Please make sure you understand the contents of this post before voting. If anything is unclear, please ask.
EDIT: We've started a game, but anyone else who's interested in playing should vote here. That way we will know if there are enough players to start another game.
I've restarted this thread mostly because the polling in the first one has not been smooth. I'm hoping more clarity on my part, and some extra information in the opening post will make this version of the thread run more smoothly. Here is the original.
Please vote again in this poll if you have voted in the previous one.
Section A:
If you can't check the box here, don't vote until you can check the box. This will also count the number of participants.
Section B: Highest Difficulty Level
In this section, you select the highest civ 2 difficulty level on the list at which you would be willing to play a succession game. I've omitted a couple, based on the idea that one level of difficulty shouldn't break you if you are playing with a group.
"Deity with Restrictions" means that we play a game at deity level, but impose some restriction on our play, such as not building any wonders.
"Deity plus" means that we play at levels above deity (something that can be achieved through altering the text files of Classic Civ 2). If enough people want to play at this level, we can then settle on a specific level.
Section C: Lowest Difficulty Level
Select the lowest level of difficulty at which you are willing to play. Generally, when setting up a game, I will assume that players will prefer to play close to their "Highest Difficulty Level" (if it is otherwise, but you are being accommodating, say so in a post so I can get a better feel for the preferred level), but playing at a lower level may be necessary in order to get more players. Your vote here should indicate the lowest level you are willing to play in order to get more players.
Section D: Regular Availability
This is the number of games that you want to play as a regular player. I've included 0 games here, because of the next section, and if we get some occasional players it might affect the number of games we think we can run simultaneously.
Everyone understands that we all have commitments that take precedence over civ 2. If you say that you are regularly available, it does not mean that you are promising to be "on call" for civ 2. Most succession games have periods where no one plays for a while, or where the playing order gets shuffled significantly because people can't play.
Your initial reaction to the question "how many succession games can I participate in" is probably the best answer.
Section E: Are you a potential substitute in another game?
Following up on section D, you may have a schedule that means you can't commit to another game as a regular player, but you may be able to play once in a while. Checking 0 games in D, and Yes in this section means that you think you can play occasionally, but can't be a regular participant.
If there are a lot of "Yes" votes in this section, it might impact how many people we feel we "need" in order to have an extra succession game.
Section F: What Version do you Play?
There are a couple things to know about civ 2 versions. There are 2 common versions: Classic and MGE (Multiplayer Gold Edition). The trouble is the classic version can't read games saved in MGE, meaning that all succession game players must play the same version. Also important is the fact that MGE has a much more hostile AI than Classic, leading many to prefer classic.
It is possible to have both versions of Civ 2 on the same computer, just put them in separate files (and the game is quite small by today's standards).
Any player of classic civ2 can upgrade to MGE by applying this patch.
It may also be possible to downgrade the MGE version to classic as described here, but I have done very little testing and have received no feedback on the process, so I am not positive that it works.
EDIT: Some information about the downgrade is found further down in this thread.
Choosing "Classic Only" or "MGE Only" means that you can only play the selected version. "Classic Preferred" or "MGE Preferred" means you can play both versions but prefer one to the other. "Indifferent" means that you really don't care what version the game is played.
Additional:
You don't need to highlight all the areas of play that you think need improvement when you post here. A few bad decisions aren't going to ruin the game for everyone, and other players aren't as perfect as you might imagine. You might also find this interesting. (Story telling, while greatly enjoyed, is not a requirement for a succession game either.)
I'll give this version of the poll at least 10 days to give everyone time to vote (also, making everyone vote again can weed out those whose interest is more fleeting) and then I'll suggest a couple of succession games that should appeal to as many people as possible. Based on the votes in the first thread, it looks like we'll have 2 games.
EDIT: We've started a game, but anyone else who's interested in playing should vote here. That way we will know if there are enough players to start another game.
I've restarted this thread mostly because the polling in the first one has not been smooth. I'm hoping more clarity on my part, and some extra information in the opening post will make this version of the thread run more smoothly. Here is the original.
Please vote again in this poll if you have voted in the previous one.
Section A:
If you can't check the box here, don't vote until you can check the box. This will also count the number of participants.
Section B: Highest Difficulty Level
In this section, you select the highest civ 2 difficulty level on the list at which you would be willing to play a succession game. I've omitted a couple, based on the idea that one level of difficulty shouldn't break you if you are playing with a group.
"Deity with Restrictions" means that we play a game at deity level, but impose some restriction on our play, such as not building any wonders.
"Deity plus" means that we play at levels above deity (something that can be achieved through altering the text files of Classic Civ 2). If enough people want to play at this level, we can then settle on a specific level.
Section C: Lowest Difficulty Level
Select the lowest level of difficulty at which you are willing to play. Generally, when setting up a game, I will assume that players will prefer to play close to their "Highest Difficulty Level" (if it is otherwise, but you are being accommodating, say so in a post so I can get a better feel for the preferred level), but playing at a lower level may be necessary in order to get more players. Your vote here should indicate the lowest level you are willing to play in order to get more players.
Section D: Regular Availability
This is the number of games that you want to play as a regular player. I've included 0 games here, because of the next section, and if we get some occasional players it might affect the number of games we think we can run simultaneously.
Everyone understands that we all have commitments that take precedence over civ 2. If you say that you are regularly available, it does not mean that you are promising to be "on call" for civ 2. Most succession games have periods where no one plays for a while, or where the playing order gets shuffled significantly because people can't play.
Your initial reaction to the question "how many succession games can I participate in" is probably the best answer.
Section E: Are you a potential substitute in another game?
Following up on section D, you may have a schedule that means you can't commit to another game as a regular player, but you may be able to play once in a while. Checking 0 games in D, and Yes in this section means that you think you can play occasionally, but can't be a regular participant.
If there are a lot of "Yes" votes in this section, it might impact how many people we feel we "need" in order to have an extra succession game.
Section F: What Version do you Play?
There are a couple things to know about civ 2 versions. There are 2 common versions: Classic and MGE (Multiplayer Gold Edition). The trouble is the classic version can't read games saved in MGE, meaning that all succession game players must play the same version. Also important is the fact that MGE has a much more hostile AI than Classic, leading many to prefer classic.
It is possible to have both versions of Civ 2 on the same computer, just put them in separate files (and the game is quite small by today's standards).
Any player of classic civ2 can upgrade to MGE by applying this patch.
It may also be possible to downgrade the MGE version to classic as described here, but I have done very little testing and have received no feedback on the process, so I am not positive that it works.
EDIT: Some information about the downgrade is found further down in this thread.
Choosing "Classic Only" or "MGE Only" means that you can only play the selected version. "Classic Preferred" or "MGE Preferred" means you can play both versions but prefer one to the other. "Indifferent" means that you really don't care what version the game is played.
Additional:
You don't need to highlight all the areas of play that you think need improvement when you post here. A few bad decisions aren't going to ruin the game for everyone, and other players aren't as perfect as you might imagine. You might also find this interesting. (Story telling, while greatly enjoyed, is not a requirement for a succession game either.)
I'll give this version of the poll at least 10 days to give everyone time to vote (also, making everyone vote again can weed out those whose interest is more fleeting) and then I'll suggest a couple of succession games that should appeal to as many people as possible. Based on the votes in the first thread, it looks like we'll have 2 games.
) (but it still says ''Civ2 Multiplayer'' in the game title. But I reckon, why would it be MGE if I did not had the option to create a MP game? (that is, nevermind the screenshot I attached...))
(again, you add levels on the ''Difficulty'' screen and on the ''Barbarians'' screen?)
