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an option to reduce the 1st to play advantage in most 1 x 1 games !?!

SgtPatton

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'a thought from the back forty' - for 1 on 1 matches ** on maps where all the terts are allocated - - - what if - - - the terts were allocated roughly 3 equal ways - with the neutral getting the same number of terts (or the extra tert(s) in the event that the total number of terts is not evenly divisible by 3). **

This would, in my mind, reduce, (though not eliminate), the 1st to play advantage by creating a '3rd' player to be dealt with so that the 1 on 1 match could commence in full force.

Both players would now have a '3rd', though neutral player to engage, at least to some degree at the start, in order to engage in full combat with the other player.

Any thoughts on this? it would be interesting at least to try this as a beta on two or three modified start-up maps to see if the win/lose ratio changes and by how much. Perhaps the 'sweet point' is closer to a 25:25:50 ratio?!?
 
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MNatt

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It's an interesting suggestion. I wonder if it might make the winner depend more on the initial drop though.

Having said that, I thought the experiment from a couple of years back, of 1/2 re-inf for the first player first move, worked very well to even things up.
 

SgtPatton

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It's an interesting suggestion. I wonder if it might make the winner depend more on the initial drop though.

Having said that, I thought the experiment from a couple of years back, of 1/2 re-inf for the first player first move, worked very well to even things up.
It would be interesting to be able to have a third player try this on a few beta games.
 

SgtPatton

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Here is another way to beta test this. It would take the cooperation of one extra player who goes AWOL in a series of games and the results and feedback are tracked, (to test the roughly 33:33:33 ratio). And likewise 2 extra players in a series of games to go AWOL and see the results and the feedback, (to test the 25:25:50 ratio).

The idea for this comes from way back many years ago with the board game Risk when only 2 of us wanted to play.
 
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SgtPatton

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Who volunteers to beta test this approach? I'm interested. Who else?

It would take at least 2 volunteers, 3 would be even better, with 1 volunteer willing to play and the other one or two willing to go AWOL. 5 matches on a map should be a good initial indicator, though more matches on different maps would be even better.

Now is the best ime to test this as the results will not negatively impact your Scoreboard points.

Who's game to give this a try?
 

MNatt

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Yes I'd be happy to volunteer
 

Cardinalsrule

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There's already a specific % of neutrals added to 1v1 games, truthfully I don't believe that adding more neutrals would change the advantage for the first player any. It might actually make it worse depending on the drop.
 

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Who volunteers to beta test this approach? I'm interested. Who else?
I would volunteer to be the AWOL, but it occurs to me that it might be better to create a separate account so that the AWOL player goes AWOL after Round 1 (instead of Round 3 or whatever the membership levels would be).

...assuming that wouldn't run afoul of the rules. Maybe flag that for Sheriff?

-MTH
 

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I have a 2nd account. Let me know if you need me to help...
 

SgtPatton

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I would volunteer to be the AWOL, but it occurs to me that it might be better to create a separate account so that the AWOL player goes AWOL after Round 1 (instead of Round 3 or whatever the membership levels would be).

...assuming that wouldn't run afoul of the rules. Maybe flag that for Sheriff?

-MTH
wasn't having 2 accounts an offense in the original MC? I've been in matches back then when there were what appeared to be multiple accounts where one would play and end their turn and immediately the alter-ego would play. I think guys got booted for that if reported.

[That can also happen if the 2 players are in the same house or the same office, as was the case in one match were I found out I was up against 3 guys in the same office.]
 

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Another option would be to have an option for the person setting up a new game, "% of neutral". This would be an option to override the default. Keep the default as the minimum but allow for an increase of the %, or in the case of Land Grab and 12 Domains the number, of neutral terts and where they are placed.

Something to consider adding to the wish list.
 

SgtPatton

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MNatt and Cardinalsrule, I'll set up a Classics Map and send you the link.

CR, you probably already know this, the quickest way to go AWOL is to start your turn but don't set out any troops and let the 60 minute clock run out. 2 or 3 rounds of doing that, depending on your level, and the computer should mark you as AWOL.

Let's do this. I'll set one up and inbox you both
 

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Feedback on Game # https://www.majorcommand.com/beta/52020 by MNatt <>

"It certainly changes the dynamic of the game and it's interesting to play through and see how it works. Not sure it works to remove 1st player advantage. It reduces the importance of command bonuses. I think it also increases the importance of the initial drop. I don't play too many 2-player games, though, so perhaps I'm not the best person to judge."
 

SgtPatton

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The rough guidelines so far, 3 players, 2 active and 1 neutral, decide who is active and who is neutral before the game is launched.

For the 1st round, both active players place their troops and can attack neutral troops but not each other, then transfer troops at the end of the turn. The battle begins between the active players in the 2nd round.

2 options for the neutral player > one is to start their turn and let the 60 minute clock run out without placing any armies. The other option is to not start their turn and let the 24 hour clock run out.

The first option moves the game along quicker, at least for the first 2 or 3 turns. The second option is slower until after 2 or 3 turns the computer changes the neutral player\s status to AWOL and then the game moves quicker.
 

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Feedback by MNatt on Game # https://www.majorcommand.com/beta/52267

"I'm happy to run through the experiment - intereresting to see how it works. For what it's worth I'm not convinced it works.

My feeling is that the experiment that was tried a couple of years ago - I think it was half re-inf on the first turn - was a better leveller.

Having so many neutral territories I think will tend to make the outcome more dependent on the initial drop. So, for example in this game the dice might screw me over, but I've got an advantage over Gap because I've got my southern flank in Australia covered by a neutral, so can attack out on one front.

Another consequence is that with so many neutrals it is much less likely that players get command bonuses - which will make simple numbers of territories much more important. But that's just initial thoughts and we'll suck it and see."

Thanks for the feedback MNatt.
 

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Hi, bilsi and Cardinalsrule and matildathehun and MNatt and gaponline ... and anyone else who is interested.

The first 3 matches are in progress. Having the 1 neutral player does change the dynamics of the game.

Who's open to be included in the next 3 test games?

Same map, same settings, same guidelines for the 2 active and the 1 designated inactive player. 3 games, with each of the 3 players takinga turn as to who is the neutral player for each of that game.

Of interest will be the feedback and the end results to see if the 1st to play advantage is reduced ... and ... also to see if this format provides an interesting alternative approach to 1x1 games, or even 3 active and 1 neutral games.
 

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A few things to note:

On the 12D map....1v1 games....each player should only start with 4 towers (flash days) not 6 towers

On the classic map....1v1 games.... each player should have a starting deploy of 6 (flash days) not 7.

Fixed Force should be attacking with a minimum of 2 troops.

Those are things I noticed that were different.
 

bilsi

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wasn't having 2 accounts an offense in the original MC? I've been in matches back then when there were what appeared to be multiple accounts where one would play and end their turn and immediately the alter-ego would play. I think guys got booted for that if reported.

[That can also happen if the 2 players are in the same house or the same office, as was the case in one match were I found out I was up against 3 guys in the same office.]
extra account was mentioned to test the server...as you can see I made it obvious... 'bilsi-tester'...Would never use it for anything else...
 

SgtPatton

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extra account was mentioned to test the server...as you can see I made it obvious... 'bilsi-tester'...Would never use it for anything else...
I like that :) Awesome, great idea bilsi :)

bilsi, having an active second game 'ghost' account did not sound like something you would do. Thanks for clarifying that.
 
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