You should never give up, it took me 2 months to reach top 100, I kept crashing and burning on normal. Scoring is only a part of the game, the good part is making the smart killer move. In mylast game I noticed the drangin beating the tar out of the torians, as they were shipping in their troops I snuck by their fleet and tokk the planet with a single c-transport. That won the game as it turned out. The fun comes from fighting hard to stay ahead and eventually win, whether it's through cheesy methods or not as long as you have to fight for it your'e having fun

the phrase "be careful what you wish for" comes to mind with the the maso scoring debate. as a community we asked for it, and stardock delivered. if there was no community, our maso 'cheeses' would be the result of hard thinking, but with a helpful meta, these hard-won 'cheeses' are disseminated easily to those who did not sweat in their creation. i, personally, have a tendency not to read many tips and strategies - of course, it's hard not to pick up some - but i like to muddle through in my own way. it's all up to the individual. the thing to remember is that EVERY contribution is important.

I agree with Evil Steve, think it hit it on the nose. Its very important to realise that every contribution as an achievement worth being proud of, I enjoy seeing posts where someone has finally cracked a difficulty level they hadn't before.

I see this as a community based game... kinda strange for a single player. Anyway I too don't read the strats, infact I don't know if my tactics are even cheesy or not...

All I do is play as I would on painful, with the exception of long "survival period" (paying everyone to stay alive and hopefully getting them to fight each other). I use both military and influence to conquer my opponents (influence gains me the planets needed to sustain a fleet. I find Maso extremely difficult but the attraction is the sense of survival, until you can finally match them ship for ship.

Ok finaly finished my large masso.. rare .. and squeesed just about everything i could out of it.. the game scored 30,860 mvp.. but because of all my games in the last 30 days my score droped to 12,316.1 .. at lease it better than 2k-3k.

I knew i was going to win (as i stated in my last message) but it definatly took me a lot longer than i thoufght it would.. My games usually go till the year 2300+ this one (from memory) finished about 50-60 years earlier than my normal game.. probably because of less planets to build up

Thanks to Cotal,Killa,Pontius,ray,Rainbird and lots of others.. without them I would never have won my first masso game

Congrats BlueSteel.

How on earth do you play up to 2300+, I find games at 2220 to be extremely draggy already.
I find that I usually finish games between 2195 and 2210.

~SDC~
[Message Edited]

Its my Metaverse stratagy.. so that i don't play too quickly and post too many games in the month .. LOL

I ALWAYS end up building everything on all planets.. get ALL the techs.. (155 of them) Make sure that I have the biggest Space Forces (military) most income.. (this is done by placing at least 4 starbases in each sector on the 2 routs {there and back) from my 10 (all the same) trade routes.. of course i leave the planet i'm trading with till last to culture bomb..
I also get all wonders and trade cgoods.. and as many planets up at FULL population.

Even though the points don't come as quickly the longer you play.. they DO still Go up.. (you never loose score the more you play.. unless you loose of course.. LOL )

This way my games end up taking me 2-4 days to play each game with the maximum score i can get for that particular game (well pretty close to it.. I hope.. LOL)

I never go for a quick win.. I go as quick as i can till i know i'm going to win.. then ?I build everything up in an order to keep me ahead of the AI's.. Each game id different.. so it never gets booring to me.. and besides the game.. I also watch TV at the same time, Get interupted by house work, mowing,My computer business, Forums,Computer programming and email. Not to forget my 4 1/2 year old son who I get every weekend and half the school holidays.. LOL (yes he is a handfull.. sometimes too much of a terror for me to handle.. Like father like son I suppose.. LOL)

Congratulations Blue . . . well played!

Off topic:-

Well an old friend of mine just arrived unexpectantly from France. I haven't talked to him for over a year since he became a Tibetian Buddist Monk . . . Its been an interesting day :notsure:

People still debating about maso . . . well I say bring on 'Nightmare' . . . hehe . . . j/k.

Wow.. At least you have ppl come and visit you..

no one every visits me..(well hardly ever)

Ray, I have been playing Tiny games at various diff levels and have been right around where you are at with regard to timeframe, however you are playing Huge and Gigantic.

Can you give a timeline of what stages your games are in. For example, Colinization xxxx-yyyy, tech rush yyyy-zzzz, alpha striking blah blah to endgame. The fact that you are finishing a Gigantic by 2210 is unfathomable to me.
[Message Edited]

Ok, I'm playing a Huge now. Will try to log some key dates.

~SDC~

BlueSteel

Congrats on the maso victory. I also won my first and wanted to thank team ANZAC in particularly Cotal and Jeff Desilva for unselfishly posting their successful strategies. Thanks.

Rick

Poor old Blue Steel.

Let's post Blueee's address as one where there is a free party.

Only kidding.
Those kind of parties, always end up as a riot.

Well done to Blusteel, ric and stydracos.
Happy to help ric.
Bigger congrats to rainbird for managing to play galciv in tight nurses uniform. Now this is dedication.. puts those gigantic maso players to shame.

...and don't feel too sorry for blusteel about never getting visitors. I went 'round there last night with a dozen VBs for a celebration drink.

Banged on the door.. no answered but I could hear maniacal laughter from inside. I peeked through the window and saw him running around the house stark naked except for his emperor's hat screaming "I beat Maso, I beat Maso!".

I promptly left having to drink 7 of the 12 VB's on the spot to try and purge the frightening sight from my memory.

....so next time he says he never gets any visitors... there is a very good reason for that.
[Message Edited]

Congrats Cotal. That's a gigantic achievement. I note you've beaten maso on all map sizes now. I have missed the strategy about hoarding influence points...what is that?

Well done BlueSteel on your maso win.

Alot of noise woke BlueSteel from his long deserved sleep. (the first night in months that he hasn't had any of those puzzling dreams)

"RED ALERT" ... "RED ALERT" ... "RED ALERT"

BlueSteel jumped out of bed startled by all the racket and commotion..

and ran out into the hall.. where he saw Evil Steve leaning against the wall..With a look of accomplishment of his face and a big evil grin..

BlueSteel: {shouting} What the Blazzes is going on... Will someone please turn that off...

Evil Steve pressed a button on what looks like an anteque keyring ..The Noise stopped
EvilSteve: How do you like my new Alert sounder?
BlueSteel: Its too loud.. It just about blasted me out of my skin.
(It was only then that BlueSteel noticed the croud of servents that had gathered around.)
EvilSteve could no longer hold in his laughter.. and neither could the servents they all started laughing..
BlueSteel: Whats so funny about me being blasted almost out of my skin...
Evil Steve: ... Sorry boss.. we arn't laughing about that...
Bluesteel: what are you laughing about then....
Evil Steve Pointed at BlueSteel's Night Pants.

Just then Cotal and Rainbird came around the Corner (Rainbird was wearing her nurses outfit (the one thats 2 sizes too small) Cotal was wearing her official uniform which also was 2 sizes too small..

Both of them came up to Evil and BlueSteel asking what was up?

Evil said that he was testing his new Alert System..
Rainbird Looked at BlueSteel.. I see that its got a lot of attention.. then she laughed... Cotal's face turned a bright red as she looked at BlueSteel.

BlueSteel: What are you all looking at.....

Evil Steve Whispers to BlueSteel (your night shorts Boss)
BlueSteel looked down.. and saw that he indeed had rushed out in all the commotion just wearing his night shoerts.. (They were Black with white Skull and Crossbones on them) and thats not all that he noticed. As he was standing there Rainbird quickly stood infront of BlueSteel to hide what had now become obvous.. and Blue Backed off Back into his room. Just then The Alert Sounded again...
BlueSteel Yelled Turn that thing OFF
Evil Steve: I can't Boss it must be the real thing..
Cotal had regained her composure Ran to the Communication Station on trhe Wall.. and Spoke (well shouted .. to be heard over the commotion) Whats happening..

Then she had to place her ear tightly against the speaker to hear their report..

Long Range Scanner Room "The Euro's are Comming through the 1,000,000 point barrier and are closing fast..."

Cotal: What about the mines that Evil Laid Down to Stop them.

Scanner Room: I don't know whats happening.. As the Euro's are approaching them they are disapearing..

Cotal: You mean Exploding don't you

Scanner room: No Mam. err. Miss.. er.. Mrs.. er.. Minister.. they are simply disapearing...

Cotal: How is that Possible

Scanner Room: I don't know.. They must have found a way to neutalise them.. and then Collect them...

Cotal: Can you please turn off that Alert and Go back to the Old way of Broadcasting

The Alert Stops.

Evil Steve: what is it Cotal
Cotal: Your mines.. they arn't detonating..
Evil Steve: Thats not possible.. I set them myself..
Cotal: Well the Euro's Seem to just being able to walse through and puck them up..
Evil Steve: Say what.... My mines.. they are picking them up ?
Cotal: YES!!!!!
Rainbird: Digs Evil Steve in the side with her elboe. and says.. Good one...
Evil Steve goes down like a tun of bricks.. Rainbird (the mistress of pleasure and pain) knew exactly where to hit Steve to knock him, down to his knees..

Evil Steve: Its not my Fault...

Just then BlueSteel Steps back out of his room (now in proper attire.) Whats going on...

Cotal: Its the Euros Blue.. They've just broken through the 1,000,000 point barrier
Blue Steel: So... Congratulate them.. imediatly..
Evil Steve: But Boss there is a problem... They ahhhh... ermm.... I mean....
BlueSteel : Spit it out man.. I havn't got all day
Evil Steve: ummm.. they are making their through the minfiends boss
BlueSteel: Oh i see .. How many ships are they loosing.. (with a grin on his face)
EvilSteve: ummm.... None Boss...
BlueSteel: WHAT!!!!!!! How...
Cotal: They seem to have the Technology to disable them and collect them Blue
BlueSteel: Sound Battle Stations... ALL hands on Deck.. Prepair to cover our flank.. INCOMMING.....

Blue Steel: Must be G-String .. the wanna be ewmperor
Evil; Steve: ummm.. Its G-Force boss..
Blue Steel: Thats what i said G-String.. He seems to be a very slipery character. According to Rainbird She couldn't persuade him to join us.. But she did find out that He has the REAL Emperor of the EUROs Locked up as prisoner..

Cotal: Should we send a team to free the true emperor.. Out Allie...
BlueSteel Ponders....
{To be Continued}

[Congrats Euro's on crossing the 1,000,000 poiunt barrier]

Thanks all for your congradulations.. I can't take all the credit.. Lots of ppl's ideas made it happen. Strange though that I couldn't beat tiny,small,medium though.. but could beat Large... LOL

Great story!!!

Oh, and good luck against the Euros!

G-String and the ARses are made for each other.

~SDC~

LOL LOL LOL

was this a waking dream blue?

So the information was correct eh?
Yes s-sir.

The quivering minion was shaking in his boots, going through a minefield at topspeed was not his idea of fun. Lord Orpon, however, was calm.

L O: This is excellent! (rubbing his hands toghether) Those daft kangaroo-kiwis will need weeks to figure out the bug in their system, and even when they do they'll have to pick apart their entire system just to find it. The money spend on that informant was the best investment we've made so far.

Minion: YES SIR!
By now he had recovered his composure.

L O. How are the hull modifications coming along? We'll need those porthole visors when we catch up with them or the entire crew will embarass themselves by staring at the sexy ladies in waaay too tight uniforms.

Minion: (smiling dreamily) Yes sir.

L O: Have you been reading Playspace magazine! Thats illicit material on this ship, reserved for officers!

Minion: But it's the women in uniforms issue sir!

L O: Right, ten days confinement and no off-duty time for you! And thats after I've punished you!

/quack taps the minion's shoulder

Don't worry, mate. I'll slip a copy of some classic pirate porn under your door.

LMAO . . . great stories! Real good stuff . . .

Killa the influence hording stratergy is a method of getting an very early alliance with all or at least most of the AIs and minors on Maso (befor capital ship). Rainbird has dibs on the idea but basically you just top up all your tech trading with influence points at every given opportunity with AIs and minors alike when possible. No matter how patheticly your doing in tech terms or millitary might the AI 'spins out' on your apparent cultural strength.

There seem to be an algorythm that takes your relative influence into account in addition to your diplomatic ability (ie. your total influence in comparison to the AI your dealing with).

Also of use is the fact that since the 'starting' minors generally can't tech anywhere near as much as the AIs (having less planets) and won't trade money for tech to give you any fair advantage, you can throw them a tech every turn in exchange for all thier influence (they generate 50 to 200+ per turn depending on thier starting position). Also the Yor and Altarians (to a lesses degree) particularly seem happy to give influence away for techs they havn't got or even particularly need (get a few thousand here easy every dozen turns or so).

The advantage of this is that it helps the minors stay alive until you get combat transports into position to take thier yummy high PQ worlds when everybody inevitably declairs war on them. With your high influence cushion (and start-up diplomatic bonuses) you should be able to ally with most the AIs by this stage so they won't mind you stealing the minors plannet from under thier noses . . .

Its hard to explain but once the minors are of no use to you just invade them and use thier planets (especialy when in the vicinity of the opponent AIs) as fresh culture bomb colonies.

A Little Off-topic . . .

On Maso you also have the option of setting one of the AIs to a slightly lower intelegence than the others. In the early game they can be your 'cash cow'. With thier help there seems no reason you can't get a least some (if not most or even all) of the game's early Wonders and Trade Goods.

Hope all that helps a little . . .

Thanks Cotal. That makes sense now... I can actually recall you discussing influence before, but I hadn't twigged to the strategy.