ErikH2000
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File: Smite to the Death - Cycle 6.hold (14 KB)
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License: Public Domain

Here's the tentative hold for cycle 6.

Clayton is getting squeezened. He got busy or something and didn't submit moves to get him safely inside before cycle 6 start. Sorry, man.

There is one lit fuse left, but after the Squeezening, its bomb will drop into the void. So that's the end of worrying about bombs.

-Erik

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Mattcrampy
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ErikH2000 wrote:
So that's the end of worrying about bombs.

Now we just have to worry about the sharp, sharp swords.

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ErikH2000
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There's a new rule coming up, and I'll be announcing it again with the official update.

For the next update and all following, if there are no kills in a cycle, more than 2 players left, and any players are further than 3 squares from all other players, then a forced kill will be made as follows: the player who is farthest from other players by number of steps from body square to body square will be removed (no kill count increment). If more than one player shares the same distance, then the one with the lower sequence# will be killed.

-Erik

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eytanz
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Lower # in numerical terms, or lower as in "worse"?

I.e., is #2 lower than #1 or #1 lower than #2?

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eytanz
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Okay, more questions:

- How will distance be calculated? Is it just distance from closest player? Or the sum total of distance from all players?

- Assuming it's distance from closest player, what happens if there are two sub-groups of players? I.e., if some players are in the east and some in the west? If this develops (which is likely in the current configuration), that means that killing nearby players may end up being a mistake, because once you kill the last player near you you might be stranded too far to actually reach the other players in time.

- Does the distance include the actual squares the players are on? i.e.:

1...2

In this configuartion, is #1 3 squares from #2 or 4 squares from #2?

In any case, I'd suggest increasing the safe distance to 4 squares because that's traversable in a single turn.

-----

Overall, I kind of get why you're suggesting this, but I think it's a bad idea. I think that the best way to encourage people approaching each other would be to gradually smallen the play area, not by penalizing people for being better at getting rid of the players near them than others.

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ErikH2000
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eytanz wrote:
Lower # in numerical terms, or lower as in "worse"?

I.e., is #2 lower than #1 or #1 lower than #2?

Oh, that was pretty ambiguous, sorry. I mean "later". So a person with a higher (later) sequence# would be killed first.

-Erik

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ErikH2000
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eytanz wrote:
- How will distance be calculated? Is it just distance from closest player? Or the sum total of distance from all players?

Distance from the closest player, measured by count of steps beelining through any obstacles from one body square to another.

- Assuming it's distance from closest player, what happens if there are two sub-groups of players? I.e., if some players are in the east and some in the west? If this develops (which is likely in the current configuration), that means that killing nearby players may end up being a mistake, because once you kill the last player near you you might be stranded too far to actually reach the other players in time.

This is true, and it could mean you pass up a kill in order to closer to other players. But that will generally move players closer to each other, which should be okay.

- Does the distance include the actual squares the players are on? i.e.:

In your example it would take 4 steps from point 1 to reach point 2. The evaluated distance is considered to be 4. And again, any obstacles in the path don't affect the evaluated distance.

In any case, I'd suggest increasing the safe distance to 4 squares because that's traversable in a single turn.

Okay, I could do that.

Overall, I kind of get why you're suggesting this, but I think it's a bad idea. I think that the best way to encourage people approaching each other would be to gradually smallen the play area, not by penalizing people for being better at getting rid of the players near them than others.

Yeah... I dunno... you could be right. I think I just want to try this though.

-Erik

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Yellow_Mage
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ErikH2000 wrote:

eytanz wrote:

- Assuming it's distance from closest player, what happens if there are two sub-groups of players? I.e., if some players are in the east and some in the west? If this develops (which is likely in the current configuration), that means that killing nearby players may end up being a mistake, because once you kill the last player near you you might be stranded too far to actually reach the other players in time.

This is true, and it could mean you pass up a kill in order to closer to other players. But that will generally move players closer to each other, which should be okay.

I've only just thought of this now, but shouldn't anyone who made a kill from the previous cycle be automatically immune to the Straggler's Curse? It makes kinda sense; if they killed someone in the cycle before but are too far away to get to anyone, they would be relying on someone else to make a kill. No one would want to pass up a kill, and if they did it could turn into sword ballet (and might get the kill anyways).

It could be an addition to the current rules, but I can live with the current changes.

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ErikH2000
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File: Smite to the Death - Cycle 7.hold (15.4 KB)
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License: Public Domain

New hold here for cycle 6 moves leading up to cycle 7.

Rabscuttle got trapped!

I'm planning to ditch the Straggler's Curse rules. I think they may make the game less fun with the extra complications to strategy. Plus, I don't feel good about adding extra value to an earlier sequence#. Many people bid too high of a handicap, and others put in a lower bid perhaps after thinking hard about how much the sequence# was worth. It would be unfair to the latter group to change the value of the handicap after they made their bids. Technically, I did apply Straggler's Curse to cycle 6, but since people died, it had no effect.

But I'm still aiming for the game to end October or early November, and it probably won't without some prodding. I think I'll do what Eytan said and have some more Squeezening. The rule I'm proposing now is that the area shrinks at end of cycle by one square if someone was killed, and by two squares if nobody was killed. Sound okay?

-Erik

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Rabscuttle
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Well, that didn't go exactly to plan.

But on the bright side, I technically survive for at least 2 more rounds.

Doom
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Rabscuttle wrote:
Well, that didn't go exactly to plan.

But on the bright side, I technically survive for at least 2 more rounds.

ErikH2000 wrote at rules:

Dying

If there is no possible way for another player to reach you through any combination of movements which could include hitting orbs, then you die. No points are added to anyone's kill count.

Sorry, Rabscuttle.

But then, my situation's not too bright either...

---

[Last edited by Doom at 10-20-2005 10:34 AM]

Rabscuttle
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Aw, now I'm sad.

eytanz
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ErikH2000 wrote:
But I'm still aiming for the game to end October or early November, and it probably won't without some prodding. I think I'll do what Eytan said and have some more Squeezening. The rule I'm proposing now is that the area shrinks at end of cycle by one square if someone was killed, and by two squares if nobody was killed. Sound okay?

-Erik

One concern is that the middle area being walls, you'll actually create two seperate areas blocked off from each other in 7 turns - and even in 5 turns, it will be really difficult to cross from one to the other. I'd suggest that in the same turn that the two remaining rocks fall off, the walls in the middle of the room should become floors (and Beethro is teleported to safety in the corners). This will open up the field and will also make it so that people on one side of the walls aren't safe from people on the other.

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Mattcrampy
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I think I'm the only Legendary Smitemaster left alive.

Booya!

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RubellaGolda
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#19(me) vs #23:
Nice little 'pas de deux', Matt!

Yellow_Mage
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eytanz wrote:

ErikH2000 wrote:
But I'm still aiming for the game to end October or early November, and it probably won't without some prodding. I think I'll do what Eytan said and have some more Squeezening. The rule I'm proposing now is that the area shrinks at end of cycle by one square if someone was killed, and by two squares if nobody was killed. Sound okay?

-Erik

One concern is that the middle area being walls, you'll actually create two seperate areas blocked off from each other in 7 turns - and even in 5 turns, it will be really difficult to cross from one to the other. I'd suggest that in the same turn that the two remaining rocks fall off, the walls in the middle of the room should become floors (and Beethro is teleported to safety in the corners). This will open up the field and will also make it so that people on one side of the walls aren't safe from people on the other.

Drop all the pits, then shrink the area by two squares regardless of kills and then turn the middle bit into bombs...

Ok, maybe not the last bit, buy I was thinking that only the corner bits of the middle walls would stop you from falling into the pit. So then after that, the middle wall would become a floor, and the fight would finish off in a 6x6 area with (hopefully) 4 combatants. That might be a little too crazy... but if there was a particular zone (like the middle if it becomes floor) that people could get, then you could cut off the area. There isn't much demarcation in the room which you could use as a blocked off area without separating into two areas... but then you could really turn the middle bit into bombs. Really.

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StuartK
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ErikH2000 wrote:
But I'm still aiming for the game to end October or early November, and it probably won't without some prodding. I think I'll do what Eytan said and have some more Squeezening. The rule I'm proposing now is that the area shrinks at end of cycle by one square if someone was killed, and by two squares if nobody was killed. Sound okay?

How about by 1 square, plus any more if it can be done without killing any further participants automatically. So if everyone runs to the middle we get an inescapeable brawl, but less chance of squeezening through just poor luck.

You could also use different floor types to indicate what's going to drop away next turn, and I don't see why you'd really have to restrict it to just the outside edges.

ErikH2000
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To Stuart: You know, just 1 square should work and I really prefer the simplicity. So I think I'll remove the 1 square/2 square distinction. If the game runs into the second week of November that won't be terrible. One thing I want to do is set the rules for the rest of the game and not change it. Because whenever I change rules, it invalidates plans that players make. It's my goal to decide now what will happen for rules in the rest of the game, and then take my fidgety fingers off the board.

I don't want to remove squares from the middle or other places than the perimeter because either I have to explain exactly what I plan to do (complicating the game) or just make the changes with little warning (more difficult for players to make long term plans).

To Eytan: With predictability, the problem of players getting separated from each other is easy to deal with. You know the west/east split is coming, and you've got 5 cycles to figure out what to do about it. Underdogs will favor being around more people that can be killed. Score leaders may go for the side with less players and risk of being killed. And you can make guesses about which side other people want to be on and set traps for predicted movement. You can try to judge right now which side is best and move there sooner rather than later to minimize you risk of being predicted and killed. So there's all sorts of interesting thinking to do here. I think the west/east split will ask for more strategy without complicating the game.

-Erik

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ErikH2000
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File: Smite to the Death - Cycle 8.hold (16.2 KB)
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Cycle 7 to 8 hold. I'm using sand tiles to show the vanishing perimeter.

-Erik

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dev journals | twitch stream | youtube archive (NSFW)

---

[Last edited by ErikH2000 at 10-22-2005 08:33 AM]

ErikH2000
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Oops. I forgot to move the level entrance to the latest rooms. I reattached a fixed hold in the post above.

-Erik

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Nillo
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Ouch, I was smitinated. I really should have installed DROD just for this... 'cause then I'd be alive by now.

Good luck everyone!

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eytanz
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Whoa... I may be tied for 1st place, but I'm also the lowest player in the move sequence still alive. I don't think I have much of a chance of winning...

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RubellaGolda
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Alas, I've been smitten

It has been a pleasure! Thanks and compliments to Erik for running this contest

Mattcrampy
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eytanz wrote:
Whoa... I may be tied for 1st place, but I'm also the lowest player in the move sequence still alive. I don't think I have much of a chance of winning...

No, you've still got Kevin behind you. And my only kill so far was against someone moving before me, so you're hardly dead so long as you play it smart.

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eytanz
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wallu wrote:
#56 Kevin has a no-chance situation with #22 Leus.

Except, of course, if Leus neglects to submit moves. Which seems to be the case.

I'm pretty sure I'm dead... Oh well, it was good while it lasted.

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---

[Last edited by eytanz at 10-24-2005 02:54 AM]

ErikH2000
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File: Smite to the Death - Cycle 9.hold (16.8 KB)
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Here's cycle 8 to cycle 9's start. Alneyan, unfortunately you gave me two "z"'s which I replaced with "5"'s. Maybe you meant "z" like snoring.

-Erik

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Alneyan
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I. Hate. Azerty. Keyboards. Z is the equivalent of W, but not quite the same thing.

eytanz
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Hmmm... I actually have a good chance to finish 3rd overall - for that not to happen, one of the following must happen: Matt or Andy101 gets 2 kills (unlikely in Andy's case unless StuartK doesn't move next turn), Alneyan gets 3 kills, or StuartK gets 4 kills. Any of these outcomes is possible, of course, but all far from certain, especially since the two most effective players so far (Kevin and Yellow Mage) are still alive, and the more kills either of them get, the better off I am (since they're already ahead of me and can't get behind).


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ErikH2000
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File: Smite to the Death - Cycle 10.hold (17.2 KB)
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Here's the cycle 10 hold. It didn't take long with so few players left.

-Erik

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Mattcrampy
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Man, so close!

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