pndrev pndrev

Year Zero Club

Year Zero Club

...when simply winning is not enough!

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

 

1,556,575 views 924 replies
Reply #777 Top

I see 8 minors to force the major close to you ...and if it's not close quit and start new game?

Reply #778 Top

Just use ctrl+n to start a new game mate.

I havent noticed any difference in the placement of the AI due to there being, or not being any Minors.

I will take a look at that but the minors are good that if you do happen to meet one, though it happens rarely, they are good for ~800bc.

And you can always use more cash.....

:thumbsup:

Reply #779 Top

>:( :annoyed:

Reply #780 Top

I should crank some more YZWs for my main character. I need the glory of that 250 icon. Plus, I awoke in a cold sweat at 0300 with an Idea for a certain trade good purchase that may help boost my individual game scores.

Reply #781 Top

Lemme guess...Nano Recorders?

Tried it.....

:P

Reply #782 Top

Quoting Neilo, reply 6
Lemme guess...Nano Recorders?

Tried it.....

Drat. Well, I've got bigger problems now. Thanks to the Ctrl-N bug in the latest "improvement", I had to revert to my CD version. Version 1.50. Whoopeee. No telling what awaits me. I can't even remamber what the bugs were in this one :grin:

Edit: Here's one oddity. I played as Altarian, but my posted game has a Drengin avatar.

Reply #783 Top

Ohh geez. I don't recall either. If you play something other than a ZYW watch out for the pathfinder bug and the fleet bug. I think they were around there somewhere.

Gee, i can't even recall the specifics of the bugs now....ya might have to scour the bug report thread mate...

 

Reply #784 Top

Ohh geez. I don't recall either. If you play something other than a ZYW watch out for the pathfinder bug and the fleet bug. I think they were around there somewhere.

No, that's 1.80e.

:P

Snark, isn't 1.5 DL, not DA?  And why were you forced to revert to a CD install because of a Ctrl + N bug?  How would starting a new game not have "fixed" it?

Reply #785 Top

Quoting Sole, reply 9

Ohh geez. I don't recall either. If you play something other than a ZYW watch out for the pathfinder bug and the fleet bug. I think they were around there somewhere.
No, that's 1.80e.



Snark, isn't 1.5 DL, not DA?  And why were you forced to revert to a CD install because of a Ctrl + N bug?  How would starting a new game not have "fixed" it?

The opening screen says "v1.50 Dark Avatar". I think it is one of the first DA CDs to be released. The Ctrl-N bug that I am referring to causes the game to crash, so I thought it best to revert rather than cause my deflicted wrist additional trauma by manually starting new games over and over. Which reminds me: I got a mouse with a programmable button on the side. In DA, the button does Ctrl-N, in ToA it "double-clicks". An extremely useful tool, so long as I am mindful of which game I am playing.

Reply #786 Top

The Ctrl-N bug that I am referring to causes the game to crash,

Oh my.

That's rather horrible.

Do you have a thread on it?

Reply #787 Top

I got a mouse with a programmable button on the side.

I have a similar mouse. I use double click, ctrl+n and ctrl+s and i have another button set to exit the active window.

Thats the one i have to watch what i am doing with. I am forever closing the wrong window....:P

As for the ctrl+n. Try clearing out your game xml's from your Documents\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar\Metaverse folder.

It has helped other users overcome the ctrl+n issues.

:)

+1 Loading…
Reply #788 Top

ry clearing out your game xml's from your Documents\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar\Metaverse folder.

Thanks!!! It worked!!! Now, for some observations on the differences between YZWs in 1.50 vx 2.01:

1) 2.01 has MUCH better planets. High-end tiles seemed few and far between in 1.50.

2) I got much better trade results in 1.50. The AI is downright stingy in 2.01 by comparison. However, 1.50 does not have the handy auto-barter feature which tells one the max amount the AI is willing to pay for something.

All in all, my score seems higher in 2.01 for the same approximate amount of effort. I'll see if the trend continues.

Reply #789 Top

:thumbsup:

Reply #790 Top

Another small increase in the record:

Yes, these png files are much clearer.  Thanks Neilo. :)

Kzinti empire2.JPG Sentient species taste better...

 

Reply #791 Top

Well done. KP!    :thumbsup: :beer:

And yes, the .png looks a lot better.

 

I should probably update my second place score.  It's come up a tad too, but I haven't gotten around to it.  I'll find it and post later.

Edit- found it...

Reply #792 Top

Nice games Gentlemen.

:thumbsup:

Reply #793 Top

Come on, neilo. Unless I missed a post, you're the last of the top three to stay below 110k. Do you really want to leave that top spot to a kitty cat? :P

Reply #794 Top

Working a mumbler atm, but once that is done ill get back to the ZYW....

Reply #795 Top

Quoting Magnumaniac, reply 17
Mag got 97k? Really?

97,650 if you must know   

I'm sure there is 100K to be had on a TA Immense. I actually plan a little experiment after finshing my current "big" game - I think I know how I can get a ZYW on a TA Immense, all-abundant with 9 AIs now. Will be interesting to see how it compares score-wise with the more standard ZYW (probably less, as I know I'll have to probably push the game into November / December).

This thread needed a bump anyway.

Not relevant to the ZYW thread itself, but I'd be very interesting in reading that AAR, Mag.  I want to say I think I know how you'll do it, but there's probably at least one other way.

-

Also, I've been thinking about it, and I came to the conclusion that the reason it's 12 turns is because that's how long a year was (12 months, a turn equaled a month, IIRC) in GC1.  Makes sense, anyway.

Was just thinking about how I'd like to see a return to that timescale in GC3-it'd make both elections and UP meetings have more of an effect as well, at least at their current frequency of twice a year and once a year.

Reply #796 Top

*lifts head and sniffs the wind............*

Reply #797 Top

Oh, that?  It's my truck's new air freshener.  Eau de Rosie Clone.  :karma:  

Reply #798 Top

*Tilts head as hears sound of dam breaking??*

Reply #799 Top

There's a new sheriff in town.  }:)

This game is a new series called the ZYDeth in honor of the person who came up with the base strategy, DethAdder.  Thanks, DA!  :beer:

Reply #800 Top

mwahahaha, imdeed, motti.

:thumbsup: congrats to you. think you'll break 200k?