what would you enjoy most in an AAR?

[melqart_ita]

So, I just finished a full campaign with Gadir in 2.0, and I had the **BEST** time. Really loved how the new features (levies, tech, wonders) and some random accidents created a very nice story. And I took some 2000 screenshots along the way.

I may want to write an AAR about this, but I wondered: what do you guys enjoy most in one?

e.g. do you mind if I add extra stuff to the bare game mechanics (like characters' motivations, what a casus belli is specifically, what parties fight over etc)? or a back story to the starting point in the game? or do you prefer a chronicle of what happens?

do you like stopping here and there to consider stats/maps (e.g. most populous cities, richest provinces, road network)? lots of screenshots or few?

curious to know what you think!

 

[alvaro]

So, I just finished a full campaign with Gadir in 2.0, and I had the **BEST** time. Really loved how the new features (levies, tech, wonders) and some random accidents created a very nice story. And I took some 2000 screenshots along the way.

I may want to write an AAR about this, but I wondered: what do you guys enjoy most in one?

e.g. do you mind if I add extra stuff to the bare game mechanics (like characters' motivations, what a casus belli is specifically, what parties fight over etc)? or a back story to the starting point in the game? or do you prefer a chronicle of what happens?

do you like stopping here and there to consider stats/maps (e.g. most populous cities, richest provinces, road network)? lots of screenshots or few?

curious to know what you think!

the part I enjoy the most is when I start getting to know the families and follow how they screw my master plans so on my part some insights on characters would be nice.

 

[vyshan]

Imperator Rome seems tailor made for historical book style of AARs IMO.

 

[alvaro]

Imperator Rome seems tailor made for historical book style of AARs IMO.

for inpiration: 12 suffetes, paralel aars

 

[melqart_ita]

Imperator Rome seems tailor made for historical book style of AARs IMO.

agreed! when I play I always imagine how a history book would be describing what happens and why, and that's why I tend to add several details that are not in the game (but motivate the "story")

 

[Herennius]

e.g. do you mind if I add extra stuff to the bare game mechanics (like characters' motivations, what a casus belli is specifically, what parties fight over etc)? or a back story to the starting point in the game? or do you prefer a chronicle of what happens?

do you like stopping here and there to consider stats/maps (e.g. most populous cities, richest provinces, road network)? lots of screenshots or few?

If your game and its decisions were based mainly or at least partly on roleplaying, I would write about those backround for sure, e.g. how certain traits or events motivated the rulers character to do X. What doesn't work for my taste is though trying to tell a story in that way, if you played strictly optimal in terms of gameplay.

Screenshots don't hurt and you can add a good number before it would be too many. Reasons: A pic often tells more then a lot of words, they tend to create/retain "appetite" for starting or continuing to read and -if correctly placed- can help struturing a text.

You could also draw some inspirations from here (story contest last year):

Tell us your story! Sept 24 - Oct 1

Salve Citizens! We are all about making the story feel like your own tales told through History! We know many of you have a story to tell about your favorite playthrough and experience and we want to hear it! Tell us about your favorite...

forum.paradoxplaza.com

 

[melqart_ita]

If your game and its decisions were based mainly or at least partly on roleplaying, I would write about those backround for sure, e.g. how certain traits or events motivated the rulers character to do X. What doesn't work for my taste is though trying to tell a story in that way, if you played strictly optimal in terms of gameplay.

Screenshots don't hurt and you can add a good number before it would be too many. Reasons: A pic often tells more then a lot of words, they tend to create/retain "appetite" for starting or continuing to read and -if correctly placed- can help struturing a text.

You could also draw some inspirations from here (story contest last year):

Tell us your story! Sept 24 - Oct 1

Salve Citizens! We are all about making the story feel like your own tales told through History! We know many of you have a story to tell about your favorite playthrough and experience and we want to hear it! Tell us about your favorite...

forum.paradoxplaza.com

that’s a very helpful reply, thanks a lot @Herennius

 

[Senatus1980]

that’s a very helpful reply, thanks a lot @Herennius

I enjoy a good AAR especially as I roleplay in my own games. I definitely agree that some well-chosen photos is good.

Also, to fit the game, use of character motivations, prejudices, obsessions, rivalries.

And capturing the game's WTF moments, for good or ill. For example, if I were to write one, I'd definitely include this recent incident in my own Rome game. I had the brilliant Archimedes as a researcher - crazy good stats. Well, poor Archimedes started to ail, so I paid to have him treated. I couldn't lose one of my most brilliant scientists! It was touch-and-go for a bit, but Archimedes was healed and returned to healthy status - hallelujah! (He was also castrated in the process, but oh well). So all's great in my realm, right? Zipping along at 175% research efficiency. Then, a couple of years later, my **15 ZEAL** Pontifex Maximus is murdered by none other than Archimedes! And, oh god, my Pontifex Maximus was in the prime of life and healthy! I could've strangled Archimedes - I really could have. So lesson learned - play closer to attention to rivalries among important characters.
Personally, zeal was the *one attribute* Archimedes was not a genius in - so I tend to think they became rivals because Archimedes couldn't bear to be upstaged in something. But murder?! That brilliant bastard...

 

[vyshan]

agreed! when I play I always imagine how a history book would be describing what happens and why, and that's why I tend to add several details that are not in the game (but motivate the "story")

agreed. As for non-game details, one of the things I want to talk about for a future diadochi game(probably the selekuids) is discussing the impact of Buddhism and Jainism in the west on culture as philosophers debate the ideas more, part of that would be the idea of monasticism for Hellenistic philosophies like Pythagoreanism, Cynicism, and Stoicism and how they develop and change from OTL with more eastern influences within a united Hellenistic empire.

I doubt that this sort of thing will be added in the future, but showing how the cultures change from the start to the end is fun to read about.

 

[melqart_ita]

Well, I started it!

The Republic of Gadir: a Punic utopiAAR

Hello people! I had such a great time, full of nice twists, in my last game that I finally found the courage (and time) to write an AAR about it. Basic info: 1) I played with Gadir in Ironman mode at hard difficulty level 2) I played for the...

forum.paradoxplaza.com