Why are the engine experts mostly playing SP?

[Hive]

Just for info, on what speed are you playing ? I might try it, to see if I could get used to it (tough the fixed-time-issue is still present).

The usual speeds are slow (or in extreme situations very slow) when player wars occur, below normal or normal when all are at peace.

 

[Swuul]

The only player I know taht hates pauses is HG.

You don't know me then For me unnecessary pausing is one of the valid reasons to drop out of a game. If one player is allowed to spoil the fun for 10+ other players with letting the others sit and do nothing (usually in the middle of the night, when you really should be in bed waiting for the alarmclock to wake you to work), then it is not a game for me.

 

[unmerged(9404)]

Just for info, on what speed are you playing ? I might try it, to see if I could get used to it (tough the fixed-time-issue is still present).

Try France in the Napoleon ambition scenario at normal or below normal without pausing (meaning to turn of message set to pause). It gives the best SP feel of how war works in MP. Recruiting, moving armies and keeping an eye on three fronts.

Not that all wars are allways that frantic, usually a war is confined to one major front.

 

[Hive]

You don't know me then For me unnecessary pausing is one of the valid reasons to drop out of a game. If one player is allowed to spoil the fun for 10+ other players with letting the others sit and do nothing (usually in the middle of the night, when you really should be in bed waiting for the alarmclock to wake you to work), then it is not a game for me.

I partially agree. I certainly wouldn't tolerate anyone in my games who pauses after every battle, and who spends 4-5 min on pause preparing for a war.

Having said that, I do accept short pauses under certain circumstances. Like if you suddenly get a million pop-ups, or if you get a really long event in the middle of a war, etc...

 

[Chas]

I haven't read the FAQ, but does it say anything about an IRC channel? Because as far as I know, no-one really uses IRC for anything... only icq. Or mostly, at least.
.....
Personally, I never use the sub thread. I contact those I see online on my icq list when I look for a sub. Very rarely do I start a thread to find one, if extremely necessary, but I never use the sub thread. Mostly because I don't really think enough people checks it out.

Right. There are several links in the Newbie info sticky thread - most are to good posts on general game play or technical issues but do not relate to finding games. 3 are relevant to this:

Jarkko's newbie guide. This mostly tells you how to behave but includes:

3) Games usually start in V-Net, wether they are pre-arranged games or "V-net games". The host sets up the game, others join

I think I'm guilty of over-analysing this statement, which really is just a statement of the mechanism by which games are started, not a process for getting a game. But it does imply that waiting in the channel is a reasonable way to get a game.

Mowers newbie guide. This has more on finding games e.g.:

1a) But there’s never anyone in VNET This isnt so true anymore as it was in the old days, there are always people in vnet now in the later afternoon/evening. In recent times I can go on vnet in the evening and get a game within 20 minutes with a couple of people it realy is alot more popular than it used to be, now that it has been released in Europe. Just because there is no one in vnet at that time doesn't mean that there are not lots of people scurrying around outside trying to conquer the world. (read 1b for further explanation) But if you turn up at 3am USA time then yes, you are unlikely to see anyone.

1b)There is never any games on going on in vnet though
This is because once a game is launched it disappears from the game window. So there could be dozens of games going on in the background. Wait and see what happens. Sooner, rather than later, there will be a break or a crash then everyone piles back in, I've never waited more than 15 minutes before loads of people piling in.
.........
2) So how do I get a game?: Generally the best way to get a game at the moment is to just turn up in vnet in the evening/ afternoon as you will get a game. Practice, iron out any technical problems, get some contacts and start playing regularly. Alternatively games are organised by setting a time and meeting in vnet and then switching back to a direct IP connection which is the screen before vnet. Players tend to turn up in vnet after 3pm CET/ 4pm GMT and about the same time in the US.

I guess this is what mostly formed my views.

There is also a thread 'How to set up IRC' that I now think was put in to support the possible use of an IRC channel as a meeting place. I suspect that it was a good idea that never took off - certainly I never found anyone in the #eu2.mp channel:

V-net when it works, is the best option by far, because from it you can directly find players wanting to play EU2 and also join games. But it is very inconsistent and inefficient to use, and also many people have problems with it.

That is why IRC would be a useful option for players in my opinion. You can join a channel (like #eu2.mp) and find players who want to play a game now. You can search for players who want to play in the future, or else find a substitute for an upcoming game.

 

[Chas]

Chas, if you want to PM me your ICQ number I may be able to help hook you up in a game if you want.

Thanks. As a result of earlier posts I contacted Chaingun and I seem to be Denmark in a Brandenburg/Sweden sandwich, starting shortly in Europe Ruined 2. If either (a) that doesn't come off, or more likely (b) Denmark is wiped off the map within 10 years, then I'll certainly get in touch.

 

[patoche34]

Here is how things went for me...
When i first time tried to play mp (6 months ago), i knew only Vnet...
I spent a lot of time there for few playings, but it allowed some "light" experiences, though frustrating it was to begin a game which was never to go up to the end o
Then, someone told me about the forum where i posted several time in the mp section, for almost no answer but advices (you should sub in a on going game etc.). The 4th try was the good one and forzaa proposed me to sub in mach III (the Spannish player had quit). It was hard to get into a game that had started several sessions ago, but barnius, robertus and devil did teach me some useful technics (although they were logically trying to get me act into their ways). I thanks them.
Then, i have been regularly invited to sub by icq, and i am in some other mps. Since then i never play SP again (well, almost never...) because it is much more exciting to me, even if sometimes the whinings, lies etc. can be boring... but that's just a very small bad side.
I still don't consider myself as an experienced mp player, but each game, each defeat teachs you something... so be patient, and don't get discouraged into posting to get a sub slot.

 

[Hive]

Ah yes, but that was just a few people suggesting that IRC should be used for meeting MP players... it never really caught on.

As to getting into a game by waiting on vnet... well it *can* work. It's how I first got into it, and it's how I was directed to the boards.

However, I think people are more cautious these days... if it's not a name they recognize from the forum, they might be reluctant to eg. let the person sub France in the middle of a war vs. the Habsburgs. It may seem harsh to you, but we do often enocunter some vnet players (a term used fro people who aren't registered on the forum) who either are rude and impolite, or screws up his and/or other nations on purpose.

Now this wouldn't be so bad for most other MP games. But for a game that is played over several months, it's really a drag to have it ruined by such a guy.

But essentially, if you are polite and play long term (VERY important), you will find no problems. Whether you are a good player or not is actually rather irrelevant.

Let me give you some examples of unwanted and wanted vnet joiner behaviour:

Bad Example 1:
Vnet guys enters game. Vnet player emmediatly selects a nation, and says "Let's go!!!111"

Such a player will most likely be asked to leave again, which they seldom do freely.

Bad Example 2:
Vnet guy enters the game. He asks if there is room for him, and is explained that it's an ongoing game but that he may sub. He is accepted. Then after downloading the save, he says "No let's start a new game instead. It's more fun."

Such a player may or may not be asked to leave, but it gives a bad impression. Very bad.

Good Example 1:
Vnet player enters the game. He asks if he can play. The game, however, is full, and he is asked to leave. He then says "Ok, np" and politely leaves.

Now while he didn't get to play this time, his polite and reasonable behaviour *will* be remembered for the next encounter - and might very well get rewarded.

Good Example 2:
Vnet player enters the game. He asks if he can play. He is told that it's a long term game, but that he can sub if he plays long term. He accepts, and asks what nation he is needed for: He does *not* just select a nation and prompt the host to start the game. And he then plays that nation, while respecting deals made by the permanent player and generally behaving well.

This guy is more than likely to be asked by several players for his icq number for future references and/or offered a permanent spot, if any is vacant.

 

[Adam B.]

Ah yes, but that was just a few people suggesting that IRC should be used for meeting MP players... it never really caught on.

As to getting into a game by waiting on vnet... well it *can* work. It's how I first got into it, and it's how I was directed to the boards.

However, I think people are more cautious these days... if it's not a name they recognize from the forum, they might be reluctant to eg. let the person sub France in the middle of a war vs. the Habsburgs. It may seem harsh to you, but we do often enocunter some vnet players (a term used fro people who aren't registered on the forum) who either are rude and impolite, or screws up his and/or other nations on purpose.

Now this wouldn't be so bad for most other MP games. But for a game that is played over several months, it's really a drag to have it ruined by such a guy.

But essentially, if you are polite and play long term (VERY important), you will find no problems. Whether you are a good player or not is actually rather irrelevant.

Let me give you some examples of unwanted and wanted vnet joiner behaviour:

Bad Example 1:
Vnet guys enters game. Vnet player emmediatly selects a nation, and says "Let's go!!!111"

Such a player will most likely be asked to leave again, which they seldom do freely.

Bad Example 2:
Vnet guy enters the game. He asks if there is room for him, and is explained that it's an ongoing game but that he may sub. He is accepted. Then after downloading the save, he says "No let's start a new game instead. It's more fun."

Such a player may or may not be asked to leave, but it gives a bad impression. Very bad.

Good Example 1:
Vnet player enters the game. He asks if he can play. The game, however, is full, and he is asked to leave. He then says "Ok, np" and politely leaves.

Now while he didn't get to play this time, his polite and reasonable behaviour *will* be remembered for the next encounter - and might very well get rewarded.

Good Example 2:
Vnet player enters the game. He asks if he can play. He is told that it's a long term game, but that he can sub if he plays long term. He accepts, and asks what nation he is needed for: He does *not* just select a nation and prompt the host to start the game. And he then plays that nation, while respecting deals made by the permanent player and generally behaving well.

This guy is more than likely to be asked by several players for his icq number for future references and/or offered a permanent spot, if any is vacant.

And the ones who continually rejoin, and kill the game day ...

 

[Hive]

And the ones who continually rejoin, and kill the game day ...

Yes... those are the ones that makes you dream about password protected games...

 

[Swuul]

Since there seems to pop up every now and then these questions on how to join a longterm guide, I have now updated my guide with a new post (altough I still think it was explained rather well in Mowers guide already ). In post #3 of the guide I try to shortly explain how to join (longterm)games.

I hope this is something for example Chas would have appreciated when he got interested in MP

As usual, feel free to comment the guide to me either in PM's or over the ICQ.

 

[unmerged(12740)]

Peacefully reading the thread when ...

Tom asserted his right to pause before, during and after every single battle.

What the hell is this hyperbolic slander?! I remember quite a few pausers complaining about the pausing of others and then pausing w/o end, Mr. Hoggy ... most emphatically and being an especially flagrant violator of the convention ... YOU!

Perhaps you've changed your pausing at whim, dropping out of sight w/o notice, pausing for calls from outside, going afk for 30 to 45 minutes in-game (& then complaining if something happened while you were gone), leaving games early, not showing up at game-time after repeated promises to do so, promising to but regularly not getting subs for yourself, & generally ignoring all basic rules of MP decorum ways since I played you last, but don't get all high-horsey w/ me!

I certainly don't mind when you target others w/ your vicious self-promoting lies, but apres moi, le deluge ... you evil scum.

 

[unmerged(33739)]

After reading all this, I just gotta say that i'm pretty lucky I guess.

My very first post ever on this forum, and I got accepted into a brand new MP game as the perm. for Russia. I think we're still looking for a Portugal and a Sweden, and we're only 2 sessions into the game.

Check out the "IN DIRE STRAITS" thread in the MP forum for info. if you want.

Also I personally found everyone in the MP forum very helpful in helping me getting all set-up for my first ever MP game. No trouble's at all, so I guess maybe it is a bit of luck and good timing to get into your first game. Especially after comparing your experience to mine.

 

[Stonewall]

Peacefully reading the thread when ...



What the hell is this hyperbolic slander?! I remember quite a few pausers complaining about the pausing of others and then pausing w/o end, Mr. Hoggy ... most emphatically and being an especially flagrant violator of the convention ... YOU!

Perhaps you've changed your pausing at whim, dropping out of sight w/o notice, pausing for calls from outside, going afk for 30 to 45 minutes in-game (& then complaining if something happened while you were gone), leaving games early, not showing up at game-time after repeated promises to do so, promising to but regularly not getting subs for yourself, & generally ignoring all basic rules of MP decorum ways since I played you last, but don't get all high-horsey w/ me!

I certainly don't mind when you target others w/ your vicious self-promoting lies, but apres moi, le deluge ... you evil scum.

POTM if I ever saw one in a non-OT thread.

 

[HolisticGod]

Tom,

I was pausing for reasons extraneous to the game.

Which, I know, isn't better. But it's also not the subject of this conversation.

As for the rest, I'll be the first to admit to every single word.

 

[Hive]

As for the rest, I'll be the first to admit to every single word.

And I will be fine to confirm every single word.

 

[Castellon]

Gentleman,

This thread is about engine experts playing only SP.
NOT about which individual members follow proper MP etiquette and which do not.

 

[Owen]

Gentleman,

This thread is about engine experts playing only SP.
NOT about which individual members follow proper MP etiquette and which do not.

Is banter forbidden?

 

[Castellon]

I think those comments are for threads in the MP forum when starting new games.
And if you have questions about Moderator decisions you should follow the rules and PM them the questions. You have been around long enough to know that.

This thread is drifting way off topic, and members who click on this thread to read about the stated subject of this thread are mostly not interested in reading about a completely unrelated subject.

 

[Owen]

I think those comments are for threads in the MP forum when starting new games.
And if you have questions about Moderator decisions you should follow the rules and PM them the questions. You have been around long enough to know that.

This thread is drifting way off topic, and members who click on this thread to read about the stated subject of this thread are mostly not interested in reading about a completely unrelated subject.

OK, no problem. I was looking for clarification for all, so thought PM inappropriate, but that answers the question.