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Year Zero Club

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Year Zero Club

...when simply winning is not enough!

from GalCiv2 Forums

First off, I couldn't have done this without the inspiration of the Metaverse League and Wyndstar in particular. Kudos to the master!

Now to the matter at hand.

I finally did it. A year zero win! Granted, it was only against 1 AI and on challenging (my current level) but I'm certain that 'tough' wouldn't have been much harder. On the other hand, it was my first attempt at an 'all-labs' and 'lease instead of buy' approach, so I consider myself proud that I could do it at all.

Here is the link to the character, as a proof: http://metaverse.galciv2.com/index.aspx?g=player&id=14517

For all of you, who like me thought that year zero wins are nigh impossible: Try it! Read the posts about it! It is difficult, requires constant micromanagement, but I found it incredibly rewarding to see that victory screen after 25 - 30 turns. Not the way I'd like to play constantly, but as a change of pace, it's a incredible challenge.

And of course, once you've accomplished your first 'Year Zero', post here and rejoice!


As an edit, I now include the current top score.


Attention new players!
Do not be frightened by these scores! Playing a ZYW is actually really easy, and getting a score close to 30000 points takes just a few tries. These games are usually finished in less than 20 minutes, so have at it. Try the tiny ZYWs first, I find them easier and you might get the unique chance to beat players like neilo or Wyndstar.


Current ZYW record holders:

'expert' ZYW - Gigantic


1) 198450 points - MottiKhan

2) 119000 points - Kzinti Patriarch

3) 109500 points - neilo


'classic' ZYW - Tiny

1) 56700points - MottiKhan

2) 40600 points - Kzinti Patriarch / Magnumaniac

3) 38850 points - Wyndstar

 

1,558,633 views 924 replies
Reply #601 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Are you finishing your games on April 8th Snarkotamus? That is a major factor in getting a high score.
End of quote

I think the 15th is the earliest I have been able to actually get a win. The downside of the Immense map is the distance. I think I will try concentrating more on population and less on tech. and see if that makes a difference. I believe I have the "dirty tricks" part down at least.

Reply #602 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Are you finishing your games on April 8th Snarkotamus? That is a major factor in getting a high score.
End of quote

 

AAk. The gremlins are zapping my repiles. Watch the zapped one show up as soon as I post this one.....

 

Anyway, I try for April 8, but the 15th is my earliest so far. I may be putting too much effort into tech and not enough into population.

 

Edit: We need a "delete post" button.......

DeskScapes - Bring your desktop background to life.
Reply #603 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Are you finishing your games on April 8th Snarkotamus? That is a major factor in getting a high score.
End of quote


How do you guys manage to hit april? It always seems that when I get there with my transports the AI has just snuck out a colony ship and got one planet elsewhere. I then I get there around June.

I have been using the Drath tech tree and I dont go against Thalan. Is that a major Factor?

Reply #604 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Here's a quick tip. Don't use transports. Use Spore ships. ;)

And be sure to play a gigantic map with all settings at rare, except anomalies. Those you need.

Reply #605 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Too bad you aren't aren't in the ToE...

Reply #606 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Here's a quick tip. Don't use transports. Use Spore ships.
End of quote


Ok, I'll give that a go.

But do you guys usually have to chase colony ships or do you eradicate them before the AI has a chance to colonize another world?

Reply #607 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Quoting LedZerggelin, reply 6
Ok, I'll give that a go.

But do you guys usually have to chase colony ships or do you eradicate them before the AI has a chance to colonize another world?
End of LedZerggelin's quote

Under most circumstances, with rare everything, even in a gigantic or immense, there simply shouldn't -be- any other planets for the AI to colonize.  I had a gigantic rare-everything DA game somewhat recently just for fun (not intended to be a ZYW), and I found that the game had even slapped multiple minors into the same system because of how few stars it had generated.

Reply #608 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Under most circumstances, with rare everything, even in a gigantic or immense, there simply shouldn't -be- any other planets for the AI to colonize. I had a gigantic rare-everything DA game somewhat recently just for fun (not intended to be a ZYW), and I found that the game had even slapped multiple minors into the same system because of how few stars it had generated.
End of quote



Hmmmm, I have been doing the ZYW thing on small maps with rare everything but the AI still has manages to get a planet. I have been using transports and not spore ships. Maybe its just quicker with a spore.

I have been doing ZYW WITHOUT using the longest lease possible. I have been keeping my economy in the black the whole game. That is probably slowing me down.

Reply #609 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Quoting LedZerggelin, reply 3

Are you finishing your games on April 8th Snarkotamus? That is a major factor in getting a high score.

How do you guys manage to hit april? It always seems that when I get there with my transports the AI has just snuck out a colony ship and got one planet elsewhere. I then I get there around June.

I have been using the Drath tech tree and I dont go against Thalan. Is that a major Factor?
End of LedZerggelin's quote

I do my ZYWs with DA, so its going to be different.  But I take the first level of speed bonus so I can get to the enemy homeworld by APril 8th, and I use spore instead of transports.  That way you can set your pre-spore ship moving towards the enemy homeworld on turn 1, and upgrade it to Spore once you get there.

Quoting LedZerggelin, reply 6

Here's a quick tip. Don't use transports. Use Spore ships.

Ok, I'll give that a go.

But do you guys usually have to chase colony ships or do you eradicate them before the AI has a chance to colonize another world?
End of LedZerggelin's quote

Nope. With the settings I play (giga all-rare) they dont have anywhere to colonize.  I also play against the Thalans so they have no secondary to colonize.

Quoting LedZerggelin, reply 8

Under most circumstances, with rare everything, even in a gigantic or immense, there simply shouldn't -be- any other planets for the AI to colonize. I had a gigantic rare-everything DA game somewhat recently just for fun (not intended to be a ZYW), and I found that the game had even slapped multiple minors into the same system because of how few stars it had generated.


Hmmmm, I have been doing the ZYW thing on small maps with rare everything but the AI still has manages to get a planet. I have been using transports and not spore ships. Maybe its just quicker with a spore.

I have been doing ZYW WITHOUT using the longest lease possible. I have been keeping my economy in the black the whole game. That is probably slowing me down.
End of LedZerggelin's quote

The larger the map, the higher your tech score will be, because there is a scaling effect.  Since the game will only last 3 turns, I dont worry about long-term economics at all.

Quoting Snarkotamus, reply 2

Are you finishing your games on April 8th Snarkotamus? That is a major factor in getting a high score.

Anyway, I try for April 8, but the 15th is my earliest so far. I may be putting too much effort into tech and not enough into population.
 
End of Snarkotamus's quote

For gigantic ZYWs I totally ignore the economy and population, and go for nothing but tech score.

Kzinti empire2.JPG Sentient species taste better...

 

 

Reply #610 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Crank the minor races up to the full 8 possible races. That should get rid of any extra planets that the AI may find, as well as provide you with an additional income source from tech trading - possibly gaining you one or two turns before your economy crashes.

Reply #611 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Another personal ZYW high score for me:

Kzinti empire2.JPG Sentient species taste better...

Reply #612 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Well done mate!

Reply #613 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

hmm i'd better get back to my ZYWs, otherwise i'll lose #2 8C

Reply #614 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Crank the minor races up to the full 8 possible races. That should get rid of any extra planets that the AI may find, as well as provide you with an additional income source from tech trading - possibly gaining you one or two turns before your economy crashes.
End of quote


I have all minors ingame. Maybe TA is just tougher. No matter what I have tried they still get that one extra planet sometimes two. I have been able to consistently get May 15 ZYW's but I just cant crack the April mark. I'm gonna try DA next and see if I notice a difference.


Stupid question #1: how do you take a screen shot to post?

Reply #615 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

The mighty Klingon general Martok claims the crown of ZYW champion!  (however briefly that may last)

I discovered something strange/interesting which I'm not sure why its doing, what it's doing. 

Kzinti empire2.JPG Sentient species taste better...

Reply #616 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

NOOO!!!!

good game KP, very good game.

Reply #617 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Easiest way is to just hit printscreen on your keyboard wihilst viewing your mv profile. Then go into Paint and hit paste. Edit the picture to the desired size, upload it to your fav hosting site, imageshack..photobucket...then use the insert image feature in the reply box and paste the link in for your image from your host.

:)

KP....Awesome game mate!!!

Reply #618 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Easiest way is to just hit printscreen on your keyboard wihilst viewing your mv profile. Then go into Paint and hit paste.
End of quote

...unless you're running multiple monitors. then you have to do some cropping.

Reply #619 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Edit the picture to the desired size
End of quote

;P

Reply #620 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

it's a different task all together when the base image is 2500 pixels across

Reply #621 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Question

Does the Metaverse flag for cheating if you up the research time to 'fast' from 'normal'.

It just played about 4 games and the only thing I changed was research speed on the last game.

Reply #622 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

no, but if you win before April 8 you'll get cheat-flagged.

Reply #623 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Quoting LedZerggelin, reply 21
Question

Does the Metaverse flag for cheating if you up the research time to 'fast' from 'normal'.

It just played about 4 games and the only thing I changed was research speed on the last game.
End of LedZerggelin's quote

That's a negative, to my knowledge.  There is no reason why it should, but I haven't played an MV game myself.

Since we're in the ZYW thread, did you happen to finish the game too early?

EDIT: Too slow!  That's what I get for opening multiple threads at once.  :)

Reply #624 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

no, but if you win before April 8 you'll get cheat-flagged.
End of quote


boo >:(

Yeah, I hit a win on April 1st. Man, I thought I did something cool. Why the flag?

Reply #625 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

i dunno, that's just how it's programmed. though if i had to field a guess, i'd say that the way the game calculates your score, winning on april 1 or earlier would result in an unrealistically high score. maybe. like i said, i don't know.