Idiot-Proofing PBEM for the Non-Host Player

[jimwinsor]

I'm in a brand new, fast paced PBEM game right now, and I've gotten burned a couple of times by sending the wrong file into the host player.

It seems what I, the non-host, did wrong was either 1) forget to save before I exited; and/or 2) did not overwrite my old zipped save, and instead sent my zipped save from last turn. And what seems to happen when you do that is, the game considers your whole move a non-move...production, stance changes, movement, the works. Sieges and combats will resolve normally, for better or worse.

I suppose I can prevent idiot mistake number 2 by just making sure I delete the zipped save after every time I send it.

But idiot mistake number 2 remains a live issue, and I'm wondering if the turn number might be added in some way to the coding of the ORD file? And if there is a turn mismatch between the ORD and TRN file (or between ORD files?) an error message on the host system will generate (ie, instead of entering the idiot player's move as a null move)?

[mikee64]

Here is what I do as non-host:
1. save often (just paranoid after a few very rare CTDs)
2. upon completion of plotting my moves, save and exit to main game menu
3. using windows file manager, check the date/time stamp of the .ord file before zipping
4. zip into the same zip folder every time, confirming the overwrite warning; after this confirm date/time stamp has been updated on zip folder
5. attach zip file to email again checking to make the sure the date/time stamp is updated to reflect the new .ord file included

Not sure if this helps with what you are seeing but it has worked well for me and indeed has caught a couple of times when the zip file did not update properly (probably due to idiot user (me) error). I takes maybe 2 minutes to do this once you get used to it.

Hope this helps.

[jimkehn]

I have found that once you get onto it, it isn't such a bad system. What my biggest problem is, Pocus can't fix!!!! My problem is forgetting to email the turn to my opponent once played!!!!!!!!

Not a word, Mike.........


....Not one word.........

[mikee64]

Playing as non-hosting player has made the turn resolution and replay pretty much useless to me overall. Even when playing the AI now (or hosting) I just set it to no battle animation/no focus, walk away to do something worthwhile, and return and read the message log. Don't miss the turn resolution at all anymore.

[Rafiki]

I'm looking forward to seeing how the web system will work out. Hopefully it'll be "idiot-proof"

[thewick]

well I'm not complaining Jim!

I have done the same during my own times as not the host player. I hope it can all get streamlined into an easier system.

[Rafiki]

If I had a better knowledge of network programming, I'd offer my services to AGEod to develop a player-to-player-connected way of playing against eachother.

My dream (perhaps possible in future games?) would be something along the lines of:

- one player connects to the other; the game gets set up
- players give their order simultanously
- when players are done, turn gets resolved on hosts machine, but connecting player gets to see the things he normally would see e.g. in a game vs an AI opponent
- repeat steps 2 and 3 as wanted
- when done, make it possible to save the game both at host and at client.

[Wilhammer]

I keep a shortcut to my save folder.

I save after I do more than about a dozen mouse actions in the game - paranoid, though I have never got a CTD in this game.

I rar up the .trn file and use the right click context menu to send it to an email recipient.