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Year Zero Club

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Year Zero Club

...when simply winning is not enough!

from GalCiv2 Forums

First off, I couldn't have done this without the inspiration of the Metaverse League and Wyndstar in particular. Kudos to the master!

Now to the matter at hand.

I finally did it. A year zero win! Granted, it was only against 1 AI and on challenging (my current level) but I'm certain that 'tough' wouldn't have been much harder. On the other hand, it was my first attempt at an 'all-labs' and 'lease instead of buy' approach, so I consider myself proud that I could do it at all.

Here is the link to the character, as a proof: http://metaverse.galciv2.com/index.aspx?g=player&id=14517

For all of you, who like me thought that year zero wins are nigh impossible: Try it! Read the posts about it! It is difficult, requires constant micromanagement, but I found it incredibly rewarding to see that victory screen after 25 - 30 turns. Not the way I'd like to play constantly, but as a change of pace, it's a incredible challenge.

And of course, once you've accomplished your first 'Year Zero', post here and rejoice!


As an edit, I now include the current top score.


Attention new players!
Do not be frightened by these scores! Playing a ZYW is actually really easy, and getting a score close to 30000 points takes just a few tries. These games are usually finished in less than 20 minutes, so have at it. Try the tiny ZYWs first, I find them easier and you might get the unique chance to beat players like neilo or Wyndstar.


Current ZYW record holders:

'expert' ZYW - Gigantic


1) 198450 points - MottiKhan

2) 119000 points - Kzinti Patriarch

3) 109500 points - neilo


'classic' ZYW - Tiny

1) 56700points - MottiKhan

2) 40600 points - Kzinti Patriarch / Magnumaniac

3) 38850 points - Wyndstar

 

1,555,343 views 924 replies
Reply #26 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
That is quite a score Neilo!  :LOL: 

Kzinti empire2.JPG Sentient species taste better...
Reply #27 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
How exactly are these games being won? There's a reference to Wyndstar's instructions above, but I don't see any... can someone link, please?
Fences - Organize your desktop icons today!
Reply #28 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
towards the end of the Round 6 thread
Reply #29 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Way to go KP!! Nicely done. :CONGRAT:

To be honest ghost i have never read Wyndstars post on the matter except that he used spore. From there on out Piznit and myself really worked out some details and i have just perfected the technique over some 200 odd games.

Essentially you need an ARC based on the Altarians with Spore super ability. using the Korx homestar helps but is not needed. Then you just rush buy tech buildings and go straight for spore and then crush the AI. Tiny galaxy, rare planets, all the minors and use tech trading. Just play against 1 AI, though i have managed to beat 2 by April 8th still, but it did nothing for my score.

Go for the 1st Research tech, Spore, Miniaturization, Laser II and Impulse III. If you do that and win on April 8th on suicidal you should get a +26K game.

For a plus 30K score ya need a real good homeworld with lots of tech bonuses....plus a few other little tricks.... ;)

Reply #30 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Well, it is easier with spore, but not necessary. Neither of my AARs with zero year wins use spore, but neither is very high scoring.

To read my YZW AAR for TA, read the first post here:
https://forums.galciv2.com/172337


To read my YZW AAR for DL, read here starting with my reply #312:
https://forums.galciv2.com/173068/page/13


I've never done an AAR for DA, or spore ships. Its easier than the two I did AARs for, though.

Hope that helps,
~ Wyndstar
Reply #31 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I havent used spore at all. I took super-breeder to grow my population quickly to boost the pop score & tax base, keeping my approval at 100% for the first 60% of the game, then up the tax rate to improve the economy for the last few turns. I also only go to laser I and impulse I, unless I get more by tech overflow, which does happen often. Maybe I'll give spore a try next.

I got another 30,100 victory as well. :)

Kzinti empire2.JPG Sentient species taste better...

Reply #32 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Do you win on April 8 with those settings KP?
Reply #33 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I actually have not posted a ZYW in here so i will post my highest scoring game for ya all... ;)



Reply #34 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Heck, I haven't even breached the 10K barrier on my ZYW :p

Plus, whenever I start in a corner of the map with no useful bonuses on my home planet, I'm already sure to miss the 0 year mark. So anyone comparing themselves to the 20-30K scores above, don't feel bad ;)
Reply #35 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
You also don't neccessarily need ARC. I did fine with standard Korath, although that win was late April / early May. With ARC you definitely should be able to win at the first possible (legal) turn.
Reply #37 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I think the trick is (well for me at least) to remind yourself that the game will be over as soon as possible. You won't have to actually work your way out of any debt or leases that you take. 12 turns is all you need, damn those that come after you.

Lease-buy everything for the smallest amount, that means your treasury goes red just as you invade the last AI planet. If you play with enough minors, you can prolong that and have research going until the last minute.

I'm sure the really elite players can somehow do it differently, but that was the breakthrough for me. You're not playing longer than 12 turns. That means you can manage your treasury in a completely different way than if you're playing a regular game.
Reply #38 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
...Just play against 1 AI, though i have managed to beat 2 by April 8th still, but it did nothing for my score...


Interesting point, so far I usually went for 2-3 opponents.
What is the relation between MV score and number of opponents, I haven't been able to find any decent explanation using the "search" functionality or what's left from it? :p

Reply #39 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
# of opponents does not effect score, sadly.

You are graded on several things, but they are what YOU produce. Your tech production, your population, your income, your social production, your hp totals, your weapon totals... etc.

There are no bonuses for beating multiple enemies, other than with more planets you can get more pop.

~ Wyndstar
Reply #40 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Thanks!
By the way, is having 3 econ/tech/... capitals cumulative in score (e.g. when you take over 2 from AI's)? If that would be the case, I can imagine that would help a great deal in increasing one's ZYW score.
Reply #41 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
It's not the building per se that produce your score. It's their output over time (basically the integral over the econ / tech / military graph, divided by the number of turns. _Basically_.)

So getting multiple capitals won't do much good because you don't have the TIME to actually put them to use. It's far better winning faster (12 turns) on a higher difficulty.
Reply #42 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Anything that will increase your econ, like the econ cap will increse your econ score...much the same for tech too.

I have found though that even after getting out of debt and having Stock Markets built and finishing toward the end of the zero year hurts the score. There is just not enough you can do in 1 year to make it work that way.

Finishing the game as soon as possible will net the better score.

A few things to avoid building...

The MCC and the SCC.

I have had both these built and still won on April 8th they had no noticeable impact on score. i did believe the MCC was helping score at one point but i break 30K without it. In fact i didnt have it for the 32900K game. The SCC is useless as you can't get more than a handful of ships under it and they are none to strong to be of any help anyway.

I did a game with cargo hulls full with Laser V and had about 6 of these under a SCC and it also had little effect on score.

Two crucial buildings is both the Econ and Tech Capitals.
Reply #43 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Do you win on April 8 with those settings KP?


80% of the time, but if they are all the way across the galaxy from me, it may take another turn or 2. I've been using Yor, superbreeder, homestar Oxor, Tech party.

Two crucial buildings is both the Econ and Tech Capitals.


I generally get the tech capital on turn 3.

Kzinti empire2.JPG Sentient species taste better...
Reply #44 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Same here. ;)
Reply #45 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
My latest effort:

Photobucket

Your days as the ZYW champion may be numbered Neilo! :)

Kzinti empire2.JPG Sentient species taste better...
Reply #46 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Bring it on hairball!!!!
I will take all challenges to my crown as nothing but the obtuse efforts of the weak. The luck you have had in getting so close to my crown is amusing to me and knowing that you will not come any closer leaves me all warm and fuzzy inside!!! :LOL:

Seriously, great score mate! :CONGRAT:

Given the right map and homeworld I'm convinced there is a 35K game to be had.....
Reply #47 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Finally joined the club. I'm still working out the kinks but have finished three games now in less than a year. I got roughly 17k each but now I can start working on score since I've established something of a baseline. I'll have to share this with Hidar and Nihilus.

Vuk-
Reply #48 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Gratz on cracking 30K KziPat. My best ever was only a tad over 29 000. Did you use the Korx starting planets?
Reply #49 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Thanks TorontoRock. :) Lately I've been using Yor, Super Annihilator, Tech party, homestar Oxor (Korx), with ability points in morale, econ, and tech. I was hoping that switching to using Spore would be the one element I needed to break Neilo's record, but it hasnt seemed to have made any difference in scoring. I've scored over 30k five times now though.  :CONGRAT: In all these ZYW games though, I've never had a 700% bonus tile, either on my starting planet or any planet I've captured. Maybe on tiny maps these never appear? Anybody know?

Kzinti empire2.JPG Sentient species taste better...
Reply #50 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
they do, but it is rare