Tue Mar 14, 2006 4:27 pm
The difficulty comes from the fact that the turns are processed simultaneously by the hosting module of BoA, and thus a game is not just a single file which can be sent to the next player (round-robin).
ok, enough said, the explanations!
1.
As the host, arbiter, and player, you create a new game. Rename it to something clear, like MP_Yorktown for instance (MP = MultiPlayers). Quit the game (or just alt-tab), and go to the saves directory, and open the folder named MP_Yorktown.
2.
There is 3 files there. the HST is the master file, you dont have to send it. There is 2 TRN files, one for each side. Send the one belonging to your opponent to him. A TRN ( = turn) file list all assets a faction have, and what the faction see of the other faction (outside the fog of war).
3. Your opponent, when he receives the TRN file, create a folder in the saves directory (Birth of America\BoA\Saves), lets call the folder MP_Yorktown, as the one you created. he put his own TRN file in it.
4. Now each of you open the game with Load Game, give orders and Save (not End Turn, this would proceed immediatly the turn, you have to wait for your opponent!).
5. there is, in each of your directory, a new file generated: the order file, .ORD ... As a host, you have nothing to do but wait for your opponent. As the opponent, you send the ORD file to the host. The host then add this ORD file to the directory where there is the saved game. The host should then have 5 files there: the HST, which has not moved, the 2 TRN files, and the 2 new ORD files, generated by the players.
6. The host reload his turn, and then this time click on End Turn. The previous turn is archived into a backup directory, and the game is processed: Go to MP_Yorktown, and there is now only 3 files: the HST file (updated, but you dont really care), and the 2 new TRN files. Goto point 2.
Hope its clearer... As a side note, we know that its a bit old fashioned to have to move & send the files by yourselves. We have some hopes that the next project will let us have time & money so that we can automate a bit the process, with the functionnality retro-added to BoA (this is one of the concept of AGEod: we want to update freely the previous games with the novelties (some at least, when possible) of the new ones.
Hofstadter's Law: "It always takes longer than you expect, even when you take into account Hofstadter's law."
leure:
Ask my wife...she is a School Teacher...and corrects me all the time.....