I am very interested. In fact, I posted twice in the last week about this (once in PBM forum and once in main hall). Unfortunately, not many replies.

see


thread in PBM

and

as followup post in main hall

I don't think you can get a real multiplayer in the sense f two players simultaneously playing against each other. If you switch factions every year (or every other year), the AI could really mess up your faction's plan in the intervening year. Also, there is no mechanism for 2 players to face each other in online battle. Also, switching this often will slow down the play bay mail so much it won't work.

The only way this would work, is to have a competitive play-by-mail where players switch factions after playing for many years. Here how I propose it:

GA mode/Expert difficulty

First player (or team) picks a Hard faction to start with. PLays until first round of GA points calculated.

Second player picks different faction (switch using god mode cheat). Plays until next GA poinst counted.

First player turn . He can either play his original faction, OR pick a new faction to play with (a faction that player 2 has not played yet).

Second player turn. Pick new faction or return to old faction he played.

etcetera

At end of game, the one who owns the faction with most points wins.

There is a lot of competition in such a game. WHich factios fo you pick? do you go after your opponent's last faction, or develop a third one? how do you set up your faction so that it does well under AI guidance for the next 25 years.

It is not true multiplayer, but competitive enough.

afrit