OK, I've added a bid field!

[datacollectioncenter]

Hey guys:

I've added a bid field so that you can enter the winning bid for each major power which will then be added to that major power's VP requirement at the beginning of the game! You will still have to wrok out the bidding process before the game BUT this should allow you to implement the effects of the bidding in the game (Wheeeew! Wiping sweat off my brow as I'm bandaging my raw fingers from kbd fatigue).

[sol_invictus]

Sweet![&o]

[ffak]

I never play the boardgame and I read all topics about the bids but I d'ont understand what is that for? What do you bidding? thanks..

[ardilla]

You are the greatest Marshall!!!
Cheers for MG!!

Now lets wait for the game and all the scenarios.

Regards.

[ktotwf]

ffak, I think that bids go as follows: You bid on the country you want, and whoever bids the most gets the country. But the amount that you bid gets added on to the requirements for the amount of points you have to get to win the game.

[Titan]

The bid screen has just sold the game to me ,its a game all of its own,its has...excitment,anticipation,strategy,FOG,Eye candy,and of course you can win it

[ardilla]

You are right Ktotwf!!!

The problem is that the Victory Points (VP=points you get every 3 turns of game, each turn is a month) are a base to add the bidding, so playing without the bidding will "break" the original game.

But MG had fixed it, I am glad of it.

Now, this brings me another question...
There will be a screen where you can see all the countries and the VP and the total amount need it, % over the total, etc. or something similar Marshall??

And, as I see a combo box in the Scenarios...there will be more with the original game?!?!

Thanks and keep up the good work!!!

[NeverMan]

This is a great addition, and probably one of the more significant ones since the base of the game was coded.

I think I have the same question as ardilla: Is there going to be a screen to check the progress of who is currently winning?

example:

France is in 1st place with 67% of his total VP

or

Turkey is in 1st place with 70% of his total VP

so the current rankings being done by percentage of total VP at the end of that economic phase

[Pippin]

ffak, you may want to keep in mind that in other games the bidding is reversed. People may fight to bid lowest. E.G. In Axis & Allies there is a bidding war and who ever goes lowest gets to play axis and uses the bid as IPCs to buy extra units. Though, some newbies are so desperate to play axis they will often go to a negative bid!

[ardilla]

Yes, it could be, but since the bidding goes "off the game" with the players, you can kick that "game broker" before start the game.

No?

Now, lets see if anyone has time to work out a web page to resolve the bidding until MG gets out version 1.01 [;)]

Regards!!! I am so excited, I want to move my troops and my fleets!!!

[datacollectioncenter]

You bet there is a VP status screen...

[NeverMan]

NNNNNIIIIIICCCCCEEEEEE! Sweet deal. Thanks.

[eg0master]

[&o][&o][&o][&o][&o][&o][&o]

[Forward_March]

Great Addition Marschall! I fear all people will bid all of their available VP's to get what they want....otherwise they'll get Spain! When we played while stationed in Okinawa was drawing countries from a hat...finding anybody who wanted to be Turkey or Spain was like finding somebody volunteering for unrequired dental surgery.

[ardilla]

I respect you Marshall!!! [&o]

U r the greatest!! and MG of course [:'(]

Lookssss awesome!!

BTW, the towers are garrisons, right? What about a neutral flag in the bottom for those poor little minors? One for all or maybe the real flags could be REALLY COOL.

But, anyway, I can wait till version 1.01

I already recived my laptop, so I hope I can play this summer where ever I will be!!!!!

P.S. Marshall, if you were a woman I will invite you for a dinner [;)]

[ardilla]

I dont know why your "playermates" dont like turky or spain, I find both countries nice to play since you dont have too much headache in making your economic phase, conquering minors and be worried about Nappy.

And are countries that if you make a good diplomatic game you can be at the top in VP.

Of course, they are almost minors, both of them depending from FR or GR, but still nice to have such allies.

They are probably good countries to have fun and play your first EiA game!!

[pzgndr]

Is the game being playbalanced such that any country has a more or less equal chance to win the game, or is historical accuracy the goal and bidding a means to compensate for differences? I guess the question boils down to whether bidding is optional for personal preferences in an otherwise equal game or if it's a necessity for play balance.

Either way, the bidding process will help normalize the game among players who know the game and know each other's strengths and weaknesses. That's good. But for entering into new games with unknown players, it would be useful to know how the game is balanced and how to bid accordingly. Maybe provide some helpful suggestions in the game's Designer's Notes or strategy tips?

[ardilla]

The bidding is necesary for a play balance, IMO and what I deduce from the orginal game rules.

Since, the bidding is not included in the released version of MG, you can tell, from the bidding results if players bidded reasonably or not.

so if you find that a playerd bidded 100 VP for playing FR, you should quit this player from the game and look for another one.

Since the rules tells you that you HAVE TO BID an ammount for each country and that you can not bid the same ammount for different countries, this comes to a basic bidding of 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 & 1 for all countries, with whatever are you preferences.

So, from 7 to 1 will be added, at least, to each country basic VP before starting.
That is why we were "complaining" for it, because, it is one of the rules for the Grand Campaing game (1805-1815).

But of course this goes higher for FR and GB.
So you can find a bidding of 20-30 VP for one of the above ones.

Another problem is the ability of GB to win the game if nobody reaches the total VP needed. This can make a player bid very high for GB and then, with the other ability of GR of substract own VP from another country at war with, will make possible to GB winning even with a bid of 300 VP!!!!

But thats is another tale....

[NeverMan]

ORIGINAL: pzgndr

Is the game being playbalanced such that any country has a more or less equal chance to win the game, or is historical accuracy the goal and bidding a means to compensate for differences? I guess the question boils down to whether bidding is optional for personal preferences in an otherwise equal game or if it's a necessity for play balance.

Either way, the bidding process will help normalize the game among players who know the game and know each other's strengths and weaknesses. That's good. But for entering into new games with unknown players, it would be useful to know how the game is balanced and how to bid accordingly. Maybe provide some helpful suggestions in the game's Designer's Notes or strategy tips?

Even before bidding, the game is setup to give every country a chance of winning. Like, before bidding, France VP total to win is 400, while everyone else's is lower depending on how powerful the country is. I believe, right off hand, that Turkey has the lowest VP total to win, so they only need to maintain around a 6-8 VP per eco phase, where France needs around a 10-12 per eco phase to win.

[Pippin]

so if you find that a playerd bidded 100 VP for playing FR, you should quit this player from the game and look for another one.

I am not so sure. If someone wants to bid the whole bank for a country, then LET HIM! Even if he kicks everyone's ass, if he can't pay off his debts so to speak, then he simply doensn't win. Next guy in line wins. Sounds fair to me. He will learn soon enough.