Re: Hyborian War -> Alamaze

From: Darren Lane Comeaux <dcomeau@tiger1.ocs.lsu.edu>

Date: Sat, 15 Jul 1995 00:00:00 +0000

> I know this isn't about Hyborian War anymore (which I played one
> game of), but I had to comment on Alamaze.
>
> I played Alamaze for 2 years in it's early days years ago, then for
> another year or so maybe a little over a year ago.

I can't pass this one up for anything. I played Alamaze back in
1988 for about 2.5 years. First was Darkelves. Oh how nostalgic. I
remember the GM was under such flak for all the errors in the game and he
had a bad attitude which only made it worse. It got so bad that when
people talked 20% of the conversation was about the game and the rest
about the GM. He was subtly vindicative too.
	Anyway, I discovered a flaw in the First Cycle (at that time, the
2nd was almost out). You could issue a defend order for another kingdom.
Essentially this would cancel his attack order and he would defend. The
report went on your turn. Very strange.
	So for retribution (hey, I was in mid-teens and stupid) I told
all my buddies about it. It was the best defense and absolutely illegal.
One my allies blundered and it leaked out I was the discoverer. The GM
must have been happy, because they silently tossed me out (I never got a
notice) and kept the $35 in my account. As for why the GM was happy, well
I had finally had enough and tried to contact the owner and was likely
intercepted.
	Sure cheating is cheating and two wrongs don't make a right. But
I wouldn't have done it then if I would not have been insulted by
something that happened.

> The game is ok in concept, and it's alot of fun for, oh, about 10 turns.
> Then you know everyone's abilities and what you have to do each turn
> becomes very predictable.  Of the 15-25 orders most people have, maybe
> 4-5 are really a "choice", the rest are pretty much blatantly obvious.

Yeah this is kinda true. Alamaze is pretty limited by the amount
of things you can do a based on your influence. Kinda sucks if you can
only do 12 or 13 orders. Another was the problem with Kingdom named
troops. You only got more when you received reinforcements every 5 turns,
and then usually only 1 brigade.

> Game balance is all but destroyed each game by drop outs or by
> vetrans like myself who know what to do to man handle weak starting
> positions.

Agreed. When I was playing we had all the artifacts mapped out. I
would pick them up as fast as possible. By turn 6 I had the top two
artifacts. Did they ever correct this problem?

> And if you don't handle the warlock, he gets obscene.  I played the Warlock
> in another second cycle game (that's why I knew the warlock's weak points
> well).  A warlock, unstopped, becomes invincible.  Wizards cost no maintenance,
> can do almost anything, and are all but infinitely mobile, and at high levels
> are tough to kill with agents, very tough.

Agreed. Strangley the Sorcerer rarely ever gets it going, but I
have seen the Witchlord do some nasty thigs if he survived long enough.

> Several other positions are much the same.  Balance in the game is tenuous
> at best and some of the holes (like my attack with the Underworld) mean even
> the most competent player might, through actions totally out of his control,
> have no chance at winning, and maybe little at even surviving.

If any of the wizards get going, the militaries will be all useless.

> Anyway, it's a neat game in concept, enough that it even sucked me into
> playing a second time years later.  I have to say I regret it though.  I
> really didn't enjoy the turns.  Usually it took all of 20 minutes to
> figure out my orders.  At $8.50 a turn I could have spent my money
> much more wisely (not to mention the phone bills, ouch...).

How much is the First Cycle now? I agree that $8.50 is wayyyy to
pricey for this game. Even with the lazer turns. Are they still having a
lot of bugs in the system. I currently play Legends and that was supposed
to be the buggiest system around. That's a laugh, it paled in comparison
to Alamaze 1+ error per turn ratio.

> If you do play Alamaze, 2nd Cycle is much better than 1st Cycle.  I've
> played both about the same length of time.

What is the rule for playing 2nd Cycle? Do you have to have
played the First Cycle 4 times before they allow you into Second?

> Just for reference, I did place 1st in status points as the Warlock, 3rd
> as the Halfling.  As the Underworld I got bored and quit.

References

Re: Hyborian War
baw@grebble.oau.org (Brett Wampner)
Mon, 10 Jul 1995 00:00:00 +0000
Re: Hyborian War
baidins@stimpy.eecis.udel.edu (Juris Baidins)
Mon, 10 Jul 1995 00:00:00 +0000
Re: Hyborian War
baw@grebble.oau.org (Brett Wampner)
Mon, 10 Jul 1995 00:00:00 +0000
Re: Hyborian War
mgauthie@access.awinc.com (Marc L. Gauthier)
Tue, 11 Jul 1995 00:00:00 +0000
Re: Hyborian War -> Alamaze
chrisk@yogi.NoSubdomain.NoDomain (Chris Kessel)
Fri, 14 Jul 1995 00:00:00 +0000
Hyborian War
snake6283@aol.com (Snake6283)
Fri, 07 Jul 1995 00:00:00 +0000
Re: Hyborian War
demigod98g@aol.com (Demigod98G)
Sun, 09 Jul 1995 00:00:00 +0000
Re: Hyborian War
trip@netcom.com (Trip)
Mon, 10 Jul 1995 00:00:00 +0000