Multi-session Gamespy game - for Europeans with day-jobs (or Americans without them)

I'm starting out a multi-session online game.

Schedule:
Sessions are from 21:00-23:00 GMT (that's 16:00-18:00 EST), about 3 nights a week. edit: Times are 20:00-22:00 GMT (15:00-17:00 EST). This schedule is meant to satisfy the majority of the Europeans, but of course anybody who can make it is welcome.

You can expect something on the order of 10 sessions for this game.

Game details:
2-3 teams of: 2 humans + 1 AI
Archipelago
Large map
Non-simultaneous turns
Time victory is on, so this game won't take "forever"

Comments:
I'm in the middle of a similar game with Mysterio, Likes_civing and DLP. The game's already in the middle ages and we're having a blast. This new game is meant to improve on the other game's formula. Other game's thread.

The large teams discourage small wars, as does the archipelago.

If you get consent from your team-mate, you're allowed to switch to playing your team's AI. This rule is meant to prevent players from getting frustrated from playing a losing civ, and to keep them from quitting. Each team only gets to do this switch once.

This game is meant to be fun, so you're allowed to retire. Of course, you'll thereby admit to a shameful defeat, and subject yourself to some mocking .

The non-simultaneous turns give us time to discuss game politics, share war stories, mock our enemies, and teach civ to newbies (that would be me).

I chose Archipelago because I've never tried it, but if a majority wants another thing, we'll do that.

If you don't show up, that's a Bad Discouraged Thing. We'll find someone from Gamespy who'll fill-in for you, or more likely, take over for the rest of the game.

Registered so far:
Furious
Mysterio10000
Dandridge
Dux
LzPrst (and some friends?)
Stemil

I'm able to join this game.

I'd be very much interested to participate. Only thing is that I'm GMT+2 and not willing to play weekdays till 1:00 AM local time. So if schedule could be arranged so that sun-thu sessions would be from 20:00 - 22:00 GMT or max 20:30 - 22:30 GMT, I'm in. Fri-sat sessions from 21:00-23:00 GMT are ok.

Dandridge said:

I'd be very much interested to participate. Only thing is that I'm GMT+2 and not willing to play weekdays till 1:00 AM local time. So if schedule could be arranged so that sun-thu sessions would be from 20:00 - 22:00 GMT or max 20:30 - 22:30 GMT, I'm in. Fri-sat sessions from 21:00-23:00 GMT are ok.

Click to expand...

I'm GMT+2 too, so obviously I wouldn't mind setting it earlier. On the other hand, I figure the UK folks would mind so we'll just have to see what kind of crowd joins the game.

I'm more a lurker than a poster here, but I'd like to join, times look good, I'm a newbie still, so someone's gonna have to carry me through

Thanks for those that showed interest. We have enough players for a neat game, but not as many as I hoped. I also posted this notice in some other Civ forums, but so far little good has come of it.

If no more responses come tomorrow, I'll try to lobby for this in the Gamespy lobby and see if I can find some more folks.

Giving you a heads up: I hope to start on Wednesday night.

I like the format, cause PBEM doesnt appeal to me after playing RTS for over 2 years.

So the start time would be Wednesday 3pm GMT -6?

hi. i was putting together a game over at 'poly and got a few hits. and this is interesting to me. I might also have 2-3 friends that may would like to join in. some persuasion will however be required

but. just to spit in some information, I've played a couple of multiplayer games now, and a large map is... large. 4 players are good with a small map. 8 players with a normal map. more than that and there will be very much room and very little competition. which is IMHO a little dull.

also, although I'm not totally against the idea of teams, I think a free for all situation with shifting alliances and border skirmishes is more interesting as the level of paranoia rises incrementally for each player. making the game less "builder" and more "if I'm gonna build at least I'm gonna have the soldiers to defend myself" which will open for more possibilities. also, if one player is put close to another team and far away from his mates... well, he's usually wiped out before the middle ages

archipelago is a nice map for those who like sailing. and I love it
nothing like having a huge fleet of destroyers and battleships dominate all life on the planet! muahahhahaaha

and finally, i've only played simoultaneous turn games, but they seemed to be working quite well. i'm not quite sure how non-simoultaneous games work though. the thing with simoultaneous turns is that you can react and respond to your opponents activities. especially in war. almost like in a RTS. though I know a lot of civplayers are against that, I feel it just makes the game slightly more "alive" and realistic. also, I am pretty sure it takes way less time. and believe me. a civ game on normal speed does take time even on simoultaneous turns. me and my flatmates played a 4 player game to the end in the 1950's and it took 11 hours (spread over 3 sessions).

oh. and i'd prefer GMT 20:00 - 22:00 as well if possible for the rest of the crowd. especially since we havent seen any UK people show interest yet...

also, wednesday doesnt work for me. I have an appointment at 20:00 local (19:00 GMT) that will take 1 1/2 - 2 hours... we could maybe start later, but the east europeans wouldnt like that...

how about thursday? starting at GMT 20:00?
anyone good then?

we also have to flesh out the game specifics, but we could do that in the game. I can host if needed. (also, everyone make sure they're not bad peers or the game wont work)

(edited in some specifics)

Thursday GMT 20:00 - 22:00 session would suit me fine.

I'm GMT +2 too.. and interested. 20:00-22:00 GMT would be perfect - though 21-23 is manageable as well.. just have to sleep less

And archipelago works very well online.. makes the game more enjoyable IMO when there aren't any early wars.

Thanks to all that showed interest. Looks like we're forming a good group. I think keeping it at 6 players is wise, to ease the scheduling task. But the list isn't final if someone wants to join and can fit into the schedule.

Since a few of us prefer it, and no one seems to object, we'll set the times to be one hour earlier, i.e. 20:00-22:00 GMT.

Unfoturnately, this week I can't play on Thursday night or Friday night. My friends are bugging me really badly to go to this thing on Thursday night, and my parents are bugging me to go to this other thing on Friday...
So I'm really sorry, because everyone else seemed to like Thursday .

Please answer 2 scheduling questions
1. Do you object to Wednesday night?
2. State your preference for Saturday. Since it's the weekend, some might prefer to schedule earlier hours, and free up the evening. Note that at 15:00 GMT it's not-too-early-morning in America.
If you object to every hour in Saturday... kindly reconsider .

For me it's:
1. Wed night is ok.
2. 2 hours on Sat are ok anywhere from 15:00 to 22:00 GMT.

Lastly, LzPrst has some good points, so we'll debate the game rules in the online chat before the game.

Furious said:

For me it's:
1. Wed night is ok.
2. 2 hours on Sat are ok anywhere from 15:00 to 22:00 GMT.

Click to expand...

Same for me.

1. Wed 20:00 - 22:00 GMT ok here.
2. a 2 hour session Sat during 15:00 - 22:00 GMT ok. 15:00-18:00 preferable.

Saturday until 20 GMT is bad for me, anytime after that is good.

Wednesday 20 GMT is good.

Wednesday 20 to 22 is... well okay I guess. (though I'd prefer to start half an hour later then)

saturdays.. 15 GMT is fine most of the time. But I know that e.g. on the 4th of february (in two weeks) I wouldn't be able to play.

And about the game settings. ..I think simultaneus turns is a must in a online games. Is this up for debate?

Simultaneus turns will make the game faster, plus it'll be more fair.

Btw, my nick on Gamespy is TheOddDux, couldn't find anything better, all were taken

i have a training at 19:00 GMT, I'm not sure how long it lasts, probably an hour and a half. Maybe I can get one of my flatmates to spot for me until I come home? Heck, maybe some of them would like to join as well... Or maybe you can put one civ as AI and I could take over that one. I'll find out soon and post here a suggestion of how to solve it.

Also. We should have a password on the game. and we need a name for the game that is easily recognizable. I'll be so bold as to suggest: FURIOUSGAME


and password can be: game

what do you think? oh. btw. my nick on gamespy is johnftonnessen

so now you all know my name... dammit, I cant change it... I've tried... stupid gamespy... or maybe stupid me...

also, saturday is fine for me... i think...

For wednesday we have confirmation from all players except LzPrst. LzPrst, please see if you can find a fill-in for you. Otherwise we'll take advantage of your offer and start you off with an AI. Just tell us which leader you want.

Stemil requests that we start at 20:30 GMT, and LzPrst indicated he could be in later tonight. Since this is such short notice, let's accomodate them and start at at 20:30 GMT this time.

To sum up:
We're meeting in the Gamespy lobby today, Wednesday, Jan 25, 20:30 GMT.
Game name is FURIOUSGAME, pwd: fur
My gamespy name is also Furious.

We'll finilize the rules when we meet and I hope everyone's gonna be happy.

As for Saturday, guess we'll figure it out when we're online.

I read that some of you prefer simultaneous. I'm pretty strongly opposed to it but we'll see what the majority wants.

The reasons I prefer non-simultaneous:
1. I want to have time to see everyone's moves. With simultaneous turns, even if you can see your adversaries' forces you're bound to miss many of their movements because you're busy with yours.
2. There's more time to chat, either on in-game topics (e.g. diplomacy, coordination with teammates) and off-topic (e.g. which of the Chinese leaders sucks the most).
3. I, for one, can't keep up with other players, which puts me at a disadvantage at wartime.
4. I think the speed of your computer and the latency becomes an issue, which uneverns the field.
5. You may not know it, but you can still "play" when it's not your turn. Things you can do:
a. queue movement orders and build orders
b. trade with other players
c. look at the fascinating screens you never have time to check in simultaneous games

I expect the more experienced players will have many of their orders set up so by the time their turns come, they will end very quickly. So non-simultaneous will be slower but NOT by a factor of 6.

For these reasons, I think it makes for a more enjoyable game. If you haven't tried it - now's your chance.

And if any of you wants to open up another game with simultaneous turns, you're more than welcome. You can do it in parallel with this one or wait till this one's over. And you can count me in, and totally 'own' my noob ass.