[PB37 SPOILER] Coeurva, Bacchus -- Cyrus of Carthage

[Coeurva]

Let's play it out, fuck him up a bit, have some fun. We still have a very distant chance of pulling something out of GJ and dtay self-destruct against each other.

Thumbs fucking up until they become beanstalks.

I would say there is one legitimate reason to leave -- if you feel too emotionally invested and that the game is becoming too big a part of your life. You posted enough that this may well be the case.

I've wanted to post less for a while, but then you'd essentially be out of the game, and discussing is half the fun. What I thought Krill had done has raised the investment to the next level where it's no longer manageable for me, that's why I've said that I'm starting to feel like Civ has become a test of character. Another problem is that I'm not attuned enough to Civ, therefore moves that e.g. dtay can apparently make in 10 minutes take an hour for me.

But in any case, I think this game is no longer what it was at the beginning, and it cannot return to that. Krill's issue, funnily enough, is just about the same one.

You have, of course, carte blanche to log in at any point. I'll also say it explicitly, you can change anything in-game.

But don't leave RB, you are a cool guy (or girl) and I want to see more of you around.

Well, there's nothing to say but thanks, man. I'd lurk your efforts to monopolize the black gold in Civ6-PBEM3 but there's no point, as I'm mostly clueless about the game and worse, already spoiled on all the threads.

Up to this point, I was thinking you thought I was barely bearable. Yeah I know you've joked around with me on occasion, but I'm prone to thinking others consider me an idiot. Including friends I've had for ten years. Sometimes within reason. Sometimes not at all. I'm not quite sure why that is. Perhaps Krill figured that out, incidentally? Oddly enough, that would only raise my respect for him; I admire people who have clear sight.

There are no girls on Realms Beyond, and a Slav should know that -a is the most masculine ending. To that, a hearty "coeurva!" -- In the Swedish sense, naturally.

Oh, also, how to deal with a maniac is a pretty interesting strategic issue in itself,

From another book on another game I can't play: the recommended strategy was to

a) leave the table to avoid falling into the trap (you will win given infinite repeats because you play hands that are winners probabilistically, but the vast stakes can well make you lose before it happens)
b) play hands that are not dominant, but have strong odds to make the big draw (like 8-7s)

I don't agree that my read of Krill was brilliant. He provided sufficient clues. In fact, had I read this in time, maybe I shouldn't even have made the decision to attack, precisely because we'd trigger mutually assured destruction (possibly: ours much more assured than his ).

Thus reiterating that I'd make a terrible Twilight Struggle player.

Also, GJ didn't call you fucking stupid, he just said that the post is a big violation of CTON.

I don't mean where he said "fucking massive violation, please delete it". He appended that writing spoilers to a public thread was fucking stupid. He's right. Besides, Ichabod and Jester suddenly posted to his thread and while I have no idea what they might have said, it's likely in response to Joey venting about the fucking newbie to his east (and formerly west) who posted intentional spoilers to the tech thread.

[Coeurva]

Old Harry, short and catechistic response because I'm tired of typing at this point:

Krill can't be an ally, unless you're no threat to win. Neither option is satisfying. (Of course that applies to pretty much all players, not only Krill. That's the trick. Why we can't be allies if we take one city from him is another thing. I've already said that I would gladly have accepted a factual city trade like Mandrake for Sweet Water and Regna, which leaves us worse off but allows us a much stronger defensive line against him, also building trust -- see our border with JR4, which is almost laughably designed to never erupt into warfare, since he can't get ships to his one city and we could never hold it.)

Thanks for letting me know it's not personal.

I maintain that Joey is factually right and has my back. I've been here for a while, I know that's just his style to say "fucking stupid" etc. (particularly in tech threads) and I frankly like it. I know he'd say it about himself too when he felt that way. It's refreshingly human to look at.

I maintain that if I let this game get to me this way, it's a sign I have to stop playing it. I slept for two hours because I was worrying about this shit. That can't be healthy. What's next? I imagine Krill promoting the stylized ships on my bathroom tiling to Combat 2?

As said, I'll play it to the end if Krill or Savant are looking forward to their personal revenge etc. and a sub would be half as satisfying. Also I'd hate quitting in the face of adversity. I think that the game has showed that I'm not cut out to play Civ MP, maybe less due to skill if you want to say that, but certainly because it takes too much from my life and this recent bout only made that crystal clear. Bacchus even spotted that quite early.

[Bacchus]

Yeah I know you've joked around with me on occasion, but I'm prone to thinking others consider me an idiot. Including friends I've had for ten years. Sometimes within reason. Sometimes not at all. I'm not quite sure why that is

Impostor syndrome? My thoughts on you were that you are astoundingly well-read, intelligent and motivated, but self-conscious and overinvested. Which is par for the course, I just described pretty much any McKinsey employee. I enjoyed dedlurking this a lot, and my only negative feelings were from feeling guilty for not being able to invest a commensurate amount of time and effort.

Of course GJ is venting, he likes to, it doesn't mean anything. See, forum computer games also train social skills!

We had to attack Mandrake regardless of Krill's possible reaction, as otherwise our game would have been completely hostage to him. No point in delaying that confrontation, the odds would never have been more favourable to us in that sea.

[Bacchus]

To be clear : I am not in a position to play this.

Maybe we can invite Yuri again? :D

[Coeurva]

The second coming of the Bane of Dtay, now with 100% more Heroic Epic. Hollywood calling.

EDIT: To put the rabbit's foot down for the last time, I still very much want to sub out and take a break, also from writing / reporting -- at the latest, as soon as (a) Krill signs peace (doubtlessly intimidated by our Venetian fleet, FORZA CARTAGINE, SCAMPI VA IN MONA*), or (b) we are eliminated (this is more likely than (a) ), or © Krill thinks it's okay for me to leave, maybe Savant too, since those two have the most immediate interest in the Carthaginian pilot being me specifically. For the reason that I've come to invest too much into this game, no matter how entertaining it might be. This recent stuff affair (let's have some dignity) has merely brought that to the forefront. I wish I had made the decision sooner, or in fact before joining, because in the face of impending doom it's the worst time to quit.

In other words, I am thankful that you didn't invest as much time / emotions / effort as I did. One less lost to madness. The result has been no less entertaining for sure.

On for the last act!

* This is a slur in all of Italy as well as in literal translation (easily imagined), except in Venice, where it's a sign of affection by sheer livelihood. I've recently been obsessed with this expression, obviously not in the literal sense. Strange case of how interjections are formed from more tangible phrases. Strange case of something that should be insulting ultimately turning out to be a bond, "chauvinism" in a life-affirming way.

[Bacchus]

See how it goes, it's good to train distancing yourself from these things. I mean, if a forum game is too intense, just think of office politics and all the other things in store for you after graduation. Can't sub out of them

[Coeurva]

True, but then it wouldn't really have been my decision to sign up for them, either. Besides, we probably all play this game because we find appeal in strategic virtues, but also have the civil virtues not to want to apply them under all conditions, or at all costs.

And now I'm really out for today.

[Mardoc]

Krill doesn't hate you, he's just playing the game. Next game you play he could be your ally and have your back the whole way. This game he's been as angry and frustrated with you as you have with him - that's the price of cton, but it's just a game. (See his reaction in pb18 when we cease-fired with dtay instead of peace-treatying so that we could protect him if dtay pressed him, but krill thought we'd hung him out to dry for more hilarious misunderstanding...)

As for the diplo post - that was a mistake, but please ignore joey's response. His tech thread Tourette's has been getting better recently, but that post is a major bit of a relapse and you can find similar hugely unjustified attacks on players in most of his previous games if you need to reassure yourself that it isn't your fault. edit: well there I go making assumptions - I thought the initial swearing and subsequent all caps indicated meltdown and didn't read, but actually the all caps was meant to be helpful.  

Agreed here.  Especially with regard to Joey.  I had a lot more trouble interacting with him before I understood that he's prone to hyperbole.

Yeah I know you've joked around with me on occasion, but I'm prone to thinking others consider me an idiot. Including friends I've had for ten years. Sometimes within reason. Sometimes not at all. I'm not quite sure why that is

Impostor syndrome? My thoughts on you were that you are astoundingly well-read, intelligent and motivated, but self-conscious and overinvested. Which is par for the course, I just described pretty much any McKinsey employee. I enjoyed dedlurking this a lot, and my only negative feelings were from feeling guilty for not being able to invest a commensurate amount of time and effort.

You're obviously not an idiot.  If anything, your mistakes seem to be the sort I'd expect from a smart person overthinking things .  One major thing engineering has taught me: it doesn't matter how smart and careful you are, everyone makes mistakes.

Regardless of whether you continue to play MP civ, I hope you stick around RB.  There are plenty of things we have fun with together that don't consume quite so much of your life and focus...

[chumchu]

Like I have said repeatedly I've enjoyed this thread a lot and I appreciate your musings on various topics and the time it took you to write them. I can understand if you want to get out of the game if you have become too invested and it takes too much of your time. I felt the same in the last game. A lot of things happened outside of civ and I ended up with too much other stuff to deal with at the time. That led to poor play (as opposed to mediocre =p) from my part which further sucked the fun out of the game for me. What I ended up doing was accepting that I would not get back in the game after I lost half my cities and my counterattacks failed spectacularly was just trying to make it hard for my conquerors without sinking too much time in it.

I have become somewhat invested in your civilization. I do not have that much time but I could sub in if people are ok with that. I have read some of the other threads, mostly Krill and Savant, but it was a few weeks ago when I latest read them.

To echo the others. Please stick around!

[Coeurva]

Ever since we plummeted from 800 GNP to 200 when the GA expired, I've accepted that we're not in position to win.

I'm not sure whether it's hilarious that Krill is playing these turns drunk, but his delivery in the tech thread sure is. This game couldn't get any sillier.

You should ask the other players whether they're okay with a spoiled takeover. I'd just be glad to hand the keys to anyone. Preferably after the war, because of possibly-misplaced pride.

Password is a lowercase L.