Re: Veritas - MA, CBM, PBEM - Started
 

I think it'll be another 72 hours before the game turn is due, if all goes according to plan.

Re: Veritas - MA, CBM, PBEM - Started
 

Yeah, looks like there's plenty of time now, cool.

Re: Veritas - MA, CBM, PBEM - Started
 

Sh-t. I broke 4/5 of my LCD computer screen. :o/ Smashed. White, black and pink. No good. I can't run dom3 on any other computer at the moment, so the 10 or 11 games I'm in need subs :( I'm really sorry. Hopefully it'll be temporary (anyone know if it's possible to replace monitors on laptops?)

Okay, I go to post on the next game =(

Re: Veritas - MA, CBM, PBEM - Started
 

Anti, sorry to hear about your monitor mate, but it seems like you're still getting turns in, so all good.

Speaking of getting turns in, has Man staled the last two turns already or what? Time to find a sub/set to AI guys?

Re: Veritas - MA, CBM, PBEM - Started
 

Yah, I'm playing with 1/4 of my monitor. It's a pain in the ***, but it's doable.

Re: Veritas - MA, CBM, PBEM - Started
 

Hey guys, just want to let you know that LoloMo submitted Man's turn and he'll be set to AI with the next hosting.

Re: Veritas - MA, CBM, PBEM - Started
 

Anticipatient, for the sake of Pete man read your PMs! :) It's been 3 days!

Re: Veritas - MA, CBM, PBEM - Started
 

Hi,

It looks like two players are in danger of staling, and I remember reading somewhere that it was possible for any concerned member of the game to postpone hosting via admin options on the llamaserver page. Can any player postpone if we notice people will stale?

Re: Veritas - MA, CBM, PBEM - Started
 

Doh!

Just realised that there's still 24 hours before the next turn hosts! So no one is in danger of staling, but I guess my question is still valid, I suppose there's a general rule about this?

Re: Veritas - MA, CBM, PBEM - Started
 

Nope.

People need to request extra time for themselves if they need it. The timer is there to promote vaguely healthy turn around on the turns. Get your turns in early if your internet connection is spotty, because I'm not turning back the clock without a request from that person.

Stales suck, but they're there to make sure that people get the lead out and put their turns in on time.

Jazzepi

Re: Veritas - MA, CBM, PBEM - Started
 

No worries Jazzepi, thanks for the info.

I thought Valerius was looking after that kind of thing!

Re: Veritas - MA, CBM, PBEM - Started
 

Yes, I am the admin for the game. As far as I know there's no way to postpone hosting on the llamaserver without having the admin password.

I mostly agree with Jazzepi. I can't say I've never sent reminders to people to send in their turns, especially if the game has been on hold and they may not have realized it resumed, but if you regularly do this it becomes frustrating for the rest of the players. I do try to check my PMs and the game thread as close to hosting as possible in case someone has asked for a delay.

Re: Veritas - MA, CBM, PBEM - Started
 

Woops! Sorry about the confusion. I got this thread confused with another one that I'm actually the admin for D:

Jazzepi

Re: Veritas - MA, CBM, PBEM - Started
 

Hi guys,

Seems that llamaserver is acting up a bit, I've been trying to submit my turn for a while now, but I got a weird email saying my file wasn't accepted because no pretender was attached, and then another email saying the turn was hosting in 5 hours.

Currently the game status game says the game will host in about 4 and a half hours, but I have to go to sleep now and won't be able to send a turn for about 10 hours.

I notice a couple of other players are probably experiencing the same problem.

To be safe can we delay at least 12 hours?

Cheers,
Meursy

Re: Veritas - MA, CBM, PBEM - Started
 

I've delayed hosting until 17:35 GMT Tuesday. Hopefully things will be working ok by then.

Re: Veritas - MA, CBM, PBEM - Started
 

While we all come to terms with the gaping void the downing of the llamaserver has left in our lives, I thought it might be time to add a little flava to the game thread, which seems to be rather lacking at this stage. This is part one of what could be called 'The Caelum Wars', or my personal preference 'The Battle for Middle Berth', which besides being a catchy play on a phrase drawn from a popular collection of fantasy novels (no prizes for knowing which), does kind of make sense because the battle happened in the middle of the map, and was Caelum's final foothold of any substance in the world of Veritas.

The observant reader will notice that this Part 1 has nothing to do with battles. It's just the setup. Part 2 is on the way shortly! :)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------


A woman walked amongst the trees of the silent forest. Towering oaks and bending willows loomed over her as she walked along the rich loamy soil beneath her feet. She smiled in simple delight at the beauty of the forest around her, and her eyes were as deep and blue as the purest mountain stream. She breathed in deeply. There was a scent of moisture in the air that reached right down into the lungs.
Traversing a rounded moss-riddled boulder, she came upon a stretch of cracked and sunken earth. Patches of reeds still clinging tenaciously to their posts confirmed that a river had flowed this way not so long ago.
A look of concern suggested itself momentarily in her expression, but did little to disturb the air of equanimity she carried about herself like a cloak. A familiar smile crossed her lips again, and as the breeze played about the upper reaches of the forest about her as she reached for the great pitcher that was ever at her side and poured. Water splashed over the hem of her skirts but she did not seem to mind. Instead she laughed with a child’s delight, and the breeze now picked at her flowing raven-black hair.
The water continued to gush forth from the earthenware pitcher, far beyond what any container of such a size could conceivably hold, and with great energy and force. Before long the dried stream bed flowed anew, fresh and clear.
The woman now cast her eyes towards the heavens and regarded the grey clouds that had gathered. She smiled again.
Returning her pitcher to her side, she reached high into the branches of a neighbouring pear tree and selected a ripened morsel for herself (for in truth she stood a good two-thirds the height of most of the trees in the clearing). Pleased with the pear she had chosen, which was like a berry to her in proportion, she continued on her journey.
As she did so a large winged creature steadied itself on the branch from which it had observed the goings on in the clearing and took flight.
A light rain began to fall.

Re: Veritas - MA, CBM, PBEM - Started
 

Hi again, Pt 2 is shorter than I expected (and still no battles!). I guess Part 3 will have to cover it.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

A lone winged figure approached a sprawling encampment through an overcast sky. Milling about the camp, which was situated in a clearing surrounding a stony fortress, were a horde of birdmen warriors. Their white-grey feathered limbs were striking against a background dull and brown.
The forward scout swooped down, and with two mighty beats of his wings came to land before a pavilion erected upon a hill overlooking the castle gates.
An elderly Caelum, for that was the name of that race, emerged from parted tent flaps, and addressed the latest arrival.
Though garbed in splendid azure robes of imperial bearing, the man’s skin was leathery and frail, and in aging his hair had faded to a pale shade of blue, the colour of arctic ice floes.
Upon meeting the scout bowed low to his superior, then returned his gaze upward and gave his report. The elder Caelum regarded him with eyes of uncanny hue, and all about the encampment piercing twin globes of silver and gold were to be found.
After some moments the Caelum commander flicked his head to the side in evident annoyance at what he had been told, and then turned to look over his interlocutor’s shoulder at the forest beyond.
A smiling woman emerged.

Re: Veritas - MA, CBM, PBEM - Started
 

While I'm here I just wanted to add that I'll be offline until Sunday evening my time. That's a bit under 48 hours from now, and llamerserver time is currently 15:14.
I mention this because I heard llama will be back from holiday tomorrow. I'm sure everyone's impatient to get back into it, but if we could hold off hosting till (at least) then, that'd be awesome.

Cheers,
Meursy

Re: Veritas - MA, CBM, PBEM - Started
 

Nice write-up, Meursy. Look forward to reading the conclusion.

Also, I'll make sure to delay hosting until at least 23:00 GMT Sunday.

Re: Veritas - MA, CBM, PBEM - Started
 

Ok, the game is resumed. Hosting time has been set for 23:26 GMT Sunday.

Edit: corrected hosting time

Re: Veritas - MA, CBM, PBEM - Started
 

Hey all,

as much as I'd love to keep a staling neighbour, it seems that anticipatient has taken his 'no diplomacy' game one step further, and is now playing a 'no human input' game. I've been trying to contact him for the last 10 turns or so anyway, so I reckon we just find him a sub or AI him.

Re: Veritas - MA, CBM, PBEM - Started
 

Hey guys, sorry for the delay. I posted for a sub. If we can't find one by the next hosting we'll set Mictlan AI.

Re: Veritas - MA, CBM, PBEM - Started
 

Hail peoples of the world!

Arcoscephale as ever seeks earth gems, though we are aware such gems are a valuable resource for all nations. We can offer most other gems types in exchange as well as a range of items, utilizing our forging strength in many different paths of magic.

Contact us if interested, we can offer favourable rates of exchange too!

Re: Veritas - MA, CBM, PBEM - Started
 

I'd take the job if you still need someone.

Re: Veritas - MA, CBM, PBEM - Started
 

Hi, Ossa. AI orders have been issued but since the turn has not yet hosted you can countermand those if you want to take over the position. PM me your e-mail and I'll send you the turn. Thanks.

Re: Veritas - MA, CBM, PBEM - Started
 

I've turned off quickhost so the game doesn't host before Ossa has a chance to work on his turn. Once this turn is done quickhost will be turned back on.

Re: Veritas - MA, CBM, PBEM - Started
 

Hey all,

Just repeating what I've sent to Valerius so we're all in the open here :)

Firstly Ossa, cheers to you for volunteering to take on the staling Mictlan, but I must protest!

In short, I was told that since no sub was to be found, that Mictlan would be set to AI this turn (ie. order sent turn 34, Mictlan AI turn 35). Now since I have a nice long border with the forest dwellers, I knew an AI nation would instantly declare war on me. With that in mind I teleported a bunch of mages about (losing one), expecting an awake AI to respond that turn, but nevertheless hoping to open hostilities effectively.

Now, several hours after turn 35 began, I find out that not only was Mictlan not set AI, but we now have a sub and (I guess) I'm expected to hand everything back and extricate my poor astrologers caught behind enemy lines, the net result being a bunch of wasted astral gems and mage time.

Hey, I'm the guy who drew attention to the fact that Mictlan was staling in the first place, I was hoping for a sub to preserve game balance, but when Valerius says:

Then I reckon you should stick to that, again for game balance reasons.

Meursy

Re: Veritas - MA, CBM, PBEM - Started
 

Actually - it would have helped if someone told me about my current diplomatic situation.

Seeing Arco teleport his mages to my (WTF??) def 1 provinces I assumed we'd be at war anyway.

I now guess this is not the case, so I'll just reclaim the provinces but dont march anything further south.

Is that acceptable for you, Meursy?

Re: Veritas - MA, CBM, PBEM - Started
 

Well, it looks like I've made a mess of things. Meursy's point is valid: he attacked in expectation of an AI attacking him. I hadn't really considered the lost resources to him of a wasted attack if we then found a sub. I think I was mainly thinking that it was my responsibility as game admin to find a sub rather than set the nation to AI.

Sorry for the mistake. What do you guys want to do?

Re: Veritas - MA, CBM, PBEM - Started
 

Ha ha, the reason we are 'at war' is that I expected to be facing a hostile AI :) In fact I am contesting allowing a sub to come in after the time period for finding a sub (set by Valerius) had passed.

From my point of view no problem if Val says "find a sub before next turn or AI" and he does find a sub. My problem is that he said "find a sub before next turn or AI", the next turn comes and goes, I prepare for AI, then instead of AI he finds a sub!

Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the work Valerius is doing as admin, and I know he's just trying to do the best for the game. But I also feel as admin he has a degree of responsibility to the existing, regular players to be as clear and reliable as possible...and not say one thing then do something else! Very frustrating!

Of course the fact I've wasted a bunch of resources and time for nothing based on misleading information contributes to this opinion, but I still reckon I have a valid point :)

So, Ossa, I guess I'm asking if you mind not subbing in. I assume it doesn't matter to you because you've just popped in, so I guess it's up to the remaining regular players. What do others think?

I admit I'm a little biased here too! :)

And yeah, Ossa, if you do stay in, please leave the province to the east of your cap alone for two turns, I need the time to get my poor astrologer out!

Cheers,
Meursy

Re: Veritas - MA, CBM, PBEM - Started
 

Hey Valerius,

Nah mate, maybe I'm being too harsh, you haven't made a mess of things, I know you're just trying to find a sub to make the game cooler.

Re: Veritas - MA, CBM, PBEM - Started
 

Val buddy, I sent you a PM, it seems we're shooting messages all over the place atm.

I'll ask for a small delay (though if autohosting is turned off it doesn't matter) so we can resolve this situation and so I know what orders to give my troops!

I'm off to bed, goodnight all

Re: Veritas - MA, CBM, PBEM - Started
 

I'm going to take Meursy's advice and delay hosting by 24 hours so we can straighten this out. For those of you who are interested here is the sequence of events:

Meursy brought it to my attention that Mictlan was staling. I posted for a sub for a couple of days but got no response. Since LoloMo was kind enough to set Man to AI earlier in the game I PMed asking him to do the same for Mictlan (I probably should have PMed him earlier than I did but I wanted to see if a sub would appear). He did not get my PM until after hosting, meaning Meursy did not encounter the AI nation he expected during his attack. When Ossa volunteered the "turn to AI" orders had been submitted but the turn hadn't hosted so I felt it was my responsibility to have the nation taken over by a sub rather than an AI. The problem of course, that I hadn't really considered, is that Meursy had put the resources into an attack expecting an AI to attack him. And that's where we are now.

Re: Veritas - MA, CBM, PBEM - Started
 

I'll leave the province east of my capital alone - whether I should sub now is your call.

I'd like to play if possible, and I can compensate your losses with some astral gems if you want... say 30? ;)

Re: Veritas - MA, CBM, PBEM - Started
 

Thanks, Ossa. Since I'm responsible for the situation I will add something to Ossa's offer of 30 gems. I'll PM you about this.

Meursy, it's your call: how would you like to proceed?

Re: Veritas - MA, CBM, PBEM - Started
 

Hey all,

Thanks to both Valerius and Ossa for your understanding of my side of the situation, and also for being involved in the game :)

And also thanks for both of your offers of compensation.

Considering both actual gem expenditure, mage time lost (2 or 3 turns per mage), pretender time lost (2 turns), and the poor astrologer who bit the dust, and using an ad hoc formula of 1 mage turn = 1 astral pearl in value (not sure how fair that is) 30 astral gems could be fair. For me, I'm not so sure about Mictlan!

We can say that Mictlan is buying off the ferocious legions of Arcoscephale with that price :) *takes money and runs before new Mictlan commander has time to evaluate own strength*

So I'd accept that offer from Ossa, and we can get the game going again, all human :)

And Valerius, no need for you to offer anything, since your nation wasn't involved in any battle I don't see why you should offer anything...being an admin shouldn't be a disadvantage!

Alrighty guys, I'll do the turn and get it in in a bit.

Game on,
Meursy

Re: Veritas - MA, CBM, PBEM - Started
 

Ok, great! Ossa could you confirm that you've submitted your turn? After all this I wouldn't want the game to host with the "set to AI" orders rather than your own. I will delay hosting until I hear from you.

Re: Veritas - MA, CBM, PBEM - Started
 

Yes, submitted my turn three times now with minor changes each time. I'll send you the gems next time, I've no interest in loading this turn up again now;)

Re: Veritas - MA, CBM, PBEM - Started
 

Quickhost has been turned back on.

Re: Veritas - MA, CBM, PBEM - Started
 

Monkeys!

They provide amusement in zoos, they grind your street organs, they secretly covet your bananas, but should they be ruling _your_ people?

No, the people of Arcoscephale say! It is time for the nations of the world to rise up and cast off the simians from our backs (preferably into the nearest tree trunk).

With this missive the mighty Arcoscephale officially ends its Non-Aggression Pact with the hairy ones, and expect to be dodging flung missiles of dubious origin (where do you _really_ think they get all those "sticks and stones"?) in three turns time.

Now, time to warm up my throwing arm...

Re: Veritas - MA, CBM, PBEM - Started
 

It looks like I'll need a sub for a couple of weeks. I've posted in the forum about this.

Also, I'll need someone to take over admin responsibilities temporarily; or permanently if a sub decides to keep the nation. Any volunteers?

Re: Veritas - MA, CBM, PBEM - Started
 

I'll have a crack if no one else is keen.

Re: Veritas - MA, CBM, PBEM - Started
 

How are people doing looking for subs?

Valerius, if you're leaving shortly don't forget to pass on admin details so I can delay the game till a sub is found.

Re: Veritas - MA, CBM, PBEM - Started
 

Thanks for taking on admin responsibilities Meursy. I just sent you the password.

No luck yet on finding a sub...

Re: Veritas - MA, CBM, PBEM - Started
 

Hi guys,

I've postponed hosting by 12 hours while we wait for a sub for Valerius...I am fairly optimistic someone will turn up, and I'm prepared to wait till we do find a sub. I think setting Eriu to AI would be ultimately lame, but I'm interested in what you guys think too.

Meursy

Re: Veritas - MA, CBM, PBEM - Started
 

Hey again,

Ok, I'm delaying again not only to wait for a sub, but also because I have some unexpected stuff come up at home. If we don't get any interest in Eriu's position by the time the next hosting is set to now, then I guess we'll be forced to AI Eriu.

An alternative option would be to slow down the turns a bit and let Eriu stale once or twice, with the idea that Valerius could come back and pick back up where he left off.

The only problem there is that the AI is probably not going to lay off him because he's staling!

So, yeah, let me know what you think remaining players! Here or by PM.

Meursy

Re: Veritas - MA, CBM, PBEM - Started
 

Hi everyone.
I'm subbing Valerius since now.
Pm me please about our relations for I not to break any NAPs. :)

Re: Veritas - MA, CBM, PBEM - Started
 

Hi everyone,

It looks like Llamaserver is acting up again, and the game page is currently stating that all players apart from Mictlan have submitted their turns. I know this is not true in my case, and I assume others haven't submitted so quickly either.

[Self-Update: Looks like my delay command went through, but not turning off quickhosting...we'll see!]
So I've tried to delay hosting turn off quickhost, I don't know yet whether the Llamaserver has actually registered these changes or not.

So if anyone receives a turn 51 file, can you not open it until I post here again giving the all clear? On that topic, can people post here when they have submitted turn 50? If everyone has submitted I'll just force hosting.

The most likely diagnosis is that the server is working but the webpage isn't updating properly, there was some weirdness when Ulm and I submitted our turns a few hours from the deadline for turn 49, the page wasn't showing we'd submitted our turn files, but the turn 50 email and file came out anyway.

So keep in touch playas! :)

Re: Veritas - MA, CBM, PBEM - Started
 

OK, update, it looks like my inbox has been bombarded by emails telling me that I'm trying to send turn 49 instead of turn 50, so I guess only myself and Ulm have this problem. Unfortunately it seems to have accepted my imaginary first submission of the turn 49 file, so I hope it doesn't host with incorrect data.

So yeah, I'm guessing the other players aren't affected by this...but still post here if you have time!

Meursy

Re: Veritas - MA, CBM, PBEM - Started
 

As for me I sent 2h file of turn 50 yesterday and since then I'm receiving a reports about revised turn. A lot of reports.