"A Song of Ice and Fire", veterans-only game, MA. In progress, midgame...

[Baalz]

llamaserver is the bees knees. llamaserver.net. It makes it real easy to start and admin games, manage mods, see score graphs, track stales, sends confirmation when it gets your turn and reminders if you're about to stale and very seldom has any issues. Virtually all the games are on it now. I've written a little batch script to automate turn submissions for windows not sure how everybody else does it. I've attached it here in case you want to use it, but you'll need to tweak it to use your email address to submit. I've got the smtp setup for my gmail account so if you have a gmail account its as easy as putting in your EMAIL USERID and PASSWORD.

Then you just make a shortcut on your desktop for each game you're in like this:

C:\utils\domturns.bat c:\downloads "c:\dominions3" mid_ctis vendetta c:\utils

c:\downloads - the directory your turn files are downloaded into
"c:\dominions3" - the directory dominions is installed to
mid_ctis - the name of the turn file
vendetta - the name of the game directory in dominions
c:\utils - the location of the sendmail.exe (also included in the zip)


A little bit of a pain to set up the first time, but once you do you just download your turn, run the shortcut, it'll launch dominions to the game you want, take your turn, end turn, close the dominions window and it'll upload it for you. It's real easy to set up your next game as well, you just change the game name and nation name.

[DonCorazon]

Corwin! My old Sauromatian neighbor...I'd love to join this - am torn - I don't really have the time these days given a new 9 month old addition to my family (DonCorazoncita ). Been taking a break myself but like you started reading some old threads like Kingmaker and getting the itch to jump in again. I remember Figment was my first exposure to the horror of Horrors thanks to the Admiral. Hmmm...I'll think about it but welcome back!

[Fakeymcfake]

Wouldn't mind throwing my hat in for this game. Just got off a bit of a break myself so I wouldn't mind jumping back in with both feet. Personally I'm all for diplomacy and CBM. Endgame diversity I'm not familiar with however, but it seems like it's getting strong recommendations.

[Corwin]

Originally Posted by DonCorazon

Corwin! My old Sauromatian neighbor...I'd love to join this - am torn - I don't really have the time these days given a new 9 month old addition to my family (DonCorazoncita ). Been taking a break myself but like you started reading some old threads like Kingmaker and getting the itch to jump in again. I remember Figment was my first exposure to the horror of Horrors thanks to the Admiral. Hmmm...I'll think about it but welcome back!

DonCorazon! Great to see you, my old Vanheim ally.

Congratulations on your addition to the family! Please convey my deep regards to the young lady Corazoncita.

Funny, I've just reread Figment thread yesterday. It is funny how that wierd incident with your vans being caught on my territory and capturing my province on the same turn as Lanka attacked, lead to the fall of mightiest empire in the game (Lanka), as well as the foundation of a strong alliance between our two nations for the rest of the game. After meeting Baalz and seeing him expressing interest in joining this new game I am orginizing, and rereading Figment thread, I was just thinking that it would be great to locate you and have you with us in this game. And here you are...

You know that itch to play the game will only get stronger, right? You might as well give yourself a little present and submit to it now, when there is a perfect opportunity to play in interesting game with good settings and against fun and challenging opponets, with many familiar faces. I don't have a baby (yet), but like yourself I also have serious work and personal commitments, so I will be perfectly fine with switching to 48h host pretty early, if some players will find it difficult to stay on 24h. Also I have no problem to add more time to any hosting interfval, should you or other player request it for any personal reasons.

Think about it. Should you decide to join I would be very happy to have you in our game.

[Corwin]

To Baalz: Got it, thank you for the helpful info. So do you feel that llamaserver with such automated setup is actually better than having a regular Dom3 server?


To all potential players:

Ok, here is the current list of players who have expressed an interest in joining this game:

1. Baalz
2. Aethyr
3. Squirreloid
4. Dimaz
5. Fakeymcfake
6. Myself

7(?) DonCarlazon (thinking, depending on personal commitments)

So we have 6 solid players in less than 24 hours. Not bad at all. I think once we have about 10 players we are good to go, but the more good players the better.

Some things are shaping up in based upon your guys feedback so far. We are certainly going to use at least these two mods - CBM and Endgame Diversity mod. The dimplomacy is probably going to be fully allowed - it's just too damed fun, even if it has its drawbacks. We will likely use llamaserver for our hosting.

The choice of nations will likely be semi-random, where each player would add one nation to the pool and then get randomly assigned nation from the pool. The twist to this system Aethyr has mentioned ("Players were gauranteed that they *would not* receive the nation they had nominated") is interesting, but I don't think we should use it in our game - such twist will almost certainly result in the weakest nations being selected by all players.

Graphs will be on.

Few questions for you future players:

1. Which map would you suggest for us to use? (let's consider two scenarios - one where we have about 10 players, and another with 15+ players)

2. Are there any other mods you would recommend for us to use together with CBM and Endgame Diversity mods, that you feel might enhance overall game experience?

3. Are there any houserules you would suggest for this game? Personally I suggest that we use a houserule that would prohibit Forge of Ancients and Arcane Nexus - I think they are just too unbalanced for a long MP game.

4. Which Era do you prefer to play and why? (if you have a preference) Should some nations be prohibited for being overpowered even with CBM mod, or is it not necessary because CBM balances nations enough?

[Dimaz]

3. I think with no gemgens we can allow everything, since it'll be hard to cast 999 AN or something as crazy as that.
4. MA (didn't play MA game recently). Again, allow everything.

[Squirrelloid]

Ashdod is still crazy overpowered. I think that's the only one you'll find everyone agrees on. (although, in a set of only 10 players, i suppose its possible we'd agree on some others).

[Aethyr]

Since selection will be ramdon, I would vote to exclude Ashdod.

[Psycho]

Hi Corwin, nice to see you again. Figment was my first Dom3 MP game. I didn't do too well (and I think I was the first target that the notorious Baalz Marverni guide was tested on), but it was great fun and I managed to survive in my capital to the end. Watching some of the Sauro-Marverni and Sauro-Mictlan battles was great experience.

It's a shame I don't have time for a new game now.

[Fakeymcfake]

I'm going to agree with no Ashdod, but since we're selecting nations I doubt anyone will select something too overpowered. I also don't think that we really need anything more in terms of mods, but will go with the crowd on this one. As far as maps and eras, I'm open for anything personally.