Re: MEPBM 'riddle help' = you guys are weak...

From: afonso.ferrer@mad.servicom.es (Afonso Ferrer)

Date: Thu, 14 Aug 1997 00:00:00 +0000

Hi!

During my first Mepbm i also dreamed for a variable game data base. I
played witch king and it was frustating to see how my free neighbours
knew exactly what they had to do to crush me. I put the blame on the
existing data bases as it was better to think that i as defeated by an
unfair starting knoledge position instead of a powerful, experienced
and GOOD player.

In turn #10 i got my start up positions and spent hours studying them,
making maps, looking for references in tolkied an planning starting
moves for all 25 nations.

Now im going to begin my fifth game and im sure ill keep playing for
long!

What i think makes mepbm an extremely good game:

1.- it has the flavour of tolkien
2.- the start is always the same, so you can choose from the beginning
what kind of playing you want to do and what to expect from your
neighbours. This also helps with the flavour - every evil hates
Elrond, Galadriel and Gandalf
3.- after turn #1 every game is different. Its very rare to find all
25 nations being played so theres always an unbalance somewhere (i had
an evil game with no FK, IK and DarkL for the first four turns!). This
makes unpredictable openings, even though they could seem similar to
unexperienced players. After turn ten, important characters can be
dead, the ROW can be lost in the sea and no one wants to take the risk
of going there, etc...

Also, knowing how good artifacts are from the beginning helps to keep
track of the best ones even if possesed by powerful nations. If the
ROW is being used recklessly, then you can challenge the character
because you know he has it! As everybody knows about them, powerful
artifacts are less powerful because you have to be more careful with
them.

Knowing the names of the characters is basic to make strategies and to
listen to rumours. Powerful characters are expected to be known
worldwide, like the Nazgul, and the powerful kings. Characters like
emisaries and agents are often unknown except by rumours because
almost all are named by characters. Except Din, Ji In, Erennis and a
few more, you dont know who they are until they start acting!

Making pop centers change from game to game will result in unbalancing
the game to the back line nations. If NG pop centers moved, no much
thirll in it! I turn #1 all DS would know what to do, but changing the
noldo could make it almost impossible to use agents, or emis until
very late in the game. Its already to easy for backstage nations and i
dont want it to be easier!

Carlos Afonso Ferrer

References

Re: MEPBM 'riddle help' = you guys are weak...
MDBench@concentric.net
Wed, 13 Aug 1997 00:00:00 +0000
MEPBM 'riddle help' = you guys are weak...
MDBench@spamisevil.concentric.net
Fri, 08 Aug 1997 00:00:00 +0000
Re: MEPBM 'riddle help' = you guys are weak...
RedEyeJoe <juden@algonet.se>
Mon, 11 Aug 1997 00:00:00 +0000
Re: MEPBM 'riddle help' = you guys are weak...
Eric Myerson <eric.myerson@worldnet.att.net>
Tue, 12 Aug 1997 00:00:00 +0000
Re: MEPBM 'riddle help' = you guys are weak...
MDBench@spamisevil.concentric.net
Wed, 13 Aug 1997 00:00:00 +0000
Re: MEPBM 'riddle help' = you guys are weak...
Patrick F. McGehearty <patrick@convex.COM>
Wed, 13 Aug 1997 00:00:00 +0000