pzgndr
Posts: 3170
Joined: 3/18/2004 From: Maryland Status: offline
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quote:
ORIGINAL: scout1 Don't "believe" any Matrix release has had this many challenges .... just don't see the solutions being short term for 2x or multiplayer at this point .... Empires in Arms? Another Harry Rowland classic boardgame, that has also proven to be very challenging to adapt to the computer. As for multiplayer, although EiA has worked ok via pbem (notwithstanding some bugs and the game host admin menu and such) it is still challenging to play a MP game with up to 7 players. Especially if players are in different time zones, different schedules, etc. The multiple phases (or impulses) and other interactive actions means lots of data exchanges, whether via email or online vis TCP/IP or NetPlay. For EiA, pbem games are taking about a month of real time to complete a monthly game turn. NetPlay could speed that up but you still need players online at the same time. It's one thing to resolve the technical challenges and provide bug-free pbem or NetPlay capability, but at the end of the day you still have real people and their schedules who still have to sit down and play their turn. NetPlay may be fine for some, but sitting there waiting for an opponent gets old after a while. I'm kinda surprised MWiF isn't planning to offer pbem at all, but with all of the interactive actions it would be very difficult. Unless some compromises are made, and then you'd no doubt annoy more players than you satisfy. Whatever. I support the efforts to make MP games playable. That's important, even though I'm most interested in playing versus the AI at my convenience, whenever that becomes available. In the meantime, playing solo and learning the game mechanics, when I can, is fine. I'm not disappointed with the premature release.
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