My beloved Brittania(RTW PBeM)

Hello Civilizated and Barbarian people.

I have been thinking in doing a Play By Email Multiplayer Campaign. This kind of game is interesting. And fun, and you can play with one Family Member, and you make posts and fight battles as if you were him!

Here is how it really works:

First, I will post what a PBeM is.

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Originally Posted by The_Emperor

Its quite simple really, one player starts off a campaign (usually the host plays the first reign).

A list of players is created, then when the player's king dies the savegame file is Zipped and uploaded to the Org's filespace. He then writes up the events of his reign for all to see.
A title is given to his king to reflect his reign A historical example of such a title is King Edward I The Hmmer of the Scots for his brutal campaigns in Scotland.

The next player on the list downloads the .ZIP file extracts it to his savegame folder, and continues the campaign for the duration of his King's lifespan... He then uploads it for the next guy when done, write up his reign, gets his own title, etc.

Sometimes the host may decide to put some rules in a game, such as: avoid excommunication these are especially common in the GA Mode games and to keep the campaign going for a long while.

Here is a link to the uploader.
The PBEM Uploader

And here is a link to the Filespace containing the current savegames.
Org PMEM Files

MODERATOR EDIT:

Further explanation of downloading and uploading saves:

One of the forum sticky's ("A file space for PBM") gives this link:

http://www.totalwar.org/Downloads/Up.../pbmupload.php

Click on this and you can either:

a) download existing savegames. You do this by clicking the "view upload directory link" and then clicking on the savegame of your choice.
or

b) upload your own savegame. You do this by clicking the "browse" button, finding your file (please zip them first) and then clicking the "upload" button.

A few other pointers:
- It is good to post screenshots. These should be in jpg format. TW produces TGA format screenshots. These can be saved as jpg using packages such as Irfanview, which is available freely on the web. Reduce screenshots to 75% size so that people can view the thread easily without scrolling. Screenshots can be hosted by services such as Imageshack. If you have trouble taking screenshots in RTW (black screens etc), then you can use a package such as FRAPS, also available freely on the web. [1]
- It is bad form to sign up for a PBM and then disappear; even worse if you disappear with the savegame. Everyone understands that real life takes priority, but keep communicating while playing the PBM (e.g. post every couple of days) and pass on your turn if you just don't have time.
- To conserve space, only upload *.ZIP or *.RAR savegames to the Org uploader. Packages to zip and unzip these formats are freely available on the web.


[1] A more explicit guide to taking and hosting screenshots:

(1) I use FRAPS to take screenshots. FRAPS is a free programme you can download from the web. RTWs screenshot function should work as well, but gives me all black TGAs. FRAPS is very easy to use: download & install it, then run it before each RTW game and during the game you can press F10 whenever you want a screenshot.

(2) Screenshots are saved in TGA format and are rather big. So I edit them with Irfranview to reduce them to 75% size and save them as JPG. Irfranview is a free programme you can download from the web. Many other packages would do as well.

(3) Finally, I upload the jpgs on

http://www.imageshack.us/

Once you've browsed to your jpg and clicked "host it", imageshack will take you to a list of various links you can copy into your post. I find the one they list as "hotlink for forums (2)" works fine, so just cut and paste that link into Org post and you are done.


FURTHER MODERATOR EDIT: WotS or Will of the Senate Style Games

The type of PBM that the the Emperor describes in this post is sometimes called a "succession game". A variant which has become popular was first tried in the "Will of the Senate" (WotS) RTR PBM here in the Throne Room. It was then adopted in the "King of the Romans" (KotR) M2TW PBM.

What WotS style games add to standard succession games are:
(1) Devolved battles: Each player is represented by a general (avatar) and when that general gets into a battle, the controlling player fights the battle.
(2) Democracy: The player who runs the faction (typically for 10 or 20 turns) is elected by other players. These players can also vote on laws that dictate what the ruling player should and should not do during his time in office.

This style of play leads to more in character debate and, particularly in KotR, story-telling.

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I really want to play a Will of the Senate Style Game. It should be fun.

To the mods: I know this doesnt come here, but it's the only place I can recruit players.

We will be using Vanilla, or minimods like VBM(Vanilla Balancing Mod)

Please sign-up, fun will be endless!

Signed up:
Caius(obviously)
woad&fangs
Charge
Shogun
Zim
Stuperman
Elite Ferret.

:medievalcheers:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by woad&fangs

:medievalcheers:

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Thank you woad&fangs.

How much of an effect would having EB installed have on the game?

Hmm, haven't yet played such things, but.....

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

:medievalcheers: as well

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How much of an effect would having EB installed have on the game?

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ask in their forum.

I'm not even familiar to EB.

I'm in. :medievalcheers:

This is my first time playing a PBM, I already have FRAPS though. Should I take screenshots or video?

Video doubt, screenies of course, battle reports etc...

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Originally Posted by Shogun

I'm in. :medievalcheers:

This is my first time playing a PBM, I already have FRAPS though. Should I take screenshots or video?

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Dont worry, video isn't need. Thank you for joining, I hope one or two more players will join as well.

This is exciting, a bit confusing though. So when do we get to choose factions?

We all play as one faction, I was thinking as Brittania, but we can change it with the popular consensus.

But what if someone cheats and moves another player's family member?

I suppose they get kicked...hard. :whip:

.....How would they know if he even moved it?

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Originally Posted by Shogun

But what if someone cheats and moves another player's family member?

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The only thing that is not allowed to do is to play battles as other member of the family you don't control.

I mean if he controls another family member in the campaign map. Maybe we should set up the coordinate cheat so everyone would remember the number and know if their character was moved by another person.

I suggest that the player who is playing the turns have free control of all the families members. But, if I'm Amulius Julius, I will play the battles where Amulius Julius get involved.

In other this style PBM's player which actually playing campaign (electable) moves FMs accordingly to other player's orders. They only play battles.

Alright, thanks for clearing that up.

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I really want to play a Will of the Senate Style Game. It should be fun.

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So what will be the senate exactly?

So you don't control a faction, only a family member?

Yes, you control one character and the best part is there's a senate system.

Which proposes motions in polls. Using the votation system, choices can be made.

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I'll let you use this as a recruiting ground for now though, moving it to the Throne Room when this "phase" has been completed.

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Omanes: This thread is used for recruitment, since RTW players don't look anymore at the Throne Room.

@Everyone: Lets select faction, dificulty, unit size, and mods if some mod is used. Then, we will port the game to the Throne Room, and the game will start.

I can suggest: Spain, Germany, Britannia, Egypt in RTW Vanilla/VBM.
Or Rome in SPQR:TW. Other mods can be included, as for example, the game Will of the Senate was played in RTR.

Faction: I would suggest Rome, Carthage or Macedon (large numbers of possible expantions/or diplomatic stances;
Difficulty: well, at least H/H, though for me VH/VH isnt enough usually. I also found battles much more challenging with morale turned off. We should play with house rules, role-playing etc..
Unit size: Large (normal or lower would not be to my preference (moderator edit), huge not everyone can handle)

As for mods, surely not vanilla, hmm, it turns what mods people have or can download or not them..

If there is a battle with two user controlled armies it would be unbalanced on h/h. I would therefore suggest m/m.

there is no between-players battles..

I want Brittania:whip:

Other factions that I'd be willing to play as-
Thrace
Pontus
Armenia
Numidia
Germania
Macedon
Greece

I've had extremely fun Campaigns as Thrace and Numidia(Short). My Armenia campaign I ended short because I started playing EB. Greece is a challenge but it is fun. I've never gotten very far with Germania or Macedon but I wouldn't mind trying them.

I don't care about the battle difficulty but the campaign difficutly I think should be set at medium. That way diplomacy will actually matter a little. I would prefer just playing vanilla.

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I want Brittania

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I want Brittania also, but playing with Barbossa82 Vanilla Balance Mod. It improves the game a lot. It's a little unstable though.

Egypt or Pontus, but any of the Roman factions would be better.

After much consideration, I have concluded that this thread is not able to stay in the Colosseum - especially since the game's set-up is now undergoing discussion. Sorry Caius, but I have no choice but to move it to the Throne Room.

To resolve the problem of a potential lack of participation should the thread be moved, a redirect will remain behind in the Colosseum. In addition, Caius may also form another thread in this forum advertising the game to potential players.

I hope this is a satisfactory solution. If there are any problems, feel free to drop me a PM.

~:)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Omanes Alexandrapolites

After much consideration, I have concluded that this thread is not able to stay in the Colosseum - especially since the game's set-up is now undergoing discussion. Sorry Caius, but I have no choice but to move it to the Throne Room.

To resolve the problem of a potential lack of participation should the thread be moved, a redirect will remain behind in the Colosseum. In addition, Caius may also form another thread in this forum advertising the game to potential players.

I hope this is a satisfactory solution. If there are any problems, feel free to drop me a PM.

~:)

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Dont worry Omanes, we are going to start.

Guys! We need to start, or this will die! Lets select the faction, and let's start!

I think you should choose, we're never going to come to a conclusion at this rate, let's just get it started.

If you're still taking players, I'd like to join. :yes:

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Originally Posted by Zim

If you're still taking players, I'd like to join. :yes:

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One more is always welcome!

Ok, I select Brittania, Vanilla, Large, vh/m.

Do you agree or not?

ww..wwait. VH/M??? You crazy then - I assume you mean M campaign/VH battle?

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Originally Posted by Charge

ww..wwait. VH/M??? You crazy then - I assume you mean M campaign/VH battle?

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I mean VH/M. Or do you want M/M??? I always play at M/M...

I agree with Charge. The campaign should be at medium. That allows for diplomacy to actually matter. I don't care about battle difficulty.

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Originally Posted by woad&fangs

I agree with Charge. The campaign should be at medium. That allows for diplomacy to actually matter. I don't care about battle difficulty.

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I do care about battle difficultly, I suck at battles, but I can do my best effort in battles.

I think we are ready to start. Please, choose a family member, Senaculus or Lannildut.

There will be 4 more threads, this one will be used for Out of Character Thread, it will be used for asking questions about what his character want to do, or just telling, Hey, I finished my turn, here is my savegame.

One thread will be called My beloved Brittania - Decisions . There, we will be able to take Decisions talking IC (In Character), I mean, saying whatever I want as Senaculus, and not Caius (just an example)

Other thread is called My beloved Brittania - Decisions for 270 BC. In the thread mentioned before, some ideas will pop up. If 2 players mention the same thing (Be ally of Gallia, for example), that will become a Motion. When we have 5 or more motions, a thread will be created. It will have a public poll, with the options: Motion 1 yes Motion 1 no motion 2 yes... and so forth. Every player will have to vote, I don't care if you are the spy or the faction leader, you have to vote. When the votation is closed, the motions will be aprovated or not. The player who is playing will have to follow the motions aprovated and wont be able to do the motions which are rejected.

Other is called Stories. Here, everyone will have to write a little. This will be related to the character life, not battles, battles will have other thread.

One thing I don't agree with you guys is that the player can't move other's characters. I don't agree, because game will be longer. I suggest whoever starts controls all, except battles where others characters are involved. What do you think? Is this hard to understand?

Cheers!

Any difficulty is fine with me. :yes: Since there's a limit of characters available, you can put me in reserve after the other guys get their's.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Caius

One more is always welcome!

Ok, I select Brittania, Vanilla, Large, vh/m.

Do you agree or not?

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I'm in,

I'd like to point out that making the attles harder doesn't change the AI, it just increases the enemy stats and on medium campaign settings you get so rich so fast, and the AI gets so poor so fast.

I personally would like vote for VH/M over M/VH, it doesn't matter to me in the end though.

Okay, so where's the list of family members?

I propose H/H difficulty. Golden middle, right?

Family members in vanilla are: Barrivendos, Belenus, Cynfawr, Prasutagus. Doubt it changed in VBM (I need to download it)

We will be using vanilla, VBM in my pc is unstable and I have a CTD in the same turn... So we could lose everything 'cause of this error.

Welcome Stuperman! I'm glad we are getting new players, I tried some recruitment, and I failed big time.

I'd like to join and am happy to wait as long as it takes for a general to become available. If you want to be in a WotS style game so badly you could just join KotR, unless you don't have M2...

Votation has started! See this thread and vote now! Timelimit is 3 days, so hurry up!

Now, please, select a character. I could be Barrivendos, he will die soon, that wont be a problem for me, as I can choose other family member.

I am creating all the threads mentioned before.

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Originally Posted by Elite Ferret

I'd like to join and am happy to wait as long as it takes for a general to become available. If you want to be in a WotS style game so badly you could just join KotR, unless you don't have M2...

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I don't have M2, and we will have generals also. You are in, of course.

:juggle2: Hmmm, Belenus or Prasatugas......

I'll be Prasatugas

Belenus then?

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Originally Posted by Charge

Belenus then?

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Or Cynfawr. Whom I guess he is near Deva. I think we are missing someone...

I'll take Cynfawr than.

I'll join as Lannildut! :2thumbsup:

Forgot other folks: Sennianus (14)
Calpornus (11) :)
Drustan (7) :)))
Wotecorix (2) :D

admiral...

Dont worry about the admiral, I will sink him soon, err, I mean, he will do his work soon.

I will be leaving for a week. Please, write some good stories, and vote for the Heir at the throne.

I strongly suggest increasing (decresing actually) spawn rate to 199 brigands 50 pirates. I dont wanna fight rebels that much, like I did in vanilla..

And who starts? who will operate building/unit queues, spies etc?

yeah you need someone like the KotR chancellor who actually plays the games and hands out battle saves. I'm not too sure about ancient British history though...

Hey guys, we could play as long as the faction leader dies.

If nobody objects, I'll take Sennianus when he comes of age.

I'd like to second the idea of having the faction leader's player play the campaign game. It seems fitting and will give the game a different feel to the other ones where it's a voted for position.

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If nobody objects, I'll take Sennianus when he comes of age.

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Great.

So, what difficult should we use? I proposed, bah, econ21 in the Ascent of the Julii proposed vh/m, I use M/M (yeah), but we could use other if we want to.

H/H, + greatly decreased rebel spawn rate :yes:

H/H isnt hard, better say M/M is easy...
VH for campaign means forget about autoresolve.

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Originally Posted by Charge

H/H, + greatly decreased rebel spawn rate :yes:

H/H isnt hard, better say M/M is easy...
VH for campaign means forget about autoresolve.

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We have a deal then. H/H and 100 rebels spawn rate.

The British Family : List of players and agents

Caius - Barrivendos
woad&fangs - Praestagus
Charge - Belenus
Shogun -Cynfawr
Zim - Sennianus
Stuperman - ??
Elite Ferret - ??
UltraWar - Lannildut

again, please answer this question:

One thing I don't agree with you guys is that the player can't move other's characters. I don't agree, because game will be longer. I suggest whoever starts controls all, except battles where others characters are involved. What do you think? Is this hard to understand?

Please, answer this question, and we are starting...

hmm, it will indeed speed up game, I think players should make their orders in thread where they want their general to be moved..

Charge makes since.

I'll take who ever is avaiable. the britons have generals on chariots don't they, ugh.

Crap, chariots! :laugh4:

Decitions for 270 BC has been posted. We need more desitions, please remember that in next chapters.

Just wanted to point out that I was the first to propose the capture of Ireland...:undecided:

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Originally Posted by Shogun

Just wanted to point out that I was the first to propose the capture of Ireland...:undecided:

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Sorry Shogun, i will fix that.

Also, I'd like to apologize to the person who proposed war with Germans, I did not add that option. I will add it in the next decicions thread.

it's ok, I didn't realize that I had proposed anything, I thought that there was a formal process to put forth a decision.

Is this dead?

hmm, nope. Seems Caius not started campaign, neither me or anybody else..
2/3 days and he'll be back.

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Originally Posted by Charge

hmm, nope. Seems Caius not started campaign, neither me or anybody else..
2/3 days and he'll be back.

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Don't worry, I'm back from holidays, and I will be starting this game...

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Originally Posted by Caius

Don't worry, I'm back from holidays, and I will be starting this game...

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...now.

Uploaded the gamefile to the org,http://www.totalwar.org/patrons/pbm/MyBB-270BC.rar

We have to pass it one family member to another. Rotation should be

Belenus
Cynfawr
Praestagus
Barrivendos

Because the faction leader have to write the report for the faction.

I can't seem to download the file, I'm using Firefox, how do I get it to work?

Are you left-clicking link? Right click -> save as and have fun! After me though..

So what do I do now? How do I save my progress into it? Do I take screenshots or videos?

already played? No need for videos, screens only from battles, to upload save go here and upload it, post link then.

http://www.totalwar.org/patrons/pbm/MyBB-270BC2.rar

Normal unit size?

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Originally Posted by Charge

http://www.totalwar.org/patrons/pbm/MyBB-270BC2.rar

Normal unit size?

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Hmm, yeah, sorry.

Maybe at least Germans will try to do anything this time...
Also it was on auto-manage, it isnt a big problem, but then your character is in town you should uncheck it and build/train what you need, I 've build Shrine to Andrasta it seems..