PTW MultiPlayer Game Idea

[dojoboy]

The following is based on the "unofficial" PTW mac port.

This is what I'm thinking, every Friday night (or any night, as long as its consistent) a number (6, 8, 10) of us are engaged in a MP game that may span a couple months, playing a couple hours per sitting.

This game has established protocols (some which may activate as the game progresses from age to age) which allows the players to act as a world body (UN). Outside of how well you establish your civ and trade on the world market, world opinion may support or oppose any action by one civ against another (such as the US/Iraq situation). For example, the governing body may declare nukes illegal, yet one player may build the Manhattan Project - there is no going back (may need to turn off the notice for when a wonder is started in preferences). How does the world respond? Sanctions? Aggression? The civ may be forced to show his military plans, say every 5 turns (through espionage) to see if he's building nukes, etc.

A thread could be used to reach consensus on issues, but of course, secret dealings could be done through PM or email. Also, we'd have a week before the next round, so there'd be plenty of time for positioning.

Yes, someone could win by conquest/domination, but the s/r and cultural victory would be the path to "higher good." I'm not voting for anyone! I'm thinking the opportunity for conquest would be prior to all the civs having contact, or is contact a given from the start in MP? Or, is the "world body" an institution from the beginning - not really realistic, but its a game.

What do you think? What sort of parameters would make this interesting?

 

[Grey Randall]

Well, this Friday, Tenshi and I are getting rid of the kids!!!

The rest of this weekend will probably be centered around one massive Buccaneers party, going to DCaint's neck of the woods to nail down my G4 purchase, and flea marketing with Tenshi at Red Barn.

However, once I'm back up on a mac that will allow me to play Civ III count me in too!

 

[dojoboy]

Originally posted by Grey Randall
Well, this Friday, Tenshi and I are getting rid of the kids!!!

I think I need a bath.

Originally posted by Grey Randall
However, once I'm back up on a mac that will allow me to play Civ III count me in too!

Well, its for PTW. We can't do it until then.

 

[Grey Randall]

beginning to wonder which will come first

1) The addition on the house so I can put my G3 back up
2) The purchase of a G4
3) The editor release
4) PTW release


Just too many bits to champ on all at once!

 

[lateralis]

I would be very interested in something like this! but how about something like sunday night? Friday night would cause WAY too many "significant other" issues. especially if we're talking about a months worth of friday nights!!!

I would like to be a part of this, if and when it happens. I think it would even make it cooler all the "back room" email or IM stuff to form alliances and stuff. In the real world there are "official" alliances and "unofficial" alliances.

couple of things off the bat.

1. even though we will all know from the get go who's involved in the game, IM or Email should be prohibited until you have contact with that person's civ. that way, trading contacts still has a place. once you have contact, you can call them up on the civ diplomacy phone, or through IM or Email. and just like the civ diplomacy phone, you can ignore or not respond to IM and Email. plus, I've always wanted to have more "next-level" diplomacy. maybe we could have a situation where someone agrees to research one tech while someone else researchs another with a deal that they will trade them when done. this kind of thing is what I forsee.

2. about the whole "coalition to disarm" thing. if the world tells a civ "hey, we're comin in to check your stuff" they could then have the choice: allow everyone to walk all over your territory looking for weapons or tell us to get out in which case we will declare war.

I definatly think that more discussion is in order. and I'd be willing to bet we have while to wait, so we can spend as much time as we want discussing!

lateralis

oh oh oh, and one more thing. we should set it up so that there is an open IM room that opens as soon as everyone has contact with everyone else or a room that each player sets up that has every player they have contact with. that way, there can be "broadcast" messages to everyone. kinda like a CNN type thing. If there is something you want eveyone to kno, you could just throw it out in the common room. it could also be used for selling techs, luxuries and stuff. just a thought.

 

[DiamondzAndGunz]

It would be great to finally get together with all you people.. Yes, we should have some sort of alliance-type thing. But I'm not sure I'd agree with arms inspections...

Friday may not be the best night for me, as in the future I may have plans for fridays. But we'll see. Right now, it does seem to be the best choice. We should definately get some sort of chat room, so that we can discuss things out of the game.

plus, I've always wanted to have more "next-level" diplomacy. maybe we could have a situation where someone agrees to research one tech while someone else researchs another with a deal that they will trade them when done. this kind of thing is what I forsee.

That would be great, but it might sorta take away from the competitive aspect of the game... I mean, we're playing to win, riiight? That would be great if we play on deity w/ some computers, where we have a clear disadvantage.

I look forward to playing with/against you all. One more thing: I hope that all of us that intend to play have at least DSL (yes, dojoboy, your OT reminded me of how crappy other online games were with 56k...).

 

[dcaint]

I love the idea- I'm in. Friday nights generally happen to work for me, although I am guessing we should be prepared for this game to progress kinda slow.

Dojo- how did you see the logistics of this working? Is it something like- I play a turn and save, then email it to everybody, etc.? Or is this to wait until PTW comes out?

D&G- of course we're playing to win- but cooperation with an undercurrent of deviousness never hurt!

I am not fully familiar with the capabilities of the PC version of PTW- does its MP platform include the chat stuff, etc? Of will we just do that on the honor system?

Keep me in the loop on this one- I'm all for it! And Grey- there is no good Mac stuff at the Red Barn- they call it a flea market for a reason......

 

[dojoboy]

Originally posted by dcaint
I
Dojo- how did you see the logistics of this working? Is it something like- I play a turn and save, then email it to everybody, etc.? Or is this to wait until PTW comes out?

We need PTW MultiPlayer for this approach. PTW has several options to choose from. I'm thinking the turnless mode or simultaneous mode would be what we use. We've got time to develop protocols if you guys are interested.

Re: Friday nights for game-play. I just slapped that in the thread-title. Any night that is agreed upon by those involved is fine.

 

[Txurce]

This is about something so far in the future, that there's not much I could say other than that it's theoretically intriguing.

 

[dojoboy]

Time zones were identified by tao as a serious obstacle in scheduling times. Yep!

 

[neoruski]

Sounds like a nice idea, when ptw comes out I would volunteer to join.