October 21st, 2015, 20:12
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The prequels may have given this movie a fighting chance. Their sheery awfulness has created a cottage industry of discussion about what went wrong and what makes star wars star wars. And so far JJ Abrams has said the right sort of things. Through their weakness the new movies shall have strength.
Or so I hope. :lol I am actually cautiously optimistic though.
And also in fairness EP III isn't awful. It was ok. I and II suck much much more.
re: Brick - I think we've read the same article arguing for that order. I buy it honestly. The case as I would make it: Going IV, V, VI, I, II, III is weird because you don't end at the... end, and that palpatine is the emperor isn't a surprise (not sure how surprised I would've been, but anyway). I, II, III, IV, V, VI is liable to make someone stop partway through because the first 2 suck, and you also ruin the twist in V that Vader is Luke's father. IV is also by far the best intro movie to the universe, unsurprisingly.
Therefore, if you do IV, V, I, II, III, V, you preserve both twists, start at the best spot, end at the best spot, and basically get to use the prequels as a sort of flashback explaining the twist you just discovered in V. You ruin that Leia is Luke's sister, but honestly that reveal isn't particularly more dramatic in its original form in VI, still works pretty well finding it out at the end of III.
However, fundamental flaw here: Why on earth are you even watching I? I sucks. And also, contains pretty much no plot relevant information. II also sucks but unfortunately it actually contains relevant plot points, so we can't excise it. But I, I can be done away with. I can never happen. Without I, no annoying Jar Jar. Without I, no totally incompetent and nonthreatening trade federation. I'm a bit sad that we lose qui-gon, and especially the final duel v darth maul, but I'm willing to make that sacrifice.
Therefore: IV, V, II, III, VI.
Also, hidden benefit: Now you get to move 2 whole extra movies in between Luke and Leia making out and finding out that they're twins.
re: Boldly - this is greatness
re: TBS and tech thread - posting soon
Fear cuts deeper than swords.
October 21st, 2015, 20:26
Posts: 1,778
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Joined: Jun 2013
Overview shot:
New neighbor down here:
Somewhat complicates landgrab, need to think. 3-way race for stuff in that corner.
Demos
Very good in foodhammers. GNP atrocious. The rank looks not AWFUL, and to be fair I'm saving gold, but I have lots of culture distorting that. 1st in land area, but that's unsurprising given IMP + henge.
Fear cuts deeper than swords.
October 21st, 2015, 20:48
(This post was last modified: October 21st, 2015, 20:49 by TheHumanHydra.)
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I think I'm one of the few people who genuinely likes Episode I - and more the more I see it. It has the elements of the classic narrative arc that e.g. Episode II lacks - though it does suffer from annoying characters and weak villains. Episode III is a genuinely compelling story, marred by its endless sequence of plot-distracting fight scenes and some weak dialogue (I recall being spellbound by the novelization of Episode III).
As for the new films, I trust the combination of J.J. Abrams, Lawrence Kasdan, and John Williams to produce at least a solid (if not spectacular) first film. What I am more worried about is that the franchise will go the way of Pirates of the Caribbean, which followed an immensely entertaining first film with a string of steadily-declining, increasingly irrelevant sequels. The sheer quantity of films Disney is proposing frightens me that they intend to milk the franchise past the point of quality. But the first one or two - they at least I'm optimistic will be of the quality level of, say, the Star Trek reboot. And yes, childhood/adolescent nostalgia transforms that into genuine excitement.
October 21st, 2015, 21:17
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John Williams 
My son has finally moved on from his obsession with Gustav Holst's The Planets, but only because now his favorite music is everything by John Williams, especially Star Wars. Happily, Williams has a huge body of work so I don't have to hear the same thing every day now....
When it comes time for him to see the movies I think I'll skip episode I. This discussion is reminding me of the visceral hated I had for JarJar... No need to go through that again. 
October 22nd, 2015, 06:41
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Yeah dtay, that pretty ell sums up my reasoning. I think part of it is I still enjoyed II quite a lot, though obviously others didn't, so I have no problems keeping it in the rotation. And I feel like you can't just jump into III from the original trilogy, and you certainly can't skip III.
October 26th, 2015, 19:33
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PSA: You're now the proud owner of the first half of a turn split.
October 27th, 2015, 16:57
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Joined: Nov 2012
(October 21st, 2015, 20:48)TheHumanHydra Wrote: I think I'm one of the few people who genuinely likes Episode I - and more the more I see it. It has the elements of the classic narrative arc that e.g. Episode II lacks - though it does suffer from annoying characters and weak villains. Episode III is a genuinely compelling story, marred by its endless sequence of plot-distracting fight scenes and some weak dialogue (I recall being spellbound by the novelization of Episode III).
As for the new films, I trust the combination of J.J. Abrams, Lawrence Kasdan, and John Williams to produce at least a solid (if not spectacular) first film. What I am more worried about is that the franchise will go the way of Pirates of the Caribbean, which followed an immensely entertaining first film with a string of steadily-declining, increasingly irrelevant sequels. The sheer quantity of films Disney is proposing frightens me that they intend to milk the franchise past the point of quality. But the first one or two - they at least I'm optimistic will be of the quality level of, say, the Star Trek reboot. And yes, childhood/adolescent nostalgia transforms that into genuine excitement.
Yeah, you're in the minority there.
I actually liked the JJ re-boot of Star Trek when I first saw it. But then I went back and watched the 1979 version. Side-by-side, the 1979 version made the JJ re-boot look really stupid.
Then there's this: http://io9.com/star-trek-into-darkness-t...-508927844
October 27th, 2015, 17:03
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I thought the JJ re-boot of Star Trek wasn't too bad. I mean, there no depth to it, but it was fun, looked cool, and it had exciting, nicely-paced action. And it was way, way better than any of the TNG movies, ugh.
If we can at least say that the new Star Wars was "fun, looked cool, and it had exciting, nicely-paced action," then that's pretty much a smashing success.
October 28th, 2015, 16:46
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Interesting times afoot. I moved a settler up to settle the border with ichabod, he declared war with no units in sight. So clear warning. Really do not want a hot war atm, especially not with the dude with Phalanxes. I moved my settler to a slightly-less annoying location for Ichabod (not stealing the marble) and offered peace.
No dice.
So now we sit with a new city, currently protected by a warrior and a vulture. I'm saving gold to possibly upgrade the (c1) warrior, but would like to not. Ichabod has a single phalanx in site, and a woody2 warrior wandering around. If that's all he sends, then great, i can deal with that.
If he sends more... well, it depends how much. I whipped another vulture in the nearest city, who can be there in 2t. I have 2 chariots on standby out of Ichabod's sight 1 tile NW of the new city, considering flashing them to see if it makes him back off. Not that chariots are great against phalanx, blargh. Final piece of defense I can muster is a worker has 2/3 chopped a hill in the BFC of the new city. I WANT to spend this on a wall once I get stone. If forced, I can throw it at an archer. Basically, if ichabod's stack appears next turn, then archer. If it does not appear, then I will have time for wall. Unless it's a stack of chariots, then i'm just screwed.
So, ichabod's move. Depends how many and of what he sends, if anything. Really wish I had a spear around here, but alas, I do not. Hoping Ichabod's been building his generally better phalanx instead of chariots (though obvi the warrior can upgrade to a spear as well).
I forgot pictures, will log in and get them later today maybe.
Fear cuts deeper than swords.
October 31st, 2015, 06:57
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Joined: Mar 2014
T74. I played for you since there was an hour left on the clock.
I moved your settler to the one spot that seemed ok (double plains cow, THE ULTIMATE TILE):
Moved your military into your border city against Ichabod, and moved the worker onto the backlines forest to prepare for chopping the walls.
Ichabod had 2 Phalanx, 2 workers, and the woody II warrior in-view.
Workers in other areas did what seemed to be the obvious thing to do. I didn't whip anything since you seemed pressed for happy cap and were working almost all improved tiles.
Ichabod has instructed me to offer you a peace treaty on his side of the split, which I'm about to play now.
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