How do you play the game

[MarcA]

Hi Folks

I am interested in this game but I must admit I am somewhat perplexed as to how you play it as it does not support PBEM or AI.

It says its for 1-2 players. Is one player just one person playing both sides?

2nd stupid question, how do you play against an opponent? hot seat?

[Twisted1]

Playing right now the Barbarosa scenario against some from Florida using Teamviewer. This has been working great so far! playing about 1-2 hours a week.

[Numdydar]

There are several ways to play the game at the moment while the Netplay issues are still being address (and some Netplay fixes are included in the current beta patch).

Solitaire - One person plays all sides. For those that played board games this way in the past this option should be pretty comfortable.
Solitaire Hot seated - There is a hot seat option, but it is recommended that you just use the solitaire version. Both players are physically at the same computer doing their actions/moves as needed. Just like playing a physical board game of any kind.
Solitaire using third party software - Again using the solitaire game play selection, you use Teamviewer (or something like it that will allow someone that is at a different computer to have access to your PC. This means they control the mouse and can click on units, etc. just as if they were at your PC. Then you can use Skype (or something like it) to talk to each other during the turn. I have used this method several times and it has worked out well.

Netplay - This is a work in progress. The Barb scenario should work fine using Netplay with the latest Beta patch. It may work for larger scenarios, but not promised to 100% yet.

Hopefully this will answer your questions [:)]

Edit: PBEM is planned but will not be worked on until Netplay is working correctly. So still months away from it being available.

[warspite1]

........badly [:(]


[;)]

[Orm]

ORIGINAL: warspite1

........badly [:(]


[;)]

And Warspite1 outplays me, since he is winning the game we play. [:)]

[Numdydar]

So is his comments on how you are playing or the workings of netplay [:D] Or both [X(]

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: Numdydar

So is his comments on how you are playing or the workings of netplay [:D] Or both [X(]

warspite1

No, my comments are on my own (limited) ability to play this masterpiece of a game. They have nothing to do with Orm - who is a superb wargamer (as I know to my cost) and gent.

If I was commenting on the workings of Netplay, well that's quite simple. We are playing by having to send each other e-mails. It is far from ideal and not a way I would choose to play ANY game with anyone who I do not believe I could 100% trust.

But it's that or nothing - and therefore, though not ideal, I'll play this beautiful game this way rather than nothing.

[MarcA]

Thanks for the replies folks.

To clarify, is there a way to play a two player game without the need for both people being on-line at the same time?

[Numdydar]

Not without a lot of emails [:(]. Every time you have an air mission that can be intercepted would require a svae game transfer in order to let the other player have the option to intercept or not. Same with the naval stuff. Not to mention how to assign combat loses and a host of other things. Which is why PBEM is so far down on the list.

The game was designed as a face to face one originally where all the players were at the table at the same time. Since the computer game is a conversion of that experience, the best way to play is both players be online at the same time. Just like going over to a friends house to play the physical version.

Empire in Arms computer game has a PBEM system and it is horrible due to the same player interaction needs. Each turn in that game has requires many emails back an forth just for a single combat as an example. Which is why no one I know has ever played it that way. Not sure how Steve is going to do it for WIF (he mentioned standing orders for certain activities) but I am just glad it is not me [:)]

Based on my play using Teamviewer and Skype, the experience has been awesome. Just like playing a 'real' boardgame [:)] But for many reason, which I totally understand, this method will not work for many people. I'm just glad it works for us [:)] Also using Teamviewer and Skype, you can have a full six people play right now. While the initial fixes to Netplay are just for two people. Which makes sense since if there are bugs for two people for netplay, there will be bugs for more than two [:@] So hopefully once the issues are fixed for 2 player netplay, it will be pretty soon that more can play at the same time. [:)]

[MorningDew]

To clarify, is there a way to play a two player game without the need for both people being on-line at the same time?

I believe the current answer is no, unless you consider two people in the same house playing a hot-seat game not on-line.

[MarcA]

Thanks for all the answers.

I will have to have a think about this one. It seems like a great game and I do like huge games but my family life would make playing a game difficult.

Happy New Year to you all

[bo]

ORIGINAL: Numdydar

Not without a lot of emails [:(]. Every time you have an air mission that can be intercepted would require a svae game transfer in order to let the other player have the option to intercept or not. Same with the naval stuff. Not to mention how to assign combat loses and a host of other things. Which is why PBEM is so far down on the list.

The game was designed as a face to face one originally where all the players were at the table at the same time. Since the computer game is a conversion of that experience, the best way to play is both players be online at the same time. Just like going over to a friends house to play the physical version.

Empire in Arms computer game has a PBEM system and it is horrible due to the same player interaction needs. Each turn in that game has requires many emails back an forth just for a single combat as an example. Which is why no one I know has ever played it that way. Not sure how Steve is going to do it for WIF (he mentioned standing orders for certain activities) but I am just glad it is not me [:)]

Based on my play using Teamviewer and Skype, the experience has been awesome. Just like playing a 'real' boardgame [:)] But for many reason, which I totally understand, this method will not work for many people. I'm just glad it works for us [:)] Also using Teamviewer and Skype, you can have a full six people play right now. While the initial fixes to Netplay are just for two people. Which makes sense since if there are bugs for two people for netplay, there will be bugs for more than two [:@] So hopefully once the issues are fixed for 2 player netplay, it will be pretty soon that more can play at the same time. [:)]

Hi Numdydar

I have no idea how team viewer works, you said that this method might not work for many people? If you could explain more about it here, fine, or call me on skype if you care to and explain it to me in more detail. Would appreciate that. Thank you either way.

skype: william.bowen62

Bo

[Numdydar]

It is a trust issue Bo, not a technical issue.

Using Teamview the other person has control of your PC, just as if they were sitting in your seat moving the mouse and using the keyboard. While the person that is the Host of the Teamviewer session can 'kick' the other person out, they may not be paying attention, away for a bit, etc. The other person then 'could' have a window to do 'bad things' to the PC (delete files, look at things they should not, etc.) if they were so inclined. This level of access bothers a number of people. So, while this works great for those in your 'circle of trust', it can make people nervous to have a relative stranger to have that level of access to your PC.

Which is why using Skype is important, not just for game play. Because if you are actually talking back and forth, it makes it a lot harder to do something like this when you know someone is paying attention. If you have to step away, you can just cancel the Teamvier session and restart it when you return. It is really easy to start and stop sessions.

I hope this helps.

[NCommander]

I was thinking about through MWiF on a EC2 micro instance, which only has that. Free for a year, and then any number of players can use TeamViewer. Once my account is a bit older, I'm going to start a AAR, and then maybe start a multiplayer AAR if folks here are interested (3 player game anyone?)

[paulderynck]

Interesting idea.

[NCommander]

I actually tested the setup and it worked decently. Alternatively, run WiF in a VM, with a highly restricted account (you can set options on a per user basis to disable the start menu, desktop, etc. Basically nothing of value is accessible, and if you make a mistake, the worse you got to do is reinstall WIF).

I'd like to get this setup for an actual MP game sooner or later.

[Numdydar]

Now that is a great idea. Using a virtual machine would definitely solve the security issues of teamviewer allowing relatively unknown people control of the PC. Unfortunately setting up a VM may be beyond some people's capabilities (like Bo [:D]. Just picking on you Bo. No harm intended [:)]). But if they could handle getting a VM setup then it would definitely expand the amount of MP games that could be held today. With as many people as you wanted too [:)]

[Centuur]

It's not just Bo... Do I understand correctly that this "Virtual Machine" gives you the opportunity to seal of your PC for all other programs, except for the game if you use a program like teamviewer for this?

[Numdydar]

Yes. It is a fully functioning separate 'PC within a PC'. It will have a completely separate OS from the base PC. You use it just like a separate machine except it is just software running on top of the 'real PC'. 90% of the worlds servers these days use VMs for this very reason. You can actually make 'saves' of the entire VM so if it breaks it only take a reload and you are up and running [:)] Try that with a complete reinstall of Windows [:D]

Basically you would install a VM, like from VMwear using their free option
Then you install an OS, like Win 7 on the VM system through a CD or USB device. And this can be a completely different OS than what is running on the base PC. You could even install DOS if you wanted [X(]
Then you load whatever other software you wanted within the VM PC.

So in the case of WiF, you would just load Skype (or some other comm tool), teamviewer, and WiF within the VM PC. This way there is nothing for the other person to see or do. All they could do is trash the VM session. And if you had a backup of it, you could just reload it and be good. And know not to play games with that person ever again [:D]

[Numdydar]

A Screenshot may help. I have two separate VMs on my PC using VMwear's software. One is for SharePoint playing around and the other is just a barebones Win 7 install when I want to do things that might not be safe to do on the 'real' PC. When I want to launch one of these I just select the VM I want to run and click 'Play' highlighted in Red. In the shot below, hitting 'Play' would launch the Win 7 install and whatever I did in there would not impact the real PC.