Fellowship News

~SDC~

Intrigue, suspense, and galactic mayhem!

The latest issue of Fellowship News is hot off the press!!

http://home.earthlink.net/~nascarfanatic/fellowshipnewslog/

All the News a Ring Wraith Needs!

Another winning edition, Theoden! Great job.

Essecial (sp?) reading! Would put Loise Lane to Shame!

Great work . . . ahhh wait breaking news on the 'cranking calamity' didn't make it into the issue

Theoden probably still has a hangover from the Fellowship party. I believe he'll be back reporting on this breaking news asap.

~SDC~

Actually, I'm running a little behind. I've got a rather large issue here at work and I've been stuck in meetings some of the morning. Plus, I've been trying to read through everything being said. So far, I'm seeing Wombie leaving and a good many overlords unhappy. This most certainly is not a good day in the Metaverse.

Okay, today's installment of the Fellowship News is a bit dark and serious. But I would ask that all on the forums read it, including the devs.

http://home.earthlink.net/~nascarfanatic/fellowshipnewslog/

Reported in the finest Bardic tradition! I can see now why they held so much influence in their day .

Editorials ain't never easy thats for sure . . .

Especially on days like this, Cotal...

Wise words, Theoden.

One disagreement theodin: It's with the following.

"But we must retain the integrity of the Metaverse, and all involved must strive to live by the rules set down by Stardock."


I don't think their style has anything to do with the integrity of the metaverse. Nor does it have anything to do with the rules set down by Stardock. It's within the rules. It is within the integrity of the meta. Stardock just doesn't have the time (a legitimate concern imo) to correct the zero games. And the triggers are to remain to catch illegal mods.

I think you ought to reprase there. Thanx.

First, I don't think you understand me. We play by the rules Stardock gives us. If they say don't crank because it gives you Anomalous scores, then don't do it. I agree it's within the rules. But Stardock doesn't want to keep going back and changing scores when people continue to crank, even after they've been told how to fix it.

All I mean is, like it or not, Stardock is doing things their own way. The "integrity of the Metaverse" was in regard to everyone falling in line with their doctrine, whether you agree with it or not. I'm not trashing anybody, just play by Stardock's rules and live with it. Brad doesn't like the cranker strategy, so you either live with the Anomalous scores or quit cranking. Simple, really.

I appreciate your point, but even if I could edit the News (which I can't...really stupid blog code), I wouldn't. I stand by what I wrote.

Well put, Theoden.


~SDC~

As long as the fastest way to improve your score in the Metaverse is by playing at a difficulty level so easy that the other empires will actually give you free money any time you ask (try it - set diplomacy high and offer someone 100BC in exchange for 120BC), I'm not going to take it at all seriously.
I tried cranking the other day and found a way to get around the anomalous score issue, but I don't intend to do it again. I'd rather play at Masochistic.


~SDC~

Theoden

Thanks for the update in this thread and on your site. Does anyone know how much money triggers the cheat alert?

I just finished a tiny, tough, abundant and one of my planets started to go evil. I evacuated the planet. The Draginol took it over. They came in like a usual minor having my techs my not my trade goods. I traded with the Draginol who gave me 100,000 for 100 months for six trade goods!!! It never turned yellow and I just stopped at 100,000 (or a million?) for 100 months. I don't know how much was possible to extract. I was hurting for money and took it, thinking I never have to levy another tax and could dump 100% into getting my tech. After that I had second thoughts and what was at first a good deal sounded like I might have exploited a bug. Next turn I blasted the Draginol planet with Rangers & Combat transports and their Overlords disappeard (whew). But the money kept coming in (100 turns remember).

When I got over 25 million bc, I started to worry about an anomalous score. Well, I didn't cheat but I got greedy and severely ripped off a minor. I bought the rest of the planets, starbases, and ships from the Yor for 25 million to keep my final total bc under 1 million. Then the game ended as a military victory for around 12k mpts. I was really happy I didn't get an anomalous but thanks to your warnings, I gifted away the 25 million bc at the end to win rather than using terror stars as planned.

I am not sure I have all my decimals correct in the above story but usually a minor comes in with about 500 bc. Has anyone ever had this happen where a minor (in this case the Draginol) gave away 100,000 for 100 months for 6 trade goods? No other minor has acted this way before. Will it trigger an anomalous if you end the game with too much cash? How much? Thanks.

Rick

Yes, I've gotten the 100,000 for 100 months thing. You can do it with any minor if you give them the cash--give them 5000 BC and they're willing to give you 5000 BC for 100 months. It's one of many ways to break the game. It didn't trigger an anomalous or anything for me.

I've got a sneaking suspicion that it's different for lower AI levels (Simple,Beginner). The people who are "cranking" at Challenging and Tough don't seem to have any problems with money. Only those who play at Beginner, etc.

Off topic but in theodins reply so I'd better clarify some facts. The fact is, theoden, if you read the thread, All but one of the zero scores was posted BEFORE they were told how to fix it including the four or so from your boy who started the pissed thread. EBZ admitted he accidently didn't correct for the problem once, apologized for his mistake and said it wouldn't happen again and it's not their fault. It's the game's fault. He agreed to post on his site a warning and here. Now I will agree he was a bit melodramatic. (I really think they are a little peaved at the posting of chat... But the fact is warning was issued. Then Cari and brad then blew up at him here and accused him of cheese.

First, regarding integrity. Be very careful when using that word. The player's integrity is not in question , which you state here but your words there do not. You obviosly see the flaw in your own writing if you care to stress it now So go make a note to that effect. And no snide one's either. Is that asking too much? If it is, then I call your integrity into question.

Second, On to the other issue: Your use of the term integrity of the metaverse, such gradiose language. The fairness and justness of the system itself is not called into question one bit by EBZ's or Wombats actions or your boys either for that matter. Integrity is following the rules. They did. They also, but for one mistake followed the edicts of stardock people. They didn't cheat and get away with it. Cheating is the kind of thing that would call the integrity of the meta into question, Not a dispute over correcting zero's Hence, I believe that statement highly imflammatory and just plain wrong.

You can issue snide remarks like I stand behind it but the fact remains it is still wrong.

vincible, do you think it depends on how much cash the minor has? And the player can give cash to the minor and get back more cash than s/he gave? At above normal levels? This is news to me. In this case, the Draginol came in with 100,000 plus cash which totaly surprised me because the new minors usually come in with 490 to 500 bc in the bank.

Theoden, I always forget to thank you for your FOTR newsletter which is very nice and especially helpful at this time. I hope you are correct about the money but I seldom finish a game on challenging, tough, or painful with much money in the bank and all of a sudden had 25 million. Whoa baby!!!

Maybe just for safety's sake, one should finish the game with less than a million or some round number. Any suggestions in giving away money to avoid anomalous score or should I just forget about it until the next time I meet the evil and powerful but fiscally illiterate Draginol? Money is always easy to give away. LOL.

Rick

No, what I mean is you can gift the minor 5000 BC, then declare war and demand 5000 for 50 months or whatever. One of the worst exploits in the game imo.

The Draginol get all that cash because they're supposed to be this overpowering, dominating force. Of course it turns them into a bank, but whatever.

Pontius:

in·teg·ri·ty ( P ) Pronunciation Key (n-tgr-t)
n.
1.)Steadfast adherence to a strict moral or ethical code.
2.)The state of being unimpaired; soundness.
3.)The quality or condition of being whole or undivided; completeness.

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=integrity

I would like to call your attention to the definition of integrity and ask that you note I'm not using the meaning of being unethical. I was referring to the third meaning, and I'm sorry you misunderstood me. As I said, I am not trying to trash anybody. I am in full agreement that they won games fair and square and that it is the Metaverse's fault they haven't gotten their just reward. If you'll note, I merely said "I'm not trashing anybody, just play by Stardock's rules and live with it. Brad doesn't like the cranker strategy, so you either live with the Anomalous scores or quit cranking." My meaning here is that Stardock is going to do what Stardock wants to do.

I want to stress that I in no way meant to offend EBZ or anybody else by what I said! I wish everybody could get their scores, but they aren't going to. I totally agree that nobody was cheating.

I didn't mean to be snide or degrading. If I came across that way, please forgive me. And yes, sometimes I get a little grandiose with my language. It comes from working with a bunch of uptight suits who act like they own the world. They've rubbed off on me!

Listen, let's just agree that the whole issue was a product of Brad's decision to score the Metaverse the way it is scored. We all know it is flawed to some extent, but since we aren't the ones who can re-code it, we can't do anything about it. So we live by their rules.

Rick,

I'm glad you enjoy the Fellowship News! I get the feeling not everyone liked the last edition, though. Maybe I should just stick to less serious subjects... :notsure:

Tomorrow's a new day...hopefully we'll all be back to our old selves then.

Damn, in all this discussion, we lost the link to the Fellowship News...

http://home.earthlink.net/~nascarfanatic/fellowshipnewslog/

Agreed. My issue is many people, including me apparantly, don't think of definition three when they think of integrity in discussions other than for example a material object. Ie "the integrity of the hull of the ship was compromised by by the torpedo."

On a non material object, Like a game for example, most people think of it as... The for example. "Allowing pete rose back into managing a team would jeapordize the integrity of the game of baseball."

Hence, Integrity is one of them there auto imflammatories that must be explained precisely.

thanks for the clarify....

I disagree with THAT sentiment completely, Theoden. I appreciated the heartfelt words in your post. This is a community - let's not start censoring the news. I look forward to your next installment.