I agree that tcp/ip will be a very nice feature once it is implemented. It definitly has it's place. That is one of the best things about SEIV is it's ability for varying styles of play.
Both PBEM and tcp/ip have advantages and disadvantages and depending on your point of view you may lean towards one or the other.
However, I would like to encourage anyone waiting for tcp/ip support to check out Admiral's Play by Web server.
http://seiv.admiral.com
It is the ultimate in convience in PBEM and you may find it a more than adequate substitute while you wait for tcp/ip to be implimented.
All turn processing is automatic. You can get together with a friend, or 5 or 10 and set up a game on the PBW server. As soon as the Last player uploads their .plr file, which is done via webpage interface, the server kicks off the next .gam file and emails it to everyone in the game.
In my experience the new turn hits my email box within a minute after the Last player uploads their player file. This is about as close to realtime as you can get with PBEM, and not much slower than tcp/ip is going to be.
No it's not totally automatic as tcp/ip I guess will be. You do have to upload your player file. And you have to open the game turn once it hits your email box, but that's it as far as game mechanics. Everything else is automatic, even for the player who set the game up.
No, you don't have tactical combat. That is not supported for multiplayer SEIV except in a hotseat game. If that is a deal breaker for you, then PBW isn't for you. Although I will be mildly suprised if tcp/ip has that feature either.
And there is a communication lag in PBEM. If you send a message to another empire in turn 3, you won't get his response until turn 5, because he gets it in turn 4. I like that though. It gives me the feeling that I am sending message to someone light years away. Others don't like it though.
You and your friends could stay Online and burn through turns as fast as you can play them. Nothing slow about PBEM when its done via the PBW server.
Just a suggestion. Hope to see you all in a game sometime.
Geo