Starting a new PBEM Conquests game

Shogun Gunner · December 9, 2003, 11:56

Thanks Beta for the posting today.

I'm brand new at this...played Civ a bunch, been on 'Poly for some time, but never played PBEM or multiplayer mode. I'm excited to give this a try.

I was thinking of a six player game, all-random game -- even random civs, on a small map with average barb activity. However, if there is popular interest in another group of settings, I'm still interested. It would also be nice that at least one player having some experience in PBEM so I don't screw this up.

I can commit to at least one turn an evening...sometimes more. Please respond if you are interested and let's get a new game going.

Players:
1. Shogun Gunner - michaeldnelson A T msn D O T com
2. j2k -- pbem1 A T paperrat D O T com
3. Wittlich -- wittlich A T sbcglobal D O T net
4. SlightlyMadman -- benpbem0 A T slightlymad D O T net
5. ikkuh -- STILL CONFIRMING
6. Snotty -- Snotty128 A T hotmail D O T com

Beta on bench...

j2k · December 9, 2003, 14:52

I'd like to play....

Random civ is okay with me... but if not, then Maya is my 1st choice.

pbem1 AT paperrat DOT com

-jason

Harovan · December 9, 2003, 15:13

paperrat?

Wittlich · December 9, 2003, 15:15

Well, I'm currently in other PBEM games (both Conquests and PTW), but they are not moving along very fast...so sure. I'm up for joining one more.

wittlich (at) sbcglobal (dot) net

The settings mentioned by Shogun are fine with me, but then again, I'm easy.

Shogun Gunner · December 9, 2003, 15:23

Great!

Welcome j2k!!
Welcome Wittlich!!

Wittlich, glad you are aboard since you have experience in the PBEM mode.

Three more spots open...then we can get started!

SirOsis · December 9, 2003, 15:46

Oh so tempting to start another.

I'll sit this one out though. Too many games right now.

SlightlyMadman · December 9, 2003, 16:10

You can count me in, too. I played a bit of PBEM a while ago, but haven't tried one recently.

benpbem0 a t slightlymad d o t net

Shogun Gunner · December 9, 2003, 16:19

Well next time SirOsis....

Welcome SlightlyMadman!

Shogun Gunner · December 9, 2003, 16:21

2 more spots left..... Seems like a possibility to get this one started tonight...

Snotty · December 9, 2003, 16:33

You can count me in. Snotty128 A T hotmail D O T com

What timezone is everyone in? I am GMT. Make sure the turn order follows the sunrise.

Snotty · December 9, 2003, 16:35

If you can get an all american crew, then feel free for them to take my spot.

Beta · December 9, 2003, 16:36

Originally posted by Wittlich
...but then again, I'm easy.

That's what I've heard as well.

SG - glad to see it going. Why don't you save a spot for ikkuh and send him a PM to join. He posted right before you in the directory thread and was looking to get involved in his first game as well.

And ... I can't resist - sign me up. As with Witt - I have a number of PBEM's on the go - but do NOT hold your breath regarding the pace of play.

And I am fine with random civs. It will make for an interesting game.

Beta · December 9, 2003, 16:41

Oh - and one other thing I forgot to mention. There are a general set og guidelines for pbem games floating around. Obvious things like not re-loading a save to get better results, but also rules about no out of game contact (ie e-mail or PM) until civs have met in game.

No problem starting without it, but I will see if I can track it down. I'm sure it is buried in this forum somewhere. We wshould get it topped by a mod - or at least the guts of it included in one of the topped threads.

Searching ....

Shogun Gunner · December 9, 2003, 16:43

Welcome Snotty...thanks for joining.

Shogun Gunner · December 9, 2003, 16:45

I've PMed ikkuh and asked him if he's still interested....

We have seven players if ikkuh contacts me and you are still in Beta. Can I expand this list from six to seven? Any objections?

Snotty · December 9, 2003, 16:49

The main problem with 7 would be speed. If you jam us all into a small map then someone will get crushed soon enough and things will pick up.

Beta · December 9, 2003, 16:51

Originally posted by Snotty
The main problem with 7 would be speed. If you jam us all into a small map then someone will get crushed soon enough and things will pick up.

How true! But it would be a fun start. To think I will probably be praying for scientific and bronze-working.

GhengisFarb™ · December 9, 2003, 17:08

Yep, 6 player PBEMs are somewhat slow, 8 player PBEMs tend to be agonizingly slow, 4 player PBEMs are just about right but the minute one civ is knocked out they tend to degenerate into endless warfare.

Glad to see you got it going!

Shogun Gunner · December 9, 2003, 17:09

Still need:
ikkuh -- no email and still confirming

Location/Time Zone
Shogun Gunner – Washington DC -- Eastern Time zone GMT - 5
J2k – Los Angeles, CA -- Pacific Time zone GMT - 8
Wittlich – San Francisco, CA -- Pacific Time zone GMT - 8
SlightlyMadman – Baltimore, MD -- Eastern Time zone GMT - 5
Ikkuh – Netherlands GMT + 1
Snotty – England -- GMT
Beta -- Toronto, Canada Eastern Time zone - 5

Sequence
1. Shogun Gunner
2. SlightlyMadman
3. Beta
4. Wittlich
5. J2k
6. Ikkuh
7. Snotty

Please confirm the above information and for us newbies, Beta bumped a thread regarding appropriate protocol when playing. Review if you need to…I will be.

Wittlich/Snotty/Beta: Feel free to point out anything that is being done wrong – you both have played in these games before – I want this to go correctly. Thanks!

Snotty · December 9, 2003, 17:15

You seem to be doing a remarkably good job of it SG

Shogun Gunner · December 9, 2003, 17:22

Sequence

I understand that I start the game, so let’s go in this order instead.
1. Shogun Gunner
2. SlightlyMadman
3. Beta
4. Wittlich
5. J2k
6. Ikkuh
7. Snotty

This preserves the order of 1,2 and 3 being in EST
4, 5 in Pacific
6 Netherlands
7 England

That should work.

Shogun Gunner · December 9, 2003, 17:25

Thanks Snotty.... Once I finish reading the "Standard PBEM Etiquette" I fire up C3C and we are off...

Shogun Gunner · December 9, 2003, 18:06

Dominae put together a great posting. A summary for comment:

Basically, let's play fair: It ruins it for everyone if one person is trying to be sneaky (renaming a city Peace Treaty for example to trick in negotiations) That's BS.

Unit Renaming: I suggest we keep the name of the unit when renaming, but allow clear abbreviations. Battleship = BB, so New Jersey BB would be okay. The main problem seems to be with workers and settlers. Can we keep the word settler or worker in the renamed title?

NO RELOADING - obviously. For a setting, I will "preserve random seed"

Combat Log: I'm not sure about the combat log, it seems that other PBEM don't do this. Thoughts?

Appropriate Interaction: No contact with other players about the game until the civs meet in the game. Anything special about negotiations after civs meet?

Password Protection: I suggest passwords, but up to each player.

Anything that I'm missing?

Wittlich · December 9, 2003, 18:32

One thing that should be added:

When a player sends you the save, don't wait for one whole week before posting on Apolyton that you never received the save. I suggest that if you don't received the save within 48 hrs (though 24 hrs is more likely), then email or PM the player who sent you the save that was lost in the mail and request another resend. So many times PBEM games grind to a halt for a few weeks over an email save being lost in transmission.

Other than that, looks good Shogun.