OOC Thread and Chatroom

[TinCow]

This is the OOC Thread for Last of the Romans. This thread is designed to be a simple chatroom for LotR players. No important information will ever be posted in here. This thread does not count as a "public thread" for the purposes of the LotR rules, so any oath swearing, oath breaking, or wills which are posted in here will not be considered valid. No information posted in this thread will be considered as binding on the Megas Logothetes. In short, this thread has no official relationship to LotR in any capacity. It is simply a chatroom.

[Privateerkev]

[TinCow]

How did I know you'd be the first person to post in here?

[Privateerkev]

How did I know you'd be the first person to post in here?

lucky guess?

(that and I've been struggling with where to put OOC posts lately)

[_Tristan_]

Tincow, we had better start fast because I have started drooling just looking at the list of avatars...

There will be drool all over the place if we do not start soon...

[Csargo]

Tincow, we had better start fast because I have started drooling just looking at the list of avatars...

There will be drool all over the place if we do not start soon...

[OverKnight]

Looking at all those avatars is scary. It's great that we'll be able to give everyone a character from the get go, but as the first Chanc. . .Logothetes I have no idea how to include everyone in the action.

The ERE starts with two or three field armies, one of which is Alexius's. We've got around 6 or 7 territories. Compare this to the 28 or so avatars we're going to have. There's going to be a lot of sitting around and watching mosaics set.

I'm a bit concerned how I will be able to integrate the new rules, a large amount of avatars and a new mod into a satisfying experience for everyone. Granted the test game gave us some experience, but this is huge and a bit intimidating. I'm starting to get pre-game jitters.

[AussieGiant]

I love this draft picking process.

I've been scanning over the likely candidates and I must say it looks good!!

PK, you're banana's!

Great comment in the Sign Up thread though. That made me laugh out loud at my computer this evening.

[AussieGiant]

Looking at all those avatars is scary. It's great that we'll be able to give everyone a character from the get go, but as the first Chanc. . .Logothetes I have no idea how to include everyone in the action.

The ERE starts with two or three field armies, one of which is Alexius's. We've got around 6 or 7 territories. Compare this to the 28 or so avatars we're going to have. There's going to be a lot of sitting around and watching mosaics set.

I'm a bit concerned how I will be able to integrate the new rules, a large amount of avatars and a new mod into a satisfying experience for everyone. Granted the test game gave us some experience, but this is huge and a bit intimidating. I'm starting to get pre-game jitters.

OK, don't get all nervous now...YOU'RE the King of Outremer and a member of the damn Illuminati!!

Now start acting like an Emper...Logothetes, and settle down man!!

*slaps OK and throws a glass of water in his face*

Get a hold of yourself man!! :-)

[Privateerkev]

PK, you're banana's!

Great comment in the Sign Up thread though. That made me laugh out loud at my computer this evening.

I'm just excited. :D

As for the comment, I thought you would appreciate that. ^_^

Looking at all those avatars is scary. It's great that we'll be able to give everyone a character from the get go, but as the first Chanc. . .Logothetes I have no idea how to include everyone in the action.

The ERE starts with two or three field armies, one of which is Alexius's. We've got around 6 or 7 territories. Compare this to the 28 or so avatars we're going to have. There's going to be a lot of sitting around and watching mosaics set.

I'm a bit concerned how I will be able to integrate the new rules, a large amount of avatars and a new mod into a satisfying experience for everyone. Granted the test game gave us some experience, but this is huge and a bit intimidating. I'm starting to get pre-game jitters.

I think you'll do fine. I think everyone understands that there will be little for most of us to do. Plus, in theory we'll be doing a lot of the work for you. Many of us will dl/ul the save and move our own avatars. There are few armies for you to keep track of.

Just be draconian about the SOT and we'll end up policing ourselves.

[flyd]

I say you rotate one of the armies between the avatars, letting each of them conquer one province... starting with me.

[00jebus]

I say the best blitzers get the starting armies, otherwise we wont have enough provinces for everyone by the end of the first term

(note: I consider myself to be more of a defensive or cavalry commander more than any other type)

[Privateerkev]

I say the best blitzers get the starting armies, otherwise we wont have enough provinces for everyone by the end of the first term

We're not going to have enough provinces for everyone for awhile. It will make them worth more. Getting them will be dependent on making in-game relationships with the other nobles.

If you want one, cozy up to a noble with land and serve him loyally. Once you have the land, you can serve him disloyally. He might attack you of course but that's part of the fun. :D

[Zim]

Oooohh...OOC thread.

Not much to say regarding starting characters. Given that he actually looks a lot like my old character Andreas, it would be immensely cool if I managed to get Andrikas, but it's not a big deal.

[OverKnight]

Troop options at the beginning are going to be scarce as well. Besides existing units, there are no foot archers available for recruitment, the only cav is Skythikons and we'll be relying on militia spearmen for infantry. Army composition rules might be violated while we await archer buildings, unless mercs are hired.

The scarcity of troops plus the supply rules will cut down on blitzing.

[TinCow]

Looking at all those avatars is scary. It's great that we'll be able to give everyone a character from the get go, but as the first Chanc. . .Logothetes I have no idea how to include everyone in the action.

The first term should go pretty fast, so I don't think there will be too much thumb twiddling. Plus, there are tons of rebel territories around us, none of which need an Edict to conquer.

[Zim]

Do we know for sure what day the first Diet will be? I'll be gone from the 31st to the 2nd.

[TinCow]

Nope, not yet. I am going backpacking with the wife over the weekend. I will be gone from tomorrow (Saturday) morning until probably late afternoon on Monday. I'll take a look at how many people are signed up at that point. I will then decide whether to 'close' sign-ups or keep them open and put some ads up around the forums. Whenever sign-ups 'close' I will take the people who are signed up at that point and create the order list for picking avatars, and we will begin with that process. People can continue joining after that point, but they will go to the very bottom of the selection list, regardless of how many KOTR votes they participated in. Next weekend is a possible goal for starting, but nothing is set in stone yet. Could be a couple days earlier, could be a couple days later.

[Zim]

I just hope I make the first vote.

Will be out on a trip with my wife next weekend, it's our first anniversary.

[Ferret]

congrats Zim, have a balloon!

[Ramses II CP]

I think I'll be choosing an avatar, when my turn rolls around, based more on age than starting stats. None of them have too much of an advantage over the rest, but the difference between a starter at 16 and one at 25 (or 32!) is pretty significant.

[deguerra]

Yay an OOC thread.

OK guys, a quick point I'd like you to discuss before I start it up:

I am going to be the despot of Arms again, it seems, in this newest installation of this madness, and am looking forward to it.

Arms do not play a major role in Byzantine history, and my initial time will be a bit limited by university, so I have a few ideas to balance this while at the same time perhaps tying Arms into our new rank system.

1. Every "house", that is feudal chain, to have a Coat of Arms (as in KotR). For inspirations to Byzantine Arms go here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byzantine_heraldry, but feel free to go nuts. The only thing I ask is that it be kept reasonably simple.

2.1 Strators only use their House Arms

2.2 Comes, Domestikos, Hypatos and Antypatos may make some additions to their House Arms

2.3 Patrikos and Dux may halve or quarter their House Arms with a personal Arms, or make otherwise major additions.

2.4 Megas Dux/Exarch, as well as Caesars and Basileoses may have their own personal Arms.

2.5 The Chancellor is to get a special symbol added to his Arms.

Now please discuss guys, is this ok, what would you like changed, what do you think? I want to make this as accessible and fun as possible for everyone, while keeping it reasonably simple in the interest of time and some historical accuracy.

[Zim]

Sounds like an interesting idea to me. Won't it mean more work for you considering how fluid the rank system is?

I'd add that once a person reaches a rank he keeps the priveleges regarding arms of that rank, even if he falls down the chain at some point. That should slow constant changing of arms a bit.

[TinCow]

I like the system very much, as it gives another IC benefit to advancing in rank. As long as you're willing to make the coats of arms, I think it's a great idea. I also agree with Zim regarding letting people keep their old coat of arms, even if they're demoted.

[deguerra]

Good point Zim, and that is one that I had intended.

Regarding work, I think it should be a little less. In KotR, while everyone used their House Arms as "backdrop" I was essentially creating an extra one for every character. With this, a few additions to a House Arms for the lower ranks should mean much less work, especially given that there wont be many of the higher ranks for a while yet.

One other thing I wanted to bring up: the Byzantine did not use "shields" as in European Heraldry, as the only place they really displayed their Arms was in flags. The disadvantage of this is that they do not look quite as pretty, IMO. The advantage is that they are much easier to make.

[AussieGiant]

Hi deguerra,

As I pointed out when you first did this in KotR, this is a great idea!!

I like the idea that people will start to be identified easily by their arms. Their allegiance and standing will slowly become instantly identifiable as time goes on.

Again fantasitic deguerra. Thanks for doing this.

[Privateerkev]

Q: Hey! The Byzantine Empire wasn't a feudal system! It was a dictatorship; a self-perpetuating autocracy...
A: Yeah, we know. The rules were written to generically apply to Medieval Europe. They don't fit perfectly with the historical reality of Byzantium, but we're very loose on the historical accuracy in LotR. Where it fits, we use it, but enjoyable gameplay comes first. It's really more of an autonomous collective, specifically an anarcho-syndicalist commune. We take it in turns to act as a sort of executive officer for the term, but all the decisions of that officer have to be ratified at a special deka-turn meeting, by a simple majority in the case of normal affairs, but by a two-thirds majority in the case of rule changes.

Q: Well, how did you become Basileus, then?
A: Be quiet!

TC, I almost fell off of my chair laughing at this one...

(look at my signature)

[AussieGiant]

Where did that stuff come from PK?

That's pretty funny.

[Privateerkev]

Where did that stuff come from PK?

That's pretty funny.

TC and I are both using quotes from scene 3 in Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/mphg/mphg.htm

Just scroll down to scene 3 and enjoy.

[AussieGiant]

Even just reading that makes me laugh.

Thanks PK.