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Attention All Diplogamers!
So far we've had a discouraging time getting these games going, and there are a number of reasons.
The first, and probably biggest, is patching issues/game issues. A lot of the frustration we experienced in both diplogmaes was due directly to this problem. In the future we should test the game a few times before we start playing, or possibly wait for a "perfect patch" before starting these epic games.
The second issue that hurt these games were the players, not their skills, but the fact that they simply didn't show up. I understand there are emergency situations, or situations where it isn't exactly easy for one of the players to arrive on time or at all. But that doesn't change the fact that you have a week between each session, subs should be found ahead of time just in case. I'm not trying to blame anybody for doing this, I could have done more to get subs involved but didn't and often would wait until the day of the session to find one. This is also an area where passwords hurt us as well, there were a couple of times (I think) where passwords hurt us.
Now, I don't want to start a password debate here, because I've seen them happen, and they don't accomplish anything. I think the biggest point I can make here is that they are unnecessary, and I know some people feel like they should be able to have one, and I understand this. But I sincerely doubt we'll have cheaters in a diplogame, it just doesn't make sense, and if we catch someone doing something like that I feel like they would be promptly booted from the game. But if players feel they must use a password, then there isn't much I can really say against it, other than the fact that they must understand their password can't be entirely a secret. For the purposes of subbing, or emergencies, we would need at least a couple of the other players to know your password.
Last night's attempted session (Friday US) was horrible, the game wasn't working out correctly, there were problems with the map downloading for certain people (apparently we had two different file-names for the same map, somehow), and generally the group just had it up to here with everything that had been going on. So there was a lot of venting, and eventually people wanted to start a new game, which prompted others to quit outright.
This is not good. We all like diplogaming, and yes it takes a little extra work to make a diplogame go right, but isn't that why we like it so much?
I mean, yes it takes time to set up the map, get all the players and locations down, and set up a schedule, but in the end it helps the game. The difficulty is going to be there, but I think once we get a solid crew of players who are all going to show up (and there are plenty that do) and post (which is somehow lacking in the Civ IV era for whatever reason) and play the game with respect for other people (which again, I am also guilty of), then we can have a solid three or four hour session with plenty to talk about.
I didn't play in the Saturday game, but nothing was wrong with what was going on in the game, just outside of the game.
I just basically started this thread to get a show of hands; who wants to play diplogames? Who wants to help me set up the next one? And finally, who wants to do this the right way and make sure everything works ahead of time?
These are things we have to do in order to have enjoyable diplogames, I've been in them, they exist, believe me. So if you want to help me out, and help out the diplogaming community please respond and show your support!
The first, and probably biggest, is patching issues/game issues. A lot of the frustration we experienced in both diplogmaes was due directly to this problem. In the future we should test the game a few times before we start playing, or possibly wait for a "perfect patch" before starting these epic games.
The second issue that hurt these games were the players, not their skills, but the fact that they simply didn't show up. I understand there are emergency situations, or situations where it isn't exactly easy for one of the players to arrive on time or at all. But that doesn't change the fact that you have a week between each session, subs should be found ahead of time just in case. I'm not trying to blame anybody for doing this, I could have done more to get subs involved but didn't and often would wait until the day of the session to find one. This is also an area where passwords hurt us as well, there were a couple of times (I think) where passwords hurt us.
Now, I don't want to start a password debate here, because I've seen them happen, and they don't accomplish anything. I think the biggest point I can make here is that they are unnecessary, and I know some people feel like they should be able to have one, and I understand this. But I sincerely doubt we'll have cheaters in a diplogame, it just doesn't make sense, and if we catch someone doing something like that I feel like they would be promptly booted from the game. But if players feel they must use a password, then there isn't much I can really say against it, other than the fact that they must understand their password can't be entirely a secret. For the purposes of subbing, or emergencies, we would need at least a couple of the other players to know your password.
Last night's attempted session (Friday US) was horrible, the game wasn't working out correctly, there were problems with the map downloading for certain people (apparently we had two different file-names for the same map, somehow), and generally the group just had it up to here with everything that had been going on. So there was a lot of venting, and eventually people wanted to start a new game, which prompted others to quit outright.
This is not good. We all like diplogaming, and yes it takes a little extra work to make a diplogame go right, but isn't that why we like it so much?
I mean, yes it takes time to set up the map, get all the players and locations down, and set up a schedule, but in the end it helps the game. The difficulty is going to be there, but I think once we get a solid crew of players who are all going to show up (and there are plenty that do) and post (which is somehow lacking in the Civ IV era for whatever reason) and play the game with respect for other people (which again, I am also guilty of), then we can have a solid three or four hour session with plenty to talk about.
I didn't play in the Saturday game, but nothing was wrong with what was going on in the game, just outside of the game.
I just basically started this thread to get a show of hands; who wants to play diplogames? Who wants to help me set up the next one? And finally, who wants to do this the right way and make sure everything works ahead of time?
These are things we have to do in order to have enjoyable diplogames, I've been in them, they exist, believe me. So if you want to help me out, and help out the diplogaming community please respond and show your support!
? 
) so I'm going to figure out your schedule in US terms then I'll let you know what the best day for you will be.
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