Classic PBEM Trilogy: Recruitment

[bigfree1]

Hey Swissy, you rember me? I used to go by 'Evanwood' in the MP arena. I'm looking forward to playing some more soon now that the patch is out. You were a good opponent; see you around.

[Reggy]

In still in. I'm just waiting instructions here. Looking forward to a good game.

[Kambei]

Sorry: my mail is julienpysson@oreka.com

[Keygen]

Applicants

Ricketyclik (ricketyclik@webone.com.au)
Kambei (julienpysson@oreka.com)
Ormuzd (nebucadnez2ar@yahoo.com)
Reggy (markheywood@shaw.ca)
Flandrien (kris.maes@planetinternet.be)
Bigfree1 (bigfree1@attbi.com)
Swissy (markbalt@ameritech.net)

Pending

Franses
Azrael

I need a few more players!

[Franses]

Keygen,

I was on holiday last week so could not respond earlier. Count me in for b) the Archipelago game.

[Keygen]

I am still waiting for an answer from a couple of people...

I will keep you all informed.

[bigfree1]

Heck, I could be dead by the time this gets rolling.

[Keygen]

I've been waiting for answers for more than a week.
It needs a second and sometimes a third email before I get an answer

For all new to PBEM concept bear in mind that a game with 6 players and up can last up to 2-3 years and there will be many delays in the between. I can assure you for that with my big experience from many PBEM games I have played in CtP.

If you find the above statement unacceptable please say so and withdraw from the game(s). This long participant and preference gathering process is a test of what you might deal with in real PBEM games from time to time

[ricketyclik]

I can attest to Keygen's statement. I began playing Civ:CtP PBEM in February 2002, and am yet to finish a game which has more than 2 players in it.

[Keygen]

Of course most of the times and if the players are reliable the games goes relatively fast for the number of players

[bigfree1]

Unless I meet with some unfortunate fate; I plan to play 'til the end. The thing I hate most about MP is quiter's!

[Keygen]

OK, I had a conversation with Swissy telling me that a PBEM in Civ3 without accelerated production is very boring and can take months before real interest starts. It figures as the initial growth is pretty similar to CtP wich is quite slow. We had solved that with the appropriate mod. I am a little reluctant to use accelerated production as despite the fast start it will provide, it will accelerate the game overall and that can be proved to be a problem.

So here are the options:

a) Accelerated Production
b) Accelerated Start Mod (I will try to create one as fast as possible).
c) Play online some turns (30-50) and then turn to PBEM if that is possible.

I personaly would like to try b) as long as I can have it in 2-3 days and doesn't mess up with original files.

[ormuzd]

I can't play on-line because of my hi ping.
A would say to accel. production but what will be mod look like? I don't have much expirience with map making and mods, so I don't have positive or negative opinion toward this variant.

[Swissy]

Accelerated production not only speeds up the game but is also a great equalizer. Because production costs are halved, a player need not feel that they got a raw deal on the start area unless it is real bad (all floodplaines/desert, jungle). Each player should get going well enough and find nearby land to build on in all but the most awfull starts. With accelerated production your first warrior is ready in 2-5 turns, not 5-10. You should have a settler ready in to go on the 10th turn, not the twentith. Overall, accelerated production will give a player more to do at an earlier time in the game. As for unbvalancing, the rules for unit support don't change. If you think your going to build up a monster army, you'd better build tons of cities to support them. Remember everyone plays under the same rules, so any big benefit generated by accelerated production will be available to all players.

[bigfree1]

Accelerated production can be a way to speed the game along since food production is usually always better that shields. I always wondered why they didn't include an Accelerated game period; where everything was accelerated: food, commerce, movement, research, ect..

I like the idea of playing on-line up to a certain point and switching to PBEM. We could use the turn based method as that doesn't rely on pings as much as simulataneous or turnless.

I would choose to do, in order:

C

A

B