Post by Sam on Dec 1, 2005 6:00:46 GMT -5
Heya!
This is just a little thing where I write something individually before the game starts. Because when that happens, I can not even mention like your past activities or how you did in other games or mention basically anything at all about you or your gameplay. Maybe I'll give some advice on what to do or just reminisce about the game you played in. Now remember I haven't like deeply studied the game and all the confessionals you wrote before typing this, so I'm just going off a general perspective of the really big things from my point of view. Some of the little details might be wrong but I'll try my best. So now the form letter part of this ends and the personalized part starts after this sentence. =)
Doug! It's been awhile since Carlsbad. Fifth place out of 20 is fantastic... and being the last surviving member of your alliance is even better. You were caught up in a lot of drama and alliance shifting in your game but you managed to keep on top of things and stay away from being targetted. That's not easy at all, especially when many other CERN players made wrong decisions and lost before ya.
Just rereading your application, and I must say it is very well written and well thought out. Not much I can add. I must say though I had some ideas of maybe how someone in a position like that could try and turn it around. Making the alliance with Ross and the Royals at the Final 7 was the best move you could make at the time, and it got you 2 spots farther. I don't know what your relationship with Secret was at the time and if aligning with them would have worked. One thing that may have been on your mind was that although Ross offered you a deal to the end (was it Final 3? I'm not exactly sure) you must see that from his perspective, it wasn't in his best interest to keep it. If Ross was in the Final 2 with you, a CERN who managed to dodge the alliances and stay alive to the end, he would almost lose instantly. You would have Kevin's, Hector's, Will R's, and Heather's votes and that's a game lock right there. So, realizing that he couldn't keep you around for long, you had to make other deals to get into power.
Playing the two groups off each other (like Royal did with secret/CERN) is key. I don't know if it was possible at the Final 7 right there to regain control. What I might have tried was to make a move with Heather at the Final 8. Basically, you could approach one alliance of 3 (either Secret or Royal, your pick) and make the following ultimatum: Make a 5 person alliance with Heather and I to vote out the other tribe. If you don't, whichever one of us is left in the Final 7 will align with the other tribe to vote you out. I'm not sure if this would have worked considering the people/relationships in the game, but I think it was your best shot.
Anyway, I'm totally rambling. Just trying to illustrate the power you can wield by playing two groups against each other. Royal did it in CBC, Zephyr did it in Paradise, and it worked flawlessly. With your ability to make friendships, stay below the radar, and make smart decisions for yourself and your tribe, you should go far.
Good Luck! =)
-Sam
This is just a little thing where I write something individually before the game starts. Because when that happens, I can not even mention like your past activities or how you did in other games or mention basically anything at all about you or your gameplay. Maybe I'll give some advice on what to do or just reminisce about the game you played in. Now remember I haven't like deeply studied the game and all the confessionals you wrote before typing this, so I'm just going off a general perspective of the really big things from my point of view. Some of the little details might be wrong but I'll try my best. So now the form letter part of this ends and the personalized part starts after this sentence. =)
Doug! It's been awhile since Carlsbad. Fifth place out of 20 is fantastic... and being the last surviving member of your alliance is even better. You were caught up in a lot of drama and alliance shifting in your game but you managed to keep on top of things and stay away from being targetted. That's not easy at all, especially when many other CERN players made wrong decisions and lost before ya.
Just rereading your application, and I must say it is very well written and well thought out. Not much I can add. I must say though I had some ideas of maybe how someone in a position like that could try and turn it around. Making the alliance with Ross and the Royals at the Final 7 was the best move you could make at the time, and it got you 2 spots farther. I don't know what your relationship with Secret was at the time and if aligning with them would have worked. One thing that may have been on your mind was that although Ross offered you a deal to the end (was it Final 3? I'm not exactly sure) you must see that from his perspective, it wasn't in his best interest to keep it. If Ross was in the Final 2 with you, a CERN who managed to dodge the alliances and stay alive to the end, he would almost lose instantly. You would have Kevin's, Hector's, Will R's, and Heather's votes and that's a game lock right there. So, realizing that he couldn't keep you around for long, you had to make other deals to get into power.
Playing the two groups off each other (like Royal did with secret/CERN) is key. I don't know if it was possible at the Final 7 right there to regain control. What I might have tried was to make a move with Heather at the Final 8. Basically, you could approach one alliance of 3 (either Secret or Royal, your pick) and make the following ultimatum: Make a 5 person alliance with Heather and I to vote out the other tribe. If you don't, whichever one of us is left in the Final 7 will align with the other tribe to vote you out. I'm not sure if this would have worked considering the people/relationships in the game, but I think it was your best shot.
Anyway, I'm totally rambling. Just trying to illustrate the power you can wield by playing two groups against each other. Royal did it in CBC, Zephyr did it in Paradise, and it worked flawlessly. With your ability to make friendships, stay below the radar, and make smart decisions for yourself and your tribe, you should go far.
Good Luck! =)
-Sam