Opossum - Started
 

It's been quite a while since I ran a game for new/newish players - so I thought I would get one going. This game will run on my automated PBEM server ( www.llamaserver.net ).

This'll be an MA game, played on a modified version of Parganos I've made (attached). It's similar to the normal Parganos map, but I've reassigned the terrain types a bit to make it a bit fairer (so one person doesn't start in an endless swamp, for instance).

There's room for 7 land nations and one water nation, but I'd actually prefer not to use the water nation spot.

The timer will be on 24 hour quickhost (i.e. it hosts when all turns are in or after 24 hours, whichever is sooner). Once we reach mid game and the turns start to take longer the timer can be extended to 48 hours if people prefer.

Required level of newishness: Up to you! If you don't feel it would be unfair to play against new players, you're welcome. Probably you'll have played 0, 1 or 2 MP games or so.

Please post and say what nation you'd like! Make sure you read other people's posts to check your nation hasn't already been taken. Oh, one thing: No Vanheim, just to prevent upsetting double-bless instant knockouts.

To upload your pretenders:

- Make sure you don't have any pretender-affecting mods (e.g. Conceptual Balance) enabled
- Go to Game Tools -> Create a pretender god in Dominions
- Go to the savedgames/newlords folder in the dominions directory, and find your pretender file (e.g. mid_pythium_0.2h)
- E-mail the file to: pretenders[ at ]llamaserver[ dot ]net
- Crucially, you must have the game name 'Opossum' in the subject line of your e-mail

The players are:

Pythium - Chicanist
Man - DryaUnda
Abysia - Zylithan
C'tis - TrajanX
Marignon - JanIm
Shinuyama - Potatoman
Ermor - carlosib

---- Players who will be saved a spot if they want it for next newbie game, probably in a couple of weeks or so.
? - Forsooth
Ulm/Machaka - duke_commando
Jotunheim - Ubercat

Re: Opossum - Game for new/newish players (recruit
 

i'd like to play Marignon

Re: Opossum - Game for new/newish players (recruit
 

Wow, that was fast. I was just midway through PMing you.

Re: Opossum - Game for new/newish players (recruit
 

heh i was just browsing the forums and noticed the thread http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: Opossum - Game for new/newish players (recruit
 

I'd like to play! Not sure what nation yet, need to think about it a bit more.

Despite my 2003 registration date, I've only played in 1.5 MP games (got Helheim rushed in the first one), so I'm still new to MP Dominions.

Re: Opossum - Game for new/newish players (recruiting)
 

I'd like to play. I'll pick my nation later if possible.
Thanks http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: Opossum - Game for new/newish players (recruit
 

Wow, you're all fast.

Potatoman, you reminded me - I think I will ban Vanheim, as I don't want someone to get bless rushed. Not a lot of fun that. I think Vanheim is the only real offender in MA though.

Re: Opossum - Game for new/newish players (recruit
 

Okay, theoretically got seven already, but I haven't had confirmation from the first four (and one of them appears to be completely out of contact), so please carry on signing up. If I get significantly too many players I'll start an overspill game in a couple of weeks or so.

Re: Opossum - Game for new/newish players (recruit
 

Um.. how about Abysia? I've never done MA or MP, so it should be a learning experience.

Re: Opossum - Game for new/newish players (recruit
 

I'll go with Ermor if available.

Re: Opossum - Game for new/newish players (recruit
 

I'm thinking Eiru, C'tis or Machaka right now.

Re: Opossum - Game for new/newish players (recruit
 

I'd like to join as Machaka if you've still got room.

oops, if you want machaka, potatoman, I'll go with Ulm

Re: Opossum - Game for new/newish players (recruit
 

I know you said the game was for newbs only. Despite the fact that I've been in about half a dozen MP games now I still consider myself to be one.

The beauty of DOM is how unique the factions are. Perhaps I might not count as a newb if I play Mictlan again, but give me a different faction and it's like being a newb all over again. I've been bouncing some Jotunheim ideas around and if I can, I'd like to play them in this game. Contingent on a spot being open of course, which appears iffy at this point.

-Ubercat

Re: Opossum - Game for new/newish players (recruit
 

I've decided to play Man. Let me know specifically what you want me to provide, since I've never done this before.

Speaking of files, where's the modified map? I don't see it as an attachment.

Re: Opossum - Game for new/newish players (recruit
 

DryaUnda - I forgot to attach it, and am in a bit of a rush now. But it's attached to the first post of the 'Mongoose' thread.

Re: Opossum - Game for new/newish players (recruit
 

Hey, thanks for holding a spot for me! I've been at work and haven't been able to post until now. I've never played MP before, although I've got some SP experience with most races.

If C'tis is availble I'll go for that. (Random choice... just went through the manual and picked the first one that looked interesting and I haven't tried out yet).

Re: Opossum - Game for new/newish players (recruit
 

I'll take Shinuyama.

Re: Opossum - Game for new/newish players (recruit
 

I got the map file with no problems.

I assume the game hasn't been physically created yet, since I've been unable to send my pretender file. I'm assuming there's nothing to worry about, but I thought I'd mention it.

Re: Opossum - Game for new/newish players (recruit
 

ok, i am in for this one. i guess i'll try pythium.

Re: Opossum - Game for new/newish players (recruit
 

DryaUnda, you can always check that sort of things on the web site. http://www.llamaserver.net/

The game hasn't been created yet.

Re: Opossum - Game for new/newish players (recruit
 

Okay guys, we're full. duke_commando and Ubercat, I'm afraid you just missed the boat, so I'll save you spots in the next newbie game, which I guess I'll probably get organised in a couple of weeks or so. Harass me if necessary.

Everyone else - please upload your pretenders. The game is now created. I'll add instructions for uploading your pretenders to the first post.

The map will be essentially the same as the one attached to the first post of Mongoose, but I'm going to modify it to make the seas barren. So capturing the seas will potentially give a strategic advantage, but no advantage in income (otherwise it would be grossly unfair as partially amphibious nations like Ermor would have heaps of free territory).

Re: Opossum - Game for new/newish players (recruit
 

graphs will be off, right? renaming on? (why is renaming default off.. it seems nice? am i missing some abuse of it?)

also, submiting pretender now.

Re: Opossum - Game for new/newish players (recruit
 

Graphs will be on, as will renaming.

Re: Opossum - Game for new/newish players (recruit
 

cool. good to know. thanks.

Re: Opossum - Game for new/newish players (recruit
 

Does that mean I'll need to download a different map from the one I got from Mongoose, or is the tweak server-side?

Re: Opossum - Game for new/newish players (recruit
 

Yeah, actually there will be another map to download - I haven't done it yet though. Shouldn't take me long once I get round to it though (which will probably be when all the pretenders are in).

Talking of which, we're just waiting for TrajanX now. I'll PM him.

Re: Opossum - Game for new/newish players (recruit
 

i'm going to be out of town until 10/3, can we delay until then? this is the "busy" part i was talking about in my PM http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

[if not just kick me out of the game and i can pick the next one]

Re: Opossum - Game for new/newish players (recruit
 

Okay, in that case we'll start on the 3rd October. Hope that's okay with everyone.

This is actually something of a relief for me as well as I haven't done the map yet and have been ridiculously busy moving house, going to IKEA etc.. Not that doing the map is a big job mind, it's just hard to get any time at all on the computer when I'm not meant to be working (like now!). Apologies for the delay though.

Re: Opossum - Game for new/newish players (recruit
 

its cool

Re: Opossum - Game for new/newish players (recruit
 

So... do we start tomorrow? Will there be some sort of announcement? If turns have to be turned in by a certain time.. what time and time zone is it? Sorry if this is total noobishness... but, well... I'm a total noob http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: Opossum - Game for new/newish players (recruit
 

Apologies guys, I have failed in my mission. I'll start the game tomorrow though, for sure.

When it starts it'll e-mail you the turn (and I'll post here), so you'll know it's started. The first turn will allow 48 hours, in case of problems. Subsequent turns will only allow 24 hours. Hosting will occur 24 hours after the last one, or when all turns are in, whichever is sooner. Hopefully it'll always be when all the turns are in, as otherwise someone's staled! Each new turn will be e-mailed out along with the next hosting time - but you can also always look at www.llamaserver.net (take a look now to see the information it shows).

Re: Opossum - Game for new/newish players (recruit
 

The game should be about to start. I'll attach the map to the first post.

Enjoy the game guys!

Re: Opossum - Game for new/newish players (recruit
 

yay for llamabeast and his llamaserver!

i'll do my turn after i get home from work.

Re: Opossum - Game for new/newish players (recruit
 

Thanks! I'm in a bit of a rush unfortunately and haven't had a chance to check it's all worked okay. Hopefully it has!

Note that all the seas are dead - no population, no magic sites. I wanted to add disease causing sites, but it seems there are no underwater ones. So anyway, water has strategic but no income value.

Re: Opossum - Game for new/newish players (recruit
 

i got my turn. havent opened it yet. so looks good

Re: Opossum - Game for new/newish players (recruit
 

Uh, what do I do with the TRN file I got? I put it with the other TRN files in tutdata, but I don't see any option to use it in game.

Re: Opossum - Game for new/newish players (recruit
 

make a folder in SAVEDGAMES.. call it something like oppossum.

put the .trn in the oppossum folder in the savedgames folder.

open dom3, play existing game, oppossum.
once your turn is done, there is a .2h in the oppossum folder.. send it to turns@llamaserver.net i think.

Re: Opossum - Game for new/newish players (recruit
 

Thanks, that worked.

Turn sent.

Re: Opossum - Game for new/newish players (recruit
 

Cool, yeah sorry I forgot to post my little guid to actually playing the game.

Just waiting on C'tis for the first turn.

Re: Opossum - Game for new/newish players (recruit
 

I'm sorry, but I'm moving into a new apartment this weekend and won't have an internet connection available to me until Tuesday the 9th. Could we have another intermission until that time?

Re: Opossum - Game for new/newish players (recruit
 

turn 2 is up.. i dont know if you're still around potatoman, but if you are, go for it.

i'm fine to wait. i mean, i'd rather play 30 turns tonight http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif but if i need a delay I'd like to have one, so I'm fine granting that to others.

Re: Opossum - Game for new/newish players (recruit
 

Postponed. I's just waiting for you Potatoman, so just play it whenever you get back online.

Good luck with the move!

Re: Opossum - Game for new/newish players (recruit
 

Alright guys, tips for a fun game (taken from a post of mine on the Mongoose thread):

- Engage in lots of diplomacy. It's fun. Send messages to your neighbours, preferably in the character of your nation. Make threats, deals and alliances. One thing though - if you actually agree to a deal (such as peace for n turns, or exchanging items), do stick to it, otherwise you are likely to upset other players and make the game unfun.
- Post in-character stuff on this thread. See Tuidjy's posts on the "Neo Xekinima" thread for an excellent example of this. I really enjoy reading that thread.

People always say the most fun games are the ones with lots of messages flying around and posts on the forum. Silent games are fun too, but miss out on one cool element of multiplayer play - they're a bit more like single player versus very competent AIs.

Re: Opossum - Game for new/newish players (recruit
 

Yeah.. looking forward to some diplomacy.. once I figure out who my neibhors are http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif We're only one tunr in http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

But.. we should move forward soon, right? Potatoman said he'd be back today?

ALSO... new patch 3.10 is out. Are we going to switch to this? How/when? Llama?

Re: Opossum - Game for new/newish players (recruit
 

Posting from work... I will hopefully be able to take my turn today. The broadband installer guy is going to be coming around sometime before 6 pm.

Thanks for waiting, everyone!

Re: Opossum - Game for new/newish players (recruit
 

Good to hear the move went well, and gl with the bradband installation.

Re: Opossum - Game for new/newish players (recruit
 

Rock on. Turn 3 begins.

Um... So I think we all got the following message from host:

"Ermor had an unexplainable increase of wealth this turn. This could be caused by cheating."

Should I just assume this is tripped by a very nice good luck event early in the game when that could cause a large perturbation in income? I am not accusing of cheating... but the llamaserver autosent this message.

I've never seen a message like this before... someone reassure me please http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: Opossum - Game for new/newish players (recruit
 

I have seen this before, occasionally - it seems to be caused by overzealous anti-cheating measures by Dominions, and has never so far in my experience corresponded with any actual dodginess. Just to be sure I checked Ermor's turn, and he has the amount of money you'd expect, so definitely nothing to worry about.

Re: Opossum - Game for new/newish players (recruit
 

I havent seen turn 3 yet, but i can assure you i havent done anything weird nor illegal in the first 2 turns. Anyway, thanks for checking the turn file llamabeast since I wouldnt like to be suspected of cheating.

Re: Opossum - Game for new/newish players (recruit
 

Very good. I suspected it was just dom3 being overprotective , but wanted to confirm. I'm unaware of any way to cheat anyways, and I trust everyone here.

No insult meant!

Looking forward to meeting people in the game..