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Dominion League / Re: Season 32 - Signups
« on: January 21, 2019, 09:53:55 am »
Terry Pearce
@fellowmartian#3662
Europe/London
@fellowmartian#3662
Europe/London
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Dominion Isotropic / Re: Veto strategy
« on: December 01, 2011, 06:27:06 pm »
I veto for fun. What my perception of fun is varies. Often I veto high variance cards like TM or KC. Or cards that can make things dull or samey like JoAT or Torturer (if the kingdom doesn't offer something alternative to spice things up). Or cards that have cropped up a lot recently.
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2011 / Re: Schedule and Results: 2011 DominionStrategy.com Championships
« on: November 29, 2011, 05:31:25 pm »
Thief Division, 13 - 52 Bracket
fellowmartian 4 - 0 stickins (Stick in the Mud)
fellowmartian 36 - 21 stickins (http://dominion.isotropic.org/gamelog/201111/29/game-20111129-135544-f2f929f5.html)
fellowmartian 53 - 37 stickins (http://dominion.isotropic.org/gamelog/201111/29/game-20111129-140940-9693ce3f.html)
fellowmartian 39 - 23 stickins (http://dominion.isotropic.org/gamelog/201111/29/game-20111129-141619-04f1810d.html)
fellowmartian 28 - 26 stickins (http://dominion.isotropic.org/gamelog/201111/29/game-20111129-142136-ea8b342c.html)
Closer than the 4-0 makes it sound, some enjoyable games here.
#1: Swindlers and Torturers slowed up the game, I jumped for Duchies/Dukes first and managed to get more.
#2: Border Village/Witch was the premium buy, but I also grabbed some Gold and had an eye on Fairground, getting them to 6VP.
#3: He opened Talisman and got lots of actions, I opened Remake. I built up a lot of Silver and won straight on Provs.
#4: Governor game; very quick. He incorporated Forges which didn't give him an edge in speed, but left him two Estates down.
Thanks for the games, stickins.
fellowmartian 4 - 0 stickins (Stick in the Mud)
fellowmartian 36 - 21 stickins (http://dominion.isotropic.org/gamelog/201111/29/game-20111129-135544-f2f929f5.html)
fellowmartian 53 - 37 stickins (http://dominion.isotropic.org/gamelog/201111/29/game-20111129-140940-9693ce3f.html)
fellowmartian 39 - 23 stickins (http://dominion.isotropic.org/gamelog/201111/29/game-20111129-141619-04f1810d.html)
fellowmartian 28 - 26 stickins (http://dominion.isotropic.org/gamelog/201111/29/game-20111129-142136-ea8b342c.html)
Closer than the 4-0 makes it sound, some enjoyable games here.
#1: Swindlers and Torturers slowed up the game, I jumped for Duchies/Dukes first and managed to get more.
#2: Border Village/Witch was the premium buy, but I also grabbed some Gold and had an eye on Fairground, getting them to 6VP.
#3: He opened Talisman and got lots of actions, I opened Remake. I built up a lot of Silver and won straight on Provs.
#4: Governor game; very quick. He incorporated Forges which didn't give him an edge in speed, but left him two Estates down.
Thanks for the games, stickins.
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Dominion Isotropic / Re: Leaderboard change
« on: November 29, 2011, 02:45:42 pm »
Okay, I've just seen that yaron is level 24.
That's ridiculous.
That kind of thing completely blows out of the water the idea of getting a reasonable match-up based on level. Yaron will pummel your 'average' level 24.
I'm sure everyone here is massively grateful to dougz for isotropic. This is one small thing compared to all the unbelievably fantastically good things he's done to make isotropic what it is, so I hope all the moaning about this doesn't come across as getting on his back.
But.
Dougz, are you there? Can you see all the people above with very good reasoning behind why this change is so so much for the worse? If you agree, can you change it back, please? If not, can you tell us why?
That's ridiculous.
That kind of thing completely blows out of the water the idea of getting a reasonable match-up based on level. Yaron will pummel your 'average' level 24.
I'm sure everyone here is massively grateful to dougz for isotropic. This is one small thing compared to all the unbelievably fantastically good things he's done to make isotropic what it is, so I hope all the moaning about this doesn't come across as getting on his back.
But.
Dougz, are you there? Can you see all the people above with very good reasoning behind why this change is so so much for the worse? If you agree, can you change it back, please? If not, can you tell us why?
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Dominion Isotropic / Re: Leaderboard change
« on: November 28, 2011, 09:46:58 am »
Hmmm. On old iso I was 35, new iso 31, new Councilroom 28...
I'm confused.
I'm confused.
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Dominion Isotropic / Re: Leaderboard change
« on: November 26, 2011, 08:34:58 am »
There seems to be a biggish groundswell of opinion to the effect that this is a bad idea. I said in a recent post elsewhere that you have to ask what a leaderboard is for. I think most people think of it as some combination of:
a) a challenge, a bit of fun to see how high you can go
b) a way to see how you are progressing in skill
c) a way to find similarly-skilled opponents.
The new system seems a significantly worse way to achieve all three of these. The only people who are going to be able to use it in this way are people who play very regularly. People who've been working their way up but have to have a break will see themselves drop away again; that's discouraging. People who've dropped away but are really good players won't show as such (if I want a level 27 and I get theory, (c) above is right out).
Add one more to the chorus of 'please change it back', or at least provide the two alternatives...
Or, if this is permanent, then... rrenaud, councilroom is separate, right? And uses all the same data? In which case would a separate leaderboard based around the old system be plausible on councilroom? Or something like this? We could put our councilroom levels in our statuses if needs be. I'm no techie so forgive me if this isn't a plausible idea.
a) a challenge, a bit of fun to see how high you can go
b) a way to see how you are progressing in skill
c) a way to find similarly-skilled opponents.
The new system seems a significantly worse way to achieve all three of these. The only people who are going to be able to use it in this way are people who play very regularly. People who've been working their way up but have to have a break will see themselves drop away again; that's discouraging. People who've dropped away but are really good players won't show as such (if I want a level 27 and I get theory, (c) above is right out).
Add one more to the chorus of 'please change it back', or at least provide the two alternatives...
Or, if this is permanent, then... rrenaud, councilroom is separate, right? And uses all the same data? In which case would a separate leaderboard based around the old system be plausible on councilroom? Or something like this? We could put our councilroom levels in our statuses if needs be. I'm no techie so forgive me if this isn't a plausible idea.
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Dominion General Discussion / Re: Why can't i get any better?
« on: November 21, 2011, 10:20:15 am »
I absolutely see that. I felt the same about JoaT. And since I saw the conclusions of some of the people on these threads, I've tried it and found out how powerful it can be. I really appreciate the articles where people have gone through simulations, workings-out and done the maths, and come up with some conclusions (or just thoughts) in written-up rather than raw data form. I guess that's kind of exactly what what I'm wondering: do I need to do some of that number-crunching myself to get better than I am? And if I do, do I want to?
Part of me does think, though that maybe there's *always* in theory a putting-the-time-in, experience based equivalent of the conclusions drawn from the numbers. chwhite would have found that out eventually through experience. It may be a question of whether that amount of time is just too much in practice.
Part of me does think, though that maybe there's *always* in theory a putting-the-time-in, experience based equivalent of the conclusions drawn from the numbers. chwhite would have found that out eventually through experience. It may be a question of whether that amount of time is just too much in practice.
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Dominion General Discussion / Re: Why can't i get any better?
« on: November 21, 2011, 09:41:39 am »
There's knowing your numbers and knowing your numbers. Throwing a baseball involves differential calculus and yet bottom-maths-set schoolkids can do it.
I do a lot of working out in my head; I 'feel' a lot of what comes from the numbers. Some of it I absolutely do work out and know in my head, but I would suspect that it's less than for many others. I do think I have a good *intuitive* head for numbers and probability; I don't suppose I would have come this far otherwise. I guess what I mean that it feels like the next stage may be to start sitting out and actually doing maths with relation to Dominion, separately from playing it -- looking at tables and graphs and stats, that kind of stuff, and doing a lot of solitaire and numbers gaming -- which part of me is resisting, as I tend to start to glaze over when I start looking at figures too much.
I guess it's an internal battle for me between wanting to win, wanting to have fun, and wanting to improve. Of course, for people who enjoy that stuff anyway, there's no battle between those. I'm absolutely not criticising that way of being good and getting better at Dominion.
I do a lot of working out in my head; I 'feel' a lot of what comes from the numbers. Some of it I absolutely do work out and know in my head, but I would suspect that it's less than for many others. I do think I have a good *intuitive* head for numbers and probability; I don't suppose I would have come this far otherwise. I guess what I mean that it feels like the next stage may be to start sitting out and actually doing maths with relation to Dominion, separately from playing it -- looking at tables and graphs and stats, that kind of stuff, and doing a lot of solitaire and numbers gaming -- which part of me is resisting, as I tend to start to glaze over when I start looking at figures too much.
I guess it's an internal battle for me between wanting to win, wanting to have fun, and wanting to improve. Of course, for people who enjoy that stuff anyway, there's no battle between those. I'm absolutely not criticising that way of being good and getting better at Dominion.
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Dominion Articles / Re: COMBO: Governor/Warehouse
« on: November 21, 2011, 08:39:58 am »
I've won a few games spamming Governor. I think it's a card that is worth thinking about the game a little differently with. If you have three or four of them, and have been using them mostly for gaining Golds, you can (relatively) easily have a three-Province final turn (2-3 remodelled, 0-1 bought). Meanwhile, the Silvers do mount up for you opponent but on some boards all this does is thin out their good action cards, and yes, put them in with better chances of $8 in a hand, but by the time they get there, you can be more or less ready to end it. If you throw a Militia or suchlike into your deck, it becomes extremely powerful -- you can gain Golds, get them in hand and remodel them, then leave your opponent with very little benefit.
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Dominion General Discussion / Re: Why can't i get any better?
« on: November 21, 2011, 08:11:05 am »
Also, I seem to remember posting a comment like this awhile back on the BGG boards, thinking there was some golden answer. And I'm not sure there is. Just keep enjoying, playing, learning, and it'll come, was the gist of many of the replies. And they've been right so far.
I do wonder whether I've now reached a plateau which I can only move very far up from by getting into the more technical/maths side of things and simulations, etc, which I'm not sure I'm interested in doing (although absolutely fair play to those who do). But that's another story...
I do wonder whether I've now reached a plateau which I can only move very far up from by getting into the more technical/maths side of things and simulations, etc, which I'm not sure I'm interested in doing (although absolutely fair play to those who do). But that's another story...
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Dominion Isotropic / Re: Decline of civility on isotropic?
« on: November 21, 2011, 06:56:42 am »A game just now.Quote0:42 theron: simpel 2/5 start end viktoryHe then refused to play a rematch with identical starting hands.
0:42 Fang: you could have gone watchtower
0:42 Fang: that's a hard counter to margrave
0:43 Fang: instead of black market and no trashers
0:43 theron:
0:43 Fang: there was for example no point you picking up crossroads
0:44 Fang: If I was you, I'd have gone for watchtower and hamlets asap
0:44 Fang: and gone for the margrave with my first $5 instead of laboratory
0:44 theron: hey you get the Margrave and tje Hamlet and also the most Peddler what the fuck tell you for a shit???
0:44 Fang: I'm just giving you some friendly advice
0:45 Fang: there are things you could have done
0:45 theron: you telling simply shit i had no chance in this game because of your 2/5 start thjats the simple true
0:45 Fang: that's not even slightly true.
0:46 theron: if i had the 2/5 star i will witrh this cards simply win
0:46 Fang: really.
0:46 theron: and you too
0:46 Fang: I hate players like you
0:47 Fang: who blame luck when they plainly had no idea what they are doing
0:47 Fang: when you bought poition/bm... why?
0:47 Fang: potion
0:47 theron: and i hate players like you
0:47 Fang: for learning the game?
0:47 Fang: resign now then, and rematch
0:48 theron: make your turn ready than i can give up and you can be proud of your wisdomm
Grr, yes, something you get bad shuffle luck, but people who use that as an excuse when they played badly throughout... so damn annoying.
http://dominion.isotropic.org/gamelog/201110/20/game-20111020-164827-cc1d3235.html
Yeah I had an odd one from that player. On a 5/2 I opened with Embargo/Ghost Ship while s/he went for a potion. When I embargoed the Alchemists, s/he accused me of being aggressive (okay, maybe slightly but understandably), said I just play dominion to make the other player feel small and myself powerful, and basically said players like me spoil the game.
S/he then proceeded to buy more Ghost ships and attack cards and beat me, lol...
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Dominion General Discussion / Re: Why can't i get any better?
« on: November 21, 2011, 05:06:42 am »
I was stuck around 26-29 for what seemed like a long time. I recently boosted up (in a very short space of time) to around 35, and seem to have settled there (I actually boosted up to 37 but dipped again). I've been trying to analyse what the breakthrough was, and I think for me it's been getting what I see as the golden balance more-or-less right: when to do something a little experimental, and when to stick with something that's a little dull, but effective. A few things Captain_Frisk said when he was standing in for theory stuck with me and helped, as well, particularly that Dominion is a really quick game, quicker than many people often give it credit for. Sometimes the exciting stuff just takes too long. It's only recently I've started to ignore Possession in some games, and even KC occasionally. Also I've been more on the lookout for boards where I can buy green earlier than usual without it clogging up the deck too much, particularly when there are alternate VP cards around. I've noticed myself squeaking more victories with Duchies and even Estates recently, limping over the finish line, but limping over in first place.
Also, I think a huge thing that's helped me get better is to play with what I hate. I went through phases of getting pounded with KC, Possession, even Pirate Ship early on. And yeah, Bishop. Play veto mode and never veto those cards, rather than tending towards veto-ing them. Play them on solitaire. Take your weakness and make it into your strength.
And yeah, always always try to work out why you lost. It's bad luck less often than you think, I think, or even when it is bad luck, maybe there was a way to place yourself out of its reach.
Also, I think a huge thing that's helped me get better is to play with what I hate. I went through phases of getting pounded with KC, Possession, even Pirate Ship early on. And yeah, Bishop. Play veto mode and never veto those cards, rather than tending towards veto-ing them. Play them on solitaire. Take your weakness and make it into your strength.
And yeah, always always try to work out why you lost. It's bad luck less often than you think, I think, or even when it is bad luck, maybe there was a way to place yourself out of its reach.
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2011 / Re: 2011 DominionStrategy.com Championships Registration
« on: November 21, 2011, 04:33:47 am »
1) fellowmartian
2) GMT (London)
2) GMT (London)
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General Discussion / Re: Dominion intrudes on real life
« on: November 15, 2011, 10:54:44 am »Also, "young witch" tends to put the song YMCA in my head, even hours after a young witch game
Thanks. Knowing how my brain works with earworms, I'm infected for life with that one now.
Only when I sing something from a prompt I tend to do it out loud. The worst one was walking along the road with a box of flake chocolates in my hand singing the flake advert tune without realising it...
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Dominion General Discussion / Re: The advantage of going first
« on: November 14, 2011, 12:42:23 pm »
I like both of those ideas. The first makes me think of the idea of 'beating the spread'. We used to do that in an American Football game I used to play ('Paydirt'), which was supposed to simulate the teams and how good they'd been each year. If you were, say, San Francisco circa '97 playing Tampa Bay of the same year, you'd have to win by 20 points or so to actually 'win' (and of course, the Buccaneers player could claim a 'win' if they kept it tighter than that). It was elegant and quite cool.
A one per cent difference... sounds less than I'd have thought, but I guess even good players, in either win position, lose a reasonable amount, anyway (unless they're Paralyzed....).
A one per cent difference... sounds less than I'd have thought, but I guess even good players, in either win position, lose a reasonable amount, anyway (unless they're Paralyzed....).
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Dominion Isotropic / Re: Optimizing your level
« on: November 14, 2011, 12:15:21 pm »I refuse games on automatch when:
I don't actually want to be on automatch and have to leave (there's occasionally a bug where it thinks I'm on, but I'm not).
And more importantly, when someone has rejected an automatch game with me, I'm very likely to refuse all games that come up with them, because they're distorting the random, at least until I've played another game and come back to the lobby, at which point I may well have forgotten.
The first of those sounds fair enough, but it'll mean you won't worry too much if I refuse you. The second is pretty much what I've been doing often, and think I'll do all the time from now on, myself.
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Dominion Isotropic / Re: Optimizing your level
« on: November 14, 2011, 07:45:07 am »
You have to ask: what is the leaderboard for? I'd see it as:
1) A bit of fun vanity, or a challenge -- see how high you can go.
2) A way to find reasonable opponents of a similar skill level.
3) A way to measure your own progress.
For all of these, it seems to me that the only way that they work is with a completely level playing field. I applaud the decision to not count games with card restrictions.
If you want to prioritise enjoyment above skill comparison, and for you card restrictions do this, then fine. Carry on restricting, and don't get counted for the leaderboard. Make your choice, either blanket, or for a given game/period.
What this does throw into sharper relief, though, are those people who constantly refuse games on automatch. If you have card restrictions, use them and challenge, or use veto mode. Otherwise you're just trying to have your cake and eat it.
I'd be happy to hear a case I haven't considered for putting automatch on and then refusing games, but until I do, I think I'll be refusing further games myself from anyone who switches on automatch and then refuses a game (it's also kind of annoying when there are few people in the room and you keep getting matched with someone who keeps refusing).
Ps. I don't see Paralyzed there now. Has dougz dealt with it?
1) A bit of fun vanity, or a challenge -- see how high you can go.
2) A way to find reasonable opponents of a similar skill level.
3) A way to measure your own progress.
For all of these, it seems to me that the only way that they work is with a completely level playing field. I applaud the decision to not count games with card restrictions.
If you want to prioritise enjoyment above skill comparison, and for you card restrictions do this, then fine. Carry on restricting, and don't get counted for the leaderboard. Make your choice, either blanket, or for a given game/period.
What this does throw into sharper relief, though, are those people who constantly refuse games on automatch. If you have card restrictions, use them and challenge, or use veto mode. Otherwise you're just trying to have your cake and eat it.
I'd be happy to hear a case I haven't considered for putting automatch on and then refusing games, but until I do, I think I'll be refusing further games myself from anyone who switches on automatch and then refuses a game (it's also kind of annoying when there are few people in the room and you keep getting matched with someone who keeps refusing).
Ps. I don't see Paralyzed there now. Has dougz dealt with it?
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Dominion General Discussion / Re: The advantage of going first
« on: November 14, 2011, 07:05:32 am »Anybody who has just lost a game will go after anyone who has not just lost a game. If you win a lot, you disproportionately go 2nd.
I knew this, but I only just thought (which probably makes me slow): surely this means that stats drawn from isotropic will under-rate the value of going first? If player one is on average worse skill-wise than player two, this seems unavoidable. I wonder if there's any way to work out by how much it undervalues it?
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Dominion General Discussion / Re: [spoiler] Full Hinterlands card list
« on: November 13, 2011, 11:19:14 am »
I've won a few games recently by opening with Trader, and flooding my deck with Silver. Obviously this doesn't work in Colony games, but if you trader a couple of reasonable cards you have a lot of silver very quickly. The best was IGG, but I've won with two traders as well, a couple of times trashing one with the other after awhile. You can also trash Silvers for three more if the $ left in your hand afterwards makes sense. The amount of Silver this seems to leave me with often means I can start buying Duchies early and still grab some Provinces (4 Silvers + x = Prov), and I've won this way despite losing the Provs split 3/5. If I start to seize up, I can sacrifice a good card to Trader just before the reshuffle so that next time through I have a bunch more Silvers.
I'm not a big one for going deep into the maths -- I tend to prefer to play by feel -- but this kind of gameplan has worked for me a number of times in practice.
I'm not a big one for going deep into the maths -- I tend to prefer to play by feel -- but this kind of gameplan has worked for me a number of times in practice.
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