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delatbabel -> HOWTO: Turns via Dropbox (3/5/2012 7:43:10 AM)
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Sending PBEM files via email wastes a lot of time and bandwidth -- especially when you add in the extra load of saving the email to a Sent folder (if you keep sent messages) and also add in the 25% or so padding that goes on top of a binary file when it's sent via email. A faster and more convenient way is to use a file hosting service such as Dropbox. There are other services around that do a similar job, but I will cover Dropbox in this post. If you want to change the instructions for using a different provider then please do so and comment here.
0. You may have already set up an account because your opponent sent you an invitation. Just accept the invitation and you and your opponent will get 250MB free with Dropbox (enough for 50 saved games). You can skip to step 2.
1. Set up a Dropbox account if you don't already have one. If you prefer and would like to use a referral code then click http://db.tt/BDobmUu (that will give you and me both an extra 250MB free), or if your opponent has a Dropbox account already then use their referral code. If you don't want to use a referral code then click here: http://www.dropbox.com/register
2. Remember the Dropbox email address (your email address) and Dropbox password that you used when creating your account. Store it somewhere safe such as in Keepass (http://www.keepass.info/) or use a password you can remember. Yellow sticky notes stuck under your keyboard are a very bad place to store your passwords!
3. Download the Dropbox software, here: https://www.dropbox.com/install and install it onto your computer, following the instructions. I normally use all of the defaults when installing Dropbox but you can change the folder location if you wish.
4. Log in to Dropbox at http://www.dropbox.com/login
5. You will see a list of your Dropbox folders. If you are new to Dropbox there will only be a few -- Public and Photos will be two of them.
6. Click on "Share a folder". Select "I'd like to create and share a new folder" and type in a folder name (e.g. the name of your game).
7. On the next page, enter the email address of your opponent. If your opponent already has a Dropbox account then they will get a message saying you'd like them to share the folder. If they don't have a Dropbox account they will get a message inviting them to join Dropbox and giving you both a 250MB bonus.
Now, each turn, each of you has to do the following steps:
1. Copy (don't move) your game file from your shared Dropbox folder into the dat\save folder in your WitE installation.
2. If you want to keep a copy of the game before your turn for AAR purposes then make another copy of it with a different name in dat\save (e.g. MYGAME_T99.psv).
3. Play your turn and save your game back to your dat\save folder as normal, with the same name as you started with.
4. Copy the saved game back to your shared Dropbox folder (with the same name it started with, don't change the file name in Dropbox from turn to turn).
Each time you save a file to the shared Dropbox folder it will automatically be updated on your opponent's computer, and vice-versa. So each time you check for email you will just get a message from your opponent saying he's completed his turn, and your Dropbox shared folder will automatically be updated with the turn (probably even before you read the message). Then when you save your turn back to the Dropbox shared folder, your opponent's computer will automatically be updated.
Updating a WitE saved game file using Dropbox is much faster than sending via email because it all happens in the background. Only the file changes are sent, so if from turn to turn only 5% of the saved game file changes, then only that 5% is actually sent and received.
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