PBEM helper now available

[Deathstalker]

2000points sounds about right. Here are the rest of my pref. Med tech. Med Resources, good planet values. Three starting planets. View OWN score only (otherwise will make alliances just to view scores to see who to 'pick off'). And add Neutrals, will act as a good 'buffer' zone so that three players who start in/around the same position don't decide for two to gang up on one. Hopefully that will stop 'death by turn ten', which could still happen. Also the 'even distribution' is a good option. Demanding, arn't I . Will be eagerly awaiting this game . And about tech sharing, definitly not, this goes for ship trading as well (which is tech sharing), you want a ship, go board a ship

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"The Empress took your name away," said Chance.
Owen smiled coldly. "It wasn't hers to take. I'm a Deathstalker until I die. And we never forget a slight or an enemy." -Owen Deathstalker.

[dumbluck]

Take a look at the thread:

SEIV: Play by Web


I think you will find it interesting!

[Puke]

i signed up on the SE4 play by web, we should look at running this game on that service, both as a convenince and as a test of functionality. I dont think selective weekdays is an option yet, the turns are currently generateing every x time period, and we dont have the choice to skip weekends yet..

[Fuerte]

I don't see how the Play By Web is a convenience over PBEM helper. With PBEM helper the received game file is automatically extracted into correct directory, and you can run SE4 from PBEM helper, into correct player when the next patch is released. And you can send the player file zipped automatically from PBEM helper. All this is manual with Play By Web...

If Play By Web would use the .PBM format, then it would be ideal. Play By Web would generate the turn and send the files in .PBM format, and PBEM helper would then automatically extract the files into correct folder.

It would be nice to know if people are going to use Play By Web now, maybe someone more experienced could take over the game preferences deciding etc (hosting is not required in Play By Web).

[Puke]

sure, but PBW is in development, and I am sure we could get it to incorporate the features we want without too much trouble. the helper has no plans to support an automated server, and the PBW will probably soon incorporate all the features from the old VGA Planets PBW engines, which would include all the helper features, which would make it a much better long term choice. plus we get the warm fuzzy feeling of making something better.

[Fuerte]

quote:

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Originally posted by Puke:
the helper has no plans to support an automated server, and the PBW will probably soon incorporate all the features from the old VGA Planets PBW engines, which would include all the helper features

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Well if you read this thread from the beginning, I HAD plans for automated server (but now I don't, why bother). Play By Web can't ever have all PBEM helper features, unless it has it's own PBEM helper application.

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PBEM

[Puke]

here is the Admirals response to my own smart ***, hopefully we can get everything working together, so maybe if there are new features planed for the helper, we can pool development efforts to get the most out of the game:

>ah.. also, the guys in the PBEM Helper thread over on the INTEL FORUM
>want the PBEM Helper functionality built into something like this.. the
>way I see it, the automated host will generate and send all files
>needed, players only need to send one file anyway, and the heper thing
>makes you copy your own files arround, so what are we missing? a client
>end .ZIP manager or something? ideas? am i not getting it?

Yes, in fact, that's exactly what would happen. I've added this to the
to-do list as well.

All I'd need to do is two things:

1) Make the server send the e-mail in the same format as the PBEM helper
2) Make the server accept e-mails from the PBEM helper in the appropriate
format

You may want to let them know that the server will grow in this fashion
anyway, and that it might be good to pool efforts.

Thanks for the criticism and suggestions,

Doug

edit> of course, this would be pending cooperation between pbem helper and pbw. hopefully we can get both going together so Users on the front end could use the helper to manage the files they are sending/recieving from the server.

im sure everyone involved would benefit from cooperating and being friends...

[This message has been edited by Puke (edited 17 April 2001).]

[This message has been edited by Puke (edited 17 April 2001).]

[Fuerte]

We are ready to begin! Game will be Mon-Fri only. The first turn will probably take a few days.

Me (fuerte@sci.fi), I am the host, maybe we can switch to the Play By Web system when it supports PBEM helper
Tumba (tumba@sci.fi)
Master Belisarius (jlperyr@adinet.com.uy)
Deathstalker (I_8_BAD_GRAPES@hotmail.com)
WW2 (rwwhitney@yahoo.com)
Puke (luke@frnk.com)
javaslinger (esprcorn@bellatlantic.net)
chewy027 (chewy027@hotmail.com)
Lupusman (yanrod@juno.com)
Kirk (kirk_hogenson@yahoo.com)
Sirkit (sirkit@home.com)

I made a new release of PBEM helper, please download it from the link in my signature. It supports the new SE4 1.35. You can start SE4 directly in the correct game AND correct player, completely automatically.

Preferences... I think that the following post describes the preferences that we will use:
"2000 points sounds about right. Here are the rest of my pref. Med tech. Med Resources, good planet values. Three starting planets. View OWN score only (otherwise will make alliances just to view scores to see who to 'pick off'). And add Neutrals, will act as a good 'buffer' zone so that three players who start in/around the same position don't decide for two to gang up on one. Hopefully that will stop 'death by turn ten', which could still happen. Also the 'even distribution' is a good option. Demanding, arn't I . Will be eagerly awaiting this game . And about tech sharing, definitly not, this goes for ship trading as well (which is tech sharing), you want a ship, go board a ship"

So now everyone sends me the empire file, it MUST have the player e-mail address, and it should have the password, too. I will then generate the game with the preferences we have agreed upon here, and send the game file, in .PBM format.

I will send this message by e-mail to each player, too.

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PBEM

[Fuerte]

Quick update: I have received already four empire files, keep them coming!

[Trachmyr]

Let me know how it goes... I want to get on the next game you guys start!