Bring out your dead

[1889]

My PBEM games have had a rough month so far, about 3/4 of my games are struggling or have not moved in almost a week or more,

If anyone has similar problems I'd consider taking over for a deadbeat. The first 20 or 30 turns are quite slow and I hate that part of the game any how.

[conmcb25]

People just disapear without saying anything.

A few died for me over the 1.15 vs 1.22 debate, but overall thats the bigest reason I see for untimely death.

[Beta]

Hmmm - I have done OK so far. I have had a few games die. It would seem there are two main reasons:

1. Someone leaves Poly unnannounced. They thought civ gaming was cool, but got bored and went back to RoN, they suddenly realized they were going to university next week, they met a girl who thought on-line game stuff was truly geekish - who knows. They are just gone and the others are left to figure out whether it is a temporary thing, and if not, how to replace them and move on. So a big hats off to those who give lots of notice and line up replacements. Cerberus did a real nice job of it. I know SirOsis tried as well, but I am not sure all his games got picked up.

And Firaxis - if you are reading this - we really really REALLY want the ability for a game admin to change the name of a civ leader. OK? Thanks!

I know games where there are few of the original players left and there are subs playing for subs - and it is damn difficult to figure out who is who.

2. The game has one or two really slow players. Generally folks who have hit a tough patch of RL, or aren't on every day to check saves. This slows a game down - a save gets stuck somewhere, but the game was so slow- who cares. (point of note - I have been as guilty as others for 'losing' saves in my incoming mail or saving them to the folder and forgetting to play. A decent tracking system is meeded if you get a few games going.) Eventually it just passes into oblivion. My take is that if a game is really worth saving (medieval mod comes to mind) - the other players will find a way to keep it going. One person by themselves cannot kill a game. They can cause it to creep - but in the end - the decision to axe it is a collective one. At least that has been my experience.

Good topic 1889.

And one more point. The turn threads are key - especially for the 5-8 player games. When a game bogs down - it saves a lot of time if you do not have to play the "did u get it; did u play it; did u send it" game.

Oh and a second point. I never mind reminders if it appears that I am the one who is sitting on a save. More often than not - it is.

[snoopy369]

Lack of used turn threads ... lack of attention by players ... and mostly disappearing people, and noncovered vacations. When it's 15-20 days between a turn and the next, i don't know where I am, and I tend to care less about whether that game finishes speedily ...

Not that I'm in AD in any game I started ...

[Arnelos]

Beta pretty much nailed it. People just leave for a wide variety of reasons and games die.

A game only moves as fast as its slowest player.

[Soltz]

I was in one game that died because the person starting it realized he didn't care for PBEM. The other one got stalled with 1.15 vs. 1.22.

Otherwise, I've been lucky to be in games that have gone the distance or are still going.

[MrWhereItsAt]

1889, I know what you mean, and I'd try to get you into my games that are superslow.... but you already ARE in at least one or two.

The number one reason my PBEMs slow to a crawl - Rasputin disappears.

[conmcb25]

Originally posted by Soltz
The other one got stalled with 1.15 vs. 1.22.

We tried to revive that one several times

[Beta]

Soltz, Arnelos, and 1889 - we still need your results in the Census thread.

[Rommel2D]

Participation in turn threads is key. Even in two player games it serves as a reminder if the turn was tucked in a folder and forgotten. They also give a sense of flow and serve as a lifeline for all the players waiting on the turn who still want to play.

You can recover after a lost save if you don't have a good thread- It just takes longer, pisses most people off, and leads to a general apathetic attitude toward the game. Even reliable players that don't post can hurt the progress of a game because there's no way to tell how long the unreliable player after them has had it, or if this is the rare occasion they forgot about it, or if the turn was lost in transit...

[Beta]

Originally posted by Rommel2D
Participation in turn threads is key. Even in two player games it serves as a reminder if the turn was tucked in a folder and forgotten. They also give a sense of flow and serve as a lifeline for all the players waiting on the turn who still want to play.

You can recover after a lost save if you don't have a good thread- It just takes longer, pisses most people off, and leads to a general apathetic attitude toward the game. Even reliable players that don't post can hurt the progress of a game because there's no way to tell how long the unreliable player after them has had it, or if this is the rare occasion they forgot about it, or if the turn was lost in transit...

Right on, Rommel.

[Rommel2D]

Originally posted by Beta
And Firaxis - if you are reading this - we really really REALLY want the ability for a game admin to change the name of a civ leader. OK? Thanks!

Dissenting opinion:
Fix the game mechanics and make sure no new bugs are introduced!
Sorry, but I have no problem going by tribes instead of names in games. It's the lame barbarians, turn sequence exploits, and other unmentionable problems that need the attention of a Firaxis acolyte IMO...

[McMeadows]

Originally posted by MrWhereItsAt
The number one reason my PBEMs slow to a crawl - Rasputin disappears.

In the mood...

There should be an ultimatum. If it wasn't for Paddy's request to be patient, Rasputin would most probably have been voted out of the game.

[Paddy]

Originally posted by Rommel2D
Participation in turn threads is key. Even in two player games it serves as a reminder if the turn was tucked in a folder and forgotten. They also give a sense of flow and serve as a lifeline for all the players waiting on the turn who still want to play.

You can recover after a lost save if you don't have a good thread- It just takes longer, pisses most people off, and leads to a general apathetic attitude toward the game. Even reliable players that don't post can hurt the progress of a game because there's no way to tell how long the unreliable player after them has had it, or if this is the rare occasion they forgot about it, or if the turn was lost in transit...

this states the case really well

ahh life in this day and age

[Beta]

Originally posted by Rommel2D


Dissenting opinion:
Fix the game mechanics and make sure no new bugs are introduced!
Sorry, but I have no problem going by tribes instead of names in games. It's the lame barbarians, turn sequence exploits, and other unmentionable problems that need the attention of a Firaxis acolyte IMO...

I agree 110% with all this as well. I just am not keen on playing a game as JoeSmith of the Hittites. And it can not be a big fix.

Used this as a bit of a bump given 1889's other thread.