IP Play or NOT to IP Play? That is the question!

[Marshall Ellis]

Hey guys:
 
I have found in my gaming exploits a few things:
 
When your:
 
1. Young in High School, play time is endless, locations can be difficult. Parents tend to police your parties at their house (At least mine did) and weren't too fond of a half dozen teenagers screaming in the middle of the night when someone rolled a 6 on the research tables in Axis and Allies and got Super Bombers as a result.
2. Young in college, play time is huge and locations are easier to come by (Parent not around to police your party). This was the peak time for us and LONG games such as 3rd Reich, Axis and Allies, Risk and various RPGs. EiA was also good in this timeframe.
3. After college, play time is medium and locations are VERY easy. You're typically in your own house BUT many of your gaming friends have gotten jobs elsewhere after college so your starting to see difficulty in getting enough guys to play good games. EiA starts to suffer here since you really need 7 guys!
4.MARRIED. Don't need to say a lot here. I think most of you know how difficult time and places are in this phase.
5.MARRIED with CHILDREN. Games? What games?
 
The problem with the above is that EiA players typically (From what I've seen) fall into 4 & 5. This has made it very difficult to get together for long periods of time in a hot seat session. I think this is why PBEM is so popular in the EiA community. Hats off to you who have managed to gather once a week.
 
Thank you

[Camile Desmoulins]

5.MARRIED with CHILDREN. Games? What games?

You've discovered me, in spite of my fancy dress...

[YohanTM2]

One of the issues with IP versus ftf is the constant need to stare at the screen for hours on end or miss moves and actions.

This does not happen ftf as it is easy to ask or lose focus for a minute or 2 and not miss anything. Also, I look at IP the same as ftf now that I am Married with Children. Not a hope of dedicating a consistent weekly 3-4 set hours.

That is why I much prefer PBEM.

[Frank McNally]

Even if I had 7 players who could all log on at the same time for TCP/IP why would I want to do that?  Trying to do diplomacy in a chat window or a series of emails in a short span would be very frustrating.  In ftf one can take turns speaking and messages don't start piling up and arriving out of order.  Sitting staring at the screen while one player is building depots and even moving will often be very dull, in ftf one will tend to talk and be social while waiting one's turn.  The game just does not seem suited to IP play.

In PBEM one only needs to be active while sending notes and making ones moves (and reviewing the progress between these).  Also at a reasonable pace the dipomacy can be interesting and well written.

If IP can eventually be implemented great, but I doubt I would use the feature (unless I can get a free multiline phone in my house).

[Joisey]

ORIGINAL: Marshall Ellis

Hey guys:

I have found in my gaming exploits a few things:

When your:

1. Young in High School, play time is endless, locations can be difficult. Parents tend to police your parties at their house (At least mine did) and weren't too fond of a half dozen teenagers screaming in the middle of the night when someone rolled a 6 on the research tables in Axis and Allies and got Super Bombers as a result.
2. Young in college, play time is huge and locations are easier to come by (Parent not around to police your party). This was the peak time for us and LONG games such as 3rd Reich, Axis and Allies, Risk and various RPGs. EiA was also good in this timeframe.
3. After college, play time is medium and locations are VERY easy. You're typically in your own house BUT many of your gaming friends have gotten jobs elsewhere after college so your starting to see difficulty in getting enough guys to play good games. EiA starts to suffer here since you really need 7 guys!
4.MARRIED. Don't need to say a lot here. I think most of you know how difficult time and places are in this phase.
5.MARRIED with CHILDREN. Games? What games?

The problem with the above is that EiA players typically (From what I've seen) fall into 4 & 5. This has made it very difficult to get together for long periods of time in a hot seat session. I think this is why PBEM is so popular in the EiA community. Hats off to you who have managed to gather once a week.

Thank you

An insightful analysis. I agree completely. Have you been talking to Marketing, or did you come up with this yourself? [;)] (joking) Maybe you should talk to Marketing. (Not Joking).

[Monadman]

ORIGINAL: Marshall Ellis
Young in High School, play time is endless, locations can be difficult. Parents tend to police your parties at their house (At least mine did) and weren't too fond of a half dozen teenagers screaming in the middle of the night when someone rolled a . . .

. . . I was following you up to that point man . . . but I was too busy being a long-haired, girl chasing, pedal pressing, hippie freak to be rolling bones back then.

Btw, you forgot one: MARRIED, playtime is huge (thanks to the pharmaceutical industry) and locations are easier to come by now that the children are older and not around . . . or are we not on the same dance floor again.

Richard

[Marshall Ellis]

Richard:
 
Did not put that one down (Empty-nester) since I cannot comment on that one yet with a 6 year old and 3 year old! Besides ... I cannot play games anymore with this coding-thingy going on
 
Thank you

[timewalker03]

Just want to toss in my 2 cents on this subject. I could care less about IP play or even PBEM play. WHat I would love to see is a game with good AI that would allow me to play against the computer in a game the closely resembles the original EiA. I like most fit into Marshall's married with kids and lack the time for drawn out sessions with others. though they would also be nice features having some form of multiplayer gaming, I would rather have strong solo play and then find a group to play pbem or online. As time moves forward and I get older (37 now, 18 when I first played Eia) it becomes more precious and less and less available. At least till my kids grow up and move out (16 and 11). Well my son would play but at 11 it may be hard to understand every part of the game and especially the diplomacy side.

If the game has a good solo side I will for surely buy it, but if it is mostly PBEM or IP based then I will pass on it and just stare at my Laminated EiA map on the wall and remember the good ol days.

[1LTRambo]

Marshall, I probably would not use IP or PBEM as I usually don't have the oppertunity to get together with friends to coordinate a game, thus my not playing the board game that has been sitting on my shelf for the past 5 years collecting dust. So I would mostly be playing by myself. However, I have to agree with the others that having that ability would garner more sales of EiA and should be included.

[jamo262]

I suppose we could use microsoft messenger to send messeges to our allies etc.

What tools could be used otherwise to let us know when a turn has been posted?

[Kai]

PBEM is fine for me.  I look at EiA as a long term game.  I don't see playing it at a LAN party. 
 
I doubt I would ever use the IP option. 
 
If you must have IP, then PLEASE add it later, after release.