Faces of Apolyton - an update

[Skanky Burns]

Originally posted by Lazarus and the Gimp
What I was suggesting was something decidedly unofficial, aimed at the more entertaining wingnuts on the OTF, that probably wouldn't be reverential in the slightest.

These would probably have to be hosted off-site though, judging by the last one produced. I think it was an interview with AH.
I would love to read OT based interviews though.

[Brundlefly]

Originally posted by Lazarus and the Gimp
Let me clarify. "Faces of Apolyton" is the officially-sanctioned, reverential interview series in which the worthies (from the forums where not many posts are made) get interviewed.

What I was suggesting was something decidedly unofficial, aimed at the more entertaining wingnuts on the OTF, that probably wouldn't be reverential in the slightest.

I see. We could call your interview series, "Facetious of Apolyton".

You could start the first interview with the series of questions I've provided earlier in this thread.

How about interviews with relatively unknown members of ACS? We could call that "Faceless of Apolyton".

[Bugs ****ing Bunny]

Originally posted by bfg9000


I see. We could call your interview series, "Facetious of Apolyton".

You could start the first interview with the series of questions I've provided earlier in this thread.

The idea is growing duller by the second.

[Frozzy]

Grill the OTFers! None of this "Who is better at hoops" crap.

[Alex]

Originally posted by bfg9000

How about interviews with relatively unknown members of ACS? We could call that "Faceless of Apolyton".

I like the idea.

[Arnelos]

Originally posted by Solver
Heh, on-topicers have been my main focus, and so they will remain, although I'm not against the idea of some interview with OTF posters as part of the series. But, in these cases, I need some serious help, as my knowledge of OTF posters isn't too good, and I would be unable to do a decent interview with most of them.

Perhaps the various DG communities... there are a lot of them on the site and they're on-topic.

[Ben Kenobi]

What I was suggesting was something decidedly unofficial, aimed at the more entertaining wingnuts on the OTF, that probably wouldn't be reverential in the slightest.

Sounds like a plan.

Nothing like a hostile interviewer to really bring out a true personality.

[Solver]

Perhaps the various DG communities... there are a lot of them on the site and they're on-topic.

And spam . I'm a member of the ranks of those civ-players who dislike DG. Well, most of the time, actually, no DG event (except for a start and end of one) gets outside the community of that particular DG. While, for instance, you all know Locutus, even those who aren't in CtP community.

[Hueij]

While, for instance, you all know Locutus, even those who aren't in CtP community.

Who?

[Solver]

As always, those never venturing out of the OTF aren't expected to know anyone except the OTF mods.

[Locutus]

Once again proving sarcasm on the Internet doesn't work (especially not on Solver)...

[Brundlefly]

Originally posted by Frozzy
Grill the OTFers! None of this "Who is better at hoops" crap.

Yeah that's a bad question cause everyone knows that St. Joes is #1...

[Solver]

Locutus, is that supposed to be a gentle notice telling me that I'm thick-headed ? You never know, maybe I was being sarcastic too.

[Arnelos]

Originally posted by Solver

Quote:

Perhaps the various DG communities... there are a lot of them on the site and they're on-topic.

And spam . I'm a member of the ranks of those civ-players who dislike DG. Well, most of the time, actually, no DG event (except for a start and end of one) gets outside the community of that particular DG. While, for instance, you all know Locutus, even those who aren't in CtP community.

As a number of the Civ3 Strategy Forum regulars who were previously wary of DGs have discovered through playing in the Inter-Site Democracy Game, DGs aren't all that bad.

Probably the best value that DGs have for most posters is that the process of the game moving that slowly and having so many brains working on each facet of the game helps posters to vastly improve their play. That process allows a lot of people to realize strategies and facets of the actual game that they never really thought about. It also gives all of the posters involved an actual STAKE in the game at a pace that most can actually follow rather than just an AAR posted by a strategy forum master that doesn't really tell you (specifically) what allowed him to be so good at playing the game.

The sheer number of people who have said that they were players on Warlord or Regent level until they played in a DG and then were able to play at Monarch, Emperor, and even Deity is pretty astounding.

The fact that the two Inter-Site Democracy Games are also competitions in which Apolyton's talents, as a site are on display in competition with those of other Civ sites makes those games, in particular, highly interesting.

[alva]

Good point you make there Arnelos, and nicely put too.

[Solver]

Arnelos, those are good points. I was merely stating that DGs don't appeal to me, personally, as a civ gamer. For increasing skills, I have found reading strategy threads of great use, and enjoyement. For Civ 3, there's the Apolyton University, which can also increase skills greatly.

The thing with DGs is, they last too long for my liking. Generally, I want to be able to play my game whenever I want, and not like the DG-system. Also, when I play, I am in complete control, and not some democracy . But that's just me, someone who's been used to playing civ that way forever.

[Hueij]

Originally posted by Solver
Locutus, is that supposed to be a gentle notice telling me that I'm thick-headed ? You never know, maybe I was being sarcastic too.

Solver, you know you weren't sarcastic

But as a matter of fact I DO venture out of the OT sometimes. Civ3 strategy, stories and files, Other Games, and yes, even the Community Forum.

But I still don't know who Locutus is...

[DrSpike]

Originally posted by Solver
Locutus, is that supposed to be a gentle notice telling me that I'm thick-headed ? You never know, maybe I was being sarcastic too.

Can't wait for the verbal zingers coming up in the by now legendary Locutus interview.

[Locutus]

I fear most people here will find my Interview quite boring. I'm just not that interesting a guy, unless you're into CtP. I even decided to be nice to Solver for a change (Just be glad we completely scrapped the first attempt, it would've been 33 volumes long if completed )

Aw, come on Hueij, you remember me? I organized the last few Dutch 'PolyMeets. We even (briefly) talked on the phone!

[DarkCloud]

Just be glad we completely scrapped the first attempt, it would've been 33 volumes long if completed

It would have been worth the read!

[Shogun Gunner]

Locutus, didn't you have a pretty interesting vacation (Eygpt was it?) recently? I doubt you are a boring guy... With the right questions, I'm sure you would shine.

Conducting a good interview is tougher than it appears to be. You have to think about the audience and what they want to hear/read. Then you got try and pull that out of subject.... All that is easier said than done.

[Hueij]

Aw, come on Hueij, you remember me? I organized the last few Dutch 'PolyMeets. We even (briefly) talked on the phone!

Hehe, the smiley saved you

I for one would love to read that interview with you.

[Locutus]

The first attempt was in itself quite good, probably the best interview Solver ever did. But because I just couldn't stop blabbering on and on and on and on... it was never gonna work I think we had like 8 pages (A4 format) for the introduction alone. It was an interesting read though, if it wasn't for its length. Noone with a life (except close friends) would've wanted to read it.

But at least I already know who I'll have to ask for my biography when I'm old enough for one

We're already at 6 or 7 pages now as well IIRC, but this time I estimate we're at least for about 2/3rds done (but still one of the longest FoAs to date, DanQ being the only possible competitor). And the questions are far more focussed on specific topics to control the length (mostly on CtP and game comparison -- topics which really have been talked to death already if you ask me -- but now I might be giving away more info than Solver would want me to ), so it's a much less interesting read. But you can judge for yourself soon enough

Hueij,
Your continued lack of smilies was starting to make me wonder

[DrSpike]

Originally posted by Shogun Gunner
Conducting a good interview is tougher than it appears to be. You have to think about the audience and what they want to hear/read. Then you got try and pull that out of subject.... All that is easier said than done.

I completely agree. The FoA series is his and miss so far IMO. There are some interesting, fun and informative interviews, and there are some imsomniac bedtime reading ones too.

Please Locutus do your best to make this one of the former!

[Locutus]

Well, if you like my average posts (the longer more more serious ones, not the spammy ones ), you'll like the interview. If you don't, better hold out for Gramphos

[alva]

If it's anything as your last post in the 'Poly add free' thread, then I'm sure it will be a very worthwile read.

[Solver]

I'll comment on the Locutus interview.

The usual sarcasm going on between the two of us is not present there. The first attempt was indeed very good, and I enjoyed it a lot, but the problem was, as Locutus said, length. I wanted to make the interview like a conversation between us, and I succeeded, which was not a good thing. We started talking about his persona, switched to how he got into IT, what football teams he liked best, and so on. After indeed some 8 pages, I don't think we had really started talking about Civ. So, if the interview was to be completed that way, it would be a novel size.

We're currently also, while I'm waiting for Gramphos, working on a different version. The idea is the same, but this time I'm refraining from asking too many follow-up questions. The interview is currently about 5700 words long, and I'm quite sure it will be over 10k. So far, we've mentioned a bit of his personal background, and are talking a lot about CtP, and the CtP2 source code project. After we talk some more, some additional insight into his personal life will follow. Must not make the mistake of having a 20 page discussion about football with him, though.

Notice that Velocyrix gets an honorable mention in the interview, too .

[Solver]

Different things happen... Locutus has haid a power failure during the interview and was quite disappointed...

[DrSpike]

Great excuse.

[alva]

To get rid of Solver you mean?