Octopus Overlords

Since it's cross-platform I thought this would be the best place to post. Anyone interested in taking part in a TS tourney? I'm in the one over at Q2T at the moment, and while I haven't even finished my first match yet, it's been tons o' fun.

Side note: I've given up on trying to get into Quarter to Three's forums since the change. The reset my password function apparently doesn't work for my account.

hepcat wrote:Side note: I've given up on trying to get into Quarter to Three's forums since the change. The reset my password function apparently doesn't work for my account.

I can get in, but hate the new format anyway. It's too difficult to figure out which threads have new posts as opposed to which are just new. And I still haven't figured out how to quote someone.

I'd bitch about it over there, but somehow I get the feeling that would be an exercise in futility.

So are you in for the tournament?

I just got my iOS code, although I also have it on PC. But couch play is too alluring. You can add "hepcat" to your friend's list and let me know when you're starting though.

It is cross-platform so it shouldn't matter. I'll add you to my friends list, and if no one else show interest at least we can get a game or two in.

Hmmm. Is it possible to save and pick up matches later?

Yes. In. Played two matches against Archinerd already.

I'd be up for it, although my availability on weeknights is usually limited to 10:30-midnight Eastern.

tgb wrote:

hepcat wrote:Side note: I've given up on trying to get into Quarter to Three's forums since the change. The reset my password function apparently doesn't work for my account.

I can get in, but hate the new format anyway. It's too difficult to figure out which threads have new posts as opposed to which are just new. And I still haven't figured out how to quote someone.

I'd bitch about it over there, but somehow I get the feeling that would be an exercise in futility.

So are you in for the tournament?

Not to derail, but you can just highlight the text you want quoted and a 'quote' button will appear.

Also, I believe if it is just new there will be a little blue 'new' next to the thread title whereas new posts just show a blue circle with the number of new posts. Still adjusting to that myself.

EDIT: I think the blue circle with a number appears only on threads where you have posted.

On topic:

This interests me but I have no experience with the game..is it like anything else out there as a frame of reference?

Is the iOS version Ipad only? I can't find it in the app store on my iPhone.

It is.

Redfive wrote:
On topic:

This interests me but I have no experience with the game..is it like anything else out there as a frame of reference?

I suppose you can look at it as an abstract resource management game (with the op points being the resource) but the flavor text on the cards is what really sells it. It also helps if you lived through the Cold War.

I have no experience in setting up a tournament like this. I'll run with it if nobody else steps forward, but I think we should give it another day to see who signs up.

Isgrimnur wrote:It is.

Seemingly all these new great board game apps are on iPad but not the iPhone. Maybe it's time to consider buying an iPad...

To be fair, many board game ports contain just too much information for an iPhone screen to reasonably present. Twilight Struggle being a major one in that category.

I have the game on PC and would like to play. Also, I'd love to actually try some of those COIN games through the Tabletop Simulator.

hepcat wrote:To be fair, many board game ports contain just too much information for an iPhone screen to reasonably present. Twilight Struggle being a major one in that category.

I figured. The main two ones I've been jealous of are Twilight Struggle and Pathfinder, both of which would probably be pretty crowded on an iPhone screen.

I wonder if the VR gear for mobile devices that are coming out would offset that issue for phone users?

Ralph-Wiggum wrote:

hepcat wrote:To be fair, many board game ports contain just too much information for an iPhone screen to reasonably present. Twilight Struggle being a major one in that category.

I figured. The main two ones I've been jealous of are Twilight Struggle and Pathfinder, both of which would probably be pretty crowded on an iPhone screen.

Pathfinder is OK on my phone, but Twilight Struggle would never work on a screen that small.

How often would we play? I would love to, but I'm already in an online Blood Bowl league and don't know if I have enough time.

You can get a turn or reaction to an event in every day in 10-30 minutes. Play would be over 2-4 weeks per game.

...or 7 to 10 minutes if you're playing against me.

Yeah, I suck.

hepcat wrote:...or 7 to 10 minutes if you're playing against me.

Yeah, I suck.

Defcon 2? We should throw an Olympics!

I just finished my game in the Q2T tournament this morning, and we had started on Thursday. Keep in mind the game supports async play, so schedules are not a problem.

Almost went the distance (made it to Turn 9), and it was close. I might very well have lost if the guy I was playing hadn't hit the "play event" button by accident and drop us into Defcon 1. But I'll take whatever I can get

Seriously, whenever someone does something that's going to mean Defcon I, there should be a big "You sure you want to do that, Dummy?" alert.

Zarathud wrote:You can get a turn or reaction to an event in every day in 10-30 minutes. Play would be over 2-4 weeks per game.

Oh, so it's PBEM style?

It can be async play, and you can switch to simultaneous play at same time.

ok, then I'm in.

Does this thing work on PCs or do I have to have one of them new fangled apple phones? More importantly, can PC play vs iphone?

NickAragua wrote:Does this thing work on PCs or do I have to have one of them new fangled apple phones? More importantly, can PC play vs iphone?

Steam version. Plus it supports cross-platform play.

Are you in?

So far confirmed I show:

tgb
Hepcat
Zaarathud
AWS260
Isgrimmer
El Guapo
NickArauga

Anyone missing? That makes 7 and we need one more for even matches.

Yeah, I'll pick it up.

I downloaded the game last night and fired up a game to do a round or two, and got stuck and wound up completing a 10 turn game (that I won at final scoring). Twilight Struggle is so good. I was pleasantly surprised by the AI, too. The main thing I noticed is that it tended to waste influence putting a little into countries that I controlled - it can often make sense (especially if you have a high influence value hand a round, or are using the China Card, etc) to overpower an opponent's influence in a country that they control, but the AI would tend to spend influence to put 1 influence in West Germany (say), then I spend 1 influence to take back control, then he spends 2 influence to increase his influence by 1, etc. Nothing problematic, and the AI was very competitive overall.

I also enjoyed the background sounds and music - definitely set the mood.

Anyone have a suggestion on how to structure this with only 7 people?

tgb wrote:Anyone have a suggestion on how to structure this with only 7 people?

How did they structure the Qt3 tournament?

We could either try to wrassle up one more and do an 8 person single elimination bracket, or just do a round-robin "everyone plays everyone" structure and have the top (say) 4 players do single elimination. Though that would probably take over a year to play out, I suppose.

El Guapo wrote:

tgb wrote:Anyone have a suggestion on how to structure this with only 7 people?

How did they structure the Qt3 tournament?

We could either try to wrassle up one more and do an 8 person single elimination bracket, or just do a round-robin "everyone plays everyone" structure and have the top (say) 4 players do single elimination. Though that would probably take over a year to play out, I suppose.

12 person bracket. Having an even number makes it so much easier.

tgb wrote:

El Guapo wrote:

tgb wrote:Anyone have a suggestion on how to structure this with only 7 people?

How did they structure the Qt3 tournament?

We could either try to wrassle up one more and do an 8 person single elimination bracket, or just do a round-robin "everyone plays everyone" structure and have the top (say) 4 players do single elimination. Though that would probably take over a year to play out, I suppose.

12 person bracket. Having an even number makes it so much easier.

NickAragua and I have a friend who might be interested (though I don't know if he's played TS before). I'll shoot him an e-mail.

Archinerd should join!

Is the game expensive? I think I've watched this played one time and if it's not too bad, I could pick it up tonight as a sacrificial lamb and join in the fun.

stessier wrote:Is the game expensive? I think I've watched this played one time and if it's not too bad, I could pick it up tonight as a sacrificial lamb and join in the fun.

It's $15.

tgb wrote:So far confirmed I show:

tgb
Hepcat
Zaarathud
AWS260
Isgrimmer
El Guapo
NickArauga

Anyone missing? That makes 7 and we need one more for even matches.

I'd be interested! I have TS on Steam. I'm "Holman" there.