Multiplayer Q&A

[Wanderer]

I've seen the question asked twice about play over a 56 K modem (by other people), but no-one has answererd it. Can I re-raise this question - and get feelings on this guys ? am I wasting my time looking for online gaming for PTW at 56K? Would 64K ISDN be a significant improvement ?

 

[CivAgamemnon]

I've tried 56K once... it's workable, albeit a bit slow most of the time.

ISDN would be an improvment, I would think, Wanderer.

 

[Wanderer]

thanx. ISDN will probably be a few months away, but then so is my copy of PTW! Africa isn't early on the uptake *sigh*.

 

[dingclancy]

question about the PBEM what would happen if there would be a war??? i cannot see the movement of my enemies??? so it means my city could be captured w/o knowing how??

 

[CivAgamemnon]

That's one of the problems of PBEM with PtW. You just have to watch and be very very careful.

Love your handle. CLANCY RULES!

 

[DiamondzAndGunz]

Originally posted by DJ54
I've tried 56K once... it's workable, albeit a bit slow most of the time.

Actually, I was playing a multiplayer game with one of my friends, who has a 28.8k modem (ouch). The game actually went better/faster than one hosted by my other friend, with a cable modem. Hmmh. The internet works in strange ways sometimes... The game obviously doesn't require too much bandwidth... just a pretty good computer.

 

[Dran]

Thamks for your answers guys
- what I was really interested in, as I'm a complete internet gaming virgin, is the impact bad ping would have on turn-based games as opposed to turnless & si-move
- I can understand it screwing up one of those games, but in a turn-based game wouldn't I notice just a 'delay' when ordering units about in my turn (ie. it would have no impact on gameplay)

I didn't want to join a game and then screw everyone about cos my ping was bad.

 

[CivAgamemnon]

Originally posted by DiamondzAndGunz


Actually, I was playing a multiplayer game with one of my friends, who has a 28.8k modem (ouch). The game actually went better/faster than one hosted by my other friend, with a cable modem. Hmmh. The internet works in strange ways sometimes... The game obviously doesn't require too much bandwidth... just a pretty good computer.

Perhaps it has something to do with the speed of the host computer as well as bandwidth conditions.

 

[Dygig]

I received PTW for Christmas and found this in the readme file -

"NOTE: AOL users will find it difficult to join multiplayer games and impossible to host games. AOL is currently working on changes to make on-line gaming easier. Contact AOL as to current status and workarounds."

Needless to say, I contacted AOL and got zero response. Does anyone know what this is about and when this will be fixed. I bought this game for MP and have not yet been able to enjoy it.

 

[CivAgamemnon]

Dygig, I have no idea. Sorry I couldn't be of help.

 

[gedl]

Originally posted by Dimy

Go to your science advisor and click on the technology you'd like to have. It will automatically choose the shortest path towards that tech.

Is it possible to select the next tech like in single player ?

Thanx.


I mean....by poping up a text box...

 

[DiamondzAndGunz]

Nope. In MP, if you finish researching a tech and haven't chosen a specific path to follow, it will choose a tech for you. I try to pick out the techs, in order, that I want to research. For example, I click first to iron working, then shift-click horseback riding (to select it to be researched after) and so on.

 

[Roadrunna]

Couple of questions
1) If 2 players have different rules (eg hitpoints for different unit levels) are these rules kept standardised by the hosts ruleset and if that is the case, do these overwrite the .bix that is on the clients?
2) Is there any way to hide the civilization and scores of opponents so that noone can see who the other players are (so that in addition to the game u can have a sub-game in which you are trying to figure out who is who based on the actions they make in a game where u know the other ppl in real life )?

 

[Fanny Brice]

Suggest a new MP Q&A Sticky should be started based on relevant info since latest patch has been released.

 

[bachibouzouc]

Question:

I build a scenario with the autogenerate map builder to be sure to play on the same continent with my friends. Can you tell me how to fixe the AI level for the computers players in our scenario???

 

[Colonel Kraken]

I wanted to play on a world map with my wife. Bummer I found out you are only allowed to play 8 players in hotseat. Or, am I wrong?

Is there a way to play more than 8 players in hotseat?

Ok, I found my answer in this thread. That's a real slap in the face for those of us who want a big hotseat/pbem game. What a crock!


p.s. I looked through this entire thread and didn't directly see this addressed.

 

[bewareofgnomes]

this is kind of a newb question, but how do you start a PBEM. my friend and i want to play, but i have no idea how to start one. And, the manual is of no help of course.

 

[Xiasar]

The big problem is convincing the others not to kick you out when starting out a game. Usually they see a medium to hig ping (from 200 on up) and they start complaining but the bandwith neede is really ridicolus, youi could easely play with any type of modem I guess or play with an ISDN, DSL and Cable connection keeping your band 75-85% full downloading.
I'll repeat that: the hard stuff is convincing others to let you play when your ping isn't great!

If fact the major problem in MP isn't ping but quitters. Imagine what happens when someone (tipically losing in sore) in standard maps with 7-8 players, at high levels just quits in the middle of the game....they just change everything leaving huge territories free for the lucky one that find it!

See ya!

 

[vbraun]

Stupid Question Time:
How in the world do you play PBEM?

 

[WillJ]

About how to start a PBEM game: In the main multiplayer screen, click location so that it says "local." When you click "host," one of the game options will be PBEM.

I have a question of myself. When I try loading a saved game in multiplayer, so that I can continue a multiplayer game, I can't select the option to have the other player continue on, even though he/she was in the staging window (and I launched with him/her ready), and I also had load game as the option in the staging window. Anybody else have this problem and/or know how to solve it?

Edit: Never mind about my question; I think my MP partner, wwhill, figured it out. I'll edit this post again if it works out.