Greetings, all!

Although I am new on this site, the game of Warlight came to my attention few years ago. The game was fascinating in it's simplicity and beauty, but, I never consider playing online multiplayer games. Until about 20 days ago.
Between whole games I started playing there were many auto games, but also games set by players. Didn't think that settings can be set dirty until I played this game for several days:
https://www.warlight.net/MultiPlayer?GameID=10266352
game host is:
https://www.warlight.net/Profile?p=7160856803
(you'll note that in mere 22 days he managed to win lvl 44 most of that in real time games FFA)
First message from the game host:
YOU MUST START IN THE CITY BECAUSE YOU ONLY START WITH 1 TROOP AND INCOMES ARE 0!!!
YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED

Settings that of concern are (ranked game):
- pm not allowed (that is not of immediate problem)
- manual distribution
- move order no-luck cycle
- territorial limit per player
- Initial army per territory 0
- army per neutral territory (both distribution and non distribution) 0

OK, now explanation.
1. Game starts in no-luck cycle therefore you have to find best spot as early as you can - first pick is measured by time, so if you are late, you don't get anything.
2. In the game (map Rise of Rome) there are only 5 cities (1 territory) so without any reinforce all players out of 1 province cities are out of the game. He knew that but invited 15 players of which 10 are out before game started.
3. In the map, if no threat around, only one city gives winning position Ctesiphon in Parthia - all others come each to other in 4-10 turns with this setting, but Parthia has 2 superbonuses which are easily achieved as there are no threats from other players save Byzantium
4. In the game you can't ask others to refrain of attacks while you deal with more immediate problem, but that is not problem for player who already has winning situation before game starts. When you, who play the game, see after turn 17 that someone has 287 armies and your income is about 30 you know that something is wrong. First, I was thinking that he is multi with my more immediate neighbour, but turn later I knew that game host tricked us to the game to win his points
I wonder how many such games he started luring other players to "fair" settings, but, his score which is almost 100% for all 9+ FFA games says that he learned about leak in settings, at least for this map, so he took advantage, and that is especially true for real time games where players often don't see what is going on and don't check the history after the game.
I suggest for all players to avoid playing games he set and I suggest to Fizzer to find a way to strip him of his levels, which are probably earned on ultimately unfair means.

TLDR, That is about your post, not about reading game settings.

Always read the settings. Player Beware.

Not much sympathy for someone that gets taken by bad settings.

I agree with all of what Pooh said. It's your problem for joining a match with bad settings. And because of that I actually have to blame you Hasdrubal for whinging on the forums about it. Oh and players can't be stripped of levels, only banned, and I can't see the game creator getting banned or suspended just because of this game (and others)

Edited 1/22/2016 19:45:34

" Oh and players can't be stripped of levels, only banned" .false.

The host has broken no rules hosting this game, as far as I can see.

Edited 1/22/2016 20:03:58

Way too long, can you sum it up in less than 1 word?

Players have been stripped for levels before for similar offenses. You've already reported him through the proper channels, and there's no need make a forum post.


Also, in case you don't know what the blacklist is, you might wanna use it this time ;)

Fizzer has said several times that unsportsmanlike behaviour in the creation of games is an offense in his mind, since experiences like this are what turn many new players off of the game.

OK. The game is now finished and you can see what was on in the game. It is not only about me, all 14 were tricked in the game and only 4 of us actually played so far.

I already reported that to Fizzer, but wanted to show how people can win levels without effort.

Only thing I would say about this game is that green and blue are probably the same person.

My advice would be to join a clan asap. Open games are rarely fun, whereas once in a clan you will get bombarded by game and tournament requests which you know will be fair and fun

, since experiences like this are what turn many new players off of the game.

Well, that, and the lack of any real tutorial, or explanation of game settings.

In any case, I put *in the description* the fact that income was 0 and that you had to start in a city.

(you'll note that in mere 22 days he managed to win lvl 44 most of that in real time games FFA)

And another note. Being able to play well isn't against the rules; neither is sportsmanship.

Also, since my creation of this game I've gotten the "I Understand" warning from Fizzer and won't be making any games like this, since apparently, I didn't make it clear enough that the game was in a sense a lottery/FFA combo.

Only thing I would say about this game is that green and blue are probably the same person.

I agree, that looks suspicious.

Only thing I would say about this game is that green and blue are probably the same person.

I agree, that looks suspicious.

That was my impression, but green claimed that he is in bad shape as I was.

Petyr Baelish Level 45
(you'll note that in mere 22 days he managed to win lvl 44 most of that in real time games FFA)

And another note. Being able to play well isn't against the rules; neither is sportsmanship.

I would never object to people who play well. But, you are either dumb or not fair. Inviting 15 persons to game with only 5 cities (and only cities are playable) means that you are either not familiar with what you did (therefore you don't understand game mechanics which is opposite to your level) or tricked us to join game and thus unfair. I would really like to know what are other games you won, but, if one looks on your profile, there is only one logical conclusion.

You know for someone who has just played the game for less than a month, You really do think you know everything about game settings.

I always read the settings first.

Hmm, green never expanded east at all....

Lottery/FFA combo is nonsense. You would need autodistribution for claiming that it has anything to do with lottery. These were biased settings which guranteed your win, nothing else.

(you'll note that in mere 22 days he managed to win lvl 44 most of that in real time games FFA)

Level 44 in 22 days is not particularly fast. I am level 21 in under 40 games, all 1v1's.