Contest 149: Twisted Nicopolis (a Caesar 4 Economic Contest)

Welcome to the contest pages for Contest 149: Twisted Nicopolis . This is a Caesar 4 contest, and should only be played with Caesar 4 with the latest patch. Check the HeavenGames site for the latest version. Use the links below to download the starting positions:

Twisted Nicopolis (Insane Difficulty)
files are in .zip format

Twisted Nicopolis (Hard Difficulty)
files are in .zip format

Twisted Nicopolis (Easy Difficulty)
files are in .zip format

Twisted Nicopolis (Novice Difficulty)
files are in .zip format

Twisted Nicopolis (French Language files)
files are in .zip format

Twisted Nicopolis (German Language files)
files are in .zip format

Procedure for extracting files-

The zip file will contain a number of files (this can vary depending on the scenario). Firstly, the file with the extension c4s should be extracted to the directory Saved Games in your C4 installation

   (Default location C:\Program Files\Sierra\Caesar4\Data\Saved Games).

The remaining files should be extracted to the directory Scenarios

   (Default location C:\Program Files\Sierra\Caesar4\Data\Scenarios).

If you are running Vista, when you download any C4 files, they are always, by default, put in Virtual store with Vista:

   C:\Users\Name-of-user\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files\Sierra\Caesar IV\Data

You have to copy or move the files to the following folders, which are, by default:

   C:\Program Files\Sierra\Caesar IV\Data\Saved Games for c4s. files and

   C:\Program Files\Sierra\Caesar IV\Data\Scenarios for all the other files

(Thanks to schwartzhorse for the Vista instructions!)

You start the save from the Main Menu in C4, selecting "Load Save." The save "Twisted Nicopolis Novice" or "Twisted Nicopolis Easy" or "Twisted Nicopolis Hard" or "Twisted Nicopolis Insane" should appear in the list. It is not necessary to alter game difficulty.

Background Story:

The new Emperor, Caligula, has summoned you to Rome unexpectedly. You are one of two governors he has singled out for a special task. One governor, he explains, has been sent to Patavium, to build a beautiful city, as measured against a set of criteria that he has devised himself, which he calls the 'Beauty Rating'. But you, dear governor, are more favored than that. "Any governor can built a city of culture, prosperity and security" he says, "but only the best can retain power in spite of taking decisions that others would regard as totally insane". He fixes you with a gaze that contains more than a hint of madness in his eyes. "I believe YOU have that rare quality. I want you to go to Nicopolis and build a city. But forget all you have learnt about good governance. Waste resources and money, keep as many of your citizens as uncultured, unprosperous and as insecure as possible. Do this well, and who knows?" he smiles. "I may one day even name you as my heir".

To assist you in your task, Caligula has appointed one whom he has jokingly called an 'Insanity Advisor' to rate the city you have built. The higher your Insanity Rating, the better he will be pleased. The sheep of this land are prized highly and will be your main source of income, for Caligula has ordered that the precious arable land in Nicopolis must be wholly devoted to these lovely woolly creatures. You will also note from the Empire Map that Caligula has chosen to give some provinces and cities new names - which are clear evidence of a deranged mind (or maybe two) at work.

Your wise Imperial Advisor does suggest caution, however. He believes that a madman like Caligula will not last long as Emperor. And whoever succeeds Caligula is unlikely to appreciate as much your efforts in building an insane city. You are advised, as a form of "insurance", to aim for a population of 4000, including at least 4 patrician homes (level dependent on the difficulty level), to demonstrate that you have SOME ability as a governor.

Rules

Completion Criteria:
Population 4000
No defeat events have occurred.
Other criteria to be advised mid-way through the scenario

Defeat Events:
Debt of more than 5000dn
During Caligula's reign: population of 6000 or more.
When Caligula is assassinated: city does not have at least 4000 population or 4 small estates (Novice), 4 medium estates (Easy), 4 large estates (Hard) or 4 small mansions (Insane).
During the reign of Claudius: completion criteria not achieved on 31 August 44AD.
Caesar dismisses you. (normal game function)

Winning Criteria (All Difficulties):

1. Points score totalled as follows (highest wins, maximum 501 points):
- Maximum Insanity Rating achieved: maximum 101 points.
- Lowest Insanity Rating achieved on the 4 Insanity Days and the Final Rating: maximum 100 points.
- 1 point for each point of Beauty at the end of August 42AD
- 2 points for each point of Beauty on completion.

2. Favor Rating on completion (highest wins).

3. Denarii in city treasury on completion (highest wins).

Designer's Notes

The scenario should be played until the end of August 44AD, at the end of which a victory screen will appear if the completion criteria have been met. When this occurs, you should select 'Keep Playing' and save your game. Note that for a save to be valid, the Victory Screen must have been displayed.

A defeat screen will appear if any of the defeat events listed above occur. If this happens, you should revert to a recent saved game and correct the circumstance that caused defeat.

Not all buildings will be available at the start - most will unlock as you progress through the scenario.

The Beauty Rating (which has featured in previous scenarios by the AODE/Hieronymus) is scored from 0 to 100, based on the number and type of decorative items in the city, together with larger impressive buildings that form an essential part of a beautiful city. In-game messages will give you hints about what to place in order to improve the rating. Note that the rating changes only gradually - increasing or decreasing by 1 point each game week (4 game weeks equalling 1 game month).

There is a small military element involving a few raiders, who can safely be ignored should you choose to do so. They will target only a specific type of building, and then leave of their own accord.

On Easy and Novice Difficulty levels only, if you have 10 or more active prefect offices, you will find that buildings will not catch fire or collapse. At least, not by chance.

Please read all in-game messages carefully!

This contest will maintain the time-honored CBC tradition of requiring players to keep saves for December of each year. A message will be issued each December to remind players to make their save. Only the final (completed) save is to be submitted, however. The contest designers may ask to see any or all of your December saves before validating your final save, although this will not normally occur. *Once your save has been validated you do not need to keep these saves, unless they are used as a basis for generating further submissions.*

Difficulty Level Elegibility

Schwartzhorse (tester on Hard) is elegible to enter at the Insane Difficulty Level. gerhardc (tester on Novice) is elegible to enter at the Easy Difficulty Level.

Insane Difficulty - Any player may enter Insane difficulty. Players may also enter another difficulty as well as Insane, however players finishing first and second in Insane Difficulty will not be eligible for a placing in a lower level.

Hard Difficulty - Any player may enter Hard Difficulty.

Easy Dificulty - Any player who has not yet won 2 or more CBC C4 contests at Easy Difficulty, has not had a top 3 placing at Hard Difficulty, or a top 4 placing at Insane Difficulty, may enter at this level.

Novice Difficulty - Any player who has not yet won 2 or more CBC C4 contests at Novice Difficulty, has not had a top 3 placing at Easy or Hard Difficulty, or a top 6 placing at Insane Difficulty, will be permitted to enter Novice Difficulty. This level is intended in particular for players new to CBC C4 contests who may benefit from some private assistance from the design team.

Players may not competitively enter multiple difficulties. As previously, such entries will be accepted and the last difficulty submitted will be regarded as the official entry, provided the player is eligible to enter in that difficulty.

Credits

Twisted Nicopolis is an AODE creation, being co-designed by Aramann and Hieronymus and tested by both, together with Schwartzhorse who tested at the Hard Difficulty level and gerhardc who tested at the Novice Difficulty level.

Special thanks go to Schwartzhorse for the French translation of the XML files and to Inka for the German translation.

Hieronymus and Aramann would like to assure all players that no sheep were harmed during the production of this contest.

When forwarding entries to CBC, only the c4s file for the final save is required, not your other (interim) saves.

This contest will close at 11PM EST (US), on Sunday April 19th, 2009. Please note the date!

This contest has ended.

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