Gathering Storm

[Theseus]

I'm here to have fun, and to learn in a *great* group setting, across all the teams, what works and what doesn't.

Same philosophy as AU.

But, that said, Gathering Storm ROCKS!!

[DeepO]

I can only agree with what has been said here, it's not because many of us have posted in the strategy forum that we are good MP players. If our member list frightens you, maybe you should consider that most of us don't have experience in demogames, and certainly not in PTW (over half our team doesn't have it yet). We're here to learn, and to share what we have learned. And preferably have some fun in the mean time too

Plus, as expected, many things will receive a lot of debate in our group. There is no fixed way of being good, everybody has his style. It will be quite an achievement if we can make a distinct GS style, in which all views of our group get a place, instead of being heavily skewed towards one member. It poses a grave risk to us, but this is going to be the true learning experience. But I'm sure that as friends we will get through, hopefully shining in the end

DeepO

[UnOrthOdOx]

I agree that it is an honor to face such an accomplished team. It should prove as a good learning tool for each of us. I am also pleased to have both extreme groups represented, the builders, and the Warmongers. This will go a long way to helping us towards the larger goal.

Also, keep in mind that the vast knowledge this team possesses is based, at least partly, on the knowledge of how the AI works, and what can counter the AI. We have essentially robbed them of that advantage by the very formation of human teams. It is essentially a whole new game.

[Arrian]

I couldn't agree more. I'm pretty good against the AI, but this game isn't really against the AI (though there will be 3 AI whipping boys around). My knowledge, such as it is, is based upon SP with the 1.29 patch.

I will get PTW prior to the start of this Demo game so I can get some experience with it, but MP isn't really my bag, baby. Which is why I like the team approach - 2 people authorized to actually play, with a whole bunch of quality advisors around, myself being one of those.

-Arrian

[FrustratedPoet]

Originally posted by UnOrthOdOx
Also, keep in mind that the vast knowledge this team possesses is based, at least partly, on the knowledge of how the AI works, and what can counter the AI. We have essentially robbed them of that advantage by the very formation of human teams. It is essentially a whole new game.

I agree 100%.

[Donegeal]

Hey, settle... Like I said, I don't know the "new" guys (ummm... new to me anyway ). I would agree that if they have proven to be good at SP where the AI is SOOOOO predictable, the MP game will be entirely different. And no, I'm not wary of the members on the team (I just keep hearing sighs from all the other teams). Would a Swordman be affraid of a simple rifleman with a small little bayonet attached?

Fine, bring'em on. But I still think we could learn more by matching wits as opposed to combining them.

Just to show there are no hard feelings, I hope that you all enjoy the DG process and are going to be participants in the Multi-site game (so we can kick around CFC and anyone else stupid enough to take us on).

[Dominae]

Hi all,

alexman just informed me about the PTW Demo game. Can't say I'd given it much thought before now. I see Gathering Storm is now some 15-members strong; is there room for one more?

If you want, I can post my Civ3 CV...


Dominae

[Harovan]

Sure, welcome Dominae . Wait, till NYE authorizes you, and we'll see you in the team forum.

[Dominae]

Cool, thanks Sir Ralph. Look forward to seeing what this is all about, and what this amazing team has brewing!


Dominae

[notyoueither]

Dominae added. Welcome.

[Dominae]

Woo-hoo, thanks nye!


Dominae

[GhengisFarb™]

Instead of "Gathering Storm" perhaps your name should be "Gathering Members".

[FrustratedPoet]

We're still 4 behind the roleplay team, those guys are popular.

[Meshelic]

Originally posted by donegeal
Nothing is wrong with having friends.

You've turned this place of education for the Multi-site game into an American High School, where learning becomes a second or third matter.

I know that there is no way for you to know this Donegeal but on the Gathering Storm our community is technically split into "schola's" of learning. So I'd have to disagree with you that learning has become a 2nd or 3rd matter. That hasn't happened at all in the GS, in fact quite the opposite.

[FrustratedPoet]

I've learnt a great deal form being involved in GS, and we haven't even started yet.

(also, I couldn't care less about the multi-site game at the moment. One DemoGame is quite enough.)

[asleepathewheel]

I don't understand how having players with solid SP players hurts the educational value of the game.

And I don't understand how SP players, even the best, could be considered ringers in an MP game.

I want to have fun

and

I want to win


Is that objective different from your objective?

[Spiffor]

Once the game is over, or once the Gathering Storm has been routed, it would be nice if you could publish some of these educational thread.
Generally, I think Markos should lift the restrictions to a dead team's forum. Good for history purposes, and for educational value.

[Donegeal]

Originally posted by Spiffor
Generally, I think Markos should lift the restrictions to a dead team's forum. Good for history purposes, and for educational value.

Ooo!!! I like that idea!

[asleepathewheel]

/me goes to edit all the nasty things he said about Spiffor and Donegeal

[Meshelic]

I sense that some of the other teams are growing jealous of our sudden growth. They saw us a week ago as basically a list of 13 where only 8 showed up, and then suddenly here we are at 14... and 2nd largest team.... This huge growth is a surprise to me as it probably is to some others here, but you can't really blame us ....

All that aside, I wouldn't see a problem with a dead team having their forum de-classified until a new game starts up....

[Donegeal]

Originally posted by asleepathewheel
* asleepathewheel goes to edit all the nasty things he said about Spiffor and Donegeal

Ahh.. you might want to hold off on that Wheel... I'm a Blackhawk fan...

[notyoueither]

I would. It could very well happen that we get knocked out by misfortune and good play by others. Too easy.

I would like for defeated teams to stick around and have a chance to play other games against the remaining 'stronger' teams.

Who fears us? Why?

OK, some accomplished players have joined our team. They did so because the original call by Sir Ralph and myself did not secure enough players. So we decided to open the roster for another few. It is only natural that some of our players PMed people they know. It is only natural that some few followed the invitations of them they know.

Are we some hell on wheels? I hope so, but I doubt it. We are now fairly bogged taking into account the opinions of very many experts. What happens when you get 10 master chefs in the same room? The soufle gets... changed. I can live with it, and some of you should give thanks for it.

Don't get me wrong, I would not trade for a second. To trade opinions with these guys is great. If I prevail on a point I know it isn't because I am held in awe. It is a wonderful experience. But it is not the strongest position to be in. 1 good player backed by 10 good supporters is likely in a stronger position than 10 good players all debating where to go. Get my meaning?

Furthermore, as for the goal of the multi-site demo game... well if the people on this team are so great and so to be worried about, then you should thank some star that the heavy hitters have hit upon the demo games. Maybe we can keep them, maybe they will prove invaluable and maybe Poly will kick a little more butt than we would have.

Think happy thoughts.

For me, I'll hope to be one of the final 2 or 3 civs in this first game. It will be dicey for all of us given the terms, and I know many of my opponents too well to think that they will be push-overs.

Luck and honour to all teams.

[asleepathewheel]

I would also have a problem with the forum being declassified.

What we discuss there should be kept private, things are said that should never see the light of day.

I don't feel comfortable with one post made in january being discovered in june which gets taken out of context.

I also don't see why the end of this particular game would be the end of our team, couldn't we play antoher team, either a loser from this board or antoher board?

[Arnelos]

I am in absolute and total agreement with asleepatthewheel.

[Arnelos]

Is it just me, or is the Glory of War team the one most bent out of shape by Gathering Storm hiring "ringers"?

I can see why they might, given that good players on the Gathering Storm team might make it a more sucessful "warrior" team than the Glory of War... but I would think the Glory of War team has enough of their innate warlikeness to rely on that they shouldn't be so bothered by it...

Just think, if you end up clobbering Gathering Storm into the ground what a boost it will be to your warmongering egos... (on second thought, please don't do that... you guys are egotistical enough already )

[Meshelic]

I haven't even really seen all this as our team hiring 'ringers' . Every single team out there has had the same equal opportunity to bring more members under it's wing, we did, so what's the problem? I don't even think this is an issue worth even a 'minor' controversy.

I guess the time was ripe for someone to complain about something.

[DeepO]

Hehehe... Meshelic, don't try to explain the real situation too hard, I kind of like it being called a ringer

okay.. okay... I confess, the whole situation where people find it necessary to complain about us joining does bad things to my ego... but it's too funny to try to respond to those things.

The strange thing is that people start to doubt their own capabilities, and those of their team (or at least those of other teams), we are gaining terrain here before the game has even started. As explained before, I don't see our team as overpowered at all, on the contrary, we have only a few people with experience in the things that matter most, while everyone has his ideas on how to proceed. I'm sure that those general goals are much clearer in other teams (except perhaps in the roleplay team)

DeepO

[alva]

We do seem to have raised a few eyebrows here and there

It could all have been a GoW strategy off-course, trying to get everyone to gang on us.

All part of the game,matey, that's whot I's allwayss says, éh

[Arnelos]

Originally posted by DeepO
Hehehe... Meshelic, don't try to explain the real situation too hard, I kind of like it being called a ringer

okay.. okay... I confess, the whole situation where people find it necessary to complain about us joining does bad things to my ego... but it's too funny to try to respond to those things.

The strange thing is that people start to doubt their own capabilities, and those of their team (or at least those of other teams), we are gaining terrain here before the game has even started. As explained before, I don't see our team as overpowered at all, on the contrary, we have only a few people with experience in the things that matter most, while everyone has his ideas on how to proceed. I'm sure that those general goals are much clearer in other teams (except perhaps in the roleplay team)

DeepO

Indeed, we were the team that was FOUNDED for the purpose of fighting ourselves That said, however, even the fact that our internal battles have already started ( ) does not mean that we are necessarily any less capable as a team. The main reason for this is that we are incapable of actually fighting each other and killing each others' game units and knocking down each others' city improvements... as much as we might like that for roleplay

As for your so-called "ringer" status, don't let it go to your heads There's such a thing as setting expectations as too high for yourselves (or others too high for you...). Should the Glory of War team (or, far worse for you, the Builders' Team ) clobber you brutally in the first 30-50 turns, it would be a real put-down to your egos

I trust that you guys already have this easily in mind, however. NYE seemed quite willing to accept the verdict of events from his statement when he FORMED your team. He called it "Trash Trip's Ass" and said he'd be willing accept his due humiliation if you actually lost to Trip's Team.

That's honorable enough

[DeepO]

Ah, but indeed we know that for sure... I don't think one of us has too high expectations of ourselves, which makes it double funny when others seem to have these anyway. The way I see it, we already lost, and can only try to improve it by staying in the game for a while. If we get destroyed in the first few turns of the game, I'm sure no-one will think badly about it, but we will try to learn from the experience and come back with a vengeance.

Of course, we want to win, and will try to do that too, but there are too many variables here... it simply is impossible to predict that, certainly with our limited experience on MP (except NYE of course).

DeepO