PBEM

Hawkmoon · #1 February 23rd, 2004, 04:07 AM

Is there a good walk through for a play by email game anywhere ?

Hawkmoon

Gandalf Parker · #2 February 23rd, 2004, 04:27 PM

For playing one or running one?
For playing it goes like this (I think)

A) You send your god file to the host. If you were going to play Ulm then you would send an email to the host attaching the "C:\Program Files\dominions2\newlords\ulm.2h" to the email.

B) When the host has all the players gods then the host creates the game. The game will create "turn" files for every player and the host will send you the "ulm.trn" file.

C) You would make a directory under dominions 2 named for the game. Lets say the game is called OurGame. You would create "C:\Program Files\dominions2\OurGame" and save the ulm.trn to that directory.

D) Now you get to open Dominions and open the game called OurGame playing as Ulm. Make all your moves and save them.

E) You can actually open the game and make changes all you want to. Thats one of the good things about a PBEM type of game. When you re-open OurGame between turns it will ask if you want to start the turn over from the beginning of that turn, or where you left off. Later in a game it might take hours to do one turn so its good to know that you dont have to do it in one sitting.

F) When you are satisfied with your turn then send them ulm.2h from the OurGame directory (dont send the newlords one again) by attaching ulm.2h to an email back to the host.

G) When the host gets all of the player .2h files (or at a set time like midnight every day) he can run the host which will process all the 2h together, figure out the results of battles and castings, then create new .trn files for each player to see what happened and let them make new plans.

The game makes it easier on you by naming files 2h (To Host) and trn (which I guess just means turn, or maybe something like Turn Result Notes).
Actually even after you send a 2h file in, if you still change your mind and make some changes you can still send another 2h as long as the turns havent processed yet.

Does that help?

Hawkmoon · #3 February 23rd, 2004, 05:07 PM

Gandalf,
Helps tremendously!! Thank you very much. Do you have a similar quick n dirty for hosting or is there a hosting guide somewhere ?

Hawkmoon

Gandalf Parker · #4 February 23rd, 2004, 05:12 PM

I think there are some notes in the thread pinned at the top. Something about newbies in the subject. We can answer questions about hosting but it depends on what you use to host with. I use Windows to play and Linux to host.

Hawkmoon · #5 February 23rd, 2004, 05:24 PM

Checked it out and will give it a whirl...we will be hosting off of a windows box...any tips or hints are appreciated...thanks and will get back to you if I have specific questions instead of general ones from now on....

Gandalf Parker · #6 February 24th, 2004, 04:21 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Hawkmoon:
Checked it out and will give it a whirl...we will be hosting off of a windows box...any tips or hints are appreciated...thanks and will get back to you if I have specific questions instead of general ones from now on....

Thats not really a problem since its a forum. General questions with long answers are more acceptable here than private email for example because the long involved answer will be seen by many who didnt want to ask.

Fuerte · #7 February 24th, 2004, 09:29 PM

Since you are using Windows, you should try my PBEM Helper. It automates e-mail sending and receiving, playing and hosting.