By Espark on Sun 26 Sep, 2021.
Ai-Mo Times
Sept 26th, 2021
“The only literate tribe deserves the best in information and entertainment.”
Polytopia News
Multiplayer Servers
The Polytopia community has many places to find multiplayer opponents outside of the official PolyMain server. From small highly competitive 1v1 leagues to sprawling team based play to more casual match ups, there is something for everyone. Here is a rundown of some of the more active places for multiplayer Polytopia action across Discord.
| Server Description | Icon |
|---|---|
| With over 1100 members, PolyChampions is the largest Polytopia server outside of the official PolyMain server. PolyChamps focuses on competitive team play. Members start off as a Nova in the proving grounds known as the Nova League. If they do well in the Nova games, players can sign up to be drafted by one of 12 teams. The league runs a series of season games where teams play 2v2 and 3v3 matches over the course of a few (or several) months. There are also occasional time-limited tournaments such as the Bullet Tournament. |  |
| The Giants League is a competitive community focused around FFA matches and diplomacy. The league is divided in multiple levels (1,2,3), league 1 being the strongest. Players are grouped into divisions of 8 players. Eight games are played simultaneously between all players in each division with each player hosting one game. Points are awarded for final positions in each game and kills. Diplomatic deals, such as alliances or non-aggression pacts, are permitted. Watch this introductory video to learn more about the Giants League. |  |
| Unlike any other league, PolyLive focuses on rapid, blitz-style games played in one sitting. All games are live streamed and observers are encouraged to spectate. Most matches are commentated by expert players and recordings with the commentary are posted on the PolyLive YouTube channel. The league is in its second 1v1 season and currently testing a 2v2 format. Players can qualify for the league through Bullet tournaments on PolyChampions or pre-season events. |  |
| Friendly Polytopia focuses on unranked/casual games with occasional tournaments. There are also game tips, puzzles, challenges, and a comprehensible guide on using the polyELO bot. The server also is the home of a podcast called the Polytopian Interviewer and a YouTube channel. |  |
| With over 200 members, PolyLadder calls itself the largest 1v1 Polytopia server. Each week, players are pitted against one other opponent of similar skill. Tribe tiers are assigned at random. The league uses a map ban system to make sure both players have a say in what kind of map is played. |  |
| Wicked Bender is the only league where players face off in Glory Mode. Each match consists of a two game set and the cumulative point total across both games determines the winner. Wicked Bender places an emphasis on close-quarter combat, tiny maps, and efficient use of cities. The rules limit tribe selection and powerful units such as giants and battleships. Due to its two-game-set match structure, Wicked Bender is known as one of the most balanced and tactical 1v1 formats |  |
| PolyMasters is a nice, relaxed 1v1 league with three levels for promotion/relegation. Each of their divisions has six players allowing for compact seasons. The league is entering season 14 and happy to include new players on the quest to work their way up to League Champion. |  |
Ai-Mo News
Espark leaves Ai-Mo
Espark, a longtime Ai-Mo member and admin of Ai-Moya, has recently decided to leave the Ai-Mo tribe in Main to join Imperius. Many people were shocked and confused about her choice, especially since she is an admin of Ai-Moya, the official Ai-Mo tribe server. To preemptively answer any questions people may have about her decision, Espark stated, “Please do not give me a hard time about [switching to Imperius]. In fact, I was in Imperius before I was in Ai-Mo... Please don’t be too sad…[and] any more guilty than I already [am].” Thankfully, her reason for switching tribes was only in order to further participate in Main’s tribe duels and we can expect her to return back to Ai-Mo once the event concludes.
Fanart
By Praetorian
Fan-made tribe
Melgursh’k
A massive creature made out of flesh, covering a large swath of terrain. The tribespeople who reside upon it are psychically linked to it, and it uses them as living extensions of itself. It grows stronger by stealing resources from its surroundings by way of Maw and Tendon. The Melgursh'k starts with the ‘Tendons' tech. Gaping Maw — 10 Stars, large mouth-like structure protruding from the ground, that must be placed 3 spaces apart at the minimum.
All population from resources and buildings within one tile of a maw are given to any Capitols it is connected to with tendons. This makes up for the tribe’s inability to upgrade other non-capital cities. (All cities captured from enemies revert to level one as well, unless they are a Capitol of another empire, in which case it will function as a capital. The normal cities will not have a population bar. If the city has border growth or a wall, it keeps them. Also, if a Melgursh’k city is captured by an opponent, all tribe-specific buildings like maws and tendons are destroyed in the process. Any roads that the Melgursh’k take possession of are also destroyed). Maws can only be placed inside the territories belonging to your tribe. The Melgursh'k capitals can still collect resources inside their borders, and the terrain in a capital border is full of red roots representing that maws cannot be placed there.
Tendon—replaces roads, connects Maws to Capitals. They function just like their normal counterparts, but do not connect to normal cities, only capitals and maws. The Tendons can supply resources from maws to capitols, and multiple capitals connected to one tendon all get the resources from it. (So two capitals would get 3 stars each even if one capitol would've gotten 3 stars). Tendons still function as quick travel methods for units, and can be removed unlike roads with the "Cut Tendon" option when on a Tendon-Occupied tile.
~Melgursh’k warrior; by THomez~
Mute Ban Column
No public mutes or bans have occurred since Sept 9th. It is either people are behaving well or the mods are keeping the punishments private.
Credits
Thanks to all our contributors: Espark, Noru, Tintin and Tmas. A big thanks to Artemis for setting up the website for the newspaper. Also, thank you to our faithful readers for encouraging the paper to continue.
If you want to submit a piece to the newspaper—art, news article, opinion piece, puzzle, etc.—let us know in #article-suggestions.
Keep up, Ai-Mo!