Why play PBEM?

illumina

Chieftain
Joined
Oct 29, 2005
Messages
4
I dont understand why in the world someone would want to play PBEM, from what ive seen it seems like people would be playing the same game for months or even longer. Making one turn every day or every week? You cant even get into the game if youre just playing for a couple of minutes a day/week. It sounds like watching one scene of a movie every week until finally after months its over.

The netcode in Civ4 seems to be far superior to that of Civ3, so a normal multiplayer game can be played without much lag at all. It just sounds like it takes alot away from the multiplayer experience. Ive been playing civ for 11 years and i still cant believe this PBEM feature is in here, and its even more unbelievable that i saw tons of PBEM threads.

So tell me, why are you guys playing PBEM?
 
Because for many of us, the people we want to play with (family, friends) are scattered all over the world and it would be impossible to coordinate even just a couple hours where everyone can be availiable.

Indeed part of the appeal for me is that it keeps me in more regular contact with my distant family. :)

Yes PBE is SLOW, but thats the nature of it. An epic game could very well take months, but that shouldnt be the only game one is playing. You can inbetween be playing your own single player games, you could have several PBEM games going, or jump in on a live game on the weekend.

Having said all that, I cant wait for pitboss because I think it will give us the same facility of PBEM, but much more streamlined, with the possibility of "accelerated" play on weekends for example.
 
You get more time for your turn. And you can actually play an epic game.
 
i am in 2 pbem games and i regually play my own sp games. why not pbem? you say its one game drawn out, i say its one thing to look forward to. you savor the game that much more, in normal multi player you can seem rushed to finish turn, even sp i rush sometimes in pbem ill take that much more care in every descision.... plus right now in early game 1 turn takes what 2 min of life if that? even later itll take 5 min? its not a hasstle to play
 
What does PBEM stands for?
 
Because with so many different people from various parts of the world, it is the most practical way to play against other human players. Try and getting a hotseat game with a player from Australia, America India, England. It is virtually impossible to get everyone to be playing at the same time.
 
PoweredBySoy said:
What's pitboss?

Pitboss is a server based multiplayer game system much talked about leading up to the release of the game, but is now quoted as "coming in December".

As I understand it, it will host a multiplayer game, and hold on to it even when no one is availiable to play. So IF everyone is online together, the game plays "live" but otherwise, it just waits for each person to come in and take their turn, saves the game, and waits for the next player, and so on.

So instead of emailing a file arround, each person logs on to the server when and as often as they can. If their turn is due, they take it. If not, they just check back later.

Thats my understanding anyway, from what has been posted/writen about it. I could be off.
 
For the above reasons I play and aswell for the fact that I can take my time and rethink every move, inspect every city. When I play in singleplayer or with someone else I know it is always "rush rush next tech hurry this hurry that, OOPS moved my worker south and not north!"

Things like that. I enjoy long-lasting games like a PBEM alot better :)
 
Because PBEMs can be done on the long-term while most MP games are focusing on short and fast wars. Even if Civ4 is faster than Civ3, I don't think you will see many epics ending in MP while it is possible in PBEMs. MP usually gives a feeling of urgency while PBEMs allow for a more quiet, SP-like style of gameplay with more emphasis on diplomacy (which is prepared by mail outside the playing of the save).
PBEM also means you can play a game nearly everyday without having the one-more turn syndrom acting up on you.
I understand some prefer MP but as for me, PBEMs are the best way to play a Civ game. Of course length can be a drawback but the real one is someone disappearing. And Civ4 seems to have solved that problem.
 
illumina said:
So tell me, why are you guys playing PBEM?
Because PBEM captures the essence of the epic game in a way that no other multiplayer mode does. I generally only play PBEM multiplayer, and don't bother with either the single-player or non-PBEM games.

In PBEM, you have no time pressures - you are free to analyze your turn in as much detail as you wish. Any errors you make are purely failures of your own analysis, and not due to any time constraints. For those who are most inclined toward turn-based strategy games, PBEM (or hotseat) is the way to go.

PBEM also caters to those with erratic schedules. There are many Civ players who don't have hours at a time to devote to an online multiplayer game, or who only available at off-peak times.

Contrary to what you might think, many PBEM players become quite heavily attached to the games in which they play. When one invests months or years thinking about a particular game, one tends to care more about the outcome than with a game that ends in one evening. The ramifications of your decisions become more severe, especially if they lead to your elimination. Being eliminated from a game after playing it for two years becomes quite a significant event (as I well know :( ).

I currently administrate fifteen PBEM games, and am a player in one other. I just started my first Civilization IV PBEM, which is my 18th PBEM game. The majority of them are still running after more than two years, and I expect most of them to continue past three years. But there is a dedicated PBEM player base whose gaming needs are best fulfilled through PBEM, and not through any other multiplayer mode.


heihojin
 
PBEM has been the foundation for multiplayer games from the get go and they remain the game style of choice of busy people who enjoy serious
strategic war/build games. Over the years,I've played in matches that have lasted well over a year and truly missed it when it ended..it becomes part of your life like no other gaming experience and the game is anything BUT slow..many a time you'll wish you had taken MORE time for that move plus, you'll get totally addicted to getting that next turn!!

Deep thinking games such as Combat Mission (my experience) and I'm sure CIV IV against cunning opponents,is by-far the most statisfying gaming around and another reason why you'll think that $50 was so well spent! :=)
 
heihojin said:
Because PBEM captures the essence of the epic game in a way that no other multiplayer mode does.

In your opinion. Im getting the idea that many of you people have never played civ on a LAN or in real multiplayer mode.

mystro544 said:
PBEM has been the foundation for multiplayer games from the get go

Simply not true, that is without a doubt the most absurd comment ive seen in some time. PBEM is totally impossible to implement for 99% of online games in existence, and the few that you could actually use it for already have real-time multiplayer, so PBEM is useless. I have played literally hundreds of multiplayer games of every conceivable genre on the internet over the last 10 years, and the Civ games are the only games ive ever seen which have "PBEM" implemented. I was very surprised to see its still in Civ4.

Playing in real-time, with all your friends together at once, is simply a more exiciting game experience. Theres a reason why the vast majority of online games have real-time online gameplay using TCP/UDP as their only mode of online play. Its your choice as to how you play, but im just trying to let you guys know that there is a better way.

I must say i have a hard time believing that you guys and your friends cant find 30 minutes a week where you could schedule a short real multiplayer game. Many of you also say you feel rushed while playing online, well, ive never once felt rushed when im playing with my friends. If your friends are always yelling at you to hurry up, maybe you need some friends that are a little more patient.

It sounds to me that you all are just stuck in your old ways, making up excuses to continue using "PBEM". I have no idea why. Real-time multiplayer has existed in Civ since Civnet(any of you remember that?), and im glad i had the sense to use that all these years instead of PBEM.
 
illumina said:
In your opinion. Im getting the idea that many of you people have never played civ on a LAN or in real multiplayer mode.

...

Playing in real-time, with all your friends together at once, is simply a more exiciting game experience. Theres a reason why the vast majority of online games have real-time online gameplay using TCP/UDP as their only mode of online play. Its your choice as to how you play, but im just trying to let you guys know that there is a better way.
Speaking of opinion...

I for one have played online multiplayer Civ (both Civ 2 and Civ 3), and I don't care for it. I prefer big multiplayer games - all my epic PBEMs begin with eight players - and it's just not feasible to host an epic online multiplayer game with that many players.

Yes, there is a reason why online multiplayer is a larger market than PBEM. The reason is the same as to why real-time strategy games cater to a larger market than turn-based strategy games, and that is that most people simply do not have the patience for large, extended games of strategy. That you would consider 30 minutes adequate time for a "real" multiplayer game is sufficient evidence that you are a member of that group.

It sounds to me that you all are just stuck in your old ways, making up excuses to continue using "PBEM". I have no idea why. Real-time multiplayer has existed in Civ since Civnet(any of you remember that?), and im glad i had the sense to use that all these years instead of PBEM.
I foolishly responded to your post, as I suppose many in this thread did, thinking that you were sincerely asking for reasons why we enjoy PBEM games and perhaps seeking to satisfy your own curiosity. Instead you have chosen to denigrate us, and so I'd just as soon have you remain stuck in your RTS wanna-be, adrenaline-junkie ways. Since PBEM doesn't reward twitchiness, it makes more sense for you to do so anyway. ;)
 
illumina said:
In your opinion. Im getting the idea that many of you people have never played civ on a LAN or in real multiplayer mode.



Simply not true, that is without a doubt the most absurd comment ive seen in some time. PBEM is totally impossible to implement for 99% of online games in existence, and the few that you could actually use it for already have real-time multiplayer, so PBEM is useless. I have played literally hundreds of multiplayer games of every conceivable genre on the internet over the last 10 years, and the Civ games are the only games ive ever seen which have "PBEM" implemented. I was very surprised to see its still in Civ4.

Playing in real-time, with all your friends together at once, is simply a more exiciting game experience. Theres a reason why the vast majority of online games have real-time online gameplay using TCP/UDP as their only mode of online play. Its your choice as to how you play, but im just trying to let you guys know that there is a better way.

I must say i have a hard time believing that you guys and your friends cant find 30 minutes a week where you could schedule a short real multiplayer game. Many of you also say you feel rushed while playing online, well, ive never once felt rushed when im playing with my friends. If your friends are always yelling at you to hurry up, maybe you need some friends that are a little more patient.

It sounds to me that you all are just stuck in your old ways, making up excuses to continue using "PBEM". I have no idea why. Real-time multiplayer has existed in Civ since Civnet(any of you remember that?), and im glad i had the sense to use that all these years instead of PBEM.


That entire post was uncalled for. You asked an honest question and did so in a curious, polite manner. The responses echoed this, and you got some valid, genuine reasons why some people prefer PBEM - or atleast add it to their playing reportoire.

"Good for playing very large, long games", "Good for gathering 12 people together from all over the world for a length of time not normally possible due to time differences", "allows me to sit back and really think about each move."

It has much of the same attraction as Play By Mail Chess ... and yes, I've done that also. Do I play that instead of normal chess? No ... it's just an alternative method, which has an alternative feel and is nice to add to ones hobbies and interests.

Your follow up was crude, immature, inflammatory and completely uncalled for.

It's because people like you play real-time online games, that people like us avoid it like the plague.
 
Illumina, many of us here don't just play PBEM anyway. Sometimes you just want to PBEM because while you are playing your "friends" on the real-time muliplayer, you can have a PBEM going. Also, it seems that you fortunate to have all yoru friends in the same country as well.

When you have friends that are 6 to 10 hours time zone different than you... it does get really hard to set up a time to play. Hell one of my best friends that plays Civ is 14 hours different from me here.... not exactly an easy way to play the game when the time is that far different. So honestly.... if you have friends from all over the world at all different times and you can play with them... then that is awesome. But some of us don't have that luxary so there is No reason to flame in here about how Uber elite you are because you play Real-time vs. people that play PBEM.
 
illumina said:
I must say i have a hard time believing that you guys and your friends cant find 30 minutes a week where you could schedule a short real multiplayer game.

A 30 minute game of Civ. That's sad.
 
illumina said:
Simply not true, that is without a doubt the most absurd comment ive seen in some time. PBEM is totally impossible to implement for 99% of online games in existence, and the few that you could actually use it for already have real-time multiplayer, so PBEM is useless. I have played literally hundreds of multiplayer games of every conceivable genre on the internet over the last 10 years, and the Civ games are the only games ive ever seen which have "PBEM" implemented. I was very surprised to see its still in Civ4.

What in the WORLD are you blathering about? He said "PBEM has been the foundation of multiplayer games" which is a fact. The first kind of online games possible, even before BBS Door games, were games you could play over email. You in no way even acknowledged his quote in your reply here. In fact, it is extremely obvious that the whole reason you started this thread was to try and "prove" that PBEM is a thing of the past and that people who play it only do so because they aren't aware of the "now perfect" form of multiplayer that is out there. I've been playing network multiplayer games since Doom I, Warcraft and Command and Conquer. Today I play such games as Battflefield 2, Counterstrike: Source and Planetside. I still prefer to play Civ IV PBEM because it allows me to take my time, and I can have as many games of it as I want going at the same time. I also play Civ IV multiplayer the other way. It most certainly is not any kind of substitute or "evolution" to PBEM; it's just another preference.

illumina said:
Playing in real-time, with all your friends together at once, is simply a more exiciting game experience. Theres a reason why the vast majority of online games have real-time online gameplay using TCP/UDP as their only mode of online play. Its your choice as to how you play, but im just trying to let you guys know that there is a better way.

No, it's not. It's not better at all; it's different. Trust me, I've been playing these games probably longer than you have.

illumina said:
It sounds to me that you all are just stuck in your old ways, making up excuses to continue using "PBEM". I have no idea why. Real-time multiplayer has existed in Civ since Civnet(any of you remember that?), and im glad i had the sense to use that all these years instead of PBEM.

The only person here who is too stubborn to accept others' opinions is you. Nobody here has claimed that PBEM is "better" than network play. Coming into the PBEM forums with an intolerant attitude is only asking for conflict.

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