Progress report

Empires in Arms is the computer version of Australian Design Group classic board game. Empires in Arms is a seven player game of grand strategy set during the Napoleonic period of 1805-1815. The unit scale is corps level with full diplomatic options

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peskpesk
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Progress report

Post by peskpesk »

I know it's not September, yet. But I'm longing for a progress report
from the Developers/B-testers.

What do you say guys can't we get one? Or even better let's
us make the monthly progress report a weekly one! :D
It's just 2 months left to October, the latest release date...
"'Malta - The Thorn in Rommel's Side"
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Le Tondu
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Post by Le Tondu »

peskpesk wrote:I know it's not September, yet. But I'm longing for a progress report
from the Developers/B-testers.

What do you say guys can't we get one? Or even better let's
us make the monthly progress report a weekly one! :D
It's just 2 months left to October, the latest release date...
Addressing the Security Issue might be cool. Can folks easily cheat with EiA?
:)
Vive l'Empereur!
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Pippin
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Post by Pippin »

As I have come to understand it, the predominant goal this moment is to improve the behaviour of the AI.
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Darbuka
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A.i.

Post by Darbuka »

Speaking of AI.....
I realize this may have been spoken of already on this forum, but being relatively new here I'm curious about the AI. Having recently been supremely dissappointed with the AI on Diplomacy (its lobotomized !) :sleep:
I wouldn't mind hearing a word or two on what might be expected of the EiA AI.
Fight for rum lads !
YohanTM2
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Post by YohanTM2 »

Anyone who truly hopes the AI for this game will be able to mimic the diplomatic skill (or lack thereof), planning, strategy and backstabbing of a human player might as well dream on.

Other than for training purposes or perhaps to take over from someone who bails in mud-game (although this would again be very difficult) is asking for way to much.

Find some friends or enemies ;) and prepare to take the knife all the way to the hilt in your back.
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Le Tondu
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Post by Le Tondu »

AI, schmAI ;) -Just kidding. I know that the AI is important, but without a solid enough way to prevent cheating, it just won't make sense to ever play this game against other people. Think about it guys. Isn't EiA supposed to be a multiplayer game?
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Pippin
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Post by Pippin »

As for the AI, I have been backstabed quite a few times.

As for the cheating, I plan to cheat on the ai if I find an exploit... but vs a human player? That would be.. .ahem (cheating!) :P

Tis a shame so many maphacks & the rest came out for starcraft all over... or i'd be still playing on b.net with my old group.
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peskpesk
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AI Script based?

Post by peskpesk »

Are they making som parts of the AI script based? I hope so, then it's
"easy" to improve and make public for all to fix. A good AI will probably be needed since not many people can have 7 friends online at the same time or wait on a PBEM-game.
"'Malta - The Thorn in Rommel's Side"
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Le Tondu
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Questions

Post by Le Tondu »

Wouldn't it be a LOT easier to cheat in a PBEM game than during a game that is played via TCP/IP???? I mean, when would you have time to cheat during a TCP/IP game with everying happening as you play? It seems to me that a PBEM game would give a person lots of time to mess around with files and such. Maybe that is one reason why some folks like PBEM.

Can anyone say?
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Pippin
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Post by Pippin »

I rembmer the days of TOAW. There was supposed to be a function where if you (took back) a move, it was flagged so your opponent could see it. There also was a password system so that your opponent couldn't mess with you side..

These however, were gimmics that were practicaly useless. I remember a lot of players would get cheated because a player would download his turn, and RE-PLAY his round 10 to 100 times to scout around and find everything, then also replay till he got the BEST results.

Very disgruntling when every round you got back your results... it seems you opponents just always knew when and how to hit you, and got the best of luck every time. It just was not enjoyable for the legit players, and I left the scene.
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YohanTM2
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Post by YohanTM2 »

Le Tondu wrote:Wouldn't it be a LOT easier to cheat in a PBEM game than during a game that is played via TCP/IP???? I mean, when would you have time to cheat during a TCP/IP game with everying happening as you play? It seems to me that a PBEM game would give a person lots of time to mess around with files and such. Maybe that is one reason why some folks like PBEM.

Can anyone say?
Maybe it is as simple as trying to get people who have a life together at the same time on a consistent basis is impossible?
mmurray821
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Post by mmurray821 »

Yohan wrote:Maybe it is as simple as trying to get people who have a life together at the same time on a consistent basis is impossible?

That is why I push for a good single player game VS the CPU. I only have 1 day a month to sit down with actual people and play the entire day.


Anyone got a winning lotto ticket I can have so I can quit my job and just play games all day?? :D
YohanTM2
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Post by YohanTM2 »

mmurray821 wrote:That is why I push for a good single player game VS the CPU. I only have 1 day a month to sit down with actual people and play the entire day.


Anyone got a winning lotto ticket I can have so I can quit my job and just play games all day?? :D

Sure :cool: Just send me $250,000 in small bills for my winning ticket...
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Le Tondu
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Post by Le Tondu »

mmurray821 wrote:........Anyone got a winning lotto ticket I can have so I can quit my job and just play games all day?? :D
Sorry, I have plans for mine. :)
Vive l'Empereur!
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peskpesk
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Still no progress report...

Post by peskpesk »

Now it's September and still no progress report...
Anyone know what is happening?
What are the Developers/B-testers doing?
Is October still on?
"'Malta - The Thorn in Rommel's Side"
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Le Tondu
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Post by Le Tondu »

Well, yesterday was a National Holiday when you posted that peskpesk.

How about giving them a break? Its not like they have to tell us anything, -but it is real nice when they do. Hang in there, something will show up sooner or later.
Vive l'Empereur!
Yorlum
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Updates and release dates

Post by Yorlum »

I am as anxious as the rest of you, but give a choice, I am glad to wait. I trust that the developers [Who seem to be very interested not only in producing a salable product, but also respect the game enough to want to produce a faithful rendition of the game], will keep us as informed as they can. Certainly that has been their habit until now, and I see no reason to suppose that it will change.

I have to say that I am dubious about the idea of TCP/IP play for a 7-player monster game. How many players of the game are even out there any more? Maybe a thousand or so? And to get seven on at a time for a lengthty stretch with High speed internet just seems a little...unlikely.

So I guess I am saying that I am really hoping for a decent AI and maybe PBEM capability.
YohanTM2
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Post by YohanTM2 »

Yorlum wrote:...

So I guess I am saying that I am really hoping for a decent AI and maybe PBEM capability.
PBEM is the hope. No way there can be a worthy AI for serious folk, just a trainer.

I do agree TCP/IP hosting is a cool thing but the odds of getting a 7 player game to go anywhere are darn low unless it is an existing group.
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Pippin
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Post by Pippin »

I've played many 5 player games online, this has never been a problem. You could go check the axis & allies community on the gameing zone to verify just one of these. This is why, people join gameing clubs, to find others with the same interests and get together. It is not too hard to do when people use message forms to agree for who is avail on which dates.

Also keep in mind, you do not NEED 7 players. You could also have the option of adding in AI opponents to fill in gaps. But furthermore, there are default setups for 2,3,4,5 & 6 player games as well I have seen for eia.
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Yorlum
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club play

Post by Yorlum »

I was a member of the A&A online club...not sure the situations compare. My games were by e-mail, and A&A is typically played with 2, not 5 players.

However, even conceding those points, an A&A game is usually decided within 8-15 turns, not 120...

Even so, I will likely wish to try... maybe there will be a save game function so people could play a year or two at one session and then save position and play again the next week....
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