Sunday, December 21, 2003
Jacquie and I have barely been home today. In the late morning, we got to her parents place so I could help them hook up a router so they could share Internet access amongst their two computers. No problemo. Jacquie helped wrap presents there while I did the networking magic.
We've been at my parents' place since early afternoon. Jacquie is finishing up some Christmas crafts that are going to be presents for family and such. Cool. I'm not a crafty person (in that sense of the phrase, anyway), so I brought a couple of magazines along to keep me busy when I wasn't chatting with my father. I read through Outdoor Canada and then focused on Computer Gaming World (which used to be my favourite electronic gaming magazine but has since been replaced by Computer Games). Well, I finally finished both magazines...so now as Jacquie and my mother continue to do crafts and my father has nestled down in front of the boob tube, I turned myself toward the upstairs computer room.
One thing I noticed about CGW since I last read it is the Tom Vs. Bruce column. This is a pretty cool column idea. Basically, it pits two gaming columnists against each other in some head-to-head game and has them record their thoughts on their strategy, their opponent's strategy and the game in general as they play. This month (or last month -- I might be behind on my reading), the two went head-to-head in Age of Mythology, which is a pretty cool game. I do enjoy RTS games, but I've typically put a lot more time into Age of Empires (yes, the original) than any other one. I do have to admit that I'm looking forward to the upcoming releasing of Axis & Allies RTS, though.
Anyway, I reviewed Age of Myth when it first came out for Toronto Computes. Tom and Bruce were using the AoM: The Titans expansion, which I'm not yet familiar with. I haven't played AoM enough to really love it so much that I'd go buy the expansion. However, this column put some ideas into my head. I think I'll start giving updates on the head-to-head-to-head Civilization III: Play The World game that I'm involved in with friends Lawrence and Rob. However, I'm not at home, so I don't have access to the turns. One thing is for sure, though: We've got 30+ turns under our belts and I (as the Scandanavians) are winning. Unfortunately, my lead is diminishing as the computer players start to build out their budding empires.
I think as of the last turn, I had 82 points, and the closest computer player had about 73 or 74 points. Rob and Lawrence are somewhat further back in the ranks. I don't expect my lead on them to last, though. The Scandanavians have an advantage from the get-go with their scout military unit (thus upping their point value from the start), but that's part of being a military/expansionist civilization. Unfortunately, what is likely to happen is that I'll lose my lead because I, quite frankly, really suck at being militaristic and expansionist. I was hoping to change that this game and truly learn to engage successfuly in Civilization war. We'll see what happens. I have Egypt and England as immediate neighbours and Lawrence's...uh...civ (can't remember what he's playing off-hand) just beyond Egypt, putting the two of us fairly close. Perhaps we will ally to wipe out the Egyptians and then put up a united front against the English...but I'm thinking Lawrence will stab me in the proverbial back somewhere around this time and wipe out my empire. Oh well, at least I won't be the first to go down. I'm pretty sure it will be the Egyptians.
We've been at my parents' place since early afternoon. Jacquie is finishing up some Christmas crafts that are going to be presents for family and such. Cool. I'm not a crafty person (in that sense of the phrase, anyway), so I brought a couple of magazines along to keep me busy when I wasn't chatting with my father. I read through Outdoor Canada and then focused on Computer Gaming World (which used to be my favourite electronic gaming magazine but has since been replaced by Computer Games). Well, I finally finished both magazines...so now as Jacquie and my mother continue to do crafts and my father has nestled down in front of the boob tube, I turned myself toward the upstairs computer room.
One thing I noticed about CGW since I last read it is the Tom Vs. Bruce column. This is a pretty cool column idea. Basically, it pits two gaming columnists against each other in some head-to-head game and has them record their thoughts on their strategy, their opponent's strategy and the game in general as they play. This month (or last month -- I might be behind on my reading), the two went head-to-head in Age of Mythology, which is a pretty cool game. I do enjoy RTS games, but I've typically put a lot more time into Age of Empires (yes, the original) than any other one. I do have to admit that I'm looking forward to the upcoming releasing of Axis & Allies RTS, though.
Anyway, I reviewed Age of Myth when it first came out for Toronto Computes. Tom and Bruce were using the AoM: The Titans expansion, which I'm not yet familiar with. I haven't played AoM enough to really love it so much that I'd go buy the expansion. However, this column put some ideas into my head. I think I'll start giving updates on the head-to-head-to-head Civilization III: Play The World game that I'm involved in with friends Lawrence and Rob. However, I'm not at home, so I don't have access to the turns. One thing is for sure, though: We've got 30+ turns under our belts and I (as the Scandanavians) are winning. Unfortunately, my lead is diminishing as the computer players start to build out their budding empires.
I think as of the last turn, I had 82 points, and the closest computer player had about 73 or 74 points. Rob and Lawrence are somewhat further back in the ranks. I don't expect my lead on them to last, though. The Scandanavians have an advantage from the get-go with their scout military unit (thus upping their point value from the start), but that's part of being a military/expansionist civilization. Unfortunately, what is likely to happen is that I'll lose my lead because I, quite frankly, really suck at being militaristic and expansionist. I was hoping to change that this game and truly learn to engage successfuly in Civilization war. We'll see what happens. I have Egypt and England as immediate neighbours and Lawrence's...uh...civ (can't remember what he's playing off-hand) just beyond Egypt, putting the two of us fairly close. Perhaps we will ally to wipe out the Egyptians and then put up a united front against the English...but I'm thinking Lawrence will stab me in the proverbial back somewhere around this time and wipe out my empire. Oh well, at least I won't be the first to go down. I'm pretty sure it will be the Egyptians.
// posted by Chris @ 8:07 PM 
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