New PBEM/Forum Game

[Rev Hellfire]

I've a hunkering for another PBEM game, though I'd prefer something other than Civ4 as a change.

I've had a look for games which are free and tbh there's not much out there.

One which perhaps looks interesting is Solium Infernum (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solium_Infernum), not free though but got interesting write-ups.

So the question is anyone up for another bit of PBEM malarkey and if so got suggestions ?

There's always colonization which has been patched since last we played, I'll most likely stick a post on boards and see if anyone has ideas/suggestions as well..

[justice]

i have played arround with the world map editor,

was considering setting up a 5 man game,

set with 5 squares of exactly equal landmasses with all resorces, 2 land connections to a tundra maze like yokie.

set in modern time, begin with about 30 units and 5 size 10 cities. only expansion is from taking opponents land.

263 turns to play?

thoughts?

[Rev Hellfire]

sounds interesting. count me in.

[Blitzkrieger]

Me too? Was thinking of doing something like that on a bigger scale but was overcome by laziness...

[ButcherOfNog]

Won't Civ 5 be out in a couple of weeks? Perhaps wait till then and play a PBEM game of it instead?

[justice]

ahhh, an affliction i know only too well!

although if anyone has starcraft 2 id be partial to a game, im a total battlenet newbie.

back the above new game proposal i see it as more of a war game than traditional civ game.
the map is pretty ready, i think im stuck with the civ choice. will play with creating new game to see how it pans out.

i'll upload the worldbuilder file for anyone interested.

/edit

civ 5 not coming with pbem as far as i know.
that will come in either patch or first XP pack.

[MoustachioedDictator]

If I could raise a worry I have about the format as designed...

The only real way to attack here it seems is to advance slowly into enemy territory and In cIV (or my experience thereof), If we assume even numbers, he who strikes first, makes the only the strike required due to the dominance of collateral damage. Its why most games are decided out in the deep blue where units can move large distances in one turn through any territory.

The one unit/hex system in civ5 and the apparent push to a philosophy of fewer, much faster, better manouevred units is the most exciting prospect as it could lead to some truly excellent tactical engagements. Its close now by God, a little over two weeks until European release. Fingers crossed PBEM is not long behind the first release (and that the first release works out of the box and doesn't turn out to be Total War: Empire mark II).

I'm still heavily involved in two games, so I'll only put my name in this hat to make up the numbers which shouldn't be required.

[MoustachioedDictator]

To make a suggestion to supplement my earlier criticism...

It might be interesting to have all the critical resources (e.g. oil, uranium, aluminium) held in isolated pockets of land within the maze, so the game became a matter of seizing and holding these pockets at some distance from the mothercountry. It would move the combat out of the large cultural borders that might mire the game otherwise. It would also make for an interesting sub game of trying to keep your supply line from the resource back to the motherland open.

I might try and make/modify a map into this shape over the weekend.

What do y'all think?

PS
Does anybody know if its possible to set start locations for civs and not just prebuild their civ? Allowing people the flexibility to set up their own motherland to their taste (and ability!) would be nice if its possible to do in the world builder. It would be nice to able to give people random civs...

[justice]

some interesting thoughts Tash,

i'll upload the worldbuilder file with this post. you can save it into here:
C:\Documents and Settings\@@@@@@\My Documents\My Games\beyond the sword\Saves\WorldBuilder

@@@@@@ = windows username.

to open it launch a single player game, select custom scenario, select DarkkeepChallange. pick carthaginian (otherwise other civs under AI control will have made moves)
ctrl W loads worldbuilder.

i purposefully prebuilt the empires Tash, players can still customize their own lands (say to produce more sheilds),
i thought to reduce the benifits of micromanaging, which imo some players do better than others on. plus it means everyone is on the same footing at a vital stage of the game (tanks).

i dont agree with you in your point about strategic resorces, without them you are screwed in the late game.
in my latest version i have created 3 places in the tundra zone where a cities can be built, they contain all the resources that the player islands dont have and have terrain other than thundra. Also the tundra parts are railroaded, every player has 2 other players 3/4 turns away. using forts its easy to set up forward bases, planes can be put in forts (so long as its in your cultural borders).

i thought you could make canals with forts, which would allow sea access, however i have just tested this and it is not so. i may examine the map again as to allow more sea based access (for sneaky attacks).

[chipmunk]

I'm in.

[justice]

yea i'm excited by the new CiV. but disappointed the PBEM initially included, however there is one mode which is included and thats where every player plays at the same time, all connected to a server. perhaps we might try this format?

but i'm still up for another civ4 game. im gunna try reduce the turn limit to 150. but it could easily be longer than a year.
so Thats
Me, Rev, Blitz and chipmunk
Tash reluctently,
Nog?

if more wanted to play i could easily add more islands (they all follow a pattern).

(see post #9 with worldbuilder file on page 1)

[MoustachioedDictator]

Forts only act as canals inside friendly territory. I just found that out in Tango. Not sure about the rule for air bases.

We could try and play an online game of civ5, but I'm only around a connection that would allow me to play very rarely. I would be willing though if available.

If the start is modern and the cities start pre-built, I suggest using normal or even epic speed maybe. Although your (Justice) empire and mine in Hightland are much larger than what could be achieved here, we're throwing out techs every couple of turns on quick speed, units barely leave the motherland before being obsoleted... just something to consider.

[justice]

Tash, your right about the obsoleting units, but since we're already on tanks thats not too much obsoleting.

plus the civs are not optimised, no acadamys so it would be a big push to get them to reaserch a tech in more than 6 turns (they'll start at about 1 per 10 turns if i rememeber right)

on the current quick speed they will churn out units about 1 per 3/4 turns.

im definately putting a max turn limit of 150, even less if ye were up to it. your right about forts, and they do hold planes (inside your culture). considering the above i will redo the maze to have 2/3 choke points.

since i cant change player names for the current file above i'll start from scratch.
so we all get to pick civs.

i'll have this ready during the week, but i need onfirmation on the numbers.

so far its
Justice,
Rev,
Blitz,
Chipmunk.

Tash and Nog are mabey:

[justice]

so to be clear here is Each Civs start point.

island 8*8 square. all have equal num of grassland (majority), hills, forrests and plains.

5 size 10 cities, 1 which is coastal, all have at least 2 food sources
Each civ has its own religion.

each city has

barraks, library, university, collesum, granary, aquaduct, factory, forge, hostpital, recycling center, theater, market, grocer, bank, temple.

(i replace the generic building with the civ specific one where appropriate).

Capitols have
religious special building.

coastal cities have
Harbour and lighthouse.

each island has
oil, iron, aluminium, coal and uranium
corn, wheat, cow, sheep, rice, pig, fish, crab and clam.
Gold, Silver, gems, wine, sugar and silk.

starting army:
18 infantry
8 tanks
8 gunships
8 fighters
8 bombers.

(for reference the following resources are on map but not on any players start island.)
deer, bannanas, spices, Dye, Fur, horses, marble, copper, stone.

(tash, suggestions? i know you have em!)

[justice]

well whats the story, everyone still interested?

[Rev Hellfire]

Yep still on.

[MoustachioedDictator]

well whats the story, everyone still interested?


I think on reflection I'll sit it out.

[Blitzkrieger]

I'm still interested. I'm undecided on when I'm going to buy Civ 5. Between console games and PC games I've 15 games sitting around here un-played. Add that to my continued *bitterness about Civ 3 and I might hold off on buying it until at least January and see if the price drops.



......... and I might actually see my family over Christmas if I'm not playing Civ 5........





*I bought Civ 3 at full price knowing that multiplayer was going to be an add-on. I thought it would be a free patch like Civ 2, but instead ended up having to fork out for Play the World too. I was pissed off at having to pay for a promised feature - especially because at the time full price was a lot of money to me.

[MoustachioedDictator]

*I bought Civ 3 at full price knowing that multiplayer was going to be an add-on. I thought it would be a free patch like Civ 2, but instead ended up having to fork out for Play the World too. I was pissed off at having to pay for a promised feature - especially because at the time full price was a lot of money to me.

I was pissed off at buying play the world, a half assed addon that added very little indeed only for Conquests to come out a short while later and include Play to World within it. But I can't stay mad at civ...

[Blitzkrieger]

Somebody did make a point on boards about Stg29.99 being a good deal for the amount of play you'll get out of it and that by waiting for it to come down in price, I'm denying myself 6 months play time for the sake of a few quid. I think I'll wait a small while anyway - must really play some of those other games lying around....

[MoustachioedDictator]

Somebody did make a point on boards about Stg29.99 being a good deal for the amount of play you'll get out of it and that by waiting for it to come down in price, I'm denying myself 6 months play time for the sake of a few quid. I think I'll wait a small while anyway - must really play some of those other games lying around....

I have lots of games awaiting my attention these days too.... fuck 'em!! I measure time in Civ releases, each new version is like a new epoch. Other games will just have to get in line behind the new comer.

Manual (http://downloads.2kgames.com/civ5/site13/community/feature_manual/Civ_V_Manual_English_v1.0.pdf) out today so I can start examining that for significant changes.

[Blitzkrieger]

I did spend some time reading the manual today and was thinking at the time : "Principles, schminciples - this is shiney and new!"

It's my nephew's birthday soon. I wonder if......

[Rev Hellfire]

So we starting this or holding out for civ5 ?

If there's a pitboss option for civ5 we could always give that a look see as an alternative while pbem is held up ? I'd be happy to sort out getting us a server if needed.

[MoustachioedDictator]

So we starting this or holding out for civ5 ?

If there's a pitboss option for civ5 we could always give that a look see as an alternative while pbem is held up ? I'd be happy to sort out getting us a server if needed.

Looking briefly at the manual and what it has to say about multiplay... it sounds like there's only a basic all-online-at-the-same-time-simultaneous-turns option and no pitboss.

[justice]

i share Tash's opinion, PC gaming is first and formost for Civ, everything else is for a break from civ.

Civ 2 was my first Civ and that was back in the mid ninties (i discovered a Civ2 install in a machine in work. 3 productive weeks followed that).

anyway back to the game.

ive posted in new thread.