Ray the Wanderer Ray the Wanderer

Fellowship of the Ring Empire Thread

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Fellowship of the Ring Empire Thread

from Stardock Forums
The Prancing Pony

The welcome sight of a tavern greeted the weary traveler as he moved within distance of the town. Having traveled for many days, he longed for a cool mug of ale to slake his road-thirst.

As he approached the inn, he could see a sign of a fat pony rearing up on its hindlegs. The letters, THE PRANCING PONY, was painted in white.

The common room was large and rowdy. A bald and overweight innkeeper stood bent over the counter, whispering the latest gossip into the ears of a patron. On the benches were various folks, the local drunks for most part, but in corners of the taverns, he noticed there were groups drinking by themselves.

Setting himself down, the traveler handed a couple of coppers over to one of the bar wrenches for ale.

“Welcome to the Pony.” The traveler was mildly surprised to find a sprightly old man next to him, holding his gaze with keen eyes that belittled his obvious antiquity.

“Thank you, and whom do I have the pleasure of addressing?”

“Folks around here call me Ray and I do enjoy meeting up with newcomers to see if there is any assistance I could render.”

“That would be great, Ray. I would love to learn about the people who reside in these parts.”

“Ah, that’s a frequently asked question and one I’m well qualified to answer. There are a couple of factions here in Meta that you will want to watch out for.

The Pirates are currently dominant. Not the most refined of speakers but they are a jovial bunch, with a particular weakness for good drinks.

The Diplomats hold power in the Courts. Their courtiers are many but they don’t really mix with us common folks.

The Farmers are our working class. Hardworking and honest, they are however on occasion given over to overly elaborate festivals and celebrations.

The Galahs are a group of seafarers. They are also good trainers of livestock.

The Warlords are our warrior class. Their love for long campaigns leaves them frequently out of town.

The Spiders monopolise our merchant guilds. They are by far the most invertebrate bunch of traders you will ever see.

Far to the north, the Undead holds a death grip over the wastelands. I would caution you against traveling down that road.

There are many other smaller factions around, but I leave the details of those to Barley our bartender.

One of our tavern regulars, Gerakken the Spymaster, is also in the know with regards to many of the factions. So do buy him a drink if you want to find out more.”

“Thanks for the insights, Ray. But how about yourself, which faction do you belong to?”

Smiling to himself, the old man stood.

“Come round the Fellowship Halls tomorrow morning and I’ll show you around.”
467,706 views 2,185 replies
Reply #1151 from Stardock Forums Top
I believe one of the reasons for degradation is for the newbies to have a better chance to take the top ranking spots from oldies who have stopped playing.

Yes, it is likely that the newbies will eventually overtake a dormant player through many games, but I thought the degradation makes it easier and gives the motivation for oldtimers to keep submitting.
Reply #1152 from Stardock Forums Top
Cotal, I jumped out to chat with Idleprocess in the MWC channel.

Then I had to drive to work. :P
Siege of Centauri
Reply #1153 from Stardock Forums Top
From a noob POV, I would find it frustrating to have to pass someone who has not submitted a game in ages (>6mos), and most likely is not going to be submitting one soon. If that "legend" is not playing the game anymore, get the F**K outta my way.

Alternately, perhaps MEATaverse could make a "hall of fame" (say limit it to 20 or 30 names/scores) for players that have become inactive, and let the current players have a chance at top-dog. This would allow them to retain their legendary status, AND provide an obtainable goal that is reasonable for the ACTIVE players. imnsho.
*************************
Never attribute to malice, that which can be obtained with stupidity
Reply #1154 from Stardock Forums Top
Work! Egads they got to you as well! We are all butt slaves, everyone of us . . . Coggs in the wheels of industry so encumbered a carelessly broken ! Single grains amongst a sea of oppressed minion! Just worthless concubines salivating like lap dogs to the desires of the rich aristocracy! Aggggg . . .

Actually scrub that, I like my job, gets me out of the house and away from (you know) them. Please Disregard this post entierly . . . unless your very rich or royalty in which case 'pooh' to you!

Oh the point of what I was trying to say was that in the old days the game scores where alot lower anyway, so I'm not sure the players you mentioned provide an acurrate indication of decay rate.

I could go away for 6 mths (i.e. not sumbit any games) and come back if that is your bidding Master? :(

Edit- couslee, interesting suggestions. The best I've heard is a medal or something nice and shinny that says past No.1 or past top.5 or past top.25, or maybe simply 'Hasbeen' LOL

Unfortunately the funding for this 'Meataverse' (? I wonder what you mean by that . . . I'll just giggle like I always do when I don't get the joke . . hehe) has dried up! Or so I've read. At least until All the mola comes rolling in from the Beta Release (which is another issue entirerly) . . .

[Message Edited]
Reply #1155 from Stardock Forums Top
I could go away for 6 mths (i.e. not sumbit any games) and come back if that is your bidding Master?
End of quote


And your hall of fame score could be re-activated. (grin)
Reply #1156 from Stardock Forums Top
Work! Egads they got to you as well! We are all butt slaves, everyone of us . . . Coggs in the wheels of industry so encumbered a carelessly broken ! Single grains amongst a sea of oppressed minion! Just worthless concubines salivating like lap dogs to the desires of the rich aristocracy! Aggggg . . .
End of quote


U like drama, don't you Cotal?

Oh the point of what I was trying to say was that in the old days the game scores where alot lower anyway, so I'm not sure the players you mentioned provide an acurrate indication of decay rate.
End of quote


The mechanisms of decaying is such that the scores in our list are not visibly reduced/aged (ie the scores on our list doesn't drop from 100 to 95 to 90) but the ageing effect is only evident in the final score. So I think it is possible to see if there is decay. I leave it to our expert mathematican to advise.

'Meataverse'
End of quote


BlueSteel called it the MeatVerse in the "Metaverse Ranks" thread, same place I got the "Most Ranked Dog" from Kit. Couslee was quick to catch onto that :)

At least until All the mola comes rolling in from the Beta Release (which is another issue entirerly) . .
End of quote


I suggested a "Save our Metaverse" fund some time ago. Maybe they should set up an electronic donation box on the site. :D
Reply #1157 from Stardock Forums Top
Alternately, perhaps MEATaverse could make a "hall of fame" (say limit it to 20 or 30 names/scores) for players that have become inactive, and let the current players have a chance at top-dog. This would allow them to retain their legendary status, AND provide an obtainable goal that is reasonable for the ACTIVE players. imnsho.
End of quote


I think that may be a good idea, Couslee. As you said, they could be re-inserted if they reactivate themselves. But needs some coding which SD can't do without resources.
Reply #1158 from Stardock Forums Top
Before Staffa and I took over the "Most Rank Dog" spot, I could remember two others who were there for some time. They were Norin from Imperia Galactica and Andrew Chai an independent. Both have stopped playing for quite a while.Andrew is now at rank 1237 with 2733 score and Norin is now at rank 740 with 8155 score.Can you do a check on their scores to see if they have degraded or have they just remained at the score where they stopped playing? That's possible to tell, right?
End of quote


Quite possible. And very interesting results.
A note first: going by forum posts on the subject, the metaverse wide recalculation was around June 8-10 rather than May.

Norin score: Player page score of 8155.2 is exactly consistant with a June 8 calculation. His list score of 8155 does not seem to work for any date assuming the 5% degradation.

I'm going to make the wild guess that this means the 5% list degradation is a recent change. Should be easy enough to check later. Assuming the June 8 calc date is right, there is no new degradation.


Andrew Chai score: Player page score of 2049.6 and list score of 2733 are exactly consistant with a calculation date of August 11.

This could mean either auto-degradation starts after 4 months of inactivity (his last submission was April 11) or he upgraded to Drengin.net and converted his scores August 11. Is there any way to check if an player is Galciv-only or Drengin.net?
Reply #1159 from Stardock Forums Top
Sorry Icemole not sure how you could check that out . . . mmm.

Ray, many other sites have a donations option via paypal and the like . . . this seems like a good suggestion. Little by little can be a lot (or maybe enough to make a difference).

Regarding my dramatics, I am in a strange/happy mood today :HOT: ,

Did I mention we just brough a house . . . I think I'll be like this for a while . . . (until the novelty wears off and interest rates on our loan go up).


[Message Edited]
Reply #1160 from Stardock Forums Top
This could mean either auto-degradation starts after 4 months of inactivity (his last submission was April 11) or he upgraded to Drengin.net and converted his scores August 11. Is there any way to check if an player is Galciv-only or Drengin.net?
End of quote


I don't think there is any way to check regarding Drengin subscription. I doubt he is still around though so we can discount him upgrading to Drengin. And the exact 4 months is too coincidential.

What we could do now to confirm is to look for a player like Andrew who has stopped playing 4 months ago and see if his scores get auto-recalced when he crosses this boundary.
Reply #1161 from Stardock Forums Top
Regarding my dramatics, I am in a strange/happy mood today
End of quote


I wouldn't want to catch you in a foul mood. Does cutlery or furniture go flying?

Did I mention we just brough a house . . . I think I'll be like this for a while . . . (until the novelty wears off and interest rates on our loan go up).
End of quote


Yes, you did. It must be fun being the King and Queen of your very own castle.
Reply #1162 from Stardock Forums Top
IceMole, try if you can get Nidaros (Emperor of Imperia Galactica) http://www.galciv.com/info.asp?accountID=305310 to map exactly to 4 months.

I will keep my eye on Matthew Gardner http://www.galciv.com/info.asp?accountID=619109 who stopped playing on 20 Apr to see if his scores automatically gets recalced on 20 Aug thereabouts. For record here, his Meta score with eight games is 1688 pts. His profile score is 1353.2 pts.
Reply #1163 from Stardock Forums Top
He baiting me to go down to his level and he is not going to succeed. I'll rather walk away every time than engage in this meaningless talk.
End of quote


BWAHAHHAHAHAHA!!!! LIKE THIS POST IS REALLY WALKING AWAY!!!!!!!!

OH THAT'S RICH!!!!!!

More concerned with his image than the truth. Sorry. You got called on it yet again.

LMAO!!!!
Reply #1164 from Stardock Forums Top
What we could do now to confirm is to look for a player like Andrew who has stopped playing 4 months ago and see if his scores get auto-recalced when he crosses this boundary.
End of quote


I've taken a look at 6 players with most recent scores before the metaverse-wide recalc. 5 of them look like June 8 calculation while the 6th has degradation to this month.

IceMole, try if you can get Nidaros (Emperor of Imperia Galactica) Link to map exactly to 4 months.
End of quote


Nidaros seems to map to 4 months. Matthew Gardener also has current degradation.

I've just noticed that the low ranking player with current degradation as well as Nidaros and Matthew Gardener have very low ID numbers. I almost think we may be in the middle of a metaverse-wide recalc right now.
Reply #1165 from Stardock Forums Top
I've just noticed that the low ranking player with current degradation as well as Nidaros and Matthew Gardener have very low ID numbers.
End of quote


They were the earliest to register on the Metaverse.

Matthew Gardener also has current degradation.
End of quote


That's weird, he shouldn't have passed the 4 mth mark yet.
Reply #1166 from Stardock Forums Top
Another possibility is that running constant recalculations may be too resource-intensive for Stardock to want to do it regularly. If I remember correctly, the last metaverse-wide recalc took quite a while to complete, so it may be a more difficult task than we realize.
End of quote


It took them nearly a full two days to complete it. Sounds to me like it's very much a big thing.

I don't really see a problem with leaving players' scores alone when they are gone.

Nor do I. They also may be something to shoot for.
Reply #1167 from Stardock Forums Top
So our conclusion currently is that there is a score degradation for dormant players.

The question is whether the degradation is triggered on a meta-wide basis or on a player specific basis.
Reply #1168 from Stardock Forums Top
I suggested a "Save our Metaverse" fund some time ago. Maybe they should set up an electronic donation box on the site. :D
End of quote


Yeah, but then it'll be the same as before, with people arguing over what exactly should happen...

Now, if we set up different political parties with different views ("Skill Before All", "Score Us By The Hour", etc.), then people could vote with their wallets, and the devs could use the cash to do whatever the party with the most cash wants.

Heh, that'd be fun... any budding politicians out there want to hire a speech-writer? :-p
Reply #1169 from Stardock Forums Top
I suggested before that people who makes scoring suggestions must first be a Drengin.net subscriber.

They must also donate $x for every suggestion made. :P

Budding politicians should get Drengin.net for the Political Machine. Seems like a game right down their alley.
Reply #1170 from Stardock Forums Top
Can you beleieve it? I finally stumbled across our site . . . Who knows what the heck I was looking at for the last two weeks thinking it was ours! Probably the official LOTR site (thats a worry) . . . I was wondering why it was so very FULL-ON! How Embarrassing!

Anyway just to remind people that theres an 'excelent' space to write a short bio on yourselves, all your Alliases are listed so why not put something in there?

BigWheel
Bombashaman
bostonrpgmania
bruinb77
Celt vIDAS
Cirrhosis
Freya
FriendJosh
Gengsta
Gezz
Gibbie99
J4
Keith LaMothe
KseAli
LanVik
Lizard79
Mad Prophet
Matthew Downie
Michael Casey
Mikelangelo
Nastavnik
Patman3
philopoemen
Popup Target
redshift8
ricbayer
Richard Heaton
smok-n-joe
Terrill
ThelebK
Uileat

A pretty site by the way (but not as good as the official LOTR one obviously . . . hehe, gezz I'm stupid . . )

[Message Edited]
Reply #1171 from Stardock Forums Top
I've got it!

Stardock should hold a poll for us to vote for our preferred scoring system. Each vote must be backed up by cold hard cash. SD will implement the new system based on the one with the highest cash votes. LOL

Reminds me of e-bidding.
Reply #1172 from Stardock Forums Top
I've just noticed that the low ranking player with current degradation as well as Nidaros and Matthew Gardener have very low ID numbers.
End of quote


That's weird, he shouldn't have passed the 4 mth mark yet.
End of quote


What I am thinking is that there is a metaverse-wide recalc going on right now with processing in order of ID number.

I am now looking at TJL1, rank 20, ID 119, most recent submission on 8/8, but calculation has to be 8/11 or 8/12.
Reply #1173 from Stardock Forums Top
You might be on to something, IceMole (cue X Files soundtrack).

Let's keep an eye on the oldies.

Nastavnik has a low ID - 581. Let's see if he gets a recalc. Current scores 4483/4462.2
[Message Edited]
Reply #1174 from Stardock Forums Top
"Stardock should hold a poll for us to vote for our preferred scoring system. Each vote must be backed up by cold hard cash. SD will implement the new system based on the one with the highest cash votes."

Oy! That's what I just said! You stole my idea! Impeach! IMPEACH! That's just the sort of dirty trick we'd expect from the "Score By Skill" party. You probably did that to get a Veteran tag in the first place! "ooh, mistur froggy sir, look at all these great ideas i invented" *cough* bullshit!

Come on, people! Don't fall for trickery like this! Vote for a party with some morals - send your cash my way! We take cash, cheque, credit card, booze, the lot!

TheQuack

President of the "Extra Scores For Drunken Animals" Political Party


(do i really have to add a j/k?)
[Message Edited]
Reply #1175 from Stardock Forums Top
Didn't read your post properly, Quack. Yeah, the idea's yours. Can we say great minds think alike?

(do i really have to add a j/k?)
End of quote


I might be slow but I can still tell when someone is trying to be funny or malicious. :P
[Message Edited]