Could anyone explain?

[lusitano]

quote: Originally posted by Solver on 11-20-2000 08:58 AM Well, Internet multiplayer isn't that way exciting. It's long and even quite boring - if even each of your enemies makes a turn in 3 minutes, with 5 enemies, ir's 15 minutes of waiting. I think this is only good if you have other things to do while playing.

hi guys
i play only multiplayer because i like competitive games.i like pbem because we start a 4 players games with 3 or 4 maps.

[Googlie]

As someone who plays IP games quite frequently (smac/x) the difference between real human opponents and AI opponents is immense. Throw out those strategies that work against the AI 'cos most of them won't against a real thinking opponent. (in PBEM as well as IP games)

SMAC has simultaneous moves for IP - doesn't CtP? In a three hour evening you can comfortably get 50 - 75 turns completed - games are over in a weekend or at most a week.

(But of course, PBEMs can take well over a year)

Just bought CtPII (having given up on the original very early in the process) but haven't given it a decent test run yet. So haven't ventured into multiplay with it yet.

Googlie

[GamesMun]

The only thing you CANT do when it is not your turn is move units or change settings. You can look at all your stats, units, and cities to your hearts content. If you use your human oppoents turn(s) to get "ready" to take your turn, it will only take a few minutes; if you don't do a thing or look at anything UNTIL your turn starts, it's going to take you a LOT longer. . .

[marc420]

PBEM and Hotseat should both be added to the game.

If the problem is the Diplomacy system, then this seems rather obvious to fix. Go play SMAC and see how they did it. When a PBEM turn is opened, the Diplomacy screens pop up the messages/offers sent in the last turn.

The interactive Diplomacy is not needed in a PBEM/Hotseat game. Humans can figure out how to talk to each other and work out a deal without a Screen Wizard to walk them through it. What's needed is a flexible system that allows players to IMPLEMENT the deal they've already worked out. By Flexible I mean able to handle any sort of "I'll give you this, this and this, if you give me that and that" combination.

Actually, the Diplomacy was the BEST part of a PBEM game. In an Internet game, eveyone seems too pressed for time to really talk much. In the games I've been in, if two players stop to work out a deal, the other players all start whining about the delay.

In the PBEM games I've been in, once the game reaches the point where the Empires are all in contact with each other, the game becomes more of a Diplomatic contest than anything else.

I've had games where I get a turn to play every few days. But in between the turns I'm constantly getting and responding to emails from other players about the game. To me this is much more interesting than any direct Multiplayer game I've been involved in.

If there is anyone out there who wants to play an Internet game with a) no time limits, and b) whining about slow play is completely forbidden, then I'd be interested. But otherwise I find PBEM much more enjoyable

But too many of the Internet games I've seen are with people who want a game to be finished quickly and largely decided by who can click their mouse the fastest. Strategy and Diplomacy seem to take a back seat.

marc

[Frogman]

All you have to do is look at the number of posts in the multiplayer forum and you'll see how addicitive pbem is. With pbem you can get into 5 or 6 games and count on 2 or 3 turns per day. I love opening outlook and finding a game turn. (to be fair I have only been playing AoW on pbem, but I would like to get into CTP II which I just bought)

My Dad is a Civ II junkie and I would like to get him into the pbem thing. With a two player pbem, you can get several turns in a day. I also like to play team games where the diplomacy is not really a factor but the team strategy is.

Anyway, it is a major screw up not to have pbem or even hotseat play. Also I am surprised that simultaneous turns is not an option. I never bought CTP because of all the uproar over activisions release of an incomplete, buggy product, with no commitment to making patches. If it weren't for mods to the program I doubt there would have even been the interest in CTP 2. Hopefully activision is a little more sensitive to making things right but is that expecting too much?

[quinns]

Here, here! Completely agree with Marc420.

[Solver]

Yes, PBEM is very addictive, and I do not mind the speed there.
But, SMAC isn't as good as CTP, IMO. Even though I like Diplomacy in it - it is what can give you a win.

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Solver - http://www.aok.20m.com