Solium Infernum - out on Wednesday OMG!

[Syt]

Fuck Google Wave.

[Syt]

Yeah, altough it is also an integral part of the system with the diplo action of demanding tribute cards and such, so I think it is here to stay.

I don't have a problem with the cards themselves. I have a problem with the handling of the cards. I'd love an option to sort by resource or size or whatever.

[garbon]

I meant 3 being better than 2, dude

I'll pointedly disagree.

[Tamas]

I meant 3 being better than 2, dude

I'll pointedly disagree.

Noted, but of course you are wrong.


Oh and if it's has not been clear: my enthusiasm for this game is basically gone until either the designer makes the AI more agressive so I have to work to win (I mean come on, I am as far off from a powergamer as you can get), or I find MP to be indeed fun.

[garbon]

Noted, but of course you are wrong.

My taste is nearly impeccable. Perhaps its because I don't shoot my wad over games when they first come out / before they come out.

[Drakken]

Patch 1.02 is up.

From what I see, changes in the AI have been made.

Update Notes:

Fixed bug where Infernal Dissipation artifact power would cause script error when used on Place of Power

Fixed bug where Panic artifact power was enhancing and not decreasing the target's combat attributes

Fixed bug where Favorite of the Conclave event was being ignored by AI players

Fixed bug where Intel Failure event was not preventing prestige from being visible during some player info dialogue boxes

Fixed bug where dissolution of Conclave after all players were eliminated or excommunicated was not happening

Fixed bug where Mountain Walk legion could gain control of mountain hex

Fixed capture Pandemonium warning not clearing after acknowledgement

Fixed master of bazaar warning in Bazaar not clearing after acknowledgement

Fixed bug where Praetor could not be removed from some Places of Power

Fixed bug where Cancel Conclave decrees was not affecting some decrees.

Fixed bug where Grand Tournament of Pandemonium could get multiple copies of entrant from same player

Fixed bug where relic in ritual slot could cause script error if check was made for "continuous ritual"

Fixed bug where AI would cycle endlessly between Goal_BuildForceForUnclaimedPoPCapture and Goal_CaptureUnclaimedPoP because the algorithm to select assaulting legions was different

Fixed bug where legion flying to attack PoP and being forced to retreat without valid retreat hex could be removed from the board but not the game

Fixed bug where when legion was destroyed by Destruction ritual, a view legion button was generated for the message in the turn log. Clicking on button caused script error.

Fixed bug where Oath of Retribution would not trigger if Champion was in second slot of the single combat (defending)

Fixed error in algorithm for generating starting legions for players

Fixed bug where training Praetor with Bone Breaker could fail if manuscripts were placed in a wrong order (all other training manuscripts were not affected)

Fixed bug where banished AI player could try to reconstitute its personal guard

Change to PBEM Game Naming
You may now only use letters and numbers to name a PBEM game. Spaces between words or at the end of the name are not allowed. NOTE: This is only for starting NEW GAMES. Previously started games are NOT affected.


AI Fixes

Fixed design error where Turtle type strategies could be generated for all opponents since they represent 25% of the AI Archetypes

Allowed turtle Archetypes to bully weak neighbors and not just runaway leaders

Decreased the threshold for detecting potential runaway leader

Increased stochastic element for AI decision making on Vendetta when projected win rate is close to 50% for some AI sub personalities. in the Aggressive Wrath, Deceit, and Wickedness Archetype categories.

[Tamas]

Well there are certainly bugs fixed which could had enchanced the AI's passivity. Will see.

[Jaron]

I'm sure glad I didn't actually buy this.

[Tamas]

I just finished a game second. Not with my über-Charisma build, but with a Duke with 1 Martial, 1 Intelligence and 2 Charisma, plus a thing for arena combat (double prestige gain or something like that).
I think there was either a bug with the final VP count though, or my enemy the winner did something very tricky at the very last turn (as I did not see the log)

So, I had the Lust objective, which means I should control the Temple of Lust or the Garden of Infernal Delight.

My starting position was quite bad, altough Temple of Lust was relatively near by, only that we were separated by this big rift in the ground.

Orobus, a Prince, my soon-to-be north-eastern neighbor (T. of Lust was between us) quickly conquered the Temple, I guess because he had the Lust objective as well. He also conquered the other Lust objective, the Garden which was also pretty near to him. By and large he was the luckiest and did a Prestige-rush like I used to do with my Charisma guy.

It was thus clear, that he shall be my target. I started a buildup, bought a legion of apostate priests with good Infernal attack (that's magic), and made a Praetor command them who gave a healthy ranged bonus to them. The Unholy Crusade triggered (I drew and played the event), sent out my priests who did manage to surive and come back stronger, then later I bough the Throne of Skulls for my Praetor which tripled the bonus he gave to the priests, so there I was with a pretty formidable combat unit.

While this was going on, a common neighbor of me and Orobus, lets call him Stix, provoked Orobus into a Vendetta with him, and Orobus failed to meet the objectives he committed himself to, so lost some minor prestige.

And lets not forget, legions got wiped off routinely by an Angelic Host, a commando of angels rampaging through Hell. They also kicked my personal unit, they reformed of course but much weaker than before and seeing the legions of Orobus, I deemed them unworthy of further efforts, and rested for the rest of the game.

Our common border was 2 hexes away from the Temple of Lust, so I moved my priests there, and when Orobus refused my demand of 4 Tribute cards, I declared Vendetta with the objective of capturing 1 place of power, risking some good prestige and giving myself the max (5) number of turns to do it.

The VERY same turn an event demanded that all archfiends (thats me) sacrifice an item or a praetor to the Conclave. I had nothing except the stuff on my priests so I defied them losing quite many prestige.

With Orobus having no legion to match my überpriests, I conqured the Temple in short order.

Later I turned the Prestige-count table on him when I again declared Vendetta for an other refused claim, and choosed personal combat of champions. This coincided with him Vendettaing a 4th player (he was insulted, he rejected it, which forced him to declare it), which triggered all kinds of purchasing in the Bazaar, but Orobus failed to send a champion, deciding to forfeit the issue. He also lost the Vendetta: there were massing of legions and some movement, but either there was no battle or the log did not report it.

Having secured a lead, I was waiting for the game to end, altough I did spot Stix, the other neighbor sneaking two legions next to my precious Temple. He also made a demand against me but it was just one Tribute card so I gave it to him.
And that's when I, as current Regent, drew the event which could open a two-hexes long rift on the map. I played it against Stix, not only "sinking" his two legions, but also closed off the Temple from him.

Before the game ended, an other player (I was playing with max number of players) robbed my priests both of their praetor and their throne but it was too late for anyone to Vendetta me.

So as you can see by the lengthy AAR, I had fun against the AI this time, but it did require a sub-optimal avatar build, and a quite unlucky initial placement.
I lost the game because I forgot that you get an end of the game bonus for number of hexes controlled (Orobus had like twice as many), and possibly because someone played an event at the very last moment making my Temple rebel from my control. Either that, or it did not get counted because of a bug.

[Tamas]

So maybe we should test PBEM? Small map with 4 players which would be me, Drakken, and anyone else who feels like joining?

[Syt]

I would, but only on weekends.

[Drakken]

I'm already hosting a roleplaying PBEM game over Vic's site (aptly named Paradise Lost Again), but I'm all for another PBEM.

So now I am an expert at hosting SI PBEM games. 

What I like with this game is that turns are usually dealt with very quick by players, though. As much as I love that game, it's not WITP in whicn each turn is a fucking project to complete.

[Tamas]

Ok so maybe agree to be around the computer on Sunday, from afternoon, Europe time? With Syt around we could do a small map, either with no AI or just one and see how far we go.

[Drakken]

Ok so maybe agree to be around the computer on Sunday, from afternoon, Europe time? With Syt around we could do a small map, either with no AI or just one and see how far we go.

So who'd be in?
- Me
- Tamas
- Syt
- ???

[Drakken]

Or, is it still on? Sunday is one of my only day off, so it's better be working. 

I'll create a build just for yous guys.