NEW EA GAME - Server Is Up. Game has started.

[chrispedersen]

Grief,

I don't mind delaying processing again. If you can, I suggest you install Dominions again into a different folder, then download the game trn into that folder.

I would also suggest contacting Ich and letting him look at it - and see if he can aid in this.

[Calahan]

:-( :-( Didn't realise the game was back up and running :-( :-( So stalled a couple more turns :-( :-(

Don't think I'm alone though, as there appears to be several people who don't realise this game is running again.

Was expecting there to be some sort of announcement on the thread to indicate that things were running normally again after all the turn re-doing that went on.

[chrispedersen]

Game paused to allow comment.

[Calahan]

It might be worth PM-ing everyone who is supposed to be playing in this game, to find out if they ARE still playing this game. As I've just checked the game status page, and Marverni, Sauromatia, Abysia, C'tis and Agartha, are still outstanding for the current turn. And I'm pretty sure that at least Abysia and C'tis stalled the last turn as well.

Also, according to the forum messages, 'effeDom' is currently subbing for 'hunt11' as Abysia, but on another thread, 'effeDom' has said he's about to move from Spain to Sweden, plus he has a tech problem with the game, so he won't be doing any MP games for a while.

My own story with this game is that I was checking this forum and the game status site regular last weekend (20-22 June), Monday (23rd)+Tuesday (24th) waiting for the 'the turn re-doing problems are now sorted - the game is running normally again' message, but nothing appeared, and nothing seemed to have happened. According to the status page, the game was still where it had been for about a week. On 'Turn 15', with one or two turns still outstanding.

I didn't check the game status site after this, as I was checking the Dominions MP forum regular anyway, and I'd be sure to notice a message on this game thread saying that the game was 'running normal again'. Anyway on Saturday (28th) I had some free time so I decided to check the game status page to see what was happening, since there had been no messages on this forum thread.

But low and behold, the status page said 'Turn 17 - turn deadline 4 minutes!!' So then it was a mad dash to connect-up to the game, waste all my stored money on PD, end turn and upload. (another stall would have been better for me on reflection) So did that, checked the status page, and it had received my turn 1 minute before hosting! As close as it gets! But I did notice that there were at least 3 other nations who hadn't submitted a turn, and were certainly about to stall, probably for the second time in a row (with a third coming up now)

Think a few things need to be clarified here, as the game will become very unbalanced and meaningless if several nations are simply stalling. Even an AI existence for them is better than a non-existent stalling one.

[JimMorrison]

You know, all things considered..... As favorable a position as I have in this game, I'd be in favor of a restart, if it looked like a good idea. I'm not going to push for it, just saying that if the majority of the players are in favor, OR are AWOL, then maybe we should do it. It sucks to even think about, this late in the game, but I think if there were enough problems that a lot of people have dropped out (or just had their position made irrelevant due to inadvertent stales), we might have a nicer game if we had a full roster of players.

<3

[johnarryn]

I am opposed to a restart. I don't know what has been causing all of the complained-of problems and delays. I have not been having any trouble keeping up with turns, and have not felt confused by the hosting system. I certainly don't mean to minimize other people's complaints, but it seems to me that most of my neighbors in the game have also been playing actively and have kept up.

[Calahan]

A re-start would certainly solve a lot of problems, but probably create too many new ones in the process, mostly in the 'bad feelings' department. So I'd personally vote no for a re-start

Several players appear to have had some problems at various stages, me, and Ulm's former incumbent being amongst them. I'm just sad that some of them could have been avoided with a simple message or two.

My only request for this game is that the stalling nations are sorted out ASAP (3-4 nations stalled last turn, and roughly the same number since turn 16). It's not going to make for a very fair game if some nations are playing a genuine game, battling it out with 'active' neighbours, while other nations are simply waltzing through undefended lands, and possibly being on the verge of securing themselves a second capital or too.

It's also not exactly clear what's going on with regards hosting either. Since 'chrispedersen' posted that the game would be paused to allow comments, but the game then continued to host on schedule. I'm just finding a few things that are going on slightly confusing.

[chrispedersen]

Hey Calahan (and interested others)

Friday John(I believe) requested delay till monday due to death. I complied, and the game was set to monday.

Monday, Griefor said that he wasn't able to process a turn. I paused the game (24 hours) to allow him to work that out. I heard no additional messages from him.

When you notified that you staled, I did the same thing, I announced that I was pausing the game for comment. The game went from hosting in 2 hours, to hosting in 24.

No one made any comments during that time period or requests in that time period.

I know for my part that I haven't attacked sauromatia specifically because I didn't know what griefor was going to do. But I agree with your suggestion that we sort out the stalling nations and set them to AI. I will do that, without objection, when I get home.

Who is/isn't staling?

[Calahan]

Hi Chris

Thanks for clearing up some of the things that went on.

Don't know exactly who has stalled and when over the recent turns, but my best guesses for who has are:-

Abysia - Very sure they've stalled turns 16, 17, 18. And like I said above, if 'effeDom' is supposed to be controlling them, then he's already stated on another thread ('FreshMeat') that he's moving plus has tech issues.

C'tis - Pretty sure they've stalled turns 17, 18, and guessing turn 16 as well. 'Electro808' is down as controlling them, and his last post on any forum was on 20th June (during the turn re-doing issues). Maybe PM him and see if he's still playing.

I know for definite that one other nation stalled on turn 17, (I saw the status page with a minute to go, and remember seeing three red boxes) but I can't be sure who else it was. I think it was either Marverni or Agartha. All the other nations seem to be actively playing (apart from the four mentioned here).

Do you get any info regarding who's stalled as host? If so you probably have more accurate info than me on who has been stalling. Maybe delay the game for 24hrs to PM all those who have stalled to see if they're still playing. Then either turn AI any orphan nation that has stalled for 3 turns in a row, or delay a further 24hrs to look for subs, and then AI any nations that remain orphan after that.

All the above of course is provided people agree with it :-) and if anyone is reading this who is controlling one of the above four nations, then please post a message saying whether or not you are active in this game.

[Xox]

I am not positve, but I think abyssia did a turn in the last three turns, they took an indie provionce. At least I thought they did.

XOX