[Septimius Severus]

Originally Posted by Graeme Dice

Benefits: If you don't have a set of automated scripts to handle email, then direct connect is easier on the players. If everybody who is playing is going to be connected for the entire duration of the game, then file transfer is made easier.

Drawbacks: Requires the server to run copies of Dominions constantly instead of when needed. Passwords are needed on all games to prevent everyone from just downloading everybody's turn. You don't get the turn emailed to you to let you know that it's time to play. The server requires a static IP.

Team games are no different from normal games in the server requirements for each player, unless you're cheating by having every person's turn be actually played by one person.

Thanks for the reply Graeme. Yes, I was thinking that direct connect for a team game would facilitate team play more so than PBEM. If a substitute or an alternate were needed to come in, if PBEM and your playing on Llamaserver, you've got to go through the whole route of changing the e-mail address for the player, then requesting a turn resend and so forth, then you have to do it again when the normal player resumes. With direct connect, that sub/alternate would just need the password. And a team could use the same password for all of it's pretenders if they wanted. Making subbing a breeze if you know the team password. According to Gandalf, passwords don't need to be unique. But even if different for each team member, only the team would know the passwords.

I think it would also allow captains or advisors to view the turns of other players on their teams more easily so that they could gauge the strategic situation.