UPDATE THREAD (new)

This thread will be used for any other announcements of a technical nature in the future, so you can always check it to see what the news is. In particular, whenever I update a game-content thread (background, rules, etc.–anything other than actual game play), I will mention it here, so that you don't have to check every single one of those threads on a regular basis.

This thread replaces the previous thread of the same name. As revisions to the old materials are finished, they will receive mention here.

 

The first thirteen sections of the revised "Care and Feeding" thread have been posted. The remainder, plus some new material, should follow shortly. Hopefully, the new format will make it easier to locate things, as well as make them somewhat less intimidating for new players.

 

Update 12/17:

Added Lists of Resources, Products and Improvements to those posts.

Inserted "Plot Subtype and Resource Generation" after Resources.

 

Update 12/22 a.m.:

Created a new thread, "Lists and References," which will come to replace the larger sections of the old "Information" thread. The first thirteen posts are up: completely revised Improvements (which, thankfully, are now down to a single post per category), along with Expanding Settlements and Recruiting Population, plus Resources and Products (now down to three posts, including a totally new if not terribly detailed one on Exotics).

Added to the "Care and Feeding" thread are sections on "Your Own Stats" and "OStentation." And, yes, there's a reason it's capitalized that way.

Those of you awaiting baronies… keep an eye out for your local Santa Demon. No knowing what might show up in your stocking.

 

Update 12/23 a.m.

Most of "Dramatis Personae" is now updated; only the Great Officers and those outside the empire remain out of its current contents. All the new duchies have been added, as have the three remaining marches (this caused these sections to expand to a third post, but that would have happened a long time ago anyway, had I ever gotten the marches put in). The officers at least will get done tomorrow; the extra-imperial celebs may have to wait a bit. Besides, they desperately need expanding, too, and that's not going to happen any time soon.

 

Update 12/24 a.m.:

Got the Great Officers done on the "Dramatis Personae" thread, and also some very minor updates to "Orders of Chivalry" in the "Collegium" thread (the rest of which will have to wait a bit). Now it's on to the maps, and getting those new fiefs done.

 

Update 1/2 a.m.:

Added three sections to "Care and Feeding": "Money," in two parts (where it comes from, where it goes); and "Policies"—that is, the ones you use in running your fiefs—which will get developed a lot more as time goes on and new options become available… right now there are only a handful, though you should be aware of them.

Also, a revised Calendar has been added to the "Lists and References" thread.

The new Turn is now officially open. I intend to process turns at a rate of one per week from here on (probably on Sundays/Mondays), barring disasters or major rewrites (I'm hoping there will only be minor ones at this point…). A few of the things you need to make decisions on still are not fully detailed, but you should at least be able to work out what you want your peasants doing; anything I don't get out over the next couple days won't have an effect until after you've had a chance to give it due consideration.

Welcome to Arat, Year 373. Given the weather that just blew through my area (and blew hard), it's nice to know it's spring somewhere, even if only in my fantasy world.…

 

Update 1/14/12, a.m.:

Well, the turn 1 results are out, only five days later than I'd hoped for them to be. Which really isn't too bad, considering I had to completely redo the economics spreadsheet and then enter all the data for seven baronies. Fortunately, that only needed to be done once. (Hopefully.) And since most of your labor assignments are going to be year-round, there won't be a lot for you to change after this, either.

With any luck, the turn 1 news will get out tonight, too, unless I think of anything that needs added–it's a lot shorter than recent installments, but that's okay.

And with that, we leave Arat and move on to Semanu. Those of you with floating labor–and the flower resource–may wish to note that this is a harvest month for the latter. Those of you without just get to be jealous.

 

Update 1/20 a.m.:

Two quick things. First, if you wanted to do anything in particular this turn and haven't told me yet, please get it in by Saturday night. (For the most part, economies should function automatically for the rest of the game-year, but there are always other things to do.)

Second, the first few revised maps have made it onto the wikispaces page. The top-level one shows the borders of the empire and surrounding lands, plus duchies and other territories with no higher overlord (as always). The region one shows the regions of the empire and kingdoms, so references to those may finally make some sense. And the county-level one shows–are you ready for this?–the counties and equivalent divisions of the empire and kingdoms… by name. That's right: not by reference number. (Hey, I can post 4950 x 3750 pixel, 10Mb images there… I no longer need to worry about using a large enough font that it will still be legible when reduced to a tenth the size of my original. 16-point is dandy there.)

There are still a couple compromises I need to make on the maps: for starters, I can only show one level's worth of names on each. (Well, without taking the lower levels down to 8-point, at least. Maybe some day, as an academic exercise.) So the county map doesn't have the names of the duchies on it. And the viscounty map, presently about 80% complete, won't show the county names. Or the barony names.

Oh, did I mention that the borders of the baronies are now on the maps?

A named map for the baronies will be forthcoming as well–and you won't have to wait for that one to be "completed," because I don't have names for all the baronies. Actually, not to put too fine a point on it, I don't have names for even a third of the baronies. Or a quarter. Maybe a fifth… and that's only if you count the ones that are still on the brainstorming list and haven't been assigned yet. So I'm not going to force you to wait for them all to get filled in. I just want the viscounty map done and up first, so they'll follow a logical progression on the page.

If you haven't seen it yet, check it out:

http://machiavelambition.wikispaces.com/

There is also a partial royal genealogy (in spreadsheet form) there; its lack of completeness is for reasons similar to that of the barony-level map. (Sometime or other I'll try counting the number of entries in it, but I'ma need to bring over a lot of friends 'cause I know I don't have that many fingers. ) Unfortunately, it hasn't been updated yet with last Midwinter Court's flurry of marriages and deaths, but it will be soon.

 

Update to yesterday's update:

The viscounty and barony maps are now also up on the wikispaces page. As mentioned, the barony map is far from complete. Still, it does have a few names on it. (Probably, the one you're most interested in is in blue.)

In case anybody's curious: 564. No, I don't have that many friends. I had the cats keep track on the abacus.

 

Update 2/15 a.m.:

A change has been made to the "Plot Subtypes and Resource Generation" post under "Care and Feeding," reflecting something I've discussed with most of you directly. To prevent overproduction of certain resources, some under Horticulture and Pasture have been given additional limits (percentages of the total land of that type you can devote to that resource). I don't think it will affect anyone's current production, as we've already hashed these over.

The news for Turns 2 and 3 will be combined in the Turn 3 thread–everyone was still recovering from the coronation, it seems, so Turn 2 was a quiet one throughout the empire. Anyone who still wants to get anything to me for Turn 2, please do so in the next couple days so I can process it this weekend and begin the next turn.

…in which we should also be welcoming two new baronies: Glaedor and Madzubanat! I should have an updated barony map ready by this weekend–one that will include a lot more names on it than just those two. Still far from complete, but a lot less empty than the current version.

Glad to see the Hunt generating so much interest. In-game prizes of various sorts will be awarded, in addition to any bragging rights Phil hands out. So keep up the good work.

 

Update, 2/28 a.m.:

Turn 3 results are finally out!

Hopefully, a news update will find its way into the forum tomorrow-ish.

Turn 4 is now in progress.