Humans vs. AI in RP and Traditional Games

There are key differences between RP and traditional games of Supremacy.

When one plays a non role-play game of Supremacy, he must try to defeat all enemies. Winning is the only end goal.

There are two types of opponents in s1914. Players, and "Artificial Intelligences." (I will call them AI, but in case there are nitpickers reading this, I know well that they are just programs—not nearly at a conscious level of intelligence. As any S1914 player can attest to, they-r-dumb.)

In this entry, I will examine the differences between RP and normal games, as well as highlight how AI ought to be handled in each case—however, this pose will not cover AI in gold rounds.


In a traditional game, winning is everything.

That's the point, that's the sole objective. Now, there are key differences in several areas that make AI and humans very, very different.


First off: communication. 
The way one interacts with his opponents can very well alter the entire game.

One can connive and manipulate humans. It's easy sometimes. With humans, one can make real alliances, and work together as a team towards victory.

With a computer player, things are different. They don't respond, they don't react to threats, and so when dealing with them, all that is needed is calculation.


Second: warfare.
The most important thing in a normal game is battle.

With an opponent facing you with the same objective in mind, tactics, calculation, and activity will determine who is the victor.

When it comes to humans, tactics are decidedly more important than they are when dealing with AI. This is because human players will react to what you do everywhere in and around his territory, and will utilize nonstandard attack strategies to weaken and combat you. Computer players usually use the same recycled generic attacks, and you will eventually become used to reacting to them.

Calculation ties into tactics, however, that are not completely military in nature. With a human opponent, sometimes calculation is not enough, as they are able to act in nonstandard ways and use skill to overcome odds. With AI, you must only calculate. Measure the defenses, troop placements, economic standing, etc., and you will have a good idea of what statistics you need to have in order to defeat the prospective opponent.


Activity is paramount in Supremacy.
When you decide to attack is dependent on when you are online.

Human players have to sleep (usually), and when they go to bed, you have an unparalleled chance to destroy them. You shouldn't risk his your health, but you can still rely on this edge in tight matches. A person's troops only react and move when ordered, which makes attacking them when they are offline equivalent to marching troops into their territory unopposed.

This cannot be done with an AI. Computers will respond to any move immediately, and the use of brute force can therefore become a necessity for a successful invasion.


There are more.
The myriad different parts and complexity of Supremacy are what make it fun, and contribute to more differences, but most fall into one of the three categories above. For example, economics (as pertaining to the stock market and diplomacy) can depend on communication.



In a Role Play, it's all about the story.

There are several differences between human and computer players that need to be examined for roleplaying games. Again, communication and war need to be examined, however, activity is less important in RP games (unless all-out war breaks out, etc.).


Communication is key.
Communication is the point of RP. The definition. Obviously, people can communicate, and the AI in Supremacy cannot. Therefore, two options are presented for how to utilize computer nations in a role play game.

Firstly is the more common "silent government" option. In this type of set-up, AI governments are largely ignored, and any player can RP about the goings-on there. This is unfortunately often used as an excuse for war, and thereby non-RP'd annexation. This can lead to problems, but is ok when used correctly and is within the set rules for the roleplay.

Then there is the designated role option. In this case, either one player controls all computer nations' foreign relations, and RP's as them in the Daily European, or the AI nations' external views are RP'd by different players who are assigned them at the beginning or throughout the game. This is a good option,  as it gives the AI voices, and can cut the likelihood of annexation. Particularly well-done games using this strategy should assign players to AI that are far away from their own nations.


War is easy.
War with AI is easier than war with players. It is for this reason that in many RP's, computer nations are quickly demonized, and landgrabbed. This may be okay in some RP's, but to keep it classy, a VERY good reason must be had, and the nation should not be wiped completely off of the map. Good communication is key in order to keep the RP and metagame flowing smoothly (check out my tips on communication in my the second McGraw's Guide to RP post.)



In conclusion.
AI and human players should be approached in different ways in both normal games and role plays, so you should remember to adapt to the situation, and react appropriately.

-ThatMcGraw

Skype with B00s

A Skype Conversation: One about a long, long RP.

The following is an edited excerpt of a Skype conversation with B00sB00s, somewhat detailing the results of good roleplay.

We were speaking through the lens of another RP, as the Skype room was designed for players of an RP made by the Rough And Ready alliance.

My thoughts (or other things explaining the conversation) are in italics.

____

ThatMcGraw: Gah, I really want to get into this RP...
But I just don't feel very connected to it.
Soon though, I expect to bring my game count down.
And then, post articles every day.
...LONG articles.


(when I'm in the zone, I can write for hours)


B00s: Long articles?

ThatMcGraw: With the power of a thousand suns.

....Have you seen mine?

B00s: Like.. your kind, x2?


(this is all in the context of another RP that the Skype room was based upon)


ThatMcGraw: Go to 254272.
Those are long.


(feel free to check them out, and if you read them all (I'm Poland/UPP, BTW), I'll buy you something nice)


B00s: God.. more work!
1 moment

ThatMcGraw: Alright.

B00s: Alright, you in this RP?

ThatMcGraw: Uh what?

B00s: 254272


(I realize that he's asking what nation I was)


ThatMcGraw: Poland.

B00s: Alright

ThatMcGraw: Go to day 4, I think I have some non-official documents in there.


(in addition to official communiques, I used "anon" to post things that were not printed by the Polish government. I eventually stopped doing this, to retain credit, and for other reasons)


ThatMcGraw: "From Plonsk" was one of my favorites.
...Despite the mistakes I made...

B00s: Did it die?


(speaking of the RP, as he saw the map, and things have started to go... "downhill" since day 100)


ThatMcGraw: Kinda

B00s: I noticed
No articles for 4+ days
Err... my bad. 3 days.

ThatMcGraw: There were some, about the conquests...
And now, everyone's finishing them up.
Not much to report, really.
...
But that game has been awesome.
ThatMcGraw: I was KING in that game.


(overzealous claims on one's influence are always a great way to express oneself, even if these ones were true)


B00s: lol were ya?

ThatMcGraw: I was.


(time to toot my own horn)


ThatMcGraw: I ended a world War with one Post.
Bradly Norbakokov had 20 nations send delegations to Plock.
I had an extra province BEFORE you could declare war.


(there was a ten-day peace period)


ThatMcGraw: I was like diplomatic Jesus, and it felt GOOD.


(I can't believe I said that... eh heh)


B00s: But?

ThatMcGraw: Hm?

B00s: Well, something went wrong if you aren't the "king" anymore

ThatMcGraw: I meant ME, McGraw.
Over the game.

Norbakokov was a character, that people actually got to know.
I was proud of that.
People could recognize the name.


(this was one of my favorite things about this Role Play; I had a great character, and people got to know him rather than me)


B00s: No I meant you used was, which is past tense.
Meaning you WERE the 'King'.

ThatMcGraw: Well, I count the game as half-over until the RP starts again.
...IF it does.

B00s: Ah.

____

So, that's about it; that RP is almost over, but hopefully it will revive into something passable.

But it's ok if it doesn't. 254272 was a great game. I proved myself as a roleplayer, got tons of diplomatic perks, tried out many new ideas (including mimicking a civil war in a way that actually engaged other RP'ers), and really had a good time.

Remember to RP for the story, rather than for winning, because that way you'll improve your writing skills, be recognized for them, and have a much better time than with a bunch of people sitting around brooding over provinces.

-ThatMcGraw

McGraw's Guide to RP 2

Part 2: Communication

In Supremacy Roleplaying Games, communication is key, and can sometimes become a huge problem. There are three common types of communication, each of which has its own parameters, and each of which should be handled in a certain way. 

1. DE Posts

2. Diplomatic Messages

3. Out-of-game Chat

There are two overarching distinctions that give each section two faces: In-Character (IC), and Out Of Character (OOC). These distinctions are extremely important, but as they are both defined by the context, I have included them in my descriptions of the communication types.

1. DE posts are the staple, and arguably the most important portions of literature in a RP. They are posted in a public forum, where anyone can read them, and provide the most information. Don't make them too short, as this is unrealistic given that the DE is a newspaper (unless you are trying something else, like a time-period based RP, or are just prone to the much more common and much easier "whatever, just post it" mentality).

I assume that if you're reading this, you know how to write an article, so I won't go into too much detail here, but remember that an article should have complete sentences, correct spelling and grammar, and should not be utterly stupid nor boring. There are several ways to write an In Character DE post. These are: 

• Official Government Statements (the most straightforward and common), 
• News Corporation Printings (where the Government is referred to but not responsible for things said, unless quoted by said paper, document, or third-party), and 
• Other (anything else not covered by third-party or government documents). 

I recommend using only non-anonymous postings in the DE for your articles. While it may be tempting to write only government-released statements non-anonymously (for feel and differentiation), your work is yours, and you should have credit for it, and be able to stop plagiarism, where people pretend to use your "paper" (if you are in a good RP, this won't happen).

The other sort of posting in the DE is Out Of Context. OOC can be constructive, if used to set-up or discuss, but mainly, it's just really, really annoying. OOC ruins games. Even some of the best RP'ers succumb to horrid arguments that can devolve quickly into personal attacks that can threaten to kill even a very good RP. OOC should be kept to a minimum, and should almost never be anonymous, lest trolls spawn and mess up all the hard work done by everyone else (choosing players is covered in a section to come).

The DE is for creating a storyline. It's not about what you're thinking, its about where you are leading your nation, and what's going on in the world you've made. Keep things realistic, well-written, discernible, and interesting, and you've a winning combination.

2. Messages to other players are how you interact with them to set up deals, create RP, or plan RP. 

In-character Diplomacy may sound redundant, and mostly is, unless you wish to create a true-immersion RP, which can be fun. I tend to always write IC diplomacy, as it lets me "strut my stuff" literarily, has a better effect on the reader, and somewhat influences people to regard you, your argument, or your offer more seriously or carefully.

One should mostly confine IC to DE posts, so that your words are not wasted, and your creativity can be enjoyed, but for full immersion, better diplomacy, and more RP material you can utilise in the future, I advise staying In Character for the vast majority of the time.

3. Out-of-game communication can add a whole new dimension to an RP. There are many ways to implement and use online chatting technologies, and I will describe several.

• Chatting- Complete OOC, a place for talking with, joking with, and getting to know the players who are in your game.
• Dealing- Running an alliance out-of-game, or using out-of-game instant messaging to more quickly communicate with players. This helps diplomacy, as you can iron-out details quickly, and get fast responses. This can be done either In-Character or Out-Of-Character.
• IC Forum- By far the most interesting utilization of chat systems is to use them In-Character. To do this, a chatroom on a website is utilized, and all members of the game (or an alliance/international meeting-place) make their names the rulers/representatives of their respective nations. They then converse as their characters, providing a very fun and entertaining, as well as interesting and engaging way of communication. This In-Character out-of-game chat can even add an entire game dynamic to the storyline of the game. If you decide to try this, make sure it's open to everyone (if it is for the entire game), just be sure that people still RP in the Daily European (which can hold some conversations from the o-o-g chat), as this is still the preferred place for articles, statements, and other official things.

Now, there are several different kinds of out-of-game chat providers, and I've had experiences with three of them. (Please note I only use free services)

• First, there's the old standby, Skype. This service is easy, and blue! It is best used for OOC Chatting, or OOC dealing, as making alternate accounts or changing your name might be annoying to some, and because there is little control over what is being said.
• Second is Chatzy. This service is as easy as any, and is useful for IC/OOC dealing and IC Forums, as you can easily join the chat without making an account. You can chat in-color or out of it, making Chatzy useful for going in-between OOC and IC.
• Last but not least is Xat. Xat is very interesting, and though the user interface is very tacky, the services it provides are some of the best. Xat is excellent for all three types of o-o-g communication. The thing that makes it unique are that you can create tiers of admins, meaning the managing of an OOC chat becomes easier, and making a proper international organization (including a chairperson who dictates whose time to speak it is) becomes possible and easy. You do not need to make a permanent account for the service. Plus, in Xat, you can make pretty drawings and play games. Because that's the important thing, right?

Out-of-game chats can not only add a means of communication, but entirely new types of gameplay. Which service one uses is up to the game's creator, and he should always be the one to set up (or at least manage) an external service. The extent of gameplay spent in chat should be at least somewhat balanced by the time spent in Supremacy itself. Give an IC Forum a chance, as it can constitute a very interesting 



Experiment with different variations and ratios of communications until you find the combination of Daily European articles, Diplomatic messages, and Out-of-Game chat services that works the best with your game and with the players you have selected. There are many options available to you, so I advise you to try interesting combinations, until you find something that clicks well with your own style of gameplay.

-ThatMcGraw

McGraw's Guide to RP

Part 1: An Introduction

This was originally going to be posted in the forums, but unfortunately my browser decided to reload the page for absolutely no reason whatsoever. I lost hours of work, but will post what I have soon, and will most likely continue... at some point. Anyhoo, enjoy.


I am ThatMcGraw.

I may be newer here, but I have the general gist of how an RP should work down quite well, and I write some good articles (when I have the time).

This here is a guide that I will one day follow in order to make the best possible RP.

The first sections are basic things that most know, but I have given several clarifications and viewpoints that make them worth posting. The later sections are more along the lines of advanced RP, as well as interesting ideas that I have for new scenarios, etc.

Each section will end with a list of the qualities of the section that would contribute to a great RP.

I'll keep this as just an introduction. The other parts will be longer, I promise.

-ThatMcGraw

Selecting Players

RolePlay Games: Easy to Destroy

I joined an RP about 20 days ago that looked incredibly cool.

It was started by a guy named Hawshire, and featured many cool players that I knew, and more that I got to know. It was an RP that would progress through ages, with the Dark Ages ending on day 100. The provinces were rearranged; for example, the Holy Roman Empire was made up of a conglomeration of Austria-Hungary and Germany, there was the Byzantine Empire, which was Greek provinces scattered about, and there was the Golden Horde, played by Caucasus.

Everything was going well. There were plagues, nations fought, the rift between Christian and Muslim nations grew larger, and everyone was planning, scheming, and having a fun time.

But then, bad things happened. Goldmark spamming, to be precise. Arabia was wiped off the map after being weakened from massive GM usage, and other nations were attacked as well. It didn't help that it was strictly against the rules (as it normally is in RP's).

But the thing that really tipped the balance in the favor of doom was that two players sent their entire armies across the Atlantic to take over North America.

Usually, this isn't much of a problem, as long as the actions are roleplayed correctly. But this game was different. This wasn't allowed, and wasn't RP'd. There were no players on the continent to the West, as it was to be used for colonization storylines in later ages of the RP. This meant that these players could completely conquer all of the provinces, and amass huge resources to use to ruin the RP further.

So, what should you take away from this?

Trolls Suck.

GM trolls suck even more.


Therefore, when starting an RP, one must be selective. If one wishes to have a great RP, he must be extremely so, and must utilize an extreme vetting process.

Don't let just anyone join. Make them prove their ability. If they only write 100 word articles, I wouldn't let them in my RP. If there is any chance that anger will force them to destroy your work, don't give them access to the game. Also, make sure that the people who you do let in the game don't give out permission to whomever they want. Who's in the game should be up to the creator, unless otherwise stated.

In closing, just be a tad skeptical when starting an RP.

That is all.

-ThatMcGraw

Supremacy Activity

Being Active: It means you will win.

I love Supremacy.

It's a great game, after all. It has booms, wooshes, conquering, diplomacy, and all that jazz.

Which can be a problem.

Many of you probably know what I'm talking about. With S1914, it is easy to become way too immersed. There are just so many options- you can play one of your many games, start a new one, or spend time planning or on chat. And real kicker is that all the time spent on the game is positively reinforced.

When you play incessantly, your chances in the game are much higher than when you only check in once or a few times per day. This is because activity directly translates into success in S1914. When you are online, your strategies are implemented faster, you can respond to threats or diplomacy much faster, and you can increase your production by doing things as soon as possible.

Don't let Supremacy be the only thing in your life- Do not let it take precedence over more important things like work that needs doing, or you'll lose in real life.

If you really just want to win at any cost, then remember when you're active more than the enemy, you will have an edge—usually one that will allow you to defeat that enemy. It's just common sense. When you're on more, you can do more.


Of course, if you're just plain terrible, they'll still beat you every time. ;P

-ThatMcGraw

My First Game

Day 100 And Counting: What I learned in my first game.

When I first logged on to a game in Supremacy 1914, I didn't know what to expect. I had some questions.


Was this game going to be like Risk?

Well, kinda.


Would it be fun?

Definitely.


Would I understand everything at first?

Nah.



The first aspect of Supremacy that I encountered was the 'real-time' part of 'real-time strategy'. I had played games like RoN before, where you gather resources and build units, buildings, etc., but had not played anything where these tasks took days. To be honest, it was annoying at first. Annoying, but somehow exhilarating. That night was a Friday, and I sat with my laptop in my, well, lap, for hours. Just sitting there, in one game, watching my troops slowly move towards victory, plotting, thinking, and chatting.


I quickly learned that in a game that moves this slow- people tend to get bored. And talk. And talk. And talk some more. Chat was interesting- there were some cool people on at the time, and it was far from dead. I was chatting with Wartrain and others, and asking some questions in the 'help channel'. I still use chat quite a bit, though I now supplement it with external forms of communication like Skype or other chat platforms.

My foray into the world of Europe as Northern Russia was quite successful- I quickly dispatched Perm Krai, and Western Siberia. One of the first things I did was change my name to a more 'Russian' one, because at the time I was playing like a role-player. I posted some articles, later even making a poem about Finland's downfall. Unfortunately, I was not in  an RP game, so DE posts were kept to a minimum, and almost no one responded to diplomacy. However, two players did. And so, my first interaction with Diplomacy was initiated. I divided South Russia with Ukraine, and became steadfast allies. We eventually became some of the most powerful countries in the world. I easily adapted to the gameplay, and found myself rather pleased with the formation of my empire.

The most important lesson I learned in that game was that activity equals success. The more you are on, the better your chances at defeating the enemy. This rule is true for even the best players, and active engagement is required for one to win.

We swept through Europe, and watched warily as Greece bloomed into a massive nation. Soon, the world was divided between only a small number of nations. Greece became a target. He was growing too powerful. We decided to invade, and after careful planning, we attacked. I soon realized that attacking a giant line of railguns was not going to be an effective strategy- I lost a lot of troops. I didn't know there were that many, and I payed the price for my oversight. I adjusted my strategy, and we began a long, drawn out battle, with initial losses, but slow, methodical gains.

I won't go into many more details, as my one game is not of much importance to anyone other than me, but I will say that it lasted a very long time.

Well over 100 days.

I learnt strategies, how to use units effectively, how to invade, defend, and conquer. I learned how to play Supremacy. And, well, I had a lot of fun.

-ThatMcGraw