<< You'll get no offers from Ming. ;)
Since turn 33, the amount of fun I'm having in Olympia has increased
geometrically. I now just can't wait for Tuesday afternoon. And it
seems the level of interest in what is happening in the game as measured
by articles in the Times and posts in this list has also skyrocketed.
Both of these occurences make me happy, and have totally swept away the
initial misgivings I had about going to war.
It seemed for awhile that this game was going to turn into a tedious
morass of trading and land development, punctuated by the occasional
savage attack. Well now, thanks to we PLATOnians, that is no longer a
possibility. Instead of railing about how nasty we are you all ought to
be thanking us.
So, as far as I'm concerned, and I speak for myself alone here, no
apologies. The New Empire deserved what they got, but even if they
didn't so what. For once and for all, this is a wargame, and it's best
played as one. So should you all be worried that Ming might be coming
after you next? Hell yes, you ought to be worried, just as I'm worried
that one of you may have the guts to come after me. Bring it on, and
see if you can knock me off.
But if you do, remember that Ming, Goran, Cernennos, Entwaidamela the
Bringer of Fire, and the rest won't stop fighting until there is no
enemy but peace.
Rob,
scribe for Ming the Merciless
>>
I hope I will be allowed to "step out of character" here for a moment. I
speak now not as the Minister of Foreign Affairs for the TIBs alliance,
frankly I don't represent them at all here. This is from me personally and
does not represent the official stance of our alliance.
This isn't a war game. Rob's assertion that we should thank him for making
the game more interesting is very misplaced. Quite frankly, I think the
actions of the last few turns have made the game much less interesting. If
Olympia continues on this pace it becomes "just another war game". Don't get
me wrong, I love a good war game, but there are many games out there that fit
that bill. One dimensional war games are easy to come by. A multi-leveled
game such as Olympia is not so readily available. I started playing because
I liked the idea that I could pursue whatever goals I set and in whatever
manner I chose. I'm sure many of you joined for the same reason. That
being said, Rob and others are more than welcome to pursue their goals
through war and conflict. But to assume that this is best for the game, or
somehow makes it more enjoyable for everybody else is faulty logic. While
Rob and his friends may be enjoying the game more now, I'm sure their
neighbors who don't think of Olympia as a war game are enjoying it less.
That being said, I'm not afraid that Rob & PLATO's actions will "spoil the
game" and they are more than welcome to continue their current course. I
think the changes from g1 to g2 preclude a possible AOO part deux from
springing up. Quite frankly, I don't know how any large scale conflict is
winable in this game. Sure, PLATO crushed New Empire and have taken much of
their material possessions but they can't take the one thing that
matters....NPs. They can take them from New Empire (by killing nobles) but
this does not add any NPs to PLATO. And the loss isn't permanent. The New
Empire factions will continue to acrue NPs at the same pace as PLATO and
after all the bodies have decomposed or been laid to rest they will be back
to full strength.
Before you attack anybody in this game you better be prepared for a long
conflict...it is near impossible to eliminate a faction. Unless you are
lucky enough to attack a quitter, you're stuck in a morass.
Good luck to Rob & the rest of PLATO, and good Luck to Mike and the members
of New Empire. And of course, good luck to all of those players not involved
in that conflict.
Eric Nelson