Let's talk arena format?

[SamHellerman]

Not sure when the arena format will have to be decided by but I wondered who has opinions about it. The options should be the ones that make the game as competitive as possible - with the most opportunities to gain advantage through skill.

So I'd personally like to see as much open information as possible - anything that could be tracked. Of course, in turn-based play a player could always replay the whole thing to find out this information, so why not just show it?

I would also gently suggest that I think 3 players is the sweet spot for the game. That puts the goal of maxing out your aristocrats maybe barely within reach, and you can even have some games where you run the risk of inefficiently overmaxing them, which I think is an interesting aspect of the game. What do you think, about player counts?

[Ranior]

I agree that for turn based mode you may as well level the playing field and have open hands and open money.

I wish we didn't have that for real time mode, but I agree it probably should just be that way. Doesn't matter much.

I'd much prefer 4p. I think things are at their most interesting there with a bit more competition over everything.

[SamHellerman]

(OP again) I've been playing open-info for a long time now, and I feel that it really adds tactical depth to the game. I would choose it for either live or turn-based, myself. Since I know more precisely what my opponents *can* do on their turns, there is more sport in trying to predict what they *will* do. And I think it's the more competitive way to play -- if I run low on cash I will not only be at a disadvantage, but it would be a *known* disadvantage my opponents will seek to exploit.

[Ranior]

I get that, although part of the skill of the game is remembering this information.

I also absolutely understand those who don't find those memory elements fun and would rather they not be there, but it's not inherently a better way to play, nor necessarily more skillful--it is testing slightly different skills is all.

[SamHellerman]

A player who can successfully mentally track his opponents' cash flow in this game should really log off and head to Vegas.

[Calmon70]

I also think 3 players should be the way to go. Its a fair compromise between make it accessible for a lot of players and competition.

4 players might be a small bit to luckluster but I would be fine with that as well.

Please just not another 2-player. I hate it already in Hawaii, its so boring and there even less competitive because there is basically just 1 strat in 2 player version.

[PeterRushton]

+1 for open information.

Anything that can be 'trackable' should be open information in all games. Any competitive players with bad memories will just make notes or keep scrolling through the log which only slows the game down.

So in St.Pete everything except blind draws from the observatory are seen by all players so can be tracked/recorded, so may as well be shown on all player screens.

Also, game is best at 4 and 3 player so please don't just restrict to 2 player version.

[marconte]

Please change Arena format to 3 or 4 players!

[Ranior]

I would really also like to see this game have an arena mode for 4 players (or 3). At the very least maybe it can swap between 2 and 4 players for different seasons like some other games.

[Lumin_S]

I would also really like to see 4P Arena here, though I fear the biggest thing keeping it at 2P is the small player base. I have never heard of people preferring 3P in this game at a competitive level, so it's a big surprise (for me!) to see people prefer it in this thread