Any new players fancy multiplayer?
 

I've just set up a game for new/newish players in the multiplayer forum. It occurred to me that some people new to the forums might not think to look there, so I thought I'd put a post here.

If you haven't tried multiplayer yet I'd really recommend you try it, it's really excellent fun. Those of you who've been playing single player for ages are also very welcome indeed to join - you really should give it a go.

The game thread is called 'Manatee'. Just post there and choose a nation if you'd like to play.

(Note although this post is really old, I rewrote it just now (18th January 2008), so this game is genuinely open)

Re: Any new players fancy multiplayer?
 

I have no problem with an announcement here. As long as the conversation is directed to the MP forum so the announcement will roll off the screen after a couple days.

Re: Any new players fancy multiplayer?
 

Bump, since I've just created a new game for newish players (Chinchilla, now overspilling into SmokyBat)

Re: Any new players fancy multiplayer?
 

I would love to join, but I'll be in Paris. I jsut finished writing thousands upon thousands of exams, then working on writings of all sorts, and now I'm being flown away, so It'll be a few weeks yet before
1) I can join a multiplayer game and
2) I can finish my chaos mod.

But I'd be willing to join anything after that.

Re: Any new players fancy multiplayer?
 

Yet another bump as I have the first newbie game in ages just set up (Mongoose). Please read the first post above, as I just edited it.

Re: Any new players fancy multiplayer?
 

Sorry, this game has so much damn content that I'm still trying to gauge the abilities of EA factions in SP alone.

And I'm not getting enough sleep, and my butt hurts...arrgh...

I need more problems like this in my life http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

Re: Any new players fancy multiplayer?
 

Sorry to hear about your butt, Autochthon. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: Any new players fancy multiplayer?
 

I was asking for that one, wasn't I? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif

Re: Any new players fancy multiplayer?
 

I would like to play a MP game but how does it work, a turn a day?

In some threads in the other forum I read 1x day and later up to once /72 hours later in the game... ? It would be so much better if SOMEHOW we could play faster http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif

Re: Any new players fancy multiplayer?
 

It'll be on what's called 24 hour quickhost. This means that the turn will host 24 hours after the previous hosting _or_ when all turns are in, whichever is sooner. With a keen group of players it can therefore go significantly faster than 1/day to start with.

Nevertheless, when the game starts you'll probably wish it was going faster, as it's really exciting. Unfortunately you just patience really. After 20 or so turns 1/day will probably feel about right, then eventually when the turns get really long a 48 hour timer might be better (I'm not a big fan of 72 hour turns as I forget what I'm doing).

One thing to avoid is joining several games at once because each turn is so quick to start with - 50 turns down the line you'll be regretting it! I'd recommend 2 or 3 games as an upper limit, and it's best to stagger when you start them.

If you really fancy quick games, I believe there's an IRC channel where people organize blitzes - I think it's fairly busy and you should probably be able to get a game going. Details in a sticky at the top of this forum I think.

Re: Any new players fancy multiplayer?
 

why the 48 hour timer??? In SP I play turns in 10 min.. do we need to extra 48 hours all for diplomacy???

I really look forward to the diplomacy part of the game though.. what is the most used means of communication.. if everyone has AIM I'm gonna pass http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif

I won't play much games at once but I really don't want to be busy for months with only one game either.. on the other hand my work and social live need time too.. it's not like I'm the student I was with to much time on his hands http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif

it's PBEM then ?

Re: Any new players fancy multiplayer?
 

Sometimes turns can take half an hour by mid-game, even longer if there's a lot going on or you're LA Ermor or something. Half an hour every night can sometimes get a bit much. Mind you, other times if people are keen they stick to the 24 hour timer right into the late game.

MP turns do take longer often - certainly for me. In SP I rapidly become careless, while in MP you have to think more carefully. Also diplomacy sometimes takes a while, though like you say it's very good fun.

My server is PBEM, yep, although it's automated so it shows you whose turns have arrived, processes straight away when they're all in and so on (see the website linked in my sig). Other people have servers set up you can connect to directly.

Re: Any new players fancy multiplayer?
 

Communication often takes place through PMs on the forums unless you happen to have the persons email(and even then PMs are often preferred). If you happen to be on the IRC channel at the same time as someone else you cna also do the diplomacy on a private channel there.

Re: Any new players fancy multiplayer?
 

hmm ok that sounds fair, this newbie thing, do you have players already cus though I'm really new to this game I do have experience in strategy games and I have been reading up on strats quite a bit http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif so I hope my opponents aren't completely nub too.. ( I prefer playing against a though opposition)

btw.. I've not yet played LA Ermor.. why do their turns take so long?

Re: Any new players fancy multiplayer?
 

I reckon most people who start MP have probably already done a fair bit of thinking in SP. And if you start winning, if everyone else has any common sense they will gang up on you. I've never heard of a Dominions game being a walkover (in the way that RTSes often end up being for some reason) so I shouldn't worry about that.

LA Ermor automatically produces huge numbers of undead troops and commanders in its dominion. After a while you can have several armies of thousands - micromanagement craziness!

Re: Any new players fancy multiplayer?
 

yeah you are probably right and to be honest my SP experience is even very limited so I'm probably worring to much most likely I'll be one of the weaker players.. only 2 real SP games actually http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif

OK so I'll see about that game

Re: Any new players fancy multiplayer?
 

Playing a lot of SP won't help you a ton in MP. There are several SP modes of play that teach bad habits.

Re: Any new players fancy multiplayer?
 

What do you mean?

Re: Any new players fancy multiplayer?
 

Like in SP its pretty easy to stop the majority of ai attacks simply by cranking your PD up high enough.
Thats generally not suggested in multiplayer http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif.

Re: Any new players fancy multiplayer?
 

125 pd WILL still be annoying for human players I'd imagine

Re: Any new players fancy multiplayer?
 

You are correct there, however 125 pd is extremely expensive and would be MUCH better spent elsewhere - particularly since human players can make far better use of flight/stealth/magic movement.

Re: Any new players fancy multiplayer?
 

Possibly, but most will simply ignore it, until they can send in a couple of thugs to wipe it out.

In MP, a large number of the very best players only have a PD of 1 or so in there provinces. They consider it a complete waste of money in MP play.

Re: Any new players fancy multiplayer?
 

It is good, but not good enough. Leave out the last ten points, and you just saved (124+114/2 *10) about 1190 gp. Use that to buy four or five mages. You can see which one is better, I hope. The turn-around point is somewhere between 20 and 50, depending on the quality of troops. If you get infantry, longbowmen and crossbow-wielding medium infantry like LA Man, 40 gp is still good if you really need it. Even if you only get few weak units, it might be worth it to go up to 30 or so to downplay your own casualties, e.g. when you're deep in enemy lands, or need time to reanimate your soulless reinforcements. However, 10 is plenty in most provinces, and anything over 30 is very situational.

Re: Any new players fancy multiplayer?
 

IS there a list where you can see what exactly you get.

I know PD is getting very expensive inhigher ranges, I only bought 125 in the game where I had half the map and that nature spell for double income.. jsut for ease http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif
and building 5 mages takes 5 turns http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif PD is a instant fix http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...ies/tongue.gif

I learned something in my last game though .. before that one I usually put a relatively high PD in choke points (usually with a real army) but in my last game caelum casted that annoying call of the wind spell EVERY TURN on my dominions.. so now I know the benefits of a nice low PD blanket for my dominions (certainly when pangaea joined in with the call of the wild :S)

Re: Any new players fancy multiplayer?
 

10 is enough for both Call of the Winds and Call of the Wilds.

The list of provincial defense starts from page 97 of the manual. The new nations (Lanka, Eriu, Tir Na Nog) aren't in there, and some nations are missing either underwater or land PD lineup IIRC.

Re: Any new players fancy multiplayer?
 

Bump, resurrecting this thread again. See the first post.

Re: Any new players fancy multiplayer?
 

I convinced a buddy to buy this game so in a couple of weeks I'd imagine he'd probably be all about a game like this.

Re: Any new players fancy multiplayer?
 

I agree, although I've only played one real game of mutliplayer, it is much more exciting than single player, and all my newbie questions were answered and help was offered.

Just remember to get on mIRC in the #Dominions channel, and you can play whats called a "Blitz" game, where theres no 24 hour turns, and you usually finish the game within the day.

Re: Any new players fancy multiplayer?
 

I could be convinced if it begins after the new patch finally emerges.

Re: Any new players fancy multiplayer?
 

The forum games are like playing chess via letters. Blitz games are like playing online chess. However, just as in online chess, if you have to quit mid-way you and that particular opponent probably won't be online at the same time anytime soon, so the game can't be finished.

Because of this, most blitzes are played on easy research and on small maps, usually as either duels (1 vs 1) or with minimum of 4 players. You'll run on other players fast, and those able to kill their neighbour quickly will gain considerable advantage, so blitz games can be very brutal.

Even blitz games can easily last 4 or 5 hours, and can sometimes take much more. You should also be ready to play even after the situation is hopeless for you, because just dropping off at that point will keep the players quessing and in worst case, could mean a break of more than half an hour between otherwise fast turns. They are also very fun, and you'll learn quickly. It doesn't matter if you lose a couple of times, because it's just few hours, and you'll be learning every dirty trick your enemy throws at you.

Re: Any new players fancy multiplayer?
 

The Manatee game is full now by the way, but if anyone wants to play a game feel free to PM me and I'll let you know next time I start one up.

Re: Any new players fancy multiplayer?
 

I am almost sure I will be starting one semi-newbie [that is for people with small MP experience] soon, with new patch, new CB and new WH mods.