Standby Players Wanted

[unclemike]

Had some time to go over support emails and I noticed that we had some drops this week perhaps due to the holidays. So I have some openings for standby players to take over if anyone is interested.

Keep in mind that creating new games is still on hiatus for another week or two (still no word on Rick's condition) so you may want to jump in if you're interested.

Since subscriptions are running down or have already expired for some of you, this is available for any player so even if you're at the Scout level (or none due to an expired subscription), you can still sign up for one of these standby positions.

Send support an email for which game that you're interested. First come, first serve. Of course, don't join if you're already in the game.

Here are the openings:

5079 Turn 20 (Steel, Pagan, Ice Age, Anonymous, Random Cities, Normal Victory)
  50k group, 5 wizs, decent production for ice age (21k food, 102k gold), 12 artifacts (includes Stone of All Minds)
  [very playable] - {TAKEN}

5079 Turn 20 (Steel, Pagan, Ice Age, Anonymous, Random Cities, Normal Victory)
  30k troops, 5 wizs, lousy production (3k food, 6k gold)
  [not really playable but could last another turn or two]

5087 Turn 10 (Primeval, Partial Diplo, Fixed Cities, Rex Victory)
  60k troops, 6 wizs, 12 fleets, nice production (147k food, 185k gold), 180k gold in treasury, 5 artifacts (includes Anglakel)
  [very playable] - {TAKEN}

5093 Turn 9 (Steel, Anonymous, Fixed Cities, Normal Victory)
  17k group, 5 wizs, 11 fleets, 20 influence, decent production (41k food, 61k gold), 90k gold in treasury, 6 artifacts (includes Crown of Anzu)
  [very playable]- {TAKEN}

5093 Turn 9 (Steel, Anonymous, Fixed Cities, Normal Victory)
  20k troops, 7 wizs, 12 fleets, 19 influence, decent production (86k food, 102k gold), 6 artifacts (includes Key of the Maker to access Ring of Power)
  [very playable] - {TAKEN}

-------------------------------------------------Updated 2pm EST -------------------------------------------------------------------
Crossed out ones are taken but some are still left...

-------------------------------------------------Updated 9pm EST -------------------------------------------------------------------
All but the beaten down position are now taken. Thanks everyone who took a standby position. Even though some have commented privately that having a new player join the game will "ruin" their game (instead of an easy victory), Rick always had the opinion that standbys help the game by making it more competitive. So if you're in one of the above games where a standby just took over, plan on having some opposition now. Good luck all!

[Calidor]

5087 is a mentor game. So the BL is holding the center but not attacking so if it’s the BL position please let us know so we arent suddenly attacked.

[JonDoe]

5087 is a mentor game. So the BL is holding the center but not attacking so if it’s the BL position please let us know so we arent suddenly attacked.

It is not my BL

[Acererak]

Some of the information given here is enough to identify positions in anonymous games. Doesn't seem like a good practice. Secondly, some of the information given out is partial and doesn't reflect the actual situation.

If you're going to give out actual artifact names advertising standby positions then it's not anonymous at all.

[Acererak]

Had some time to go over support emails and I noticed that we had some drops this week perhaps due to the holidays. So I have some openings for standby players to take over if anyone is interested.

Keep in mind that creating new games is still on hiatus for another week or two (still no word on Rick's condition) so you may want to jump in if you're interested.

Since subscriptions are running down or have already expired for some of you, this is available for any player so even if you're at the Scout level (or none due to an expired subscription), you can still sign up for one of these standby positions.

Send support an email for which game that you're interested. First come, first serve. Of course, don't join if you're already in the game.

Here are the openings:

5079 Turn 20 (Steel, Pagan, Ice Age, Anonymous, Random Cities, Normal Victory)
  50k group, 5 wizs, decent production for ice age (21k food, 102k gold), 12 artifacts (includes Stone of All Minds)
  [very playable] - {TAKEN}

5079 Turn 20 (Steel, Pagan, Ice Age, Anonymous, Random Cities, Normal Victory)
  30k troops, 5 wizs, lousy production (3k food, 6k gold)
  [not really playable but could last another turn or two]

5087 Turn 10 (Primeval, Partial Diplo, Fixed Cities, Rex Victory)
  60k troops, 6 wizs, 12 fleets, nice production (147k food, 185k gold), 180k gold in treasury, 5 artifacts (includes Anglakel)
  [very playable] - {TAKEN}

5093 Turn 9 (Steel, Anonymous, Fixed Cities, Normal Victory)
  17k group, 5 wizs, 11 fleets, 20 influence, decent production (41k food, 61k gold), 90k gold in treasury, 6 artifacts (includes Crown of Anzu)
  [very playable]- {TAKEN}

5093 Turn 9 (Steel, Anonymous, Fixed Cities, Normal Victory)
  20k troops, 7 wizs, 12 fleets, 19 influence, decent production (86k food, 102k gold), 6 artifacts (includes Key of the Maker to access Ring of Power)
  [very playable] - {TAKEN}

-------------------------------------------------Updated 2pm EST -------------------------------------------------------------------
Crossed out ones are taken but some are still left...

-------------------------------------------------Updated 9pm EST -------------------------------------------------------------------
All but the beaten down position are now taken. Thanks everyone who took a standby position. Even though some have commented privately that having a new player join the game will "ruin" their game (instead of an easy victory), Rick always had the opinion that standbys help the game by making it more competitive. So if you're in one of the above games where a standby just took over, plan on having some opposition now. Good luck all!

Honestly this is an unfair and inaccurate characterization on the part of Mike. I objected privately that he mis-advertised a position I'm currently fighting against and who dropped because they are going to lose our conflict- they realized this the past turn and dropped. Now, Mike has misrepresented the position by leaving out pertinent info and had a new player join who has not been demoralized and has nothing to lose to and could fight tooth and claw- and prevent me from moving on to my next objective. Mike has now unilaterally changed the entire calculus of the game by doing this. Isn't the objective of a battle with another kingdom to get them to give up and drop? I'm considering dropping the game now as well. I don't think Rick would have condoned giving out BS info to get someone to jump in and join a game. Alamaze is not about keeping player around and alive as long as possible. 

What I most object to is advertising a kingdom as "very playable" and omitting some very important information regarding their current position. That has happened in this instance and it is unquestioned.

[RELLGAR]

He should have just said he had a playable position availble and let the player see what they get. Its free and they can decide to play it or not.

[unclemike]

All this heat for a post about standby games? Really?

Well, I like providing some info about a position in order to entice players to join and I'll continue doing so as a general policy. Adding standby players should improve competitive play in games. Standby players are not expecting to win the game but hopefully will enjoy the experience.

[Acererak]

All this heat for a post about standby games? Really?

Well, I like providing some info about a position in order to entice players to join and I'll continue doing so as a general policy. Adding standby players should improve competitive play in games. Standby players are not expecting to win the game but hopefully will enjoy the experience.

There's no disagreement that they will enjoy the experience, they got into a free game. But what about the player that has been fighting them tooth and nail to finally defeat them/break their will and have them drop. Then you pop someone else in who has no stake in the game? It's just not the way it should play out. 

Secondly, the point I made is that you left out information that would certainly make it questionable as to whether the specific position I emailed you about is "very playable". There is a reason the person dropped after all. Most standby insertions are for players that drop out early - which Ry Vor has gone on record as saying is prior to turn 6 - or those that have to drop for personal reasons.

Anyway, what's done is done. I think it's a legitimate complaint but I've said my piece.

[unclemike]

My opinion is not to blame the standby player. The dropped player is the one who made the game less competitive and could end up "ruining" the game for the other players.

Also, the standby player may actually work with a current player rather than battle them to the end. Who knows. An experienced player may pick up a position and fight like heck defending it or an inexperienced player may pick it up who's only interested in searching for artifacts and not bother anyone. Anything can happen.

So my opinion is to not to blame the standby player because are a valuable resource that make games more competitive, worthwhile, and exciting to play.

[Acererak]

No one is blaming the standby player. I'm blaming YOU for changing the game dynamic unilaterally and with false information. I also didn't ever use the word "ruin" that is your terminology.

The game is anonymous so it's nearly impossible to stop a conflict. I'm pretty sure I know- I've been playing it.

I'm glad you have opinions Mike, we all do. But the whole point here is you forced your individual opinion on everyone in the game and didn't think it through. That's wrong.

The game would have been plenty competitive, worthwhile and exciting to play without dropping someone into this position. All you've done is screw me over.