Anyone for PBEM?

zeebo · August 3, 1999, 17:37

Hi,
just wondering if anyone is interested in a PBEM game. I just got CivII MPG so it will be my first one, therefore I'm open to suggestion for all rules and settings. I do have experience with SMAC PBEM so I'm not a total newbie

Regards,
Zeebo.

Superstar · August 5, 1999, 10:01

I'm up for it, don't know what SMAC is, probably not available in the Uk though.
Email me at MMSuperstar@hotmail.com

zeebo · August 8, 1999, 18:43

That would be Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri. Great game, you should check it out if you like Civ (I'm sure it's available wherever you are). Anyway, are there any other PBEM players out there??

Skryke · August 9, 1999, 00:54

I might be interested depending on the frequency that turns are expected. I have to leave town periodically for work so I can't post every day but should be able to do 2-3 times per week.

Superstar · August 10, 1999, 00:01

My brother Pastieman would probably play as well, if you don't mind two brothers. We're not particularly likely to ally as we both have different styles of play.

zeebo · August 10, 1999, 19:55

Superstar: I have no problem with the brother thing, I just wanna play!
Skryke: I would prefer to try for 1 turn/day at least.

Superstar · August 13, 1999, 17:08

Ok, when can we get started? We'll probably need regular posting times, I'm available to post my saves any time, but my bro's will have to be at about 9pm GMT as he doesn't get back from work till late.

zeebo · August 15, 1999, 22:42

1 or 2 more players might be good. Know anyone else who might be interested? Any suggestions for rules/game settings?

kengel · August 19, 1999, 13:15

Well, i am a MP newb too, also i played for years against the AI. Perhaps someone could tell me what "PBEM" is? Perhaps i am interested, too. Please email to
kengel@physik4.gwdg.de. Thanx!

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greets from the Warrior of sky

KenThur · August 20, 1999, 20:16

Play By Electronic Mail
would be / will be supreme drag for the first 500 years or so; turns are simply too short. However, it would make ALOT of sense after the mid-game era when each human has a couple of doz cities & there are some wars going on.

Monkey · August 26, 1999, 20:28

[/Lurker mode]

I'd be interested in a PBEM game. Only one question... how would it work with civMPG edition? I don't see an option anywhere for it on the multiplaying screen. Is it a matter of just passing the save game around by e-mail. Anyway I'm sick of waiting for CTP PBEM so if anyone can get a PBEM civ2 game going e-mail me at mywon1@student.monash.edu.au...

Many thanks....

[Lurker Mode]

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Quote:

Monkey I am proud to be!
Trim the sails and roam the sea!
Trim the sails and roam the sea!

...Stefu

zeebo · September 1, 1999, 22:33

Hi All,
well it's taken a while but we have some expressions of interest so maybe we can start a game with the following players:

Superstar
Pastieman
Kengel (Maybe)
Monkey
Zeebo (Me!)

Pls post here for confirmation and your game preferences. I suggest we go for Accelerated Start to avoid that annoying stage of the game mentioned by KenThur. For all other settings I'm open to suggestion.
One thing I've noticed a lot of discussion about is the city bribe thing, what's everyone's opinion on this? Should we allow city bribes or not?

Hope to hear from you all soon,

Zeebo.

Superstar · September 2, 1999, 16:22

Me and Pastie confirm. City Bribe is an important part of civ and should be left in.
Other than that I'm easy. Acc start up is also good idea.
Lets get this show of the road guys.

zeebo · September 2, 1999, 21:41

I've just sent email to kengel and Monkey, so hopefully we'll hear back from them soon and can get started...

Makeo · September 3, 1999, 02:44

I'll play if its not too late. Never played PBEM before.

MacUser · September 3, 1999, 08:40

I would also be interested. How does play by mail work? Do you set up a MP game with the Civs password protected? I assume that we must mail it in a specific order. Does the game save and indicate whose turn is next? Also, do we need to make sure everyone has the same version of Civ2 MPG? I think that PC users need version/patch 1.3 and Mac users need 1.1.b.1 for everyone to be compatable in a MP game.

This is an interesting idea. It sure solves the time zone/play at two AM problem!
[This message has been edited by MacUser (edited September 03, 1999).]

kengel · September 3, 1999, 13:05

KenThur: thanx for explaining "PBEM",
Zeebo: Thanx for your email!

I would enjoy to join this game. To the point, how it works: I tried it out for a round, and it worked similar to a HotSeat game.

I set up a new internet game, choosed 7 civs, and started without waiting for players. Then I choosed one of the top listed civs (romans, russians or celts), played my first round (make sure, that the game option "wait at end of turn" is activated), set my password and saved.

The civs make their turn in the order as they appear on the list which is showed when you reload the saved game (again as internetgame), so the second would be the babylons, for example.

So I will email the saved game to the babs- Player. He can reload, starting (without waiting for the virtual internet players), choosing his babs- civilisation and go on as described.

the last player send then email to the first, and the second round begins.

As said, this is like a hot seat play without seeing the opponents. Unlucky, the diplomatics works like talking to an AI...

If we are starting, I suggest to plan a little bit. The order of the players should correlate to the time they could do a move, so it will rapidly accelerate the game.

For example, I can do my turn between 10.00 AM and 19.00 PM MESZ, thats 4.00 AM to 1.00 PM EST.

Best, one of us acts like a "host" (perhaps zeebo? If you dont want to, I would do it), doing the pre- organization of the game by collecting the times when everyone could do a move (so, please, post your favorite times, guys!) and determining which player gets which civilisation.

Now my personal favorites for game settings:
I like 1x move games, because there you can much better apply a defence strategy (Have you ever challenged a 6 moving points tank?

). Also I like a not accelerated game, cause you can build your cities on much better strategic positions. These are just my favorites, but if you guys really dont like this, I wont demand on it.

Well, this was a long post, I hope this will help to start a game! Hope to hear from you all again!

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greets from the Warrior of sky

Monkey · September 3, 1999, 18:41

I can do my turns around 7am-9am in the morning GMT +10. This translates to 4-6pm US EST (I think)

zeebo · September 3, 1999, 22:28

Well it sounds like you're organised kengel so I'll let you setup the game if you like, I can play turns at Work and Home so say 10am - 10pm my time (GMT +10 also).
Do you think we should go for 7 players (2 more people have expressed interest above)? It might slow down the game a bit, but would be quite interesting with all human players...

Superstar · September 6, 1999, 16:16

My time is pretty open, but I'd prefer to avoid times form 3am-10am GMT. Haven't received your email yet, my address is MMSuperstar@hotmail.com.
As for my brother Pastieman he's currently in the process of moving out so he maybe unreliable and I suggest giving the place to someone else.
Apart from that ready to rumble, although a little disturbed about how foreign relations can be tracked. What is to stop someone demanding and recieving tribute from a player who does not want to give it?
Personally honesty works fo rme but some of you may be more cynical. Just a thought.

Superstar · September 6, 1999, 16:17

ok?
[This message has been edited by Superstar (edited September 06, 1999).]

Makeo · September 6, 1999, 16:49

I haven't got your email either.

I'm available from 4pm est to 7pm est and from 2am est until 8am est.

I don't care what settings other than single movement.

Makeo · September 6, 1999, 16:50

I haven't got your email either.

I'm available from 4pm est to 7pm est and from 2am est until 8am est.

I don't care what settings other than single movement.

uhoh i think i feel a double post coming on. oh well. my email is dwhite@citicomp.com.au

Monkey · September 6, 1999, 19:27

Just one question: Would i need the civ2mge patch 1.3 to play and can you send a list of all players with their e-mail address? That would help in communication and diplomacy?

I want to be the chinese!

Thanks ...

Makeo · September 6, 1999, 20:34

i want to be Aztecs

kengel · September 7, 1999, 00:39

oops... zeebo, thanx for the flowers, I hope I will make that challenge...

Well, lets see: We are eight players (if I count skryke into it), and I translated all times into EST (better, everyone check if I did it right...)

Zeebo: 7.00 PM - 7.00 AM
Superstar: all time (another guy who needn't sleep ?)
Pastieman: 4.00 PM - ???
Skryke: (maybe)
kengel: 4.00 AM - 1.00 PM
monkey: 4.00 PM - 6.00 PM
Makeo: (n.a.)
Macuser: (n.a.)

Theoretically, an eight player game would be possible, and it would be interesting if it works. Well, in my opinion, lets try! Otherwise, we could start two separate games.

So I need more infos about availible time from Superstar, Skryke (if he wanna play), Pastieman, Makeo and Macuser (are you sure it's compatible?). I emailed them all.

I think, we could even start this week, so please post all about your favorite game settings.

For some other people who wanna join: You are welcome to post here! Zeebo, is this all in your sense?

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greets from the Warrior of sky
[This message has been edited by kengel (edited September 06, 1999).]

kengel · September 7, 1999, 11:52

Sorry about the missing email, I sent you all an actualized one, including a form that will help to setup game.

KenThur: I sent you an email, but it didn't find the way to you... I am not sure, if you are interested in PBEM, but if so, please post here again.

Superstar, Pastieman: Is Pastieman unreliable in principal or just a couple of days? If so, I suggest, we will reserv an AI slot for Pastieman till he is availible again, for the case he is still interested. Since you both anyway know what the other is doin, perhaps Superstar could manage the first moves of Pastieman, if noone is bothered about that.

Monkey, Makeo: I cannot promise you get theese civs, since I haven't organized a moving order yet, but I will try to manage it

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greets from the Warrior of sky

Eddy · September 7, 1999, 16:16

Any chance of someone starting late ?

Some q's tho...

Do you need to be on-line to play your turn ?

How big is the saved file ?

How often are the turns / per week ?

I'm on GMT, let me know...

Eddy

kengel · September 8, 1999, 00:31

To everyone: There are still AI slots free, so whoever is interested, please post here!

Some words to the diplomatics: Superstar hits the wounded point. I would prefer another way of diplomatics, too, but I dont see how it is possible other then contacting an AI.

So, I suggest we all agree to an etiquette not to use diplomatic contact features to another except the other allows it, including tech or map xchange, intending changing of the relationship status and so on.

Sometimes, a contact with an AI representing a human can invoke unexpected results, even if the contact is not accepted by the player (the AI declares war and such things...). The only way to regulate this a little bit is to change the attitude between extremly friendly, if you wanna have peace with someone, and furious, if you wanna have war. You could tune this for each civ in the additional MP- option you find at the foreign minister window you have to open for contacting a civ.

However, there is still a possibility for human-human diplomatic contacts, if both players manage to play the game as internetgame; the player who is moving is the host, and the contact partner logins to the game (the other players are not needed in this case). After the contact, the host does his moves and saves as usual at the end of turn.

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greets from the Warrior of sky

kengel · September 8, 1999, 07:22

Hey Eddy,

sure, it is yet possible to start with you. I forwarded you the email I sent to all others. Please reply the form above as soon you can, and you will be in!

To your questions:

- to my knowledge, you needn't be online to play your turn; you can check this by starting a new internet-game while you are offline, without waiting for any player, just starting. If the game appears, it will work.

- The .net filesize is about 50 - 300 kB, depending on how far the game is.

- We hope to manage about 1 turn/day, but I don't think you need to be there every day. I will post an idea, how it could work later.

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greets from the Warrior of sky