[rec.games.misc] Populous problems

sno@sno-1.UUCP (Stephen N. Opal) (10/31/89)

Has anyone else noticed that the computer (Evil) opponent in Populous will
continually flood land whenever it has enough Manna to do it?  This has proven
to be a really stupid tactic as the computer usually floods itself right out
of the game, making an easy win.

Another problem, each new world has a level number +3 or so of the previous one.
What is happening with all the intermediate levels?

Also, has anyone successfully designed a tactic that allows you to make it
past level 82?  This is the artic environment where you get 2 colonies while 
the computer gets 4.  When the computer gets enough manna, (which is really easy
for it) it knights.  By this time, I am lucky if I can get enough manna to
create swamps, while the computer has literally tons of castles.  I have yet
to figure out a successful defense to the pillaging.  For the record, until this
level, I was able to drown any knight before any damage occured.  Now the computer
watches and rescues the knight before he goes in.  My main defense is gone.
Now, I don't feel like playing the game anymore because of the leap in difficulty
foisted on me by this level.  Any help would be appreciated.


--
        From: {sharkey!rjf001,clip!m-net}!sno-1!sno
        Stephen N. Opal   (313) 572-1610

jac423@leah.Albany.Edu (Jules Cisek) (11/02/89)

In article <10182.AA10182@sno-1>, sno@sno-1.UUCP (Stephen N. Opal) writes:
> Has  anyone  else  noticed that the computer (Evil) opponent in Populous
> will continually flood land whenever it has enough Manna to do it?  This
> has  proven  to be a really stupid tactic as the computer usually floods
> itself right out of the game, making an easy win.

When the computer gets smarter, it doesn't do that as often.

> Another  problem,  each  new  world  has  a level number +3 or so of the
> previous one.  What is happening with all the intermediate levels?

The better you do in the last game, the further along the worlds you can
go.  If you do really poorly (score is very low, like 17,000 or so), you
will only go up by one world.

> Also, has anyone successfully designed a tactic that allows you to  make
> it  past  level  82?   This  is  the  artic  environment where you get 2
> colonies while the computer gets  4.   When  the  computer  gets  enough
> manna,  (which  is  really  easy for it) it knights.  By this time, I am
> lucky if I can get enough manna to create swamps, while the computer has
> literally  tons  of  castles.   I  have  yet  to figure out a successful
> defense to the pillaging.

Try surrounding his 'un'holy symbol with water by moving your population
there as quick as you can and keeping it surrounded. This will certainly
prevent new knights from being created.
-- 
Fight |     //             Julius A. Cisek   jac423,jules      |Don't
Like a|   \X/ ->crunch<-   SUNYA, NY USA     @leah.albany.edu  | Be a
Brave | IB...M             I do think it's good...             |Slave

sno@sno-1.UUCP (Stephen N. Opal) (11/07/89)

Thanks so much to those who responded to my stalemate with Populous.
Some interesting strategies were explained that helped a great deal.

My final solution actually ended up being ignoring that level and working
my way around it.  In order to do it without bouncing back to this particular
level I had back up 2 passes.  Redoing level 74 gave me enough points to
jump past the dead end level before 82.  Mission accomplished.

I'm now cruising my way through past level 105 with virtually no problems.
For those who would like to experience this miserable level that caused my
exclamation of exasperation... it is "Hobmeill".

--
        From: {sharkey!rjf001,clip!m-net}!sno-1!sno
        Stephen N. Opal   (313) 572-1610

ameiba@reed.bitnet (Keith Steiger,Mac 309,0,) (11/09/89)

In article <10758.AA10758@sno-1> sno@sno-1.UUCP (Stephen N. Opal) writes:
>Thanks so much to those who responded to my stalemate with Populous.
>Some interesting strategies were explained that helped a great deal.

Could you share some of these strategies with the rest of the net.world?
I'd be happy to contribute, but I don't know what other people have said.
Populous is addictive, but getting stuck is one of the most frustrating
things about it.

>I'm now cruising my way through past level 105 with virtually no problems.

Don't worry, you'll come across a level that you can't deal with.  I've been
stuck around level 161 for quite a while now.  By the way, is trading names
of levels kosher?  A dubious proposition at best, methinks.

--
TTYL, Keith Steiger--ameiba@reed.BITNET, ameiba@reed.UUCP, tektronix!reed!ameiba
          "I am what you see.  Myself....  I cannot be otherwise."
  Disclaimer: Reed College tries very hard to ignore its students' opinions. 
--
TTYL, Keith Steiger--ameiba@reed.BITNET, ameiba@reed.UUCP, tektronix!reed!ameiba
          "I am what you see.  Myself....  I cannot be otherwise."
  Disclaimer: Reed College tries very hard to ignore its students' opinions. 

piaw@cory.Berkeley.EDU (Na Choon Piaw) (11/10/89)

In article <13545@reed.UUCP> ameiba@dharma.JPL.NASA.GOV (Keith Steiger) writes:

>I'd be happy to contribute, but I don't know what other people have said.
>Populous is addictive, but getting stuck is one of the most frustrating
>things about it.

Just say what ever found works for you --- I need all the hints I can get...

>stuck around level 161 for quite a while now.  By the way, is trading names
>of levels kosher?  A dubious proposition at best, methinks.

Maybe some one should collate all the names and post them in world level
order or something.
>TTYL, Keith Steiger--ameiba@reed.BITNET, ameiba@reed.UUCP, tektronix!reed!ameiba
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Na Choon Piaw			P.O Box, 4067, Berkeley, CA 94704-0067
piaw@cory.berkeley.edu		Disclaimer: I'm speaking only for myself!
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egranthm@centec.UUCP (Ewan Grantham x 103) (11/16/89)

In article <10182.AA10182@sno-1>, sno@sno-1.UUCP (Stephen N. Opal) writes:
@ Has anyone else noticed that the computer (Evil) opponent in Populous will
> continually flood land whenever it has enough Manna to do it?  This has proven
> to be a really stupid tactic as the computer usually floods itself right out
> of the game, making an easy win.

Yes, but then considering what all it has to keep track of, I'm not surprised.
I remember one world where the sucker kept volcanoing me out of existence...

@ Also, has anyone successfully designed a tactic that allows you to make it
> past level 82?  This is the artic environment where you get 2 colonies while 
> the computer gets 4.  When the computer gets enough manna, (which is really easy
> for it) it knights.  By this time, I am lucky if I can get enough manna to
> create swamps, while the computer has literally tons of castles.  I have yet
> to figure out a successful defense to the pillaging.  For the record, until this
> level, I was able to drown any knight before any damage occured.  Now the computer
> watches and rescues the knight before he goes in.  My main defense is gone.

Well, the main thing I did was to try and keep my colonies small at first to
force my folks to reproduce as fast as he did. Once I seemed to have an
equivalent number of people, I was able to use the earthquakes to keep him
off balance. I did see him knight twice, but was able to lure him out on
a promintory and sink the fellow both times, so I guess you just have to 
be a little lucky. 

@         From: {sharkey!rjf001,clip!m-net}!sno-1!sno
@         Stephen N. Opal   (313) 572-1610

Ewan Grantham		...uunet!centec!egranthm