negative feedback filed against me. They are all in turn 1. Would you delete the games?

[HighBorn]

im hateing this new up date shits all glitched.. my teammates getting skipped and im getting 48 hours to make a turn.. this shits screwy

[garionoldwolf]

so with the terminator what happens if someone gets kicked out/deadbeats? Do they lose points still?

[Murph808]

SWEET Need I say more?

[Bring It On]

Like the new changes..... bit of warning in advance would be good however. Im sure these changes have raised a few eyebrows and u may have pissed a few people off lack.