Noob

Gandalf Parker · #1 March 11th, 2007, 08:16 PM

8799
but the game hasnt started yet. It needs 5 players to automatically start

jimkehn · #2 March 11th, 2007, 09:49 PM

Sorry for being sucha moron....but how does this work? How will I know when the game starts? Do I just keep logging in until it lets me then I'll know it's ready? Can you (or someone) be more specific how to play this online like this?

Gandalf Parker · #3 March 11th, 2007, 11:23 PM

Most MP games go pretty fast. Within a day people have filled it, and it tends to host at least once a day. Unfortunately, we dont tend to keep demo people around long enough to get them in a demo game. They either hate it and leave, or love it and buy it.

You might step into the " Dom 3 Multiplayer and AARs " and read some of the game threads there. It will give you some idea of how things tend to go.

jimkehn · #4 March 12th, 2007, 04:01 PM

Gandalf, Thanks. I guess the main thrust of my question was one of mechanics. Will we play by email? If not, how does the program work? Do I log in thru the network portal? And then does the server know I am on and send my turn automatically? Do I stay online while I play? When I am finished do I send the turn somewhere? Upload it? How does this all work??? Sorry....I've never done anything more tech advanced than PBEM!!! And, the Demo Tutorial doesn't talk about how this works.

Gandalf Parker · #5 March 12th, 2007, 06:49 PM

OK well you know PbEM and that this game was based on that, so you are way ahead of most.

The TCP/IP Connect method (internet direct connect) does the same thing but in the background.
When you connect,
A) if a turn is ready for you it will send it to you and open it
B) if you already sent a turn and the game is waiting for everyone else before hosting, then it will ask if you want to "continue where you left off" or "redo turn from beginning".
C) if you have finished a turn either while you were connected, or by working on it offline then your copy will send it
D) if the game receives your turn and begins hosting immeadiately (usually because you were the last one to send it in) then you can wait. It will give you your turn as soon as its done procesing everyones actions.

Because the game works on PbEM methods (you send file to host, host sends results back to you) you can break connect at any time as long as a file isnt being transfered right at that moment. By the way, the file you send to the host has an extension of .2h (to host) and the file sent back to you is .trn (turn file). This will be handy to know when you do get into a pbem game of Dom3.

jimkehn · #6 March 12th, 2007, 11:22 PM

OK..Thanks....this helps a lot. Anxious to get started. BTW...I am playing a solitaire (about my 4th game) as Arcoscephale and gettin my arse kicked right now by Ulm. Fun stuff. Don't know if I can pull it out.

Gandalf Parker · #7 March 12th, 2007, 11:36 PM

You mentioned familiarity with pbem.
Any familiarity with IRC? There is a channel
irc.gamesurge.net #dominions