Panther problems are being solved
 

An update on my situation:

I bought a new computer and got it working yesterday. I then loaded Dominions and upgraded it. The comcast cable was also installed late in the afternoon and (after hours of effort on the phone with tech support) I was online at about 10 PM. I then found many of the necessary mods on the various sites.

However, I had at least one mod missing from every game I am currently playing. I don't recall which one I am missing in this game, but I will check when I get home from work today and look again for it.

I should be able to do my next turn this evening and help get this game moving once again.

Re: Panther problems are being solved
 

Panther, tell us you didn't get a lowly Mac like Pasha did. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...s/rolleyes.gif

PCs are the only way to go. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...es/biggrin.gif

Re: Panther problems are being solved
 

I did not get a Mac. I did, for the first time, get the AMD processor intead of the Intel processor. I was also totally blown away by how cheap high-powered PCs have become, not having looked at the market for almost 5 years!

And in a display of strange marketing, it was cheaper to get a monitor and printer (neither of which I will use but plan to resale in the original boxes) bundled with the computer. Because of the current rebate system, the manufacturers actually gave me $50 off the price of the CPU just to include the two peripheral items in the deal. Is this a great country or what?!?

Re: Panther problems are being solved
 

First of all, let me tell you that my new sassy MAC is rocking my world.

Nonetheless, I also have a PC with a AMD processor at my office, and it works great. (I also had that experience that it was cheaper to buy the computer with a monitor and a printer. The monitor I use. The printer is still in the box. Would you like to buy it, Panther?)

I know of another computer with an AMD processor. I SPILLED COFFEE into it. After 2 days, it was dried out and still works like a dream.

Restart?
 

Hi All:

There is at least one player who was adversely affected by Alneyan's "recompilation." I would hate to say it, but would it make sense to do a fresh restart so that no one would be disadvantaged?

Pasha

Re: Restart?
 

I can't see how a restart would be a good idea. New random events in a restarted version would be worse for some other players-- surely they would then also demand a restart-- ad infinitum?

This game has already taken a long time to get going.

Re: Restart?
 

Unless I'm mistaken, about the worst that could have happened was that they missed a turn recruiting because they had a bid for a mercenary that was no longer available, or a hero showed up and wasn't set to research or whatnot.

Either way, it's a trifling setback such as many players have had to deal with when staling on turn 2. I'd strongly advocate continuing onward.

That, or they got a bad random event the second time around - but restarting is just going to mean a chance that someone else gets a bad event, when they didn't before.

Re: Restart?
 

I simply raise the issue. If the majority of players would like to continue, I am all for it. Still waiting for turns from 3 players.

Re: Restart?
 

I'm of no opinion. While I'd like to keep going, restarting if the concensus is to restart is fine too (as long as the restart is immediate and turns are set to 25h host or deadline to speed things up).

But you're still waiting on 3 players anyway? I'm hoping that whatever happens, this gets down to a steady schedule sometime this weekend.

Hosting schedule
 

What is the desired hosting schedule? 24h? 48?

Re: Hosting schedule
 

I am currently waiting on the following players:

GriffinofBuerrig
The Panther
Bill Paxton

Re: Hosting schedule
 

And Panther's having computer problems, Griffin's away and his brother apparently doesn't know about this game, and Bill apparently didn't read his mail last night when you sent the status mail.... *sigh* Wonder if we'll get 5 turns by Christmas.

Re: Hosting schedule
 

I am back up and running. I sent in my turn. How long is griffin away?

Re: Hosting schedule
 

My vote would be to continue and to look at 48hr turn around. I am in Oz so the time zone is quite different and it would be nice to be able to go away on weekends while the game is going and not miss 2 turns.

Provided adversely affected does not mean that they lost their pretender... that would be just to much at this stage of the game.

Regards,
Goblin.

PS: This is going to be a huge game and very interesting given all the unknowns - it will be worth the time it takes I am sure.

Re: Hosting schedule
 

Hello All:

"Adversely affected" meant that his armies were set to attack a specific province. In the original game, the defending province had a weak defense. In the renewed game, the defenders were knights. So, his army was destroyed.

Does anybody know who Griffin's brother is? I could contact him directly, perhaps?

Mr. Paxton read his email, but he forgot to attach his .2h file to the email. I replied requesting the file.

Pasha

Re: Hosting schedule
 

While that is rough, we all did have the opportunity to send in an updated turn file for turn 2. If I'd had orders to attack, I most certainly would've looked at changing the orders.

Guess what really bothers me is that the new turn was sent out 2 days ago, and today the person notifies that he was so adversely affected. *sigh* Doomed, we're all doomed! "No turns til ... Christmas!" (Sung to the tune of Beastie Boys "No sleep til Brooklyn")

Oh - Griffin's brother posts as, mmm, Hacker Pschorr or something like that.

Re: Hosting schedule
 

I've inquired with Alneyan to see if he knows how to get in touch with Griff's brother.

Re: Hosting schedule
 

Try
HackerPschorr

Re: Hosting schedule
 

Ok. I sent him a PM this morning.

Re: Hosting schedule
 

That's unfortunate but we were all warned about the possibility of "bad things" happening if we didn't redo the turn. Sorry to be harsh but that's the way the cookie crumbles.

I also vote for 48 hour hosting, with notification script, if possible. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: Hosting schedule
 

I am also against another restart (and for the same reason as huntsman).

Could Pasha play Griffon's turn? I would have no problem with that. Even if he just recruits a researcher, that's better for Griffon than a stale.

Re: Hosting schedule
 

I would be happy to play Griffin's turn, since no one is stepping up to play for him. I have not received a response from his brother.

I am still waiting for Bill Paxton to send my his .2h file for turn 3. I sent him another reminder.

Re: Hosting schedule
 

Might I suggest that you take Bill's turn as well, if you don't get one by a reasonable time this evening?

And in the future, if people don't get their turns in, perhaps just let them stale - you can't be forever doing people's turns, especially as the turns get to be more complicated than simply buying a researcher and setting the previously bought mage to research.

Re: Hosting schedule
 

You're absolutely right, Cainehill... if I don't get a turn from Bill tonight, I will play his turn tomorrow. Then, I would suggest a 48-hour-ish schedule for hosting in the future. Let's get this game going!

New Turn - Turn 4
 

Ok. I played Griffin's and Bill's turns this morning, and hosted for turn 4. You will all receive your turns soon by email.

Pasha

Re: New Turn - Turn 4
 

Huhu, i am back!
*chopafatz*

Re: New Turn - Turn 4
 

Hello All:

I have everyone's turns, except King Lear. A friend was going to play the turn as a proxy, but the friend has not responded to any of my emails. So, I sent one last email. If I don't receive it by 10pm eastern time, then I will play the turn to prevent a stale turn for the King.

We gotta get this game moving!

Pasha

Re: New Turn - Turn 4
 

"We gotta get this game moving!"

Indeed. I would suggest that you set a fixed hosting time. If a turn isn't in, then go ahead and let them stale. After all, that's what would happen if we were on a server.

Re: New Turn - Turn 4
 

Yeah - it's a little different if they contact you and ask for more time, but otherwise.... I know some people like PBEM games because they don't necessarily stale, if the host delays things for them, but with 17 players I suspect we'll never get anywhere if we delay everytime someone doesn't get their turn in.

(And since it's 48 hour schedule, and the Pasha is sending out status emails, and turns should only take 5 minutes right now.... People ought to be able to get their turns in.)

Re: New Turn - Turn 4
 

I will wait until 10 pm Portland time. Then I will host.

Re: New Turn - Turn 4
 

It's 10:05 Portland time! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

Re: New Turn - Turn 4
 

Eager beaver! Turns will be along soon. I got distracted.

Re: New Turn - Turn 4
 

C'mon Cainehill - he's a lawyer. Surely you don't think he was ambiguous about *which* Portland by accident?

Re: New Turn - Turn 5
 

Ok! The new turns have been sent.

The deadline for this turn is Wednesday, August 10, 2005 at 10:00 pm (Portland, Maine time).

Turn 6 and maybe 7
 

Hi all,

I am looking for someone to play one - possibly two turns for me as I am going away for a long weekend (Thur to Sun). Unfortunately due to being in a different time zone 10pm Wed is about 12 mid day on Thursday for me - by which time I will have already left and highly doubt I can get internet access where I am going.

I can give detailed (and short) orders for my turns but due to being a Newbie don't have anyone to submit them. So do we have anyone who would be so kind?

Regards,
Goblin.

Re: Turn 6 and maybe 7
 

Hi Goblin:

You might inquire with Dragonfire11 by sending him a PM. He might sub for you, and he is a lawyer like me... so you know that he is ontologically incapable of screwing up your life. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

Pasha

Re: I am still having problems
 

I'm going AI already. This is because I attacked an independent with 20 hoburgs, but then the old host changed something and 20 hoburgs turned into about 30 knights and other. I lost my entire force. In a game where research is this hard, I cant bounce back with the loss of my starting 400 gold. Sorry to quit on you guys, I was looking forward to this game http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/frown.gif I still dont understand why we just didnt restart, it was the 2nd turn

Need sub
 

Sorry to have Bill leave us.

So... I have asked Dragonfire11 to jump in as a substitute. We will see.

Pasha

Re: Need sub
 

If Dragonfire11 steps into the game maybe I shouldn't ask him to submit for me...

Goblin

Re: Need sub
 

Bill -

You really should stay and try. It's not that big of a loss in the 2nd turn. In my 2nd MP game, I practically lost my Pretender on the 2nd or 3rd turn to a curse and getting FeebleMinded, with Indy 9. Having to wait for 5 or 6 turns to get him back up to being semi-usable didn't sound like fun, so I was going to quit. But I decided to stick it out and give it a try, and now I'm doing pretty well (Paradise Lost game as Arco). I would think if you didn't lose your Pretender, you're not that bad off. So you lost 400 initial gold and an army. You can still bunker down and have this be fun/learning experience for you. And if you ended being in the top 5, that would be cool, wouldn't it?

Just my 2 cents.

Re: Need sub
 

You're right! Since we are sooooo early in the game, I could probably follow your simple directions. We would not be playing very many turns while you were away.

We will probably need to play a turn before we have a sub for Bill Paxton. So, I will probably play that too just to keep things moving without stales or AI.

Pasha

Stale Policy
 

Hi All:

I just sent all players an email about this, but I will repeat it here because it makes me feel important. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Here is my proposed policy on stales:

In situations where a player will stale, I will open his/her turn to prevent a reported stale, because otherwise, it would give players clues on who is playing what. However, I will not play the turn. The overall effect will be a stale.

With Turn 5, it seems that there is some confusion with King Lear's substitute, who has not responded to any emails. So, I will play King's turn (but only because the game is young and there is little or no chance that I will run into other players). I can also play Bill Paxton's turn if necessary until we find a sub.

Obviously, I will not be able to act as a substitute later in the game because it would be unfair to other players (due to my omniscient-host-ontological-essence... you can refer to that as OHOE, if you please).

Pasha

Re: Stale Policy
 

Mmm - players don't see the stale, only the player who staled and the host can see that.

Re: Need sub
 

I wouldnt have quit except research is so hard. The 400 starting gold is crucial in a game like that.

Re: Need sub
 

Care to explain?

400 gold less means ~4 less researchers. That meanse after 50 turns your research will be ~1200 rp less. That sucks, but doesn´t mean the game is over, especially if you get lucky and find sages.

Besides you don´t have to pay upkeep for those troops anymore. Judging from the hall of fame, it doesn´t seem as if your pretender died either, so you should be good to go.

And if you have a lucky 500 gp event you are as well of as you were at the start. Surely you don´t want to imply that getting 500 gp in the first few turns automatically wins games?

Re: Stale Policy
 

Really? Ugh! Well, slap my fanny and learn me some new poodle tricks! So, I can just let 'em stale? You guys won't see? I would swear I have seen other players' stale turns, but maybe it was always ME doing the stale-ing.

Pasha

http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...es/biggrin.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...es/biggrin.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...es/biggrin.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...es/biggrin.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...es/biggrin.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...es/biggrin.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...es/biggrin.gif

Re: Stale Policy
 

As they say in the security business - trust, but verify. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

Start a trial game with 4 human players, you playing them all. Do a couple turns for 'em all. Then only do one nation, and force the hosting. The next turn, each nation that staled should be told that they staled, but not that anyone else did.

Re: Need sub
 

I would mention that the research is quite hard for everybody. Nobody is making fast progress, but that is the point of very hard research.

I would say that you ought to stay around. I can surely guarantee that it will be a learning experience for you. After all, the point is not winning (since 16 players won't win). They point is to enjoy playing. As somebody once said, you don't get anything for winning. And you also don't get anything for finishing second or even 17th!

Re: Need sub
 

We might have a replacement. Please stay tuned. I will play the missing player's turns until we have the replacement.

Turn 6
 

Turn 6 is up and out!