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Avoiding Elimination in Multiplayer Wargames

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Nestalawe
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Avoiding Elimination in Multiplayer Wargames

Yep, I definately get what you mean ;)

It would give the defeated player a good position to play, it would be fun, and they would be against Everyone, not just the player who eliminated them. You could also work in some way that gives players more of an incentive to try and totally wipe an enemy out - if I knew that when I took a player out, they would come back as a rampaging horde, on the other side of the board to myself, and that they would start attacking my enemies, then it would give me a greater incentive to go all out and try and really beat someone down...

I must sound like a really evil gamer don't I! Its not that I am always overly aggresive, I just like the option to be so sometimes ;)

The game's theme could easily be developed with these types of mechanics in mind. There could also be time-based incentive to be the first to eliminate someone else, for example if there was not some mighty sacrifice (wiping out an entire empire...) by a certain turn than ALL the undead hordes (somehow game controlled) in the game would rise up against all the players... However if a player was eliminated, then only one horde would arise, and would be controlled by that eliminated player...

Could get very nasty very quickly, and end up in players ganging up against others. There could also be ways to determine where the eliminated player would restart. Starts to have a similar kindof feel of player roles as 'Betrayal at House on the Hill' where one player turns against the rest, but in this case, the players get a chance to 'choose' who this player is, by killing them off!

FastLearner
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Avoiding Elimination in Multiplayer Wargames

Here's a way to handle it that should be really fun for the eliminated player and will make him a good threat for everyone else.

If the scoring is point based, instead of receiving points for his new role, the recincarnated character could cost the other players points (same as receving but more fun) if he evenly destroys others' stuff. For example, in a 4-player game, after Player A is eliminated, if he can destroy one unit of Player B, one of Player C, and one of Player D, they all lose a point. That is, for each set of the other players' stuff destroyed, they lose a point

Then at end game, for each unbalanced subset above one, that player loses a point. So if at end game, after removing all of the full sets that the player scored for, if the player had destroyed an additional BBBCC, he'd lose two points (one B and one C is fine, then an extra BC is one point lost, and an extra B is one more point lost).

(Note that if any other player is eliminated, his player-monster already-destroyed tokens would still count towards completed and uncompleted sets -- you can't wipe someone out in order to not have their extra tokens count against you.)

This encourages him to go on a rampage, wiping out everyone, but wiping out everyone as evenly as possible. He still improves his position, but only if he hurts everyone else.

That way you wouldn't have to worry about territory or monster speed or anything else. Yes, he could still end up playing kingmaker, but only at the direct expense of hurting his own score, something that players don't usually do as it's considered poor gamesmanship.

Nestalawe
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Avoiding Elimination in Multiplayer Wargames

Sounds like fun ;)

I could see this idea morphing its way into a smaller, short, fast paced game with some sort of name like 'Impending Doom'. 3-6 players (maybe 4-6) fighting amongst themselves before the Impending Doom strikes. They are all trying to kill off one of the other players, but trying not to get killed themselves. They could gang up on one player, except for the fact that the player (the Killer) who actually makes the 'killing blow' gets a big advantage, either a big boost in their score, or some major defensive bonus. Once a player has been killed, then that player takes control of the Doom, and as you suggest, it is in their best interest to damage the rest of the players equally, while they are all struggling to survive, fighting eachother as well as the Doom and trying to get more points than the Killer. If no player has been killed before the Impending Doom strikes, then maybe every player looses points and must still fight against the Doom. Any player does not have enough points by the last turn of the game, then they automatically lose - thus it would be possible for all players to lose at the end of the game (as per Magic Realm, where players can end the game with negative points scored...)

This would lend itself well to a wid evariety of Impending Doom scenarios -

- Group of people trapped in a sinking lifeboat
- Trapped in a house with zombies outside (ala Night of the Living Dead)
- Group about to be turned into mutants
- Alien bodysnatching or invasion scenario

etc etc...

Nestalawe
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Avoiding Elimination in Multiplayer Wargames

Man, I can see how something like this could work... So many different themes could work...

Maybe a group of pirates shipwrecked on an island with no food, knowing they are going to get attacked by cannibals in a matter of days. They are weak, and the only way to regain their strength to be able to fight off the cannibals is to sacrifice one of their number... The pirate who makes the 'killing blow' gets to eat the 'best bits' and thus gain the most strength in preparation for the cannibal onslaught. If no one gets killed, then they all continue to starve, getting weaker until the cannibals strike and the pirates have to fight them off.

The player who was killed off gets to play as the cannibals, otherwise they are 'game-controlled'. If he is able to beat the pirates (should have a fair chance) then he wins, otherwise any surviving pirates win...

Thoughts? ;)

Anonymous
Avoiding Elimination in Multiplayer Wargames

you go boy!

but um... just put the *zombies attacking a house* thing on the back burner a bit would ya... wouldnt wanna see my 3 months of secret hard work get crushed... ahem...

;)

Nestalawe
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Avoiding Elimination in Multiplayer Wargames

he heh, ok you can have the zombies, i'll have the cannibals ;)

Do you have a write-up for your game yet? PM it through to me if you want any feedback, i'd like to see it! (not steal it ;)

I'll write up a better outline for a pirate/cannibal game and see what comes out ;)

p.s. just realised that by forcing them toeat one of their shipmates I made the pirates/players cannibals as well... I'm sure I can work that in so its not so odd...

FastLearner
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Avoiding Elimination in Multiplayer Wargames

I think I'll use that scoring mechanism I mentioned in a game of my own (doesn't look like you're interested, and I've thought of a game idea that could use it). If you do want it, let me know.

-- Matthew

Nestalawe
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Avoiding Elimination in Multiplayer Wargames

Hey Matthew!

Go for it! And let us know the results!

I will do a write up for some weird Cannibal Pirate game and see how I can work the mechanics. I like your thinking though, and may do somethnig similar, but I am sure whatever it mutates into will be different from what yours ends up as!

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