Utterdark: EA PBEM (Full and playing)

[Thrawn]

Using the fixed version (by Edi) of Paragnos map. Click the Attachment link at the top, and unzip the files into your maps folder.

All settings default, EXCEPT:

* No graphs

* Renaming is allowed.

* There will be a master password, in case I need to remove someone.

1. Arcoscephale - Thrawn
2. Ulm - Set to AI
3. Agartha - Tromper
4. Niefelheim - Set to AI
5. Yomi - Set to AI
6. R'lyeh - Yucky
7. Vanheim - Davegg

Parganos does have 19 water provinces, but they are seperated into three groups. Not sure an aquatic would do well here.

Again, this is my first PBEM hosting, so any suggestions you have are welcome.

[Dedas]

I want to play please. Set me up as Ulm.

Oh, could we play the fixed version (by Edi) of Paragnos, as we all can agree on that bugs in the map are annoying. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

[Thrawn]

Works for me. I didn't even know Paragnos was bugged. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

[tromper]

Haven't played Agartha yet EA, so what the hey. Sign me on up, as I'm going down in some other games so will have time. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

[Foodstamp]

I would like to play as R'lyeh even with the water provinces busted up. Thanks http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

[Dedas]

Here is the fixed map:
http://www.shrapnelcommunity.com/threads/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=501807&page=0&view=collap sed&sb=5&o=&fpart=1

[Siever]

OK, I'm very newbie, this is my first MP.
I'll take Niefelheim, if you agree.
And apologize for my bad english

[Thrawn]

Welcome Siever, you're not all that far behind me. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

[Salamander8]

I've never played an MP before, but I would like to try if that's ok with you. If you do let me play, I am going to have to download the fixed map and read up on the files I need to give/receive in the manual when I get home from work. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/redface.gif

I'm not too picky as for nation, but would like Atlantis if possible as I have never played them yet. Yomi, Abyssia, or Lanka would all be fine alternatives if Atlantis does not work for you.

Thanks!

[Thrawn]

Hi Salamander,

Welcome. I don't think there's enough water on the map to support Atlantis. For now, I'll sign you up as Yomi, and if you want to change, let me know.

The manual has a good description of what's required for playing PBEM.

[Salamander8]

Yomi it is then! Is Footstamp in? I saw him post for R'leyh but do not see him on the list as of yet.

I'm home now so was able to DL the 2 fixed maps and look over the PBEM file requirements.

I'm not sure about diplomacy in MP game here. I looked over Sheap's rules, but I also saw some people considering globals as 'attacks' in other MP game posts. I can see spells like Utterdark being considered as attacks, but some of the others much less so. I don't want to inadvertantly anger another player by breaking some rules I don't know about. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/redface.gif

[Dedas]

If it gives you any comfort you can relax about angering me. I see this as a game and nothing more. Losing is fun. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

[Thrawn]

Footstamp is in. I edited the post earlier to add him, but it didn't take. Added him for real, this time.

Sheap's rules are a good starting point. Every game I've played so far (though, admittedly, it hasn't been that many), diplomacy has been a big part of the game. Forming alliances, etc, is tremendous fun, I think.

[Salamander8]

Oh yes. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif When I was back in Michigan we used to play Empires in Arms, a very nice Napoleonic strategic game, and diplomacy was critical to success. I'm looking forward to this! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif

[Thrawn]

So, as I said above, I'm heading out of town this morning, and turns will begin either Sunday or Monday. I'll still be able to check the forum, however.

When we get our last player, I'll give you guys the info for sending me your pretenders. I guess if we DON'T get a seventh by the time I get back, we could just play with 6.

Looking forward to the game...

[Siever]

My pretender is ready and awaits in frozen lands...

[Thrawn]

Okay, guys, you can start sending your pretenders to me at:

jack.lazarus@gmail.com

This is the address all the turns should be sent and received from.

If we don't have a seventh by tomorrow when I get in, we'll start with 6 players. Hopefully, we can start our turns tomorrow night. If not, Monday for sure.

Looking forward to it...

[davegg]

If Vanheim is open I would like to play; this would be my first MP game, How does one email a pretender?

Thanks,

Dave

[Foodstamp]

Check page 30 of your owners manual. It gives the process in remarkable detail. Much better than I can give you http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

[davegg]

ok will do

[Thrawn]

Welcome Davegg. Yeah, the manual gives good instructions on the process of PBEM. Let us know if you have any questions.

[Salamander8]

Pretender sent!

If I read the manual correctly we make a saved game folder with the game name and then get sent the turns for it? And call it Utterdark in our case?

Deep in a cursed shrine deep within the lands of Yomi, a sleeping god stirs to wakefulness....

[Thrawn]

Soon as I get Tromper's pretender, we're good to go!

[Thrawn]

Okay, turns are out!

Let me know if everything on my end was done correctly. Everyone got the map, right? If not, it's an attachment link at the top of the first post here.

[Salamander8]

Hopefully I did my first turn and sending it to you correctly. At least the 1st turn is pretty fast to finish. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

[Thrawn]

We're just waiting on Vanheim for turn 1. He sent me the .trn file by accident, and is resending the .2h.

It's always confusing, sending the files. But, once we get it squared away, we should be going smoothly. I would love to host at least 1 turn a day.

[Foodstamp]

Just remember, .2h means 2 (To) H (Host). That is how the manual suggests remembering it and it is working well for me. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

[davegg]

sorry guys, 2h = too host, good lesson

[Salamander8]

No worries! This is my first ever PBEM game of any kind, so it's all new to me. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/redface.gif

[Siever]

One turn a day is good for me. I assume we are playing with 3.06 patch, right?

[Thrawn]

Yep, 3.06.

[Salamander8]

So far, so good. I haven't done a lot yet, but it's already been fun, and I'm curious to see how this will develop. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/cool.gif

[Salamander8]

Question for more experienced/knowledgable players in our game out there. Is having a Misfortune in your dominion when you did not take any misfortune for you prentender part of an event or something else? This is in my home province and while I cannot rule out a magic site or a spell, it seems early for spells, and I've only seen 1 other player so far, and I don't remember seeing the 1 bad shamrock there in previous turns. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/eek.gif

[davegg]

good question

[Foodstamp]

It's probably the scale bug. Three games in the past few weeks I have suffered from this bug, I don't even bother posting about it anymore because there is really nothing special you can do.

Here are the characteristics as far as I can tell. On turn 2, my scales randomly flip to whatever they wish. Order becomes turmoil, I pick up heat or cold etc etc. Every turn, there is a chance that the scales will take a step back towards your scales you picked at creation.

Here is the catch... In one of my games, I have struggled to keep my scales where they are supposed to be. I have dominion 8 in my capital and my scales fluctuate, particularly the Order/turmoil scale and the Hot/Cold scales. We are 20-30 turns into the game that I am being affected and it looks like I am going to be fighting this bug the entire game. My position is still strong, just annoys me that I paid for my scales and I am not getting them in provinces where my dominion rating is significant.

[Saint_Dude]

This scale bug is a primary reason why I hesitate to select luck scales. Almost every time I do, I end up with catastrophic luck in turn 2. While it may work itself out eventually, by the time it does I have usually suffered from multiple calamities (plague, lab burning down, earthquake, barbarian hordes, etc.). Very hard to recover from in the early game.

I find that the random appearance of misfortune 3 scales is much less likely if I leave the luck scales alone during setup. Luck shmuck.

[Salamander8]

I was thinking it was a bug, thanks for the confirmation. The only scale I moved at all is Productivity for +gold and +resources, I left all the others neutral. Cursed brown shamrocks! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/mad.gif

[Siever]

10 turns and in my little corner few things happened. Prudence is a virtue, especially for newbies...

[tromper]

hahaha, well I surrender. Will get my turns in on time, but Ulm and R'lyeh are going to take the cake, it's completely obvious and the rest of the game will be sorta boring.

Weird map, too. Last time I'll play with anything but standard or random.

[Salamander8]

I've only seen one other player so far and it's been really quiet in my little corner of the world. I have no clue how well anyone is doing. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/confused.gif

[Dedas]

Surrender, isn't that a bit early? You only lost a very small skirmish.

[Thrawn]

Hi all,

Sorry for the delay in hosting, but I have not received Ulm's turn. Most of you have your turns in the 26th or 27th. I have sent correspondence to him, but haven't heard back.

How long do you think we should wait before hosting without him?

[Salamander8]

I'm ok with waiting till at least tomorrow, possibly longer depending on the consensus here.

[tromper]

Yeah tomorrow sounds good. Ulm may have had a wacky weekend. heheh

[Foodstamp]

Giggity Giggity.

Whatever the host decides is fine with me!

[Siever]

I can wait few days. However Dedas has posted in this forum today.

[Thrawn]

The latest post I see from Dedas is the 25th??

[Thrawn]

Also, we should decide, in the event that someone DOES disappear from the game, do we pause and try and find a replacement, or just set him to AI?

[davegg]

I agrew with waiting til monday

[Thrawn]

Dedas can no longer play, due to something important that has come up. I will set him to AI, and host. Turns coming today...!

[Thrawn]

The new patch is out, 3.08. From what I've read, some of us upgrading, and some of us not, poses problems. There also might be problems/bugs (gasp!) with the new patch.

I'm thinking of upgrading to 3.08, but keeping a 3.06 version for MP until everything settles down. I found a post on how to do this:

"Go into your Dominions3 folder, copy/paste the dom.exe file to you desktop, rename it to 306 for example. Install 3.08 patch. Now cut/paste 306 back to where you got it from. To do your MP games remember to load the game with 306, otherwise load normally to enjoy 3.08.

DO NOT attempt to do your MP turns with 3.08 until the host has upgraded, you will crash the server and after do you turn again with 3.06. "

[Foodstamp]

So do I play my turn with 3.06 or 3.08?

[Thrawn]

I vote we do our turns with 3.06, using the method outlined above.

[Salamander8]

My current time constraints keeps me only active in our MP game till at least Saturday, so I can keep 3.06 or update whenever it's convenient for everyone else here.

[llamabeast]

Apparently that method of backing up v3.06 might not work with this patch - best to copy the whole folder.

[Foodstamp]

Well I patched before I backed up the entire folder. I still have the 3.06 dom3 exe, but unless I revert back to the old patch, my other files are 3.08.

I vote to make the leap to 3.08 now to save the confusion and hassle of trying to run the game in an old version.

[Thrawn]

Okay, works for me. Everyone...patch! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

[Salamander8]

I'll patch once I get home tonight from work.

[davegg]

Which version are we using?

[Thrawn]

We're going to use 3.08, so please send 3.08 turns. If you sent 3.06, just go ahead and redo them in 3.08.

Cool?

[Siever]

OK, I sent my 3.08 turn

[Thrawn]

Just waiting on Vanheim to host.

[Foodstamp]

Did anyone else get scale bugged this game?

We are well into the 20s on our turns and my capital with 9-10 candles gives me no order or turmoil even though my starting scales were Order 3. Throughout the game, my scales have bounced from order 1 to order 0 here and there in my capital. All my other provinces are fine, the closest ones have order 3 and the outlying ones have order 1-2 in most cases, but my capital refuses to give me the correct scales!

[Salamander8]

I had this earlier as well Foodstamp. I had posted about it here way back about turn 3 or so. I was getting misfortune when I did not pick that, but it went away on it's own. Haven't noticed bouncing scales since then.

[Foodstamp]

It only happens to me when I play R'lyeh for some reason. Oh well, it's not the end of the world http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif

[Salamander8]

Ryoga wishes it to be known that Yomi has declared war on Vanheim. We sent an official message to them last month. The spies that attempted to incite our people to sedition have been dealt with in an appropriate manner.

Izumi,
Herald of Ryoga


*ooc* Loving this game. This is my first MP, my only other MP is the huge 62 player mega-game which I'm also enjoying. I may be in for a sound thrashing, but it's time for some fisticuff fun. Your one spy got really far there Davegg, nicely done. I saw the unrest in that area and knew something was up though. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

[Salamander8]

Interesting turn of events now. This is going to get really ugly one way the other, but it's still a blast!

[davegg]

Vanheim publicly offers a truce to Yomi, otherwise we shall stomp you into little bits next turn.

[Salamander8]

Some of my Dai Onis and their retainers were already en route to the province directly east of Urd last turn (I forget the name), but we are willing to halt any further aggressive action and come to an agreement. However, the only "little bits" I have seen have been the remains of Yomi's enemies that the Dai Onis' have to pick from their teeth. Those guys are big eaters.

[Thrawn]

Arcoscephale's impending aggression was in response to the aggression against Vanheim. If Vanheim and Yomi reach a truce, the oeriads will consider that a truce between Yomi and Arcoscephale as well.

[davegg]

Very well, we have a truce between Arco, Yomi and Van that requires two full turns to break, ie Announce break, cannot attack til two turns later.

[Foodstamp]

This game is getting unmanageable for me. I am going to find a sub to replace my position.

[Thrawn]

sorry to hear that, Foodstamp. I will look as well.

[Foodstamp]

If you can bear with me, I will have time to get my turn in tonight. I will try not to stagnate the game while we find a replacement.

[Foodstamp]

Turn is in!

[Salamander8]

Sorry to hear that FS. I hope everything is ok for you.

[Foodstamp]

Nothing bad is going on. I just took it upon myself to pick up 12 hours of classes during summer semester in addition to everything else I do, so something has to give. And it is going to be Dominions, not college or work! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

I am still going to play when I can, I am just removing myself from a few games to free up a little bit of time.

[Thrawn]

Welcome Yucky to the game, nice enough to sub for Foodstamp as R'lyeh.

[Salamander8]

I just processed my turn and a small Vanheim force attacked me in Urd. It was not a major force, only some serf warriors that routed quickly, so I'm not overly concerned, but we do have a truce.

[davegg]

Your army attacked us, and was destroyed, If you indeed want a truce, you had better prove it. That is our province, you must evacuate it immediately.

[Salamander8]

Urd has been mine for a few turns. The attack on the province east of this was attacked before the truce was in effect and I posted that the army was already en route as I had sent the turn to Thrawn before reading your truce post. That army was defeated, retreated to urd, and has the remnants are already reassigned or enroute to my capital.

This attack on Urd by your serfs was after the loss of my force in the east province and they had been shuffled around after the loss of one of the Dai Onis. This is why this was mentioned. You'll notice that no Yomi forces have made any aggressive moves for at least 2 turns.

This is what I posted:


Some of my Dai Onis and their retainers were already en route to the province directly east of Urd last turn (I forget the name), but we are willing to halt any further aggressive action and come to an agreement. However, the only "little bits" I have seen have been the remains of Yomi's enemies that the Dai Onis' have to pick from their teeth. Those guys are big eaters.

[Thrawn]

Guys, I am out of town this weekend. I will host when I get back tomorrow night for sure. Might be able to host tonight, we'll see. Sorry for the late notice.

[davegg]

Sorry Urd was mine and you took it; it shall be Vanheim's again.