MP Test Turn Question

[incognito]

I noticed that any MP game I am involved in shows up in my SP game list. Does this mean that it is possible to play the MP game as a SP game for a few turns to see what happens? This feels like a huge advantage in early game turns where you can gauge probabilities of success in combat with Indies, etc. You can also see what may exist in terms of hidden sites by searching. Naturally, the information loses potency as the game advances to later stages and you rely on human opponents moves. All in all, seems an unfair advantage unless everyone does it in any given game.

It's not possible. A directory is created for the MP game, which is all that's needed for game to appear in the "Play an existing game" list, but you won't actually be able to host a turn.

Mark

[Vynd]

I've never tried this, but I doubt it would work. I'm sure someone else has tried it, so I'll let them confirm or deny. I just wanted to point out that you can always start a SP game up with the same map and nations as what you're playing against in MP and test things that way.

[atul]

You would need the ftrland file to advance turns, there are only .2h and .trn files for the MP in the folder created. The host is the only one with an access to ftrland file and ability to host turns.

The point with the folder in a network game is that you can connect to host, disconnect after receiving the .trn file, do the turn, and then again connect to host uploading the .2h file.

This of course means the host could use said 'recoinnance' if he/she wanted. But that would be cheating and everyone trusts the host wont do it, right?

[Sheap]

The game appears in your single player game list so you can play it without being connected to the server. This has many advantages.

1) Good if you are playing on a laptop.
2) Good if you are playing in a place where internet access is billed by the minute.
3) Keeps you from accidentally submitting your turn and causing the game to host before you are ready.
4) Allows you to play your turn in multiple sessions.

It's so useful it ought to be in the official documentation, how and why to do it.