Conquest vs. PTW

[pwhited39]

A few questions for those with experience in Civ3 MP:

My goal is to play a turn-based multi-player game with two other friends, on one or two computers, possibly by e-mail (definitely not all at once).

- Does anyone know if this is possible with either / both packages (C3C vs. PTW)?

- Should I avoid the PTW package? It's much cheaper than conquest, but I was thinking maybe there's a reason for that.

- Do I need to buy multiple CDs for the above playing method, or is one sufficient for playing this way (e.g. not all online at once, but by e-mail)?

[Gramphos]

- Does anyone know if this is possible with either / both packages (C3C vs. PTW)?

You can play MP games with both PTW and C3C. There is both PBEM, hotseat as well as the normal LAN and internet gaming modes. As I understand it you want either hotseat (All players play at the same computers, and get a popup that tells them that it's time for the next player to take over the seat once their turn is done) or PBEM, you play a turn, saves a file and emails it to the next player, who loads it and playes his turn.

- Should I avoid the PTW package? It's much cheaper than conquest, but I was thinking maybe there's a reason for that.

Conquests includes PTW in it's release, but Conquests also includes other new features, as well as some great scenarios. If you think that you will want something that is Conquest specific in the future, even if you dom't see a need for it now, it's better to buy conquest.

- Do I need to buy multiple CDs for the above playing method, or is one sufficient for playing this way (e.g. not all online at once, but by e-mail)?

You can do with one CD, since only one player is playing at the time, but if the computers are in different houses it will be troublesome for you to transport the CD between each player.

[pwhited39]

Thanks - that's very helpful. One other question, about the CD - do you actually need the PTW / C3C CD in drive to play the game, or is it the Civ3 CD? My friends and I own our own copies of Civ3, so we all have seperate CD's for that, but I was wondering if we could get one copy of PTW and install it on all of our systems for PBEM. Thanks again for your help.

[Theseus]

I think you need the CD of whatever version of MP that you are playing on each respective computer.