Re: Chariots

["Benedict" <boycat_oh@...>]

Hi

Top Race deals with this problem by dishing out prize money for 
the winner and exponentially (I think) less for 2nd, 3rd place etc.

There is a chance to bet at 2 points in the game with decreased 
payout from the bank for the 2nd round of bidding. I don't 
remember the potential gain from a successful bet vs your car 
placing first, but the time I played if your car won the race you 
stood a pretty good chance to win the game.

Based on Mark's desire to have a fast tactical game, it doesn't 
sound like bidding is going to help game play all that much. I 
thikn I was trying to add german-game style strategy to it - 
obviously not in ;line with Mark's overall game design ;)

So, Mark, do you have embryonic game ideas for the Ancient 
Greek Olympics events that you mentioned when you described 
the genesis of Chariots?

Phillip

> That's an interesting way to add betting to the game.  It still has
> the same problem that all other betting schemes I've looked at 
when
> added to the game.  Sense the progress of each chariot is 
controlled
> be a single player, you can end up with the situation where 
each player
> what some other chariot to win the race and they all start to 
make sub-
> optimal moves to avoid winning the race.  I think that this would 
be a 
> break with the theme and feel of the game.  All rewarding the 
winner
> with some part of the betting proceeds would do is add some 
analysis
> paralysis to the players movement decisions.  Also, if all 
players start
> with the same bankroll, then betting becomes a zero sum 
game, and it
> is likely that the best way to end up with the most money is 
never bet
> on any other chariot then your own, which if the bets on losing
> chariots go to the bank, is strictly worse then never betting at 
all,
> so why bet?  I'll go on thinking about this.
> 
> -- 
> mark@b...
> mark.a.biggar@c...