The MetaGame

[masterjskye]

Map Last Updated: 22nd of January
​

TH-Child & Dorcee Successfully Defended The Horn

v

Battle For The Horn

TheGeneral & Ne4osu1970 Successfully Defended East indies

v

Battle For East Indies

Cardinalsrule & Chilly Took Manchuria

v

Battle For Manchuria

Cardinalsrule & Chilly Took Mongolia

v

Battle For Mongolia

Trailblazer & Airwick Successfully Defended Italy

v

Battle For Italy

Masterjskye & Namelochil Took Balkans

v

Battle For Balkans

Cardinalsrule & Chilly Took China

v

Battle For China

BadElmer & GloboGym Took France

v

Battle For France

Masterjskye & Namelochil Took European Russia

v

Battle For European Russia

Cardinalsrule & Chilly Took Eastern Australia

v

Battle For Eastern Australia

TH-Child & Dorcee Took Zaire

v

Battle For Zaire

BigShoes23 & PackerHawkeye Blitzed Chukotka

Masterjskye & Namelochil Successfully Defended The Stans

v

Battle For The Stans

Masterjskye & Namelochil Blitzed Outback

Cardinalsrule & Chilly Successfully Defended Parana

v

Battle For Parana

BigShoes23 & PackerHawkeye Blitzed Sunbelt

Masterjskye & Namelochil Successfully Defended Yamalia

v

Battle For Yamalia

Cardinalsrule & Chilly Successfully Defended Queen Maud Land

v

Battle For Queen Maud Land

Patsfan44 & Hat7rick Successfully Defended Eastern Seaboard

v

Battle For Eastern Seaboard

Masterjskye & Namelochil Blitzed Nile

Trailblazer & Airwick Blitzed Maghreb

Cardinalsrule & Chilly Took Mexico

v

Battle For Mexico

Marc369 & Ndrm31 Successfully Defended New Zealand

v

Battle For New Zealand
​

ROUND 5
​

History
​

Rules
​

The Deadline For This Round Is:

28th of January

Only 3 weeks each round
from now on

Current Prize Fund:
820 points
------------------------------
10 points initial buy-in
10 points per team each round
50 points per doggy card used
------------------------------
70/20/10 Split
Between 1st, 2nd & 3rd
------------------------------
Split 50/50
Between each team member
------------------------------

The picture above shows how moves for Round 5 were processed


Current game graphics:

• Meta Map
• Team Stats
• Combat Map
• Map Selections
• Territory Names
• Contingency Cypher

Other metagame related threads:

• MetaGame Q&A
• Discuss The Rules Here
• View Metagame History Here
• Report Diplomatic Violations Here

​

Current Bill:

Initial: 160 - MadPotter & Sdnuow -10
Round 1: 150
Round 2: 150 - Wow-design & Wayne2010 -30
Round 3: 140 - Edsdad & Legionbuck -40 / LeCBass & Needpapertowel -40
Round 4: 120 - Cagey & Stone123 -50 / Bulle007 & Ironztiger -50
Round 5: 100
TOTAL: 820

Masterjskye & Namelochil -60
Patsfan44 & Hat7rick -60
Marc369 & Ndrm31 -60
BigShoes23 & PackerHawkeye -60
Cardinalsrule & Chilly -60
BadElmer & GloboGym -60
Smi & Sebrim -60
TheGeneral & Ne4osu1970 -60
Trailblazer & Airwick -60
TH-Child & Dorcee -60

No points have been taken from anyone yet. They will not be taken until the metagame is finished.​

​

 

[masterjskye]

Map Updated.

I also made the Q&A thread a lot more organised and useful. Check it out!
​

Oh, and I never really was happy with the name "surprise stormtroopers"..

so I changed it to... Ninja!

"The ultimate master of subterfuge. This deadly agent represents a combination of the Surprise attack & Stormtrooper attack. He goes where he wants, and he calls the shots when he gets there."

​

About submitting moves - please only use this thread for submitting moves while the phase is open. For any questions or discussion use either the rules thread or the Q&A thread.

Also, if you're just submitting moves normally in a list and not using the cypher system, then don't put any numbers or letters before the move orders. Just keep it a clean list.

If you're going to use the cypher - here is a template you can fill in to save time. It also makes it a bit easier to read.

A:
B: (A+)
C: (A-)
D: (B+)
E: (B-)
F: (C+)
G: (C-)
H: (D+)
I: (D-)
J: (E+)
K: (E-)
L: (F+)
M: (F-)
N: (G+)
O: (G-)
P: (H+)
Q: (H-)
R: (I+)
S: (I-)
T: (J+)
U: (J-)
V: (K+)
W: (K-)
X: (L+)
Y: (L-)
Z: (M+)
1: (M-)
2: (N+)
3: (N-)
4: (O+)
5: (O-)
​

 

[masterjskye]

Guys.. It pains me to say it but I'm struggling here with the amount that is involved in running this game. I enjoyed it at first, but now the amount of time I have available to dedicate to this site has lessened dramatically. So much so that the thought of all the rounds to come almost makes me want to quit right now.

I could do with sharing the workload out a bit to be honest. If anyone wants to help steer this ship it would be greatly appreciated. A collection of people would be even better - for the people, by the people. All you need is a basic knowledge of MS paint or photoshop, a good head for counting and a clear understanding of the rules and you're good to go. What takes me hours and hours will take no time at all if we all do our own little bit. I think having someone who's job it was to start & finish rounds, set the countdown clock, and make the people aware of it would be a good idea. Also would need someone to make sure the record is up to date on the main page, and some people whose jobs are to do combat maps, the round maps & the scoreboard.

Anyone who is up for the task could receive admin powers over the new metagame sub-forum - which we will get when Bado is ready to make it. Then they would be able to edit the metagame thread as they see fit. I would rather hand the reins over to a collective effort rather than a single lone hero. I'll still help out, as and when I can. If you can help, please do. If not, I don't honestly see much of a future for the MetaGame.

 

[Cardinalsrule]

I'll help. I have a basic knowledge of PS, so I can help there, and will help in whatever other way you need. I'm really enjoying this game and don't want to see it end unfinished.

If you could go ahead and start the clock for the next round, I'll send out emails to everyone, and will do the figuring out of move orders. (Obviously other eyeballs will watch to make sure I do it correctly.)

 

[Sebrim]

since smi and me are as good as gone from the metagame, I'll help out too. I could also help do the move orders or something. I'm not very keen on painting the maps, though

 

[masterjskye]

Excellent, thanks guys. Maybe some other people might be up for helping later on too, and they just didn't see this yet.

The way I usually do it is one move at a time - I first draw the arrow or line on the combat map, then change the team score, then write that line into the game record (I usually actually copy/paste that line and change the country name from Metagame History thread to save time). I also change country colours simply by using the little blotter tool that selects colours for you and then the paintbucket tool that lets you fill in the whole area inside the container with that colour.

This keeps you right in terms of team scores being right, countries under siege being clearly marked in front of you, etc. While you are doing that you are going through the forum posts one by one and changing the move that went through to bold green and those that didn't or cannot to Red. That also serves to keep you right, as well as anyone else who is paying attention.

Turns out the cypher codes are quite easy to read without the picture if written with my little (+/-) thing. So that's handy.

Important for Map Editors: The paintbucket tool only works if you save the file as a certain type. I like to save the master copies as PNG files. I then "save as" a JPEG and upload the JPEG onto the internet to ease load times. But the PNG master copy looks sooo much better - it is the HD version literally. So map editors will have that visual glory to look forward to. As well as an easy way to update their own map whenever they like.

if your map is ahead of the last one uploaded and you have 5 minutes why not upload it onto tinypic and link to it on a post here or just edit it straight in if you become one of the true Guardians of the MetaGame and are granted moderator status of the sub-forum. This could be a good way to share the load. I like the idea of everyone getting involved as well, then it becomes a true metagame.

Also - I want to share another secret with you - it is so very very handy. This Options page has a few little cool things on it but best of all if you like to be creative on the forum is down at the bottom of the General Settings page, under "Miscellaneous Options" - Set your message editor interface to "Enhanced Interface - Full WYSIWYG Editing". This allows direct pasting of images into forum posts you are creating, that actually show up as images. It allows instantaneous view of changes to font sizes, etc - it is a drastic improvement trust me.

Ehmmm what else - yes I remember we discussed the idea of making the first loop dependent on the "need" of your team. So, I decided a while ago that this was a good idea but just been busy so never wrote it down.

Going with Sebrim's formula suggestion, tweaked slightly

Amount of territories owned = T
move orders gained this round = MG
Win percentage = W

T * MG * W = X

The team with the lowest X begins.

Remember - this is for the First Loop Only. It is a platform for the teams that really need it, and an offset for the "micro second decisions" of the start of each round. After the first loop, all those micro second decisions you made will function just like they did before, with order of posting still being the deciding factor. It also allows for a certain level of foresight of what is possible and what is not in round 1, since you know the order that the moves will be processed, even if you do not know the moves.

I worked out the order a minute ago - here are the results. I won't post all the numbers because it is too time consuming but you are welcome to check it yourself, it is simple enough to work out.

Team are posted in the order that they will play their first turn on Round 6:

1: TheGeneral & Ne4osu1970
2: Marc369 & Ndrm31
3: Patsfan44 & Hat7rick
4: Trailblazer & Airwick
5: TH-Child & Dorcee
6: BadElmer & GloboGym
7: BigShoes23 & PackerHawkeye
8: Masterjskye & Namelochil
9: Cardinalsrule & Chilly
0: Smi & Sebrim (No moves orders)

 

[Cardinalsrule]

Great, master. I think I can handle the maps, but if someone else wants to I'd give them up. I'm actually pretty busy too, so they wouldn't be done and published as quick as they have been.

I like your formula for the first round (in spite of the fact that we're going last ). But I think a bit of clarification is necessary. I assume there will be a clock for the next round's orders? And, are we going to see everyone's first round orders before the clock runs out to begin submitting orders?

And, there seems to be 2 ways to do the first round orders. One would be to turn them in, one team at a time, so the following teams can see them. The other would be to all turn them in 'blind' and see what plays out. That would, of course, require the later teams to submit a 'cipher' list of first round orders, so that if one was invalidated you'd have another.

 

[masterjskye]

I was thinking of just doing it the same way we have been so far - with teams having 24 hours to submit any moves they want to make, including the first ones. It could mean we don't know how even the first loop is going to play out until the end of the move order phase, but so be it. Once the time runs out, moves would then be implemented first in the pre-arranged order for the first loop, then you cycle back to the first team that posted their second move, and go from there in chronological order or posting.

It would be beneficial to teams that have limited moves to submit a few contingency plans in the form of a cypher but not mandatory. If they only make one move and it turns out to be invalid then that is their own mistake.

 

[Chilly]

Hey Cards,
No hurry, but if you get a chance, could you update my logo for the Metagame?

Thx

 

[namelochil]

Hey Cards,
No hurry, but if you get a chance, could you update my logo for the Metagame?

Thx

Oh, please . . . The Seahawks are going to own those fools.

 

[Cardinalsrule]

He's just f'ing with me, master, 'cause he knows how much I loathe those blue-and-orange bastards. Don't even THINK of changing his avatar.

 

[Chilly]

He's just f'ing with me, master, 'cause he knows how much I loathe those blue-and-orange bastards. Don't even THINK of changing his avatar.

LOL.

Sorry for high-jacking the thread Master.
I'll do what I can to help my partner sort through the move orders.

 

[Chilly]

I was thinking of just doing it the same way we have been so far - with teams having 24 hours to submit any moves they want to make, including the first ones. It could mean we don't know how even the first loop is going to play out until the end of the move order phase, but so be it. Once the time runs out, moves would then be implemented first in the pre-arranged order for the first loop, then you cycle back to the first team that posted their second move, and go from there in chronological order or posting.

It would be beneficial to teams that have limited moves to submit a few contingency plans in the form of a cypher but not mandatory. If they only make one move and it turns out to be invalid then that is their own mistake.

I'd recommend for the sake of re-using this in the future to leave it as-is with one minor addition. In the event of ties in the forumla (which is most likely to happen in the beginning rounds of a new game) then the tiebreaker is who submitted first to the forums.

 

[th-child]

Maybe some other people might be up for helping later on too, and they just didn't see this yet.

Well, these days dorcee and i have been thinking about retiring (or at least taking a break) from the site. We are having less and less games going, and we are not very keen on starting new ones either.

Hence my first instinct would be to say "sorry, i can't help now", but you are one of those very few people who are making this site work, so i/we don't want to leave you with your d.ck in your hand.

If you got some people volunteering, but you need one more, i'm here to help out.

If you don't have enough volunteers (and you'll be the judge of that), i'm happy with taking a break from the metagame, too. (And I'm also happy with acknowledging that chilly/cards or you will win this.)

Sorry if i'm not very positive, but at least you deserved an answer -- we appreciate your effort a lot, i'm sure we _all_ do.

---

And chilly and cards: you really won 10 out 10 here? That's just brutal. No wonder nobody likes you around here, guys.

 

[Cardinalsrule]

And chilly and cards: you really won 10 out 10 here? That's just brutal. No wonder nobody likes you around here, guys.

Since Chilly is basically just a nice guy (if you can excuse the coyote ugly avatar), that explains people not liking him. Me, I just figured it is because I'm so obnoxious.

 

[masterjskye]

Well, these days dorcee and i have been thinking about retiring (or at least taking a break) from the site. We are having less and less games going, and we are not very keen on starting new ones either.

Hence my first instinct would be to say "sorry, i can't help now", but you are one of those very few people who are making this site work, so i/we don't want to leave you with your d.ck in your hand.

If you got some people volunteering, but you need one more, i'm here to help out.

If you don't have enough volunteers (and you'll be the judge of that), i'm happy with taking a break from the metagame, too. (And I'm also happy with acknowledging that chilly/cards or you will win this.)

Sorry if i'm not very positive, but at least you deserved an answer -- we appreciate your effort a lot, i'm sure we _all_ do.

Thanks man.

I have to say, the bit about retiring from the site really resonated with me. It is exactly what I have been thinking too. I have a small number of games going now that will probably last a while but I have no desire to take on anything new. Really hard to explain why but it just feels like now is the time for me to concern myself less with games in general. I talked to Namelochil about it and to my surprise he is going through the exact same shift in priorities. My enthusiasm and excitement for MajCom (and games in general) has completely evaporated. Really weird that it is happening at the same time for the 4 of us.

So... It's tough to say this but Namelochil & I are going to be dropping out of the MetaGame. If everyone else wants to continue under a new leadership then please do. I don't want our efforts and this creation to be all for nothing, but at the same time I just can't spend any more time on it.

We already have some volunteers, but our departure (and presumably TH & Dorcee's too) may make you reconsider your offers. One good thing with me out of the picture is you can change the rules to whatever you think is best, as opposed to whatever I think is best!

I'll still be around, probably daily, to check and play my turns in the games I have left so any questions or whatever that anyone has about the process then feel free to ask. If our departure creates a domino effect of teams dropping out then I apologise. In that case perhaps a full restart would be in order, or just call it a day on the MetaGame concept altogether.

 

[trailblazer]

Hi masterjskye - thanks for all the work you have put into this and all the tournaments you arrange too - all your efforts have been much appreciated. I wish you all the best in your new ventures.

 

[Cardinalsrule]

I think with 2 teams dropping out the game unfortunately needs to end. Too bad, I was really enjoying it. So what are you going to do with the points?

 

[th-child]

I talked to Namelochil about it and to my surprise he is going through the exact same shift in priorities. My enthusiasm and excitement for MajCom (and games in general) has completely evaporated.

I'm sorry to hear that, it's sad.

So what are you going to do with the points?

Well, my vote would be to announce you as winners, masterj/namelochil as the second, and bigshoes/packer as the third. I hope i don't offend anyone with this.

 

[Sebrim]

I'm also sorry to hear this, but interestingly, I feel quite the same. Not really wanting to spend so much time on MajCom anymore. Maybe it's the weather?

Well, my vote would be to announce you as winners, masterj/namelochil as the second, and bigshoes/packer as the third. I hope i don't offend anyone with this.

On the other hand, nobody has paid any points in yet, so we could as well just let the points be with their original owners I'd be in favour of that solution...