how to run a PBEM game ?????

[JimG]

Could someone please explain to me how to run a PBEM game. I have all the races already sent to me, but once I start the game I am unclear what files are generated, where they are, and what to send to the various players. Does it depend on specifying a path at the start game screen? I am sooooo clueless!

Any hints on how to streamline this whole process would be most welcome!!!!

[IBDoomed_Work]

Ok basic instructions for setting up a PBEM game:

1. All players need to discuss and decide on game settings.
2. Each player needs to create a new game and setup specific key options like racial points and then create thier empire. Upon completing the empire creation they then save that empire to a file and cancel the game creation.
3. All played except the host email thier player file (.emp in ..\space empires iv\empires\) to the host.
4. The host creates a new game with all desired settings and adds all the existing players and them himself/herself and creates the game.
5. This is where it differs depending on simultaneous or not: For simultaneous games once the game is created, SEIV will tell you that it has created yaddayadda.gam file and you need to email that to all the players. If not simultaneous then the first player will now take his/her first turn and then send the yaddayadda.gam file to the next player which SEIV will instruct you on once you end your turn.
6. Simultaneous games: Each player gets a copy of the .gam file, logs in, and plays thier turn. Upon ending of the turn, SEIV will instruct the player to send the .plr file created to the host. The host does need to play his/her turn and thus create his/her own .plr file. Once the host has all the .plr files, he/she logs into the game as HOST and ends the turn. This creates a new game file along with log files. Zip up all the files and send them off to each player and around it goes.
If not simultaneous then the .gam file is just passed from player to player.


Important Note: DO NOT specify a file path when creating the game. If you do then each player will have to have that EXACT path in order to play. For instance: If you specify d:\games\space empires iv\savegame\pbem\ then each and every player must have that directory. Needless to say that can cause problems if someone doesn't even have a D: drive.

Good Luck
IBD

[JeffG]

You stated that the host has to send logs, too. Will it tell you to do that when necessary? In the game I'm hosting the only instruction I've ever received was to send the .gam file.

------------------

Cheers!
Jeff George

[IBDoomed_Work]

That is true, the game does not tell you to send the logs and they are not required. I'm not exactly sure which log is which either but they are all so small I just zip them all up.

IBD

[garvoid]

Now I'm really, really confused

Where do you put the turn files that are sent to you from the individual players? When you 'process' the turn what files do you send to the other players. Is there any way you can send the players a text file containing the victory conditions and game settings?


Many thanks for the help!