Loemendor PBEM (Finished)

[Dedas]

***On hosting***
If I receive no mail, message or PM from you before the 24h host countdown has ended telling me that you can't get in your turn, I WILL HOST. This is to maintain "game flow". Pauses are permitted to a certain limit (at maximum a week), but YOU must inform ME or I WILL HOST. If anyone has a problem with this inform me before the game start and we can maybe work something out. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

******

Players: 9
Map: Modified Loemendor
Age: Late
Independents: 7
Graphs: Enabled (unintentional)
Renaming: On
Magic Sites: 50%
Random Events: Common
Resources: Average
Research: Average
Hall of Fame: 10 slots
Victory: Standard
Nation Assignments: Fixed
Hosting: Every 24h
Mods: Worthy Heroes & Blessings Hotfix
Diplomacy: Sheap's Rules of Diplomacy (http://www.shrapnelcommunity.com/threads/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=474483&page=0&view=collap sed&sb=5&o=&fpart=&vc=#Post474483)

Link to Worthy Heroes 1.6
Post#470523 (http://www.shrapnelcommunity.com/threads/showthreaded.php?Number=470523)

Link to Blessings Hotfix (inside the black tome)
http://www.shrapnelcommunity.com/threads/download.php?Number=507964

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http://img469.imageshack.us/img469/834/loemendormultibq3.th.jpg (http://img469.imageshack.us/my.php?image=loemendormultibq3.jpg)

The map we will be playing is a modified version of Loemendor by Kaljamaha. The modification is done by me with kind permission from Kaljamaha. The reason is that I want us to play with fixed starting positions and nations. Hopefully it will be a interesting and thematic experience for everyone involved in this PBEM.
I tried to balance the map the best I could without it becoming uninteresting.

The nations I wish you to fill are:
* Pangaea (Ewierl)
* Ermor (WSzaboPeter)
* Man (JayThomas)
* Marignon (Darrel)
* Utgård (Valerius)
* R'lyeh (thraveboy)
* T'ien Ch'i (llamabeast - the host)
* C'tis (Dedas - the game master)
* Ulm (GameExtremist)

I will take the nation that is left (this means that the first 8 that answer will get to play).

Hosting will occur every 24h. This may change to 48h eventually.

---

Some tips to the players:
In my modification the terrain is now much important to the specific nations than in the vanilla version. Some examples:

*C'tis has both desert/waste (for its waste survival units) and swamp (for its swamp survival units) close by for added protection.

*Utgård quickly needs to gain some food for its troops as they start in snow (waste). This is very possible if the player examine the map closely for simple expansion ways.

*Marignon should take advantage of its sea faring capability as they start by the coast.

And a lot more that I will let you find out yourself.

---

No rules will change once the game has started.
Any suggestions before start of game are appreciated.

---

[Hellboy]

Which era?

[Dedas]

It's in the top of the message. It is late age.

[WSzaboPeter]

Ermor please. (I love this map!)

[Ewierl]

This looks like fun! Sign me in as Pangaea, I haven't played them in MP yet.

[Sir_Dr_D]

every 24 hours, perfect.

Marignon.

[JayThomas]

I'll take Man if open.

[Dedas]

Hellboy, are you still interested?

[thraveboy]

I'd like to take R'lyeh.

[Hellboy]

Dedas said:
Hellboy, are you still interested?

No, it's tempting, but I think I'd best resist the temptation. Have fun, though!

[Valerius]

I'd like to try Utgard, please.

[WSzaboPeter]

Where should we send our pretender designs and emails addresses? Thanks.

[Dedas]

I will PM everyone my E-mail in a moment.

[Dedas]

Oh I forgot, Sheap's Rules of Diplomacy will be in effect in this game. I'm adding it to the first post. If anyone who has signed up and do not agree with these rules kindly leave.

No rules will change once the game has started.

[GameExtremist]

Can't....resist....signing up....for another.....game.....


Ulm please...

[Dedas]

I don't know if I can sign you up, GamExtremist, as your doctor says no. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Oh well... Ulm you say.

I think I see a pattern here, as the two nations not taken yet, C'tis and T'ien Ch'i, are both close to Ermor.

So to those that hesitate:
* Rivers block movement when there is no bridge available.
* C'tis has powerful priests and every T'ien Ch'i mage is a priest.

[llamabeast]

Aarg, I've been trying to resist too... sign me up for T'ien Ch'i please!

[llamabeast]

Ooh actually, can I have a few minutes to choose - I'm not quite so sure between C'tis and T'ien Ch'i after all.

[Dedas]

Of course. I will send you my e-mail in the meantime. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

[JayThomas]

Dedas - what house rules for Man. I understand there is a summoning bug but since I haven't played LA Man I'm not familliar with the particulars.

[llamabeast]

I think I'll go with T'ien Ch'i, if that's okay with you Dedas.

Re LA Man: I think Summon Black Dogs and Summon Barghests are swapped, so one of them is pointlessly expensive, and one of them is ridiculously good. The best thing to do is probably summon neither until the next patch (which will fix it) comes out.

[Dedas]

I won't be a fascist and tell anyone don't summon this or that (or you will publicly lynched). Instead I'm just gonna tell you to be a gentleman about these things. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif
In other words: if something is obviously broken (to your advantage), before using it, ask yourself if you would have liked anyone to use it against you. The answer is probably no.

[Ewierl]

Huh... maybe it's just me, but it looks like LA Pangaea is actually buggy. Doing a bit of SP test, it looks like Quick Roots actually has no effect whatsoever on manikin.

Oh well, guess I'm stuck with them! Give me a little more time pretender planning though...

[Dedas]

Sure thing.

And the quick roots thing is not so bad in the light that almost every nation has at least something that is not working.

[Dedas]

4 pretenders out of 8 in. When everyone has sent theirs I will start the game.

[Dedas]

I found this "hotfix" for blessings. Anyone now more about it?

Post#500877 (http://www.shrapnelcommunity.com/threads/showthreaded.php?Number=500877)

[WSzaboPeter]

If I recall correctly I played in a game where it was in play, but in that game I played Man, and it had no effect for them. Mainly I think it's for undead blessing, and has some spells that are cool. If we would use this I would be happy, and I would make a new pretender design. I think that with NNNNSS in the pretender design Contact Fungus would make a very good spell. Not to mention the ability to summon some very good cavalry for Ermor. (Eternal Knights, that are ethereal)
So I vote a BIG YES!

Since I sent you my pretender design half a day ago, if you think that the book mod's spells are overpowered, then I will not make a new pretender design, and without that I think we can agree on the mod more easily.

[Ewierl]

I have no problem with the bless fix per se, but I do have a problem with those spells. They are certainly cool, but that's the problem: nations are pretty well balanced (while I agree Marveni is too weak, LA Ermor is not), anything cool that pumps up one nation is likely to be unbalancing. Contact Fungus absolutely would make a good spell... but again that's the problem, it adds a powerful new tactic to one nation.

Ermor would become significantly more powerful if it has a bonus extra spell to buff up all undead on the battlefield in a whole new (and very strong) way. I don't think we should use mods that provide one nation with a major extra edge.

[WSzaboPeter]

I can assure you, that in my actual pretender design there is no NNNN, and I promise I will not use that particular spell.

Plus, there are 4 mods in the BlackTome package:
BlackTome.dm <-- that enables Blessing to affect Undead.
(no new spells, spells modified: Blessing, Divine Blessing, 105, 109, 112
The other 3 (BlackTome_E.dm, BlackTome_M.dm, BlackTome_L.dm) contains the new spells. So I we decide only to use the hotfix, then only the blacktome.dm should be used.

[Dedas]

We will not use any new spells as this is too controversial at the moment.

The "hotfix" however is a completely different matter, but only if it fixes something that before was broken. If anything beyond "vanilla" is added, then no, we will not use it.

I'm deciding this right here right now because I believe everyone involved really wants to play the game and not argue game balance. Hopefully you understand what I mean? If not voice your opinion and we can hopefully come to some understanding. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

[Ewierl]

That's fine then... that Death Knight thing may or may not be unbalancing too, but I don't know; I don't know their stats and don't want to dig through that thread to find out. I'll be happy with whatever the group consensus is on that spell. I trust your word, no worries http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif And the bless fix will be both fair and handy for all.

[llamabeast]

So what was the eventual conclusion on the hotfix? If you want the hotfix without the spells, just ask Dr P - I'm sure he'll be happy to produce a version with the fix but no spells.

[Dedas]

There is no conclusion on the hotfix yet. I will contact the Dr. and if it works as said in my earlier post we will use it.

[DrPraetorious]

WSZ's characterization of the hotfix is entirely correct.

It does the following -
- blessing can now affect undead.
- divine blessing can now affect undead.
- unholy blessing (selected three times by number) can now affect living units.

With playtesting I found that this was the way to get the AI to bless all of my stuff when I told it to do so.

It's attached.

The other three mods are not ready-for-primte-time anyway.

[Dedas]

Great! Then we are using it if no one has anything other to say.

[WSzaboPeter]

Thanks, DrPraetorious, I think it's a great mod, but unfortunately underused one.

[Dedas]

Great! Then we are using it if no one has anything other to say.

Thank you for posting, Herr Doctor. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

[Dedas]

I have updated the first post with important information.

[WSzaboPeter]

When will the game start?

[Dedas]

As soon as everyones pretenders are in.

[Dedas]

Only Darrel left.

[Ewierl]

Well, hate to say it, but I have a small break coming up. I'll be out of town Mon-Tue, but I'll be able to play turns Sunday night and Wednesday evening. I was hoping the ball would be well underway before then, but these things gather momentum at their own pace http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

[Dedas]

No problem mate. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif
I'm writing them down so you won't miss something.

Hopefully Darrel gets his pretender in soon so we can start. I'm eager to try out the lizards... *slithers away*

[Sir_Dr_D]

I am sending the pretender right now.

[Edit - sent]

[Dedas]

Ok, all pretenders are in! I will start the game right after my visit to the university. In other words in a few hours.

[Dedas]

Okay, I have a problem. I want to set the independents strength to 7, but I cannot find the switch to do this. Not in the GUI and not when I designed the map file. Anyone got a clue?

[llamabeast]

I think it comes up as an option in the GUI after you hit "Start Game".

[Dedas]

Yes I know. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif But as this is a scenario with fixed position it doesn't. You have to set it in the map file with a keyword. The problem is that I don't know this keyword and it isn't written in any of the documents that come with the game.

If this can't be solved quickly we will have to play with the default value (5).

[llamabeast]

Oh I see.

Okay, I think I got it to work, but it's messy.

On the command line, do dom3 -STq --indepstr 7

Then open up a GUI, and join the game using each of the pretender files. When you've done them all, click "start game". Back on the command line, you can choose the map to play on. Then once it's started to can just quit the command line, and treat it like a PBEM from then on.

[llamabeast]

Okay, I just did a test with indeps 1 on Dawn of Dominions, and it did indeed seem to work (there was hardly anyone to fight).

It's worth doing I think, because indeps 7 plays quite differently to 5.

[Dedas]

Thank you for you excellent and in depth help.

Indeed, indeps at 7 makes for a whole different game, I believe one that is better suited for a fairly small and "crowded" map like this one. I mean, if you want to expand quickly you have to invest in more troops and perhaps a SC pretender. High blesses will, high focus on magic and a sleeping pretender will really slow you down in the beginning.

[Dedas]

First turn out! Be sure to download the mods you need (see first page).

[WSzaboPeter]

First order sent. So it is indeps 7 or 5 at the end?

[Dedas]

They are 7, so be careful out there. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

[Dedas]

Second turn out!

[WSzaboPeter]

I hope I'm not late sent the .2h in this very moment.
Thanks.

[Dedas]

@WSzaboPeter
No problem mate. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

@All
New turn out!

[Ewierl]

As a reminder, I'm heading out of town from now until Wednesday evening (Eastern US time). Patience over the next 2.5 days is appreciated http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

[Dedas]

There will be a break for about 2 or 3 days (or until Ewieri sends his turn).

[Ewierl]

I have found internet down here, at least sporadically http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

[Dedas]

New turn out!

Ewierl, is your vacation over?

[Ewierl]

Yep, I'm back home.

[Dedas]

Aha! Good, then we are back at normal meaning that I will be hosting 16:00 UTC every day. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

[Dedas]

Ok, with no answer from Valerius (Utgård) I will stale hosting for a couple of hours (6 at maximum) to give him some time to find out that we are no longer on hold.

This is out of practice and will not be repeated again.

[Dedas]

New turn out! Enjoy. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

[Dedas]

Sorry for not hosting yesterday or even informing you that I couldn't. My excuse is that I got stuck at my parents house when my car broke down, which unfortunately led to me not getting home until today.

You can expect a new turn pronto!

Sorry for this.

[Sir_Dr_D]

I didn't get a turn emailed today. Was the turn not hosted, or was i somehow missed?

Marignon

[Ewierl]

By the way, I'll be away for part of this weekend, Saturday morning through Sunday evening (eastern USA). That probably shouldn't make me miss any turns, but be patient in case it does http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

[Dedas]

I'm waiting 3 more hours for T'ien Ch'i and then I'm hosting.

[Dedas]

Ok, I haven't received the turn yet but as this is still in the beginning of the game I will delay until tomorrow morning (UTC +1). By then I will definitely host.

[llamabeast]

Sorry for holding the game up guys. I had a bit of a technical hitch - I thought I'd sent the turn, but it turned out I hadn't (hope you've got it now Dedas!).

[Dedas]

New turn out!

[JayThomas]

I'll be on buisness travel from Apr 23 to Apr 26. I don't know if I'll have internet access during this time.

Can the game be put on hold during this time? If the delay is to long, a substitute is acceptable.

Thanks

[Ewierl]

I don't mind waiting.

[Dedas]

Of course, no problem. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

I will put it up on the first page.

[JayThomas]

Thanks, I'll continue turns until Sunday (Apr 22)

[Ewierl]

I'll be away for one day myself, just this evening to Saturday evening, but that could well make me miss one turn. I'm plenty patient for others because I need patience myself sometime http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

[Dedas]

Noted, next turn will be out when you get your in. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

[Ewierl]

Well, I'm back... I thought I sent in a turn before I left though? Resending.

[Dedas]

I got it but I'm not at home right now... will host tomorrow.

[Ewierl]

What's the new turn schedule? I don't mind waiting if people need it, I just want to make sure this game hasn't been forgotten!

[Sir_Dr_D]

Dedas do to real life situations has been dropping out of other games. He might be unable to continue hosting. We may need to find someone else.

[WSzaboPeter]

Well, this is the only game where I am in a good position... I hope it will not fade away.

[Dedas]

Ready to host just missing T'ien Ch'i's turn.

[llamabeast]

Oh, whoops! I remembered that I'd replied to your e-mail, hadn't realised I hadn't attached my turn!

Sorry about that. Man, that's two bouts of incompetence not so long apart. I'll send (resend, in my head!) the turn when I get home, in an hour or two.

[Dedas]

No problem. I had absolutely no time what so ever yesterday anyway. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

[Ewierl]

Huzzah for 3.08 http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif Let us know when we can update? (Before the *next* turn, I expect?)

[Dedas]

Yes, if you've sent in your turn with 3.06 then you can safely update to 3.08. The next turn I'm sending will require 3.08.

[WSzaboPeter]

Okay, when will that next turn host?

[Ewierl]

A week since the last turn was hosted... Shall we consider this game dead? Too bad, I was enjoying it.

[Sir_Dr_D]

Dedas, this has been a fun game so far and i would like to see it continue. If you are unable to continue as host, I will be willing to take over. I will set up ip hosting with quick host on my computer.

[Dedas]

Sorry guys, a real world crisis has really been taking all my time lately.

Yes, Darrel, that would be very kind of you. Just tell me what you need and I will send it to you.

[Sir_Dr_D]

It looks like I will need the ftherlnd file for the game, the master password, every players turn that they hav submitted so far, and the list of email addresses of palyers in the game. You can send it to me in the email that I was using as Marignon.

[Ewierl]

It sounds like we'll also need a replacement for C'tis?

[Dedas]

Ok guys! If you're all still interested this game is going to be restarted on the llamabeast server.

You won't have to worry about anything as I still got all your unresolved turns from 3.06. So hopefully we will just continue as nothing has happened.

If you cannot participate for some reason just mail me back or write on the forum so I can find a replacement.


More details will follow when the game is setup on the server.

Cheers! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

[WSzaboPeter]

Sounds great. I'm in.

[JayThomas]

I'm in also!

[Dedas]

Great! You will receive your turns as soon as I get an answer from everyone. Deadline Saturday, then I will start finding replacements.

But hopefully we will start sooner.

[llamabeast]

I'm in, obviously.

I could just send the turns out sooner, and resend them to any subs if anyone drops out.

[Sir_Dr_D]

After the weird phenomenon that caused time to pause, the nation of Marignon is reanimated, just as enthusiastic as ever.

"Let all take solace in the wisdom the great God Head"

[Dedas]

Yes, let us do that and remember to bring Worthy Heroes 1.6 (not 1.7) mod along, as that is needed for the ritual to be complete.

You have it if you haven't deleted it manually (it has a different name from 1.7).

[Sir_Dr_D]

Hi, Darrel/Marignon here. I haven't heard anything in few days. Whats the status on this game?

[Dedas]

It will start as soon as Llamabeast comes home and all player slots are filled.

So far these nations reported in:
Pangaea
R'lyeh
T'ien Ch'i
Ermor
Man
Marignon
Ulm
Utgård

We are missing:
None

If you are one of the missing please report in immediately or else I will replace you. You have until Monday (as that is when Llamabeast will be back).

[Sir_Dr_D]

Sir_Dr_D said:
After the weird phenomenon that caused time to pause, the nation of Marignon is reanimated, just as enthusiastic as ever.

"Let all take solace in the wisdom the great God Head"



Oh sorry. That was meant as my report in as marignon. And I am Darrel, with a new user name.

[Dedas]

I see! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif Great to have you back.

[GameExtremist]

I'm in too

[Dedas]

I'm glad. Nice to have you in again! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

[Dedas]

Now we are only missing Utgård (Valerius).

[Dedas]

Oh, he just mailed me. Then we are off as soon as Llamabeast can start the game for us tomorrow (Monday).

[Ewierl]

Monday has come and gone... how's the restart progressing?

[llamabeast]

I'm waiting on the files from Dedas.

[GameExtremist]

Where are we up to with this one?

I believe Marignon was cruising for a bruising...