PBEM file exchange

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All Forums >> [New Releases from Matrix Games] >> Empires in Arms the Napoleonic Wars of 1805 - 1815 >> PBEM file exchange

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PBEM file exchange - 11/13/2009 1:20:04 PM

fgillig

Posts: 9
Joined: 5/26/2005
Status: offline

My friends and I have started a PBEM game (three players and four AI) and are having a devil of a time in trying to figure out what files (gamestart, setup, and saves) are exchanged and where they are saved and when they are loaded. Is there a step-by-step guide on how to do this? The manual is not to clear on this whole subject, especially on where to save the files. Thanks for any support.

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Fred Gilligan

Post #: 1

RE: PBEM file exchange - 11/13/2009 1:36:38 PM

DCWhitworth

Posts: 676
Joined: 12/15/2007
From: Norwich, England
Status: offline

I've hosted half a dozen games, I keep thinking I ought to write a guide . . . .

Anyhow here's a rapid summary.

The host needs to send out the gamestart file to every player to start the game (he mustn't load it himself however).

Everytime a player plays a turn he will produce a pbm file that can be found in their matrix games\empires in arms\commout folder.

That file should be passed to the other player and placed in their \commin folder, they then load this. Once loaded the file can be discarded. It is advisible to keep your commin and commout folders tidy. It is *very* important to keep your battle file folders empty unless you are actually in a battle as these can corrupt the game.

Battles produce a battle file in the battle folder when a battle is started. This should be sent to the other particpant in the battle who will load the game and play the next round of the battle and send the file back and so on until the battle is completed. Battle files only need to be exchanged between combatants.

To facilitate exchanging files all the games I am playing in have set up groups on the internet, Google Groups seems popular, Yahoo Groups has also been used. Everyone joins the group, when you play your turn, post the file to the group and post a message to the group saying your turn is done. It's a lot easier and more reliable than emailing everyone individually.

It is highly advisible to zip all files before transfer because some of the pbm files can be pretty big.

Hope that helps make things a bit clearer, please ask more questions if you wish.

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Regards
David

(in reply to fgillig)

Post #: 2

RE: PBEM file exchange - 11/13/2009 2:30:21 PM

Marshall Ellis

Posts: 5630
Joined: 10/2/2001
From: Dallas
Status: offline

David:

Spoken like a true veteran! Thanks for the help!

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Thank you

Marshall Ellis
Outflank Strategy War Games

(in reply to DCWhitworth)

Post #: 3

RE: PBEM file exchange - 11/13/2009 2:35:51 PM

DCWhitworth

Posts: 676
Joined: 12/15/2007
From: Norwich, England
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Marshall Ellis

David:

Spoken like a true veteran! Thanks for the help!

I think it could be said that veterans of EiANW are Grognards ?

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Regards
David

(in reply to Marshall Ellis)

Post #: 4

RE: PBEM file exchange - 11/13/2009 2:53:16 PM

fgillig

Posts: 9
Joined: 5/26/2005
Status: offline

Thanks for the help and clarifications, especially for the combat sequence. We are currently thru set-up (with GB last) and GB sent me a <gamename>_Great_Britain.sav file which I placed in the SAVE folder (possible wrong folder). When I load the game file it says French Diplo turn and I hit enter. However, the phase window at the top of the screen is called Britain Diplomatic phase and the box above the message window says French view mode. Is it possible the Brit player didn't do something before he sent me the turn?

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Fred Gilligan

(in reply to fgillig)

Post #: 5

RE: PBEM file exchange - 11/13/2009 3:09:58 PM

DCWhitworth

Posts: 676
Joined: 12/15/2007
From: Norwich, England
Status: offline

Brotain has sent you the wrong file. He seems to have sent you his saved game. He needs to send you the pbm file from his commout folder.

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Regards
David

(in reply to fgillig)

Post #: 6

RE: PBEM file exchange - 11/13/2009 5:51:14 PM

fgillig

Posts: 9
Joined: 5/26/2005
Status: offline

David,

DBefore we tried the .sav file GB sent me his <gamename>_Great_Britain_1805_January_SETUP.pbm file which I placed in te commin folder. I tried to load it from the "new game", "load email game" button but the file didn't show up. I them tried to load it from the "Load Game" button but it didn't show up there. I suspect I have to load it from the game icon at the top of the screen above the map, but I don't know how to load the game to get to the map screen. Any advice would be helpful.

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Fred Gilligan

(in reply to DCWhitworth)

Post #: 7

RE: PBEM file exchange - 11/13/2009 6:05:49 PM

DCWhitworth

Posts: 676
Joined: 12/15/2007
From: Norwich, England
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: fgillig
David,

DBefore we tried the .sav file GB sent me his <gamename>_Great_Britain_1805_January_SETUP.pbm file which I placed in te commin folder. I tried to load it from the "new game", "load email game" button but the file didn't show up. I them tried to load it from the "Load Game" button but it didn't show up there. I suspect I have to load it from the game icon at the top of the screen above the map, but I don't know how to load the game to get to the map screen. Any advice would be helpful.

OK you've got the right file and put it in the right place.

Start the EiANW program. Use the Load Game button from the front page and load your game file which should be <game name>_<your country>.sav

Click the resume button.

You should now get the map with a pop up window telling you the date, who's turn it is and which phase, click OK on this.

Then go to the top of the screen and click the "Load email turn file" button. This is the one on its own at the top of the screen that looks like a PC with an arrow (like a 'play' symbol) on top.

If you have the right pbm file in your commin folder it will now load it.

As an additional note unrelated to this, make sure the host of your game takes regular backups of his save game and keeps them somewhere safe (not on his hard drive). If the host loses his copy of the game you won't be able to recover. There are a couple of threads about this sad state of events. Even Marshall isn't sure he can recover this situation !

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Regards
David

(in reply to fgillig)

Post #: 8

RE: PBEM file exchange - 11/13/2009 6:17:39 PM

fgillig

Posts: 9
Joined: 5/26/2005
Status: offline

David,

It worked. Thanks for your help. Now to proceed onward with French domination. I am reading the backup threads, and as the Host, will save a copy on my thumb drive. Thanks again.

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Fred Gilligan

(in reply to DCWhitworth)

Post #: 9

RE: PBEM file exchange - 11/13/2009 6:19:11 PM

DCWhitworth

Posts: 676
Joined: 12/15/2007
From: Norwich, England
Status: offline

Glad to help. Enjoy your European domination (sorry World domination is only available to GB)

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Regards
David

(in reply to fgillig)

Post #: 10