Please improve your algorithm the initial troup placements

by **derekvd** on Wed Aug 05, 2009 9:13 am

Hi

Here is a typical example. Please see game 5377816. How am I supposed to win?? The game hasn't even started yet and my opponent owns all five cities - I have stuff-all.

And yes, I know it is random, but at least an even play field at game start would've been nice..

by **TheTank23** on Wed Aug 05, 2009 9:16 am

mmmm... i sense a bad loser here.. I have played against Derek (Dont know him) a few times. Always one to complain very quickly... And to top it all, he always takes at least 23 hours to play his turn..

by **derekvd** on Wed Aug 05, 2009 9:17 am

Lol, whatever Tank!

by **TheTank23** on Wed Aug 05, 2009 9:20 am

Furthermore... please remove this Derek Guy. He is multi... Check his IP...

He also takes drugs... He always pops pills..

by **Boss_oss_ss** on Fri Aug 07, 2009 9:09 am

I suggest posting your comments here : viewtopic.php?f=358&t=9677

This is the thread for that Map, and im sure through the 563 odd posts, there is atleast one person that feels the same way, and the author of the map genrally has to reply to it

BOss

by **ManBungalow** on Fri Aug 07, 2009 9:17 am

Or you could play freestyle, where all players can start at the same time

by **wcaclimbing** on Sat Aug 08, 2009 5:47 pm

Boss_oss_ss wrote:I suggest posting your comments here : viewtopic.php?f=358&t=9677

This is the thread for that Map, and im sure through the 563 odd posts, there is atleast one person that feels the same way, and the author of the map genrally has to reply to it

BOss

No, don't do that.

He's complaining that the deployment isn't random enough for his tastes.
it has nothing to do with the map.

by **sully800** on Sat Aug 08, 2009 11:40 pm

To be fair, it's partially to do with the map. Most maps now account for the probability of receiving bonuses. If small bonuses are too easy to get they code neutral armies to start within the bonus, which doesn't change gameplay much except it makes the start of the game more balanced. Italy was made long before these odds were checked thoroughly (it used to be just intuition of how easy the bonuses were to achieve).

That being said, 5 different territories is an improbable start and therefore no neutral armies are really necessary. It won't happen often, but this appears to be an unlucky case for you. Rest assured, unlucky dice for your opponent can undo ANY lucky start, even if they didn't this time.

by **ender516** on Sun Aug 09, 2009 12:32 am

wcaclimbing wrote:
Boss_oss_ss wrote:I suggest posting your comments here : viewtopic.php?f=358&t=9677

This is the thread for that Map, and im sure through the 563 odd posts, there is atleast one person that feels the same way, and the author of the map genrally has to reply to it

BOss

No, don't do that.

He's complaining that the deployment isn't random enough for his tastes.
it has nothing to do with the map.

I would say it does have a little to do with the map. Many maps in the Foundry have lengthy discussions about the probability of random drops giving unfair advantage to one player. Sometimes these are corrected for by coded starting positions. Of course, once a map is out of beta test, I doubt that any change is likely. I think the probability of this drop is pretty low, but to be honest, I cannot remember enough high school algebra to calculate it. The problem here is: what are the odds, when drawing 12 items from a set of 36, of getting a particular 5 of those 36?

by **Boss_oss_ss** on Sun Aug 09, 2009 3:40 am

sully800 wrote:To be fair, it's partially to do with the map. Most maps now account for the probability of receiving bonuses. If small bonuses are too easy to get they code neutral armies to start within the bonus, which doesn't change gameplay much except it makes the start of the game more balanced. Italy was made long before these odds were checked thoroughly (it used to be just intuition of how easy the bonuses were to achieve).

That being said, 5 different territories is an improbable start and therefore no neutral armies are really necessary. It won't happen often, but this appears to be an unlucky case for you. Rest assured, unlucky dice for your opponent can undo ANY lucky start, even if they didn't this time.

Thats what i was thinking- the mappy person could (in the future) change the XML code so it is impossible to start with a set.

by **The Neon Peon** on Sun Aug 09, 2009 8:45 am

As has been said before, older maps do have chances of people starting significantly ahead by drops in 2 player games. The second problem is that you are playing two player games. Imagine had this been a 5 or 6 player. Not only would it have been near impossible to start out with that bonus, but it would not have helped the person with it much.