The Atlantic Telegraph Company

[wieder]

Should it be removed from the traditional games? Or should it be moved to happen at a later time? Possible candidates are espionage, radio and maybe computers.

For the more experimental games ATC could also become more poisonous to the player building it. It could cost more and give everyone an embassy with everyone. Not just for the player building it. After all the more experimental games are also kind of more beginner friendly games where no one can that easily take all the cities and people can learn how to play without losing half of the empire in 15 minutes.

LT41 will be a traditional game.

[ferg]

I would like to see it moved back because it is powerful intelligence. Also the cost may be a bit cheap (lt40 = 60 shields = 2 diplomats), under the way it currently works.

I think it should be somewhat fluid with the ruleset.

[wieder]

What about if it would cost 300 but the effect would apply to everyone just like with Marco Polo?

[fran]

What about if it would cost 300 but the effect would apply to everyone just like with Marco Polo?

First, the current ATC is sensible. It's cheap so more players can afford it.

Second, it's bad to make it more expensive and apply to everybody. It could turn out that the strongest
players won't build it, because they least depend on it and won't provide the others with intel.
So the weaker players would need to take the cost burden, and that is not what we want.

Third, we can do better, though. Embassy with everybody should be no wonder but connected
with researching a certain tech. I don't mind which one.
It's possible that everybody gets an embassy with everybody if the first player researches that tech.
The strong players can't really evade that one, so the will do it. If it would be possible to connect
the effect with several techs of a certain level even tactical evasion can be ruled out.
So if currently it's electricity it could be the electricity level.
It also provides the other players with intel as soon as one player reaches a critical knowledge.
Because the problem is that most players just live behind their limited horizon and are not even
interested in global issues.
It's also possible that the player that researches a certain tech gets the embassies with everybody
just for himself.

I prefer the first variant, but I have no idea what tech to choose.

[Corbeau]

Getting embassies with tech is something I had in mind, too. I'd go with Radio, for obvious reasons. And no, I'd prefer if everyone has to research it for himself.

But a cheap Small Wonder would be ok, too, but only for the nation that builds it, not globally. People not interested in global issues? It's their problem. They don't have to build it.

[arkan]

While I find Fran and Corbeau suggestions interesting, I agree with Ferg and would rather have it disabled from LT41.
What about testing getting embassy with all with radio (limited to the player who has researched it) in the next experimental game ?

[Corbeau]

Well, this has a function with no-ally-victory games where score is important.

On the other hand, what's wrong with people generally being able to see what's going on? I don't understand the need for full secrecy. Why would you want to play in the dark?

[wieder]

Something must be decided...

The Atlantic will remain as it was on LT41 except that it will only become available with Espionage. Spies are not that important anyway in islands scenario and this change postpones the embassies and also makes it more interesting to go for spies.

Let's keep this topic open for the next more traditional game. And also for the more experimental ones.

[Corbeau]

If you want this discussion and this topic for future games, I suggest pulling it out of the LT41 subforum.