Civ4 PitBoss Available

[InfoCynic]

One thing I still don't get is whether it's possible to play ON the machine doing serving while an external client is connected.

Scenario:
Desktop 1: Hosting (on 2056), behind router at Loc 1
Desktop 2: Evil roomie who only wants to play SP, also behind router at Loc 1. Has no bearing on problem except to explain "why is there a router?"
Desktop 3: Player 2, behind router at Loc 2.
Desktop 4: Player 3, player 2's roommate, behind same router at Loc 2.

We'd like to be able to all play using D1, D3, and D4. I've not been able to figure out how to do this.

 

[the oob]

Ok so let me get this straight. To use pitboss with direct ip i must:

1) setup and run pitboss on a computer with an internet connection and an available smtp mail account?

2) I then just leave the server on all the time and people then connect to it using thier civ client and do their turns based on how frequent the host that setup the server specified them to be,, right?

That's right. I personally had problems running it through gamespy, so I used direct IP, for which I recommend the no-ip client so that you can use one fixed DNS address (not necessary if you have a static IP address).

Please let me know if what i stated above is correct. Also i have some questions:

I. Is it possible to start a game thats played for example through the gamespy setup and then later transfer it to be played through pitboss? This way we could play for a couple hours during the faster part of the game and switch it to the persistant server when things slowed down.

If I understand what you're asking correctly, you don't actually need to. If everyone is connected to a Pitboss game at the same time, it runs just like a normal internet game (ie. everyone taking turns at the same time); in other words, a Pitboss game runs just like a gamespy game, except with a longer turn timer (24 hours for mine) and people can enter and leave as they please. From what I can tell, the only major difference is that a Pitboss game runs as a dedicated server rather than a listen server, so the host does not need to keep the game constantly running.

In the game I'm currently hosting (4 players including me, no AIs until just recently when one guy who had only one distant island city left quit), we started 2-3 weeks ago, and are now up to 1280AD. We got through most of the game in 'everyone on at the same time' sessions, and have just now stopped having those sessions now that the turns are getting longer.

II. I really enjoy playing mods multiplayer with my friends. Is this possible with pitboss?

Shouldn't be a problem AFAICS, as long as everyone has the same files.

 

[Gyathaar]

One thing I still don't get is whether it's possible to play ON the machine doing serving while an external client is connected.

Scenario:
Desktop 1: Hosting (on 2056), behind router at Loc 1
Desktop 2: Evil roomie who only wants to play SP, also behind router at Loc 1. Has no bearing on problem except to explain "why is there a router?"
Desktop 3: Player 2, behind router at Loc 2.
Desktop 4: Player 3, player 2's roommate, behind same router at Loc 2.

We'd like to be able to all play using D1, D3, and D4. I've not been able to figure out how to do this.

For the 2 routers to be able to route the traffic correctly, the civ4 instances behind them need to run on different ports.

Pitboss runs on 2056.. when you start civ4 on the same machine, it will automatically start running on port 2057 since 2056 is already taken.. so you need to tell the loc1 router to forward UDP ports 2056 and 2057 to your PC.

Desktop 2: this needs to run on another port.. so you need to go into the Civilization4.ini file on it.. and change it to something else than 2056 or 2057.. lets say 2058. Set up the router on loc1 to route traffic to UDP 2058 to Desktop2

Desktop3: needs no change (except that the router on loc2 needs to be told to route UDP traffic on port 2056 to this machine)

Desktop4: change the port to 2057 (or any unused port) in the ini file, and make router at loc2 route this port to this machine.

 

[naf4ever]

That's right. I personally had problems running it through gamespy, so I used direct IP, for which I recommend the no-ip client so that you can use one fixed DNS address (not necessary if you have a static IP address).



If I understand what you're asking correctly, you don't actually need to. If everyone is connected to a Pitboss game at the same time, it runs just like a normal internet game (ie. everyone taking turns at the same time); in other words, a Pitboss game runs just like a gamespy game, except with a longer turn timer (24 hours for mine) and people can enter and leave as they please. From what I can tell, the only major difference is that a Pitboss game runs as a dedicated server rather than a listen server, so the host does not need to keep the game constantly running.

In the game I'm currently hosting (4 players including me, no AIs until just recently when one guy who had only one distant island city left quit), we started 2-3 weeks ago, and are now up to 1280AD. We got through most of the game in 'everyone on at the same time' sessions, and have just now stopped having those sessions now that the turns are getting longer.



Shouldn't be a problem AFAICS, as long as everyone has the same files.

Thanks a ton! What do you mean by AFAICS though?

 

[Great_Scott]

2 quick questions and pardon me in advance for not checking through all 344 posts to see if this has been answered already:

1. If I'm hosting a PTBS game on my machine, can I host a second PTBS game?

2. If I'm hosting a PTBS game on my machine, can I play in a second PTBS game?

 

[buldozer]

2 quick questions and pardon me in advance for not checking through all 344 posts to see if this has been answered already:

1. If I'm hosting a PTBS game on my machine, can I host a second PTBS game?

2. If I'm hosting a PTBS game on my machine, can I play in a second PTBS game?

Well you have to scroll throûgh the post , because i am sure , somewhere in between there is sweet solution to your problem

 

[the oob]

Thanks a ton! What do you mean by AFAICS though?

'As Far As I Can See'

 

[Gyathaar]

2 quick questions and pardon me in advance for not checking through all 344 posts to see if this has been answered already:

1. If I'm hosting a PTBS game on my machine, can I host a second PTBS game?

2. If I'm hosting a PTBS game on my machine, can I play in a second PTBS game?

http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?p=3651543#post3651543

 

[ForesterSOF]

. not shure. May have to run a copy of it in the dir so you have a exe1 and a exe2.

2. Yes you can just login to the PB using a dif user and away you go.

 

[naf4ever]

I have a question on how the AI takes over.

So i assume the AI does the turn if the player doesnt do it on time and the server forces a turn generation.

1) Will the AI change around build ques? For example if the player knew he was going to miss a few turns so pre-planned his production will the AI all of sudden change it all up?

2) Will the AI start re-doing all the improvements as if the workers went on "auto"?

3) Will the AI keep open border agreements and such?

If anyone has experience with the AI in this situation id love to know. Thanks.

 

[Mysterio10000]

I have a question on how the AI takes over.

So i assume the AI does the turn if the player doesnt do it on time and the server forces a turn generation.

1) Will the AI change around build ques? For example if the player knew he was going to miss a few turns so pre-planned his production will the AI all of sudden change it all up?

2) Will the AI start re-doing all the improvements as if the workers went on "auto"?

3) Will the AI keep open border agreements and such?

If anyone has experience with the AI in this situation id love to know. Thanks.

That's an incorrect assumption. In a PB game, the AI only takes over if the admin kicks the player from the game via the PB server screen, or the player chooses the Retire option from the in-game menu (either action requires that the admin enabled the Take Over AI option when creating the game). The AI will not take over the civs who haven't ended their turns if the turn timer expires.

 

[the oob]

That's an incorrect assumption. In a PB game, the AI only takes over if the admin kicks the player from the game via the PB server screen, or the player chooses the Retire option from the in-game menu (either action requires that the admin enabled the Take Over AI option when creating the game). The AI will not take over the civs who haven't ended their turns if the turn timer expires.

For this reason it's a good idea to use build queues and such if you think you might miss some turns.

Also bear in mind the game keeps track of your actions and any AI taking over from a player will have a corresponding attitude. So if you raze a whole lot of cities from a human player, and then that player lets the AI take over, your relations with the AI will have a large 'you razed a city!' negative modifier, like so:

 

[naf4ever]

Another question. Im playing a pitboss game with a friend now but im a little confused about how diplomacy works. Example:

He has already submitted his turn but is offline. I log on and do my turn and send him a diplomatic offer,,, then hit enter to finish the turn and generate a new one. What happens to my diplomatic offer? Does it get sent the next turn and does it affect things if i send offers to people who have already completed their turn? And in this example if i go ahead and finish my next turn so im all done and he replies back again does it take an additional turn for me to receive the reply?

 

[Mysterio10000]

Another question. Im playing a pitboss game with a friend now but im a little confused about how diplomacy works. Example:

He has already submitted his turn but is offline. I log on and do my turn and send him a diplomatic offer,,, then hit enter to finish the turn and generate a new one. What happens to my diplomatic offer? Does it get sent the next turn and does it affect things if i send offers to people who have already completed their turn? And in this example if i go ahead and finish my next turn so im all done and he replies back again does it take an additional turn for me to receive the reply?

Diplomatic offers sent to a player are received by that player the next time he or she logs into the PB game, regardless of which turn it was sent or received.

 

[Frisxo]

I have a pitboss game going (I am serving and playing behind my firewall). Every time I login to take my turn I get presented with that VOTE screen (the one that says game is waiting for other players and my choice is to either Save or Exit now). I have to click Exit now and re-login everytime to take my turn...it is so annoying! (and time consuming). I'm playing in a different pitboss game (not hosted by me) and I don't get that VOTE screen at all. Anybody get this? or more importantly how to I stop it from coming up.

-Frisxo

 

[JohnYoga]

Hello Folks.

My family (3K miles away) and I are starting to use PitBoss. What we can't seem to do is load up the SevoMod and all play that via PB. We can MP the SevoMod using th standard MP methods.

Can one play mods inside of PitBull, and if so, how?

Thank you for any help.

John

 

[Gyathaar]

There is no easy way to play mods inside the beta version of pitboss..

The easiest way is prolly to start up a normal directIP game with the mod, then save this game, and exit.
Load the save in pitboss (I think this should work).

The problem with this is you dont get turn timers... (So everyone has to end every turn). If you are playing with people you know in real life this would probably still work thou (can just call them and tell them you will kick them if they dont play their turn! )

 

[Wainio]

Can somebody post a little pitboss tutorial?

another thingy: if I host the pitboss server, does it have to be online all the time?

what if us players agree that we play like two hours / day and then I save the game state from pitboss. next time when all players are online, I start pitboss and load the game state, will everything continue where we left the game?

 

[Mysterio10000]

another thingy: if I host the pitboss server, does it have to be online all the time?

Online if you want players to be able to log in at anytime.

what if us players agree that we play like two hours / day and then I save the game state from pitboss. next time when all players are online, I start pitboss and load the game state, will everything continue where we left the game?

Yes.

 

[joikm]

I've just started my first pitboss game, and so far, so good! It is a great way to play Civ 4 with a group without the hassle of PBEM. However, I have ran into a couple of problems.

If I want to use a map script (like Smart Map) with a bunch of options/settings, the UI for pitboss gets messed up, as there are too many elements, and there isn't a scrollbar in that section. A scrollbar would be great.

If I load a game, then start a new game without quitting pitboss, the I don't get the option to password protect the game.

What would be extremely nice is if I could set up pitboss to automatically load the last autosaved game. What I want is a way to have pitboss start when my system boots, so if my system restarts when I'm away, I can still play the pitboss game, and other people aren't shut out. A command line switch to do this would be excellent.

Thanks, and keep up the great work!

Erick