Top pls: PBEM specific Bugs, Issues, or Suggestions

[snoopy369]

I'd like to intend this thread for PBEM specific bugs and issues (and suggestions along those lines...) since the PBEM stuff is going to be lost in the other forum

Please be as specific as possible, and we are NOT including any graphical or other related issues unless you can concretely link it to the PBEM feature *itself*.

This initial post will also, at some point, contain suggestions for how to start a bug-free (or as much as so as possible) PBEM game

I'm playing one and probably more 2-player fast-play games such that we can figure these bugs out as soon as they pop up

[snoopy369]

Edit: Actually, you can do this the way I say, as it saves a folder named the game name - i just happened to have the game name be the default, which is my computer's name

[Kolyana]

I've come across a couple of bugs:

1/ No matter what settings I use for two different email accounts (gmail and bellsouth), I can't get the game to successfully mail the saved game onto the next player. I understand that a username/password may be required, but settings that work in (say) outlook do not appear to work here.

2/ Occassionally you can't type into the username/password fields when the prompt comes up. It appears that the game GUI behidn the prompt is still 'in focus' and taking input from the keyboard (so if you press TAB, for instance, the chat window comes up and you don't tab from username to smtp, for instance) ... press CTRL+Y and the yield icons toggle ... you can type into these fields normally, but 30% of the time I lose the focus from them and I can't get it back. You can click on them with the mouse and use this to cut-n-copy (right clicking and then menu items), but nothing will bring the fouc back so you can type anything.

Minimizing the game and returning to this screen again seemed to bring the focus back to the email prompt window.

3/ Not so much a bug, but if a save doesn't successfully send via email, wouldn't it be nice to have other options other than "ah well!" ... like maybe try alternate configurations or even another email server.

[snoopy369]

I have the same problems sending in-game (gmail and yahoo). Does BellSouth require port 587 (that's what gmail requires, and different from the standard port 25)?

[James]

Not being able to send the saves does not sound good.

[Kolyana]

You can send saves MANUALLY, but the built in method seems incomplete ... let me explain:

I've done some additional testing (on work's time ) and I'm pretty sure that gmail is a non-starter. I checked and double checked the settings for gmail (according to their website), and to use outgoing smtp there are several settings that CIVIV does not make available for adjustment:

http://gmail.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=13278

Check the box next to 'My outgoing server (SMTP) requires authentication,' and select 'Use same settings as my incoming mail server.'

Check the box next to 'This server requires an encrypted connection (SSL) under 'Outgoing Server (SMTP),' and enter '465' in the box next to 'Outgoing server (SMTP):.'

I have to assume, therefore, that gmail and Civ IV are non-starters at this stage of the game.

As for bellsouth, not sure what port they are using, but considering the fact that so many mail servers are being configured to be as 'non-default' as possible to help against being used as spam-forwarders, I can only assume that they - too - have selected a non-standard port.

Either CIV IV needs to build in some additional options, or it's simply never going to work with a lot of email providers out there.

[alexman]

If different than 25, you can specify the non-default port by entering it after the server name, separated by a colon.

Example:
smtp.gmail.com:465

However, Civ4 does not support SSL at this time, so gmail will not work. Other servers that do not require SSL should work.

[Rommel2D]

Thanks alex. Any chance of SSL support and/or the player 1 bugs being handled in the first patch?

[sabrewolf]

in the terra epos we have had a problem with decompression. sometimes it works on a second or third go.

i am not certain where the problem comes from but it does not act like applications usually do (meaning: always the same, either always yes or always no).


regarding SSL: this would be nice, however can it be set the the username and password are NOT saved and only used at runtime? i don't like the idea of my credentials sent around in a potentially unsafe file that is stored on everybody's PCs...

[alexman]

We're looking into SSL support, but it's not likely for the first patch.

Authentication username and password are not saved. You have to enter them every time, for the reason you mention.

If you find a reproducible case of the decomression issue, I would be happy to look at it. Just send me the save.

[sabrewolf]

hey alex. good to see you, now "on the other side"

no rush on SSL. there are more important bugs and improvement wishes (see yin's thread). and good to know that it isn't saved.

regarding decompression: i'll send it to you. it is turn 1 of a PBEM. it worked after a reload and the player after me had the same problem but much worse. so it may not be reproduceable. maybe you've got a savegame-integrity-validation tool

is your MIT-email-address still correct? if no, can you PM me your firaxis-address?

[conmcb25]

Does anyone have the "procedure" for making player1 a human and then retiring or coverting that CIV to an AI????

I tried to "retire" the Civ this morning in setting up a PBEM , and it put the game into terminal "pause" mode??????????

I could scroll around the map and open the "f" windows, I just could close the game??????