How will this game handle player dropouts? (Full Version)

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jamo262 -> How will this game handle player dropouts? (11/29/2007 11:38:37 AM)

Say we get enough people for a game but after a year someone sucky chucks a hissy fit and leaves because they are losing.

How does this game handle inserting another player?

The same for a country which misses a turn or so?

[sm=sterb029.gif]



ravinhood -> RE: How will this game handle player dropouts? (11/29/2007 1:33:33 PM)

Yes I am interested in the answer to this as well???



Marshall Ellis -> RE: How will this game handle player dropouts? (11/29/2007 2:41:15 PM)

Hey guys:

The PBEM game host (Kind of Game Assistant) can do a few things...

1.Change the player settings with another player altogether then send out a new backup game for all players to re-sync.
2.Have the AI play that player's phase.







ravinhood -> RE: How will this game handle player dropouts? (11/29/2007 6:35:20 PM)

Thanks Marshall that'll work perfectly good to have AI backup just in case.



Ralegh -> RE: How will this game handle player dropouts? (11/29/2007 11:43:08 PM)

As responded to in another thread, thre are actually 2 steps:
- give the new player a backupfile so they have the game state
- get the missing player's password - which is saved in clear text in one of the arbiter's files for just this purpose.

It is straightforward to do.

However, a current limitation is that you cannot change from having a human player to having the computer play that country, or vice versa.  I argued (forcefully) that this would be an awesome feature - I'd like to allow the game arbiter to swap people and the AI in or out quite freely.  I think I probably scared everyone off when I argued to take it further - I'd like a "have your move by Sunday or the AI gets to play your turn" feature.

If other people agree with me, say so - later patches/releases will provide stuff Matrix thinks is valued by the player community...



WJPalmer1 -> RE: How will this game handle player dropouts? (11/30/2007 1:06:35 AM)

This would indeed be a terrific feature. The game screams Multi-player PBEM so features recognizing the worldly realities of managing a game of up to 7 remote human players (can you say, "herding cats?") will go a long way toward establishing EiA as a computer classic.



Monadman -> RE: How will this game handle player dropouts? (11/30/2007 1:59:00 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Ralegh

I think I probably scared everyone off when I argued to take it further - I'd like a "have your move by Sunday or the AI gets to play your turn" feature.



Steve, you’re definitely scaring me now because that feature has been in the game for well over a year; all you have to do is add the warning language. [:)]

Richard



zenmaster -> RE: How will this game handle player dropouts? (11/30/2007 2:38:05 AM)

I definitely like the idea of "forced moves" by X date.



pzgndr -> RE: How will this game handle player dropouts? (11/30/2007 2:51:36 AM)

quote:

However, a current limitation is that you cannot change from having a human player to having the computer play that country, or vice versa. I argued (forcefully) that this would be an awesome feature

If other people agree with me, say so - later patches/releases will provide stuff Matrix thinks is valued by the player community...


I agree. Even for solo play, it would be nice to step in and out of a game and take control of one or more powers.



jamo262 -> RE: How will this game handle player dropouts? (11/30/2007 7:05:31 AM)

Ralegh I agree with you.

Flexibility in a large multiplayer game cannot be a bad thing.

1)To make it more flexible we could perhaps allow an ally to take another's move if the time limit expired-this could be done already perhaps with a transfered password.

2)Furthermore- we talked about this earlier I think- if a human can manually take over a computer player or control two countries then it should not be so large a lead to implement the "Uncontrolled major powers rule". I should note that many have found these rules unsatisfactory from the board game (sinking fleets ruining armies, use of cannon fodder etc) but

3)perhaps some old diehards and yourself could nut out a variant that is satisfactory to all- there is already an interesting one hidden away somewhere in cyberspace.

4) I presume matrix will have a "generals wanted forum" where pole can be recruited for new (and in the future) existing games




Veldor -> RE: How will this game handle player dropouts? (11/30/2007 7:20:24 AM)

To be clear, can an AI player that replaced a dropout later be switched back to a human player if either A.The player comes back or B.Someone is found to take the reigns?

That would be really neat indeed...



Monadman -> RE: How will this game handle player dropouts? (11/30/2007 1:34:48 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Veldor

To be clear, can an AI player that replaced a dropout later be switched back to a human player if either A.The player comes back or B.Someone is found to take the reigns?

That would be really neat indeed...


Yes – it’s currently an EIANW function that the host of a PBEM game has to use in order to keep a game going.

Richard



Monadman -> RE: How will this game handle player dropouts? (11/30/2007 4:21:09 PM)

FYI . . .

Unfortunately, there was not a “how to” written up for the Host Admin Menu in time for the printed or pdf manual but the following will be included in the in-game manual (and as an addendum for the printed and pdf manual).

Richard

Using the Host Admin Menu

To replace a human player with the AI:
If a player drops out or gets the boot and no human player is available to take over, the host uses the Admin Menu, and in the “Type” field, chooses which AI will take over (easy, medium or hard). The AI will now generate a turn file, which must be sent by the human player that precedes the AI player. For instance, if human Britain is first to move during the naval phase and AI Russia is next to move, after human Britain completed his or her turn and advanced the game, the AI would immediately play the Russian turn. Human Britain would then be responsible for sending both his turn AND AI Russia’s turn files to the other members of the playgroup.

To replace the AI or a human player with a human player:
If the host wishes to add a human player to take over for the AI or replace one human player for another, he or she uses the Admin Menu, and after clicking to highlight the targeted major power, then clicks the “Type” field and chooses “Client”. The host will then add the new player’s name and email address and click the “Replace Player” button, which creates seven backup files. The program will generate a backup file for EACH member of the playgroup, including the host, and the host must send the appropriate file to each member in order for the game to be in sync again. Note: The backup files can be found in the “save” folder.

To replace the host:
The host also has the ability to remove him or her self from that duty and appoint a new host from either the list or from outside of the group. To do so, follow the instructions for how to replace a human player with a human player



pzgndr -> RE: How will this game handle player dropouts? (11/30/2007 4:39:20 PM)

Does this Host Admin Menu feature also work for single-player; ie, able to switch back and forth between human and AI control of a country? [8D]



Monadman -> RE: How will this game handle player dropouts? (11/30/2007 4:41:21 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: pzgndr

Does this Host Admin Menu feature also work for single-player; ie, able to switch back and forth between human and AI control of a country? [8D]


No, it does not

Richard



ess1 -> RE: How will this game handle player dropouts? (11/30/2007 5:53:56 PM)

Re: Transferring control. This has long been with pbem Diplomacy.

Looks better and better[:D]



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