Host Wanted!

[Beta]

There is still the question of hosting this game. Aro had volunteered awhile back - but not sure if he is around on a regular basis these days. Have tried sending PMs, but both times his PM box has been full.

So, Aro, are you still around and willimg and able to host? It will mean a commitment to be around here regularly - at least daily - to ensure the game is running OK. Would be great if you could and would.

Either way - please post here.

And in the meantime, and just in case, are there any other folks out there who are up for this, and are NOT already hosting a pitboss game.

Also - are we doing this via direct IP? Yes? :b: :)

[Keygen]

Originally posted by Beta

and are NOT already hosting a pitboss game.

I believe someone could host a second PTBS game by setting up and running a virtual machine as long as the hardware is not too old and the installed RAM not too small. Not sure if it would work with GameSpy, but with Direct IP certainly.

[Fosse]

I don't see any reason to stipulate the host can't already have a game running. To Pitboss it will be the same as any other 9 person game.

I have been hosting two games for quite some time now with no troubles (except my frequent travel equates to a LOT of downtime).

[Beta]

Originally posted by Fosse
I don't see any reason to stipulate the host can't already have a game running. To Pitboss it will be the same as any other 9 person game.

I have been hosting two games for quite some time now with no troubles

On Gamespy or direct IP?

[Fosse]

Direct IP. I'm not sure what advantages Gamespy hosting would have.

[FeMme]

Aro is definitely around somewhere as I received a PBEM from him earlier today.

[Keygen]

Should someone try to email Aro?

If he hasn't specifically edit his profile to automatically send an email notification every time he gets a PM and rarely reads his PMs then it might be a better idea to send an email instead. I guess someone has his email address?

[RobWorham]

His email is on his profile. I have been emailing him regarding a PBEM we are both in with very little response..... :( By all means try to muster him by email, but don't hold your breath in the meantime.

I have posted in the PBEM turn tracker asking him to pop by at his earliest convenience. :)

[Keygen]

Perhaps he doesn't use that particular email often, who knows...

I will have to agree with Beta. We do need someone very reliable and fast in responding in emails. Visiting this forum is optional but a fast response to emails is mandatory :b:

[MrWhereItsAt]

I'm quite new to CIV SP games, and have no idea about MP, apart from the idea that I am assuming there is a PBEM style of play. Could someone post on what is being asked for here? For instance, what would the host need to do, exactly, and why would they need to be in prompt email contact? How would such a game go down, from loading to saving and sending/passing to the next team.

This might help us find someone to host, if Aro is not available any more. I'm sure a few of us who know him of old could try chasing him about it too, and if this info was at hand, it could help convince him, should he not already know what is required.

Ta. :)

[proviisori]

Originally posted by MrWhereItsAt
Could someone post on what is being asked for here? For instance, what would the host need to do, exactly, and why would they need to be in prompt email contact? How would such a game go down, from loading to saving and sending/passing to the next team.

This might help us find someone to host, if Aro is not available any more. I'm sure a few of us who know him of old could try chasing him about it too, and if this info was at hand, it could help convince him, should he not already know what is required.

Ta. :)

Here:
http://apolyton.net/upload/view/51359_PTBSWalkthrough.doc

[GeoModder]

As things look now, I recommend looking for another host candidate as Aro doesn't seem to have much time available...

[Keygen]

MrWhereItsAt, I've posted a FAQ here in this forum with a short summary of what PitBoss is all about and a couple of links to more info.

[emperor]

Have you guys found a host yet? If not, then it's possible that I could find someone from the Strategamer site to host one (we have rather a lot of Pitboss games running there anyway).

[Keygen]

Well, Aro is supposed to host this game but haven't seen him around so not sure.

If you can recommend someone reliable and fast you're most welcome :b:

[Beta]

I concur with Keygen - if you have someone in mind - who is reliable and neutral - then hey! :b: :b: :b: :b:

[Keygen]

Yeah, someone who won't be biased in favor of strategamer and Stratega :p

[emperor]

I don't quite see how the host can influence the game in any way, and thus why it would matter whether he (or she) is from any particular site. All that the host does is to provide a server to which all the other players can log in. Technically it doesn't even matter if the host is playing in the game, since he still can't log into other teams' civs or get any information on the game that he shouldn't have access to.

[proviisori]

Originally posted by Lord Parkin
I don't quite see how the host can influence the game in any way, and thus why it would matter whether he (or she) is from any particular site. All that the host does is to provide a server to which all the other players can log in. Technically it doesn't even matter if the host is playing in the game, since he still can't log into other teams' civs or get any information on the game that he shouldn't have access to.

:conspire: Keygen was joking.


:cute:

[emperor]

Right, I'm not sure how I missed that first time around. :D

[Niessuh]

Finding a GOOD host should be priority over anything else. Due the whole bunch of people accessing the server, he must save several times a day and keep an eye on it constantly.
I can offer my computer when the current game is over, It's 2760 BC, so we have to wait more than six months... :rolleyes: :p

http://www.civstats.com/viewgame.php?gameid=307

[Keygen]

We're still looking for a reliable and fast in responding person, to host this game.

PitBoss is going to be used so the computer that will host it will have to have static IP and be connected to the Internet all the time.

[emperor]

Originally posted by Niessuh
Finding a GOOD host should be priority over anything else. Due the whole bunch of people accessing the server, he must save several times a day and keep an eye on it constantly.
Actually, it is not necessary to save several times every day manually, since this is taken care of by the Pitboss autosave feature. However, the host does indeed need to be able to log in at least a couple of times a day to check that the game is up (inevitably there are the odd times when the power goes out or the server needs rebooting).

I'm currently looking into a potential host, though if anyone else turns up in the meantime by all means they're welcome to do it. :)

[emperor]

I'm currently looking into a potential host, though if anyone else turns up in the meantime by all means they're welcome to do it. :)
OK, Elucidus from the Strategamer site would be willing to host. He is a reliable and active player who has hosted (and is hosting) a couple of games at our own site.

One thing though, he'd like to play on the Stratega team if at all possible. Personally I don't see any problem with this, since the host does not really have any more priviledges than a normal player - he cannot access other teams' civs, nor can he get 'sneak peeks' at the map. (Not that Elucidus would ever do anything like that even if he could anyway, he's a highly respectable player.)

What are the opinions of the majority of the people here though? Elucidus has said that if it's a big problem for people, and no-one else can be found to host, then he'll just host it without being a part of the game on the Stratega team. But he'd prefer to participate if at all possible. (Also, I'm guessing that he'll probably be able to track and fix any problems with connections to the server much quicker if he's taking part in the game himself.)

[Keygen]

Indeed, PitBoss will autosave the latest session for each player as well as each new turn, keeping a backup of the latest 10 or 20 turns (can't remember right now).

Having a second volunteer to host the game wouldn't hurt either ;)

[Keygen]

Originally posted by Lord Parkin

Personally I don't see any problem with this, since the host does not really have any more priviledges than a normal player - he cannot access other teams' civs, nor can he get 'sneak peeks' at the map. (Not that Elucidus would ever do anything like that even if he could anyway, he's a highly respectable player.)

Never had the chance to test this so you mean the keeper of the admin password will not be able to open any player's turn, like PBEM?

[emperor]

Originally posted by Keygen


Never had the chance to test this so you mean the keeper of the admin password will not be able to open any player's turn, like PBEM?
I'm not sure that an admin password is even a necessary requirement for a Pitboss game.

[Fosse]

He can just leave the admin password off and then won't have that as a key to log into people's turns.

I will also vouch for Elucidus being honest and reliable and a great choice for host.

Note for all though, the one thing the host does have is a running chat log of all "Chat to All" messages that have been typed since beginning the game. (everyone can access this in the chat logs, actually) So it's best to restrict your in-game chatting to one person at a time so it isn't public.

[astrologix]

Originally posted by Keygen
Indeed, PitBoss will autosave the latest session for each player as well as each new turn, keeping a backup of the latest 10 or 20 turns (can't remember right now).

Having a second volunteer to host the game wouldn't hurt either ;)

Actually, it's not true Keygen ;) I'm currently hosting two pitboss games for Civfr (french Civ site) and the program only does an autosave at the beginning of each turn. I'm currently doing a manual save 3 or 4 times per day to prevent to lose players moves in case of PC reboots or issues with the bandwidth which sometimes freezes the game.

The host must know the pass admin of the game to load the saved games and can see all the public talks on the pitboss control panel. He can write a message of the day which is displayed in game for each current player when he connects to the pitboss (EDIT : if a short message is set every day, the host can have a real time log to know in which order players are in and is useful to give to players the turn number, for exemple). The control panel don't show the private chats between two players.

[Keygen]

If you go to the following path you'll find that each player's (latest) turn is saved under "Recovery_(player's name) files. These files include PitBoss turns as well.

...\My Documents\My Games\Sid Meier's Civilization 4\Saves\multi\auto

Though haven't tested it myself admin password is optional but without it, in theory, everyone can start/close PitBoss or (re)load turns. In practice of course only those who have access to the host's machine can do it, if any.

I personally don't host any game but I have access to a host of a PitBoss, being the only to have the admin password.

[snoopy369]

Yeah, Keygen has it right in terms of autosaves. You only lose the most recently played player's turn, not the entire most recent turn.

Admin password is definitely NOT optional. I'm fairly sure you get an autosave on your computer when you play a turn, and that autosave could be loaded up... so the admin password for this game must be present and secure... :)

[astrologix]

Originally posted by Keygen
If you go to the following path you'll find that each player's (latest) turn is saved under "Recovery_(player's name) files. These files include PitBoss turns as well.

...\My Documents\My Games\Sid Meier's Civilization 4\Saves\multi\auto



OK, but when launched, those saves ask to the admin password, and if the player put it in, the game is not opened as a pitboss game but as a normal multiplayer game and waits for players to connect on the opened slots.

I'm not sure that those saves, stored on the personal computer of each player, can be loaded as pitboss games by the host, but i'll verify it ASAP ;)

Anyway, I can't see the host waiting to have by email the player save if the pitboss does crash. I think that manual saves done on the host hard disk are more practical.

[astrologix]

Good news ! :

I've found that on each pitboss host installed folders tree, there is a ...\saves\multi\auto folder where each player recovery save is stored. I din't see it before !

The save is made at the beginning of the player turn. It means that in case of crash his moves are lost, but only for this player.

Those saves can be loaded as pitboss saves (the admin pass is asked), it means that the host admin don't need to do manual saves ! Great !

That said, I apologize, Keygen, for this mistake :scared: you are right :b:

[emperor]

Originally posted by snoopy369
Yeah, Keygen has it right in terms of autosaves. You only lose the most recently played player's turn, not the entire most recent turn.

Admin password is definitely NOT optional. I'm fairly sure you get an autosave on your computer when you play a turn, and that autosave could be loaded up... so the admin password for this game must be present and secure... :)
No, this is not true. I've tested it before for security purposes, to be certain that it doesn't do this. (Anyone can make a manual save while they're logged into the Pitboss and then attempt to load it up.) If you don't have an admin password, when you load up the game it will ask for the password for the "player 1" slot. If you're not on player 1's team, you can't load the save. If you are on player 1's team, you will be able to load that save, but then not the next one afterwards where it will ask for the password for the "player 2" slot. So you see, it all works out fine. :)

Originally posted by astrologix
Good news ! :

I've found that on each pitboss host installed folders tree, there is a ...\saves\multi\auto folder where each player recovery save is stored. I din't see it before !

The save is made at the beginning of the player turn. It means that in case of crash his moves are lost, but only for this player.

Those saves can be loaded as pitboss saves (the admin pass is asked), it means that the host admin don't need to do manual saves ! Great !

That said, I apologize, Keygen, for this mistake :scared: you are right :b:
Yeah, it's not an obvious thing, but handy once you find out that they're there. :)

[Nugog]

So do we actually have a host for this game?

[emperor]

We do. Elucidus is still able as far as I know. Keygen and I are talking to him about it at the moment.

[Nugog]

Excellent.

:D

[Magno_uy]

:bounce: go! go!! goo!!

[snoopy369]

Originally posted by emperor

No, this is not true. I've tested it before for security purposes, to be certain that it doesn't do this. (Anyone can make a manual save while they're logged into the Pitboss and then attempt to load it up.) If you don't have an admin password, when you load up the game it will ask for the password for the "player 1" slot. If you're not on player 1's team, you can't load the save. If you are on player 1's team, you will be able to load that save, but then not the next one afterwards where it will ask for the password for the "player 2" slot. So you see, it all works out fine. :)


Yeah, it's not an obvious thing, but handy once you find out that they're there. :)

Wha? Why would there be multiple later saves?

In any event, I consider it not optional for there to be a secure administrative password. DGs have gone bad in the past, and security is necessary.

BTW, Elucidus, if you're hosting, are you not on a team any more, or are you still on a team?

[Paddy]

a game without an admin password... not good surely?

sorry Snoop, not calling your Shurley there at all :p

[Elucidus]

No, I am not on a team.

I hope the works out well, for the teams and the admins. I am just a bit trepidatious

[Keygen]

Just for the story.

Elucidus was originally meant to join Stratega but after our intitial host, Aro, never confirmed here that he will host, Elucidus was asked and accepted to host and moderate the game :)

Thanks again Elucidus :b: