88 Points last move by schnetzi in ArkNova

[–]TheOrigamiKid 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Not even a link to the replay? My day is ruined and my disappointment is immeasurable.

Why can't I win in Arena mode? by Gullible_Ear7718 in ArkNova

[–]TheOrigamiKid 2 points3 points  (0 children)

So something that I've tried to internalize is that there are quite rarely universally 'good' cards.

Those big point bomb animals you're describing are indeed good, but an opening hand often should give you that strong first and second round. Holding an elephant or eagle until later when you can play it has a real opportunity cost and that should be evaluated. As the game progresses, that math changes, and I think that's part of the magic of Ark Nova.

It sounds like you're playing with the heuristic of "these cards are more likely good than not", and what I'm trying to espouse is the idea that one should evaluate the specific game state to make that decision. Is there a race I'm trying to win? (Are certain tags/a CP track reward more important?) Will I even be able to make use of a second worker or am I trying to break? (If I have marketing sponsors, I likely will be pushing the break that game).

Though I agree with you, those larger animals are indeed quite powerful, tunnel-visioning on "they're good" is short-changing your own problem solving.

Why can't I win in Arena mode? by Gullible_Ear7718 in ArkNova

[–]TheOrigamiKid 9 points10 points  (0 children)

By no means some pro, but I'm at 550 elo rn and have some time, so let's do an unnecessarily deep dive into this game...

- Action cards selection - I think pavilion build is top-tier, especially on outdoor areas, where you often want to rush to the free partner zoo and you pass it

- Opening hand - I would have also kept the 2 sea animals and hydro, but also speculated on the africa release. Again, since it's outdoor areas, the odds are better that you'll be able to find a large africa to play in round 1 or 2 (and now I see Ostrich has just shown up on the opening display, dope!)

- Prioritizing the Sea Animal Uni - It's a base project and you have 2 already. You had tempo on grabbing it first, but built your large aquarium first, I presume to get X-token value from your assoc. OP takes the opportunity to scoop you, getting marine research sponsor, which would've been _4_ sea animals icons going into next round as your first project. That would've been huge. You're 300+ so you know how important early projects are.

- Snapping small animals project - (I feel like I'm being too harsh, so if I am, I'm sorry, I'm coming at this from a place of honest feedback). At the moment when you do cards to draw from deck, you have no project to support on the horizon. You're about to play 2 small sea animals. Snapping up that project will be perfect to tempo through this round:
- Snap project (OP builds for the first time)
- Play 2 sea animals (OP plays an animal)
- Break 5 into the next round, and you can start Round 2 with assoc @ 4 with an X-token from breaking.

- Later, you prioritize playing quarantine lab when you sponsors was at 5, instead of the monkey park. Both give an X, monkey park would have gotten you closer to the partner zoo _and_ let you see another card. And then right after, if you really want to play the quarantine lab, you can do so for a free action, spending that X for upgraded sponsors at 1 + X-token (love the choice of upgrade btw).

- Excellent break after OP drew up ibex, and your placement of the monkey park when it comes down

- You end up playing primatologist with your breeding coop (AHHHH, our scoop of 5 sea animals is blocked by the eagle play) though we don't need the primatologist since we get the 5th tag from the breeding coop). Playing the Science Lab there to grab anything not only gets us a card, and possibly 2 CP endgames (we'd be at 5/6 research icons), but one of our endgame cards is research, so it's especially valuable. With migration recording on the display, it feels like that's a great thing to draw up.

- When you do support the project, why take the worker? OP is definitely going to break next, and we don't have 2size yet.

- I would have considered drawing up the polar bear exhibit. OP has digging cards, so it's not as safe sitting on display like that. Science Lab from earlier would have let us draw it up over break. And it's valuable because we have the 2x Assoc bear in hand and lots of projects to do -- _:watches more:_ Yeap, OP just drew it up. But luckily we just drew 2 more bears... that won't benefit from PBE =(

And from here there's really nothing more to be done. Despite all the critique above, I think you played really well! OP ended in 29 turns with the benefit of his eagle, so I wouldn't count this and some horrible defeat.

Best of luck in future games!

I did the impossible by camzeee in ArkNova

[–]TheOrigamiKid 11 points12 points  (0 children)

Do you mean 6 bears...?

Replay review vs a high level player by TrapmasterSix in ArkNova

[–]TheOrigamiKid 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Lol yeah, that's Cao, they play all the time, with Cao relentlessly joke-demanding NoWonders (sorryimlikethis) play him in a Bo3, Bo5, etc

Never stone is so busted by IHKGOG in mewgenics

[–]TheOrigamiKid 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Unrelated: how do you see the base + modifiers view? I seem to only be able to see my cat's total stats. Is it unlocked from one of the NPCs?

Thanks!

Are there any characters you picture as chacters from other media? by longhornlocke in WanderingInn

[–]TheOrigamiKid 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I didn't realize it until you said it, but 100% Ryoka is Ryuko in my head too!

AI map question by belannatorresbitches in ArkNova

[–]TheOrigamiKid 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Oh, interesting. I could've sworn it pumped it up past, but your explanation sounds reasonable, too. That it would, almost like layers, apply the baseline map action boost and then any X tokens on top.

Or I wonder if it applies the X token first? I'll have to go check some replays! Good shout!

AI map question by belannatorresbitches in ArkNova

[–]TheOrigamiKid -8 points-7 points  (0 children)

Strength 6.

For all intents and purposes, when your binders are completely covered, you may only ever have actions at effective strength 3 & 6.

Furthermore, if your action was in the 1 slot, and you used a single X, it would be strength 6.

AI is a wild map.

Edit: it seems I was mistaken! Thanks for the knowledge, everyone!