PBEM questions -- is it worth it?

campekenobi · Post by **campekenobi** » Wed Feb 06, 2002 12:23 am

Hi, I'm interested in playing an on line (e-mail) game of SPWaW. I have a few questions though:

1) what's the best site for active players & gaming? (I don't want slow, stretched out games, I want a turn per day or 2 days kind of thing).

2) I once played w/ a friend & found it's easy to 'cheat' by doing your turn & not liking the results so you do it over... is there any way to PREVENT this kind of action? (I hope so)

3) I saw one site that had hexes controlled by individual people (like many people involved in the same game) -- that looks real confusing, is that how most people play?

Thanks!

lnp4668 · Post by **lnp4668** » Wed Feb 06, 2002 1:13 am

1. Checks out these 2 sites:
http://www.militarygamer.net/CombatCommand/index.asp

http://www.theblitz.org

They have good tournament and ladder to play

2. I don't thinks so. Just have to trust your opponents I guess

3. The site you refer to maybe Double Deuce's tournament where the game is play on a strategic map, then go to resolve battle using spwaw. And no, most email games are just 1 on 1.

Fuerte · Post by **Fuerte** » Wed Feb 06, 2002 2:59 am

Originally posted by Sniper-for-hire:
2) I once played w/ a friend & found it's easy to 'cheat' by doing your turn & not liking the results so you do it over... is there any way to PREVENT this kind of action? (I hope so)

I only PBEM, and if you have a good friend that does not cheat, and most importantly, if YOU don't cheat, then it can be very fun. It is quite easy to know if your opponent is cheating. Simply if he does not make mistakes and knows too well where your units, then he is cheating.

It is possibly to cheat in most turn based games. The only games that do not allow cheating are those where the moves are made at the same time, and then the computer calculates the result, and you view the replay. Combat Mission is a good example, and so are many other space strategy games (Stars, Space Empires, etc).

tracer · Post by **tracer** » Wed Feb 06, 2002 7:59 am

(snip) I once played w/ a friend & found it's easy to 'cheat' by doing your turn & not liking the results so you do it over... is there any way to PREVENT this kind of action? (I hope so)
[/QB]

If you tried this you would get a 'security violation' and your opponent would know. But, like anything computer-related, I'm sure there's a way around it. I've played alot of PBEM and have never encountered anyone I even suspected of cheating....what's the point?

Galka · Post by **Galka** » Wed Feb 06, 2002 8:14 am

Originally posted by tracer:

If you tried this you would get a 'security violation' and your opponent would know. But, like anything computer-related, I'm sure there's a way around it. I've played alot of PBEM and have never encountered anyone I even suspected of cheating....what's the point?

Well , it still is easy to cheat, and cheats do exist. Thankfully they are not as prevelent as they were in previous version of the game. Why people cheat is anyones guess. Chances are you're going to find some fine players playing PBEM, and with time you'll discover a few cheats too.

Yes, it's well worth the effort to PBEM, I believe, but don't neglect online play too. It's almost a different game.

Tomanbeg · Post by **Tomanbeg** » Wed Feb 06, 2002 8:56 am

Originally posted by tracer:

If you tried this you would get a 'security violation' and your opponent would know. But, like anything computer-related, I'm sure there's a way around it. I've played alot of PBEM and have never encountered anyone I even suspected of cheating....what's the point?

Exactly. But when some one slids around 4 mine fields, then goes thru the only blind spot of your Pak front and pulls up next to your A0 unit and blows it away, one does wonder. There is a way to tell how many times you opponent has saved and loaded since the game started, so if he is 'replaying' the turn to get better results it will show something like 8 saves 16 loads on turn 8. Of course, you can always reload from the .zip file without changing the load counter. There is such a wide range of variables that I'm not sure it makes any difference in the long run. This method can be used to produce first shots( the first shot you see on your replay), that always hit. Just keep reloading and replaying untill you get what you want. Cheaters are just cheating themselves. This has been true since the day after the first game was invented. I figure it took someone at least a day to figure out how to cheat at it. When You think it's happening, say something. At the worst you just have to find another player, at best you will learn a new technique. I love working my scouts, I don't care much if I win or lose, My personal goal is to get a scout unit to either the 0 column or the 99 column. I use a slot to build my LO(loyal oppostions) OOB. In most PBEM games, I have 90% of my LO's force figured out by turn 10. So I get accused of 'flooding' quite a bit. I just give up my password and my list of what units I spotted and what turn I spotted them. Then we start a new game.
T. (BTW 'flooding is where you buy a company of armored cars, or something else fast , and line them up wheel-to-wheel and send them off in a charge of the light brigade. Make a note of what kills them and where it is, then reload the game from the zip file and start again. do this all the way across the map, and you can move with some confidence. Some, because there is a way to set traps for guys doing this. Which is way fun!!).

campekenobi · Post by **campekenobi** » Wed Feb 06, 2002 5:26 pm

Originally posted by Galka:

Yes, it's well worth the effort to PBEM, I believe, but don't neglect online play too. It's almost a different game.

ONLINE PLAY??? Can you please tell me about that, is that like the campaign thing where several people play on a map at once?

PS - I appreciate everyone's input on cheating, believe me, I am not asking because it is my intention, for certainly, as the best point was made, I'd only be cheating myself & what's the point. But thanks again, all.