Exchanging battle files in PBEM games

Post bug reports and ask for support here.

Moderator: MOD_EIA

User avatar
Marshall Ellis
Posts: 5630
Joined: Tue Oct 02, 2001 3:00 pm
Location: Dallas

RE: Exchanging battle files in PBEM games

Post by Marshall Ellis »

Hey guys:
 
A little clarification should be stated for PBEM battle file exchanges:
 
I cannot speed up by allowing multiple battles to be in progress at the same time!
 
The phasing player will need to resolve each battle in his/her chosen order, one at a time.
This was the original design and needs to stay this way because:
 
1. A player could change his/her decision/casualties based on another battles current progress i.e. Wow, France just murdered me in the second round of the battle of Magdeburg so I'm choosing not to do additional rounds battle in this battle of Berlin.
 
2. Retreat possiblities will NOT be dynamic. Often battle order resolution is chosen based on the possible opening of a valid retreat area based on a victory. In simultaneous execution mode this could be overlooked and/or changed in the middle which is not in the original EiA or EiANW or EiH rules.
 
In order to speed these exchanges up, I would think that PBEM Quick combat should be selected which will put the AI in charge of the non-phasing player's forces thus eliminating exchanges.
 
Does this make sense?
 
 
 
 
 
 
Thank you

Marshall Ellis
Outflank Strategy War Games


User avatar
zaquex
Posts: 368
Joined: Thu Nov 29, 2007 11:46 pm
Location: Vastervik, Sweden
Contact:

RE: Exchanging battle files in PBEM games

Post by zaquex »

It does and it doesnt, from a pbem sense it does, its vital that the game runs fast and with as few exchanges as possibly but from a EiA perspective you lose one of the features that makes this game unique and great (no other game ive seen have managed to abstract combat as much and make it simple, yet manage to make it feel realistic and exciting).

No other game has ever made me think/sweat as much as EiA before a big battle against Napolean where you know you have to outpick him or lose the war, is he doing the obvious, is he bluffing or even doing the doubble bluff... damn i love this game. And its not always sure who you gonna fight when you give ur orders and my orders would definatly be different depending who I face (player personality, nation, leaders, terrain all have some significance for your choice and this is where there is a fair bit of skill/knowledge involved). Also removing the ability of using reinforcement and commiting guards cancels another layer of tactics wich in all would make the game pretty pale and ordinary.

I more and more think this game is much better suited for direct play. A lot of features that in PBEM need to be constrained or worked around, to make the game flow, could with a client server model (TCP/IP) be more in line or true to the original game.

Peace conditions could be worked out in real time, at the time of signing the peace treaty, orders be given at the time of battle, support of nations (DOW's), retreats of ships after battle etc etc. In everyway I think this would cater for a much better game. The question is if its possible to find seven players here on the forum that are willing/have the time to play at the same time...


Regards

zaq

An Elephant
Grognot
Posts: 409
Joined: Thu Dec 06, 2007 10:37 pm

RE: Exchanging battle files in PBEM games

Post by Grognot »

One note regarding peace terms -- since they may only be selected by one player each, and selection is supposed to be interleaved, it would be good if one were able to rank the terms in order of preference rather than merely check them.  That way, one can specify a back-up choice in case one's first choices are no longer available. 

It's not quite as flexible as actual interleaved choice with knowledge of the previous picks (it's conceivable that one's picks may be dependent on another's even if they aren't technically mutually exclusive -- for instance, you may not want 'forced access' anymore if somebody else is getting the land you wanted to move through), but ranking would be better than what's presently there.
--
Not a grognard.
Not an optimizer. It's a game to me, not a job.
User avatar
Marshall Ellis
Posts: 5630
Joined: Tue Oct 02, 2001 3:00 pm
Location: Dallas

RE: Exchanging battle files in PBEM games

Post by Marshall Ellis »

Actually it should already be ranked and should drop to the next choice if the current one is unavailable. That's why you're allowed to move them up and down in the list and check multiples. Are you not seeing this?
 
 
Thank you

Marshall Ellis
Outflank Strategy War Games


Grognot
Posts: 409
Joined: Thu Dec 06, 2007 10:37 pm

RE: Exchanging battle files in PBEM games

Post by Grognot »

Oh, it wasn't obvious to me that they were moveable.   :o  My bad.
--
Not a grognard.
Not an optimizer. It's a game to me, not a job.
DodgyDave
Posts: 223
Joined: Mon Sep 30, 2002 1:31 am

RE: Exchanging battle files in PBEM games

Post by DodgyDave »

Marshall i dont like the idea of playing using PBEM Quick combat, because it like defeats the purpose of playing with other players, as i could just as well play with the AI just, but i did not want this game to play vs AI :)

also pbem seems rather slow and i began in 4 games, 1 have restarted, quite a few have left game due to real life and others joined, not sure one of them is even in March yet and if so, then we are just in the start of it.

now i am not looking forward to combat anymore, because if 3 months in the games takes several weeks, then will combat really slow down the game.

so what i am saying here is, please consider TCP/IP, if that will allow us, to play a game on a regular basic, like we decide to play each monday for 4 to 6 hours like a regular game and should be able to manage at least 3 months :)
dauphan129
Posts: 95
Joined: Wed Dec 12, 2007 4:35 pm

RE: Exchanging battle files in PBEM games

Post by dauphan129 »

Sticky this please! I have several Players in Several games that are having issues with this.[&o]
User avatar
isandlwana
Posts: 30
Joined: Wed Jan 16, 2008 5:17 pm
Location: North Carolina

RE: Exchanging battle files in PBEM games

Post by isandlwana »

To Marshall and others --God job so far BUT are there actual plans for server based game play in future?  As close to FTF play as possible is I think necessary to really get this game going in a realistic fashion.  I echo the others above--current PBEM is just too slow and cumbersome!
Daniel S. Gordon
Cunctator
Posts: 182
Joined: Fri Mar 26, 2004 12:12 pm
Location: Italy

RE: Exchanging battle files in PBEM games

Post by Cunctator »

In "Bon Chance" PBEM game, in Tunisia, Tunis single corp attacked one turkish corp....quick roll option is disabled.
They are currently exchanging battle files....
How can it happen?
Exchanging of battle files was or not reserved to battles with more then one corp involved on the defender's side?
 
Please clarify this issue as soon as possible, because if battle file exchanging is extendend to ALL battles we will never have the hope of finishing an entire game.
 
 
- Scutum Romae -
"Gladius et Scutum Romae" appellabantur. Hannibal se recepit, Marcellus expugnavit Syracusas, Cunctator Capuam. Postremo Quintus Fabius Maximus expugnavit Tarentum.
bresh
Posts: 936
Joined: Mon Aug 08, 2005 9:10 am

RE: Exchanging battle files in PBEM games

Post by bresh »

ORIGINAL: Cunctator

In "Bon Chance" PBEM game, in Tunisia, Tunis single corp attacked one turkish corp....quick roll option is disabled.
They are currently exchanging battle files....
How can it happen?
Exchanging of battle files was or not reserved to battles with more then one corp involved on the defender's side?

Please clarify this issue as soon as possible, because if battle file exchanging is extendend to ALL battles we will never have the hope of finishing an entire game.


As a side note, both the Tyrkish attacks during its own phase.
Vs the minorC.-Tunis-corps and minorC-Egypt corps no fileexchange happend.
And bit strange, for both fights ai-choosed same chit(withdraw).

Regards
Bresh
User avatar
delatbabel
Posts: 1252
Joined: Sun Jul 30, 2006 1:37 am
Location: Sydney, Australia
Contact:

RE: Exchanging battle files in PBEM games

Post by delatbabel »

*bump*

Can this be made sticky please?
--
Del
eske
Posts: 258
Joined: Wed Jan 02, 2008 12:26 pm

RE: Exchanging battle files in PBEM games

Post by eske »

ORIGINAL: delatbabel

*bump*

Can this be made sticky please?
Alea iacta est
User avatar
Monadman
Posts: 548
Joined: Tue Dec 06, 2005 3:33 pm
Location: New Hampshire

RE: Exchanging battle files in PBEM games

Post by Monadman »

Guys,

It’s in the in-game manual and addendum now.

Richard
Post Reply

Return to “Tech Support”