A wise decision. And nice that you came by to pitch in. Feel free to do some off topic spamming. Like me. I'm sure the admins won't ban you for it.

Even just enough to balance a map for Killer and Matrix to plot their sweet, sweet revenge?

Always fun when people are referring to themselves in the third person.

Shabba, I know you're not join either. Would you be willing to balance a map for us? https://straland.com/images/smilies/help.gif

It looks like the game settings will be:
- Number of players: 7
- Map type: shuffle
- Sea level: random
- Climate: random

If not, I'll start a game on pangaea with a normal sea level and climate.

Edit: and yes, of course if Darkness would volunteer for this, he's welcome to do so as well. And also yes, any spam on spoilers are welcome. ;)

No-spam spoilers are such an eerie place.

Sure, no problem. Well, some obstacles: I'd have to download the game first (which version is this, 5 or 6), figure out what balance is, and then figure out how to balance. What could possibly go wrong?

Matrix emailed us links to the main game, BTS, patch and BUG mod (is it kosher if I link them here?)

As for balance, last game we had players with barely any access to food resources, one without any luxuries, some in barren corners and others with 5 food bonuses, a gold mine, a river and hills for [estwing]. Some players were completely isolated in the ocean, others surrounded, some cornered and a few had really lucrative international trade routes from connected coasts on different landmasses.

Nothing wrong with a bit of asymmetry, within reason, but it was quite extreme.

Also, some luxuries are early access (gold-silver-gems, ivory-furs) while most you wait for mid-game techs (whales, wine, sugar-silk-incense-dyes-spices). Some food bonuses get an extra boost from granary (wheat-corn-rice).

On a shuffle map it'll be wonky anyways so I guess the best we can expect is just making sure everyone has at least an early luxury and strategic resource while no one has crazy excesses.

Did that cover it? Am I rambling again?

...and then Shabba was silent...

I don't blame him. It's quite a lot of work to completely install the game just to tweak a map. So I was thinking I could also ask Jeke to do this, as he won't be participating, but he's got the game and would know what to do.

Sorry that this is taking so long. I've been rather busy with 'real' life, but not to worry, we'll get this thing going. :)

I've had a rough few weeks, suits me as well, no complaints.

No complaints anyway, no matter how long it takes...
Actually I don't have the time for it anyway, but...
well I'll play it, but it is no problem what the start date will be...

The game will commence on

Sunday 27/10/2019 at 10:00 UTC

(Note that European summer time ends on the night of Saturday to Sunday.)