Simultaneous Play by Email

[Prof. Garfield]

I've been entertaining the idea of creating a utility which would allow play by email games to be played simultaneously (at least in certain circumstances) rather than requiring turns to be played in sequence.

The way the system would work is that each player would play their turn and submit their saved game. The program would then construct a new saved game, taking information for each civilization from the appropriate saved game.

Would there be interest in using such a utility?

Also, can someone please direct me to the most complete guide to hex editing? I'm currently using a document titled

All common knowledge about
HEX-EDITING
SAVED GAMES
and more

Version 1.8
Last updated 16 April 2005

Finally, does anyone know how to change the current player in a hot seat game?

[Ingvar VII]

I think changing the current player could be done by saving the game as a .sav game and then using the cheat menu to change the current player.

[Catfish]

Originally Posted by Prof. Garfield

Also, can someone please direct me to the most complete guide to hex editing?

Mercator is the maintainer of that document. The latest version can be found at his site. It appears that you have it.

[McMonkey]

Sounds interesting. I know there is a way to play simultaneously with a LAN connection as I tried it a few years ago with a friend and I know others do it over the internet. I wonder how combat would work with the system you propose. Sounds interesting, especially to speed up the early parts of games (trading/building etc...).

[Prof. Garfield]

I know there is a way to play simultaneously with a LAN connection as I tried it a few years ago with a friend and I know others do it over the internet.

I think that all you can do is change production between turns so you don't have to spend time doing that during your turn.

I wonder how combat would work with the system you propose.

I haven't thought of a combat system for this way of playing. The way my first version(s) will work is that making attacks won't actually kill enemy units but will damage your own, since the opposing civilization's units will be taken from their saved game and not your own. Combat would have to take place using ordinary sequential play. That said, you could "kill" a ship in your way without it actually being destroyed.

It should be possible to get killed unit and captured city information from the saved game of the aggressor, but that could lead to potential anomalies and paradoxes. Imagine 2 cities connected by railroads, and each having 2 howitzers inside. This sort of arrangement could result in "dead" howitzers killing their killers and capturing a city.

Sounds interesting, especially to speed up the early parts of games (trading/building etc...).

That is the use to which I expect this utility to be primarily used.