PBeM For PBeM Noobs

[Monarch]

A PBeM for people who dont usually play PBeM

Finalized Game Information

*The game will be played using Rome: Total War vanilla, patched to 1.5, no outside mods or personal editing allowed.
*We will be playing with the Seleucid Empire.
*We will be playing with medium battles and hard campaign.
*Each person will have 10 years before swapping to the next person.
*Toggling fog of war on/off is allowed via Rome Shell.
*Playing order is as follows: ZombyWolf, Sovereign, Rabbid Gibbon, Simon Appleton, Mount Suribachi, Ignoramus.
*Battle timer will be on.
*As if everyone included possible players play for 10 years/20 turns that only adds up to about 70 years of gameplay. As a result if the campaign is not completed after one round of the player list, we will go around again until the campaign is complete.
*Saves will be uploaded to: http://www.totalwar.org/patrons/pbm/ by using http://www.totalwar.org/Downloads/Up.../pbmupload.php



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Hello,

I have been reading threads such as the 'Alemmani PBeM' and the 'ERE PBeM' and it has got me very intruiged. However I have never played PBeM before, so I would like to start one for others to join in who do not usually play. Contrary to the title, experienced PBeM users may join in, however you may experience some form of 'annoyance', since it'll be a few peoples first games, or they havn't played in a while or whatever the write ups may not be up to your standards, and perhaps people will miss a few screens they perhaps should have taken, though obviously not encourages, we will not kill anybody who makes such mistakes.

I am extremely flexible as to what we play, I've got BI 1.6 and RTW 1.5. I dont want to play BI Roman factions however, I like to start small and grow. Perhaps the Saxons if we play BI? If we play standard then I would like to play civilized, Romans or Greeks preferably. I would like to play normal/normal for difficulty.

I think 10 turns each will do. Seriously, if you dont know what a PBem is then join, you'll simply play ten turns, then write up about your reign, you may do it in a roleplaying style preferably, however I think if you are particularly good at description, in a narrative form then that could work. Check the pinned threads in this forum for more info on how to play.

So yeah, all I'm looking for is if you want to give it a go that you fill out this simple little form.

Do you want to play Barbarian Invasion or Vanilla?:
How many PBeMs have you played before? (0 is fine!):
What is your prefered faction?

Thanks,

Simon AKA Soveriegn

[Zomby_Woof]

Actually, I was thinking it would be an excellent idea to start a second PBM alongside the current West Roman Empire one. One like this with much shorter turns will work just fine.

I personally would like to play on the vanilla with one of the more difficult factions like the Carthaginians or Seleucids. Although we should crank up the difficulty on the campaign level to hard at the very least.

[Mount Suribachi]

Hi Sovereign I my experience, the only "annoyance" is when the game stalls when someone doesn't play their turn, or disappears for a while from the Org. But even then everyone understands that we all have real life to deal with.

I've probly played 4 or 5 PBEMs, *thinks* Almohads, Byzantium, Spain, France...

But as regarding new PBEMers, I think part of the problem is that the path to the Throne Room is one of the least worn in the Org. Once people find their way here, they usually go "ooh, this is cool". Its getting folks here in the first place, and keeping them here if they have to wait several weeks to play their turn.

[Mount Suribachi]

BTW, thats a "yes I'm in". I like the sound of playing the Seleucids.

[Monarch]

think part of the problem is that the path to the Throne Room is one of the least worn in the Org.

I agree. It too me quite a while to find this place. While I like how the Org has named their forums inventivly, IE. Apothecary not Help Center, it can lead to some people not realising what a forum is for.

Glad to have you on board Mount Surabachi

[RabidGibbon]

Ohh Ohh, can I play. I'm a total n00b! Well almost, I'm bad enough to make you think I was anyway.

By which I mean to say I've played a pontus Pbem for a little bit. I agree with the Mountain about the Seleucids. That would be cool.

Cheers.

[Monarch]

Ok Rabid Gibbon, I would love to have you on board. Seleucids is cool for me too, they are actually one of the few factions I havn't played. However I often use them in multiplayer so the battle side isn't anything new. Looks like The Seleucid Empire it is then, now which patch? I would prefer 1.5 if thats ok?

[boastj]

What’s a PBeM, if I new what it was I might join

[Dutch_guy]

It's basically a campaign played in turns by a couple of players.

1 player plays...say 10 years... then saves the file and sends it to the player next in line. The players also write about their reign, that's called a write up.

check this link : https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=30871

Or check other hot thread right here in the throne room to get a better idea of a PB(e)M.

[Monarch]

What’s a PBeM, if I new what it was I might join

A PBeM, is a Play By eMail campaign, however as we are going to be using the Orgs upload feature, we will not be using email. So it's just a name really.

Basically, one person starts a standard RTW campaign. S/he will play for an emporers reign, or a set number of years. When s/he has finished thier reign they will write up about their reign, including screenshots, up in a designated thread. The write up could be in role playing (where you like it in a kind of diary from the point of view of an emporer form or in a narrative (just describe what happened, perhaps the easier option for newcomers). An example of pbem write ups can be found at>> https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=59706

Then the person will go into their 'saved games' file in the RTW folder on their hard drive, they will find their saved game containing their campaign and put it into it's own random folder, then zip it up. They will then upload the folder at>>> http://www.totalwar.org/Downloads/Up.../pbmupload.php . Then another player who has joined the pbem will download the file into their saved games folder, they will then continue campaign for the established number of years. They will then repeat the write up/upload process and then the next person will have a go. This continues until the campaign has been completed.

You may also want to read>> https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=30871

[Zomby_Woof]

Okay so it looks like we'll have a good PBM ahead of us with several people showing interest.

Seleucids it is I guess. They have an interesting army with a nice mix of pike phalanxes, elephants, chariots, and missile units so there should be some good battles when we come into conflict with some of the stronger factions like the Romans and Macedons later in the game.

I suppose there are two things left to be determined:

1. Difficulty level: I think a VH/M will make for a good campaign but I know Sovereign wants to do a M/M. Maybe compromise and do H/M?

2. Player list and order. So far we have:

Sovereign
Zomby_Woof
Mount Suribachi
RabbidGibbon
And maybe boastj

Does anyone have any preferred order? I personally would be interested in one of the first couple turns.

[Monarch]

If you wish to play hard, at which I am unpracticed then I would rather not go first. But I'm still up for it for sure, hell it might even make the write up a little more interesting. H/M sounds ok :) Though of course I'll have to stop playing multiplayer and get some practice lol.

Battle timer? Doesnt make much difference to me, I'm not bothered.

Edit: Are we agreed of patched up to 1.5?

[Mount Suribachi]

Dude, if you're playing MP I don't think playing at Hard level is much of an issue for you

1.5 for me btw.

And feel free to bump RabidGibbon and boastj above me in the list. I'll be playing the ERE PBEM game soon, and more to the point, gets the new guys in there ahead of folks like me who've done them before

[Monarch]

Dude, if you're playing MP I don't think playing at Hard level is much of an issue for you

1.5 for me btw.

And feel free to bump RabidGibbon and boastj above me in the list. I'll be playing the ERE PBEM game soon, and more to the point, gets the new guys in there ahead of folks like me who've done them before

Lol, well it's not like I win at MP much...(I can hold my own and occassionally gain a victory). Anyhow I just played a few turns starting a Seleucid campaign, very fun. Hard is actually alot of fun, I'm liking how because I'm often outnumbered (early stages so my army is a General, a few militia hoplites and perhaps peltasts) the battles are alot more fun and challenging, yet still winnable.

Anyway, for playing order may I please have second?

Oh and mount, whilst I like you saying the newbies should got first, since this is a RTW campaign where we need 50 provinces (as opposed to say a BI campaign where the most you ever need is 35) to win, everyone should get a go, perhaps more than one so playing order isn't that important in that respect.

Suggested playing order:

ZombyWolf
Sovereign
RabbidGibbon
(boastj is he decides to play)
Mount Suribachi
Anyone else who may join

I hope that's ok with everyone

Edit: Oh and I downloaded FRAPs, so I can take screenshots and such now :)

[Zomby_Woof]

I think I might be patched to 1.6, which is just 1.5 for BI I think so I should be okay...

Anyway we should get the order clear. Let's just do:

Zomby_Woof
Sovereign
RabbidGibbon
Mount Suribachi
boastj (awaiting confirmation)

So long as no one has any problems with me starting (which I have to admit, I'm really eager to do) I'll go ahead and start the campaign?

EDIT: Bah, looks like you got to it first.

[Monarch]

I think I might be patched to 1.6, which is just 1.5 for BI I think so I should be okay...

Anyway we should get the order clear. Let's just do:

Zomby_Woof
Sovereign
RabbidGibbon
Mount Suribachi
boastj (awaiting confirmation)

So long as no one has any problems with me starting (which I have to admit, I'm really eager to do) I'll go ahead and start the campaign?

Lol, we posted the same order without even looking at each others. But please do start, I'll make the official write up thread.

Remember, 10 turns :)

Edit: Oh, did you put battle timer on or off?

[Zomby_Woof]

Well, I started and then exited. I think we'll probably end up going battle timer on.

Is it ten turns (as in five years) or ten years (or twenty turns)

[Monarch]

Well, I started and then exited. I think we'll probably end up going battle timer on.

Is it ten turns (as in five years) or ten years (or twenty turns)

Ah sorry I wasn't too clear. 10 years/20 turns.

[Mount Suribachi]

Is 10 years long enough? We've only got 5 players so far, and about 270 years of game to get through. I think we could afford to make it 20 years/40 turns, or even a full reign.

The issue behind bumping the newbs is that the longer the game goes, the longer each turn takes, the longer it takes for each player to play their reign. People down the list can get bored waiting for their turn.

You might want to try pimping this in the EH and Colosseum btw. Folks like me have sigs turned off.

[Tricky Lady]

In case you play 10 years/20 turns and didn't finish the game by the time you reach the end of the list, you might want to add me to your list.
But don't feel obliged to do so; if you prefer to play full reigns or even 20 years/player you might get everyone to play a turn without adding more players to the list.

[Monarch]

Trick lady you would like to play? We would love to have you :)

Mount - I was actually thinking that we would go through the list twice, perhaps three times. This gives all players a chance at different times of the campaign. What are your thoughts on how this works? Would a straight 20 years be better?

[RabidGibbon]

For what its worth I'd quite enjoy getting a go at the campaign at several different times. It would be nice to see how people managed to get theselves out of the mess I landed them in!

Although I suppose the write up thread would also let me see that, but all in all I'd prefer the 10 year/20 turns option.

[Mount Suribachi]

Mount - I was actually thinking that we would go through the list twice, perhaps three times. This gives all players a chance at different times of the campaign. What are your thoughts on how this works?

It certainly introduces an interesting dynamic - could be interesting

[Monarch]

Ok we'll go with that then :)

[Zomby_Woof]

My reign has come to an end. I've saved the game under the name Seleucia260S.

Our neighbors have been very hostile as always but I've left Sovereign a large treasury, a wealthy and strong Empire in the west but in the east the Egyptians have been causing trouble as always although it seems the Parthians and Armenians have stopped bugging Hatra.

Good luck and have an enjoyable sit in the throne Sovereign.

[Monarch]

Ok, cant wait for the write up.

Edit: Click on the link, it's jsut a load of letters and symbols. Other links are zip or rar files, yours it the actual .sav

Can you zip the save up please?
edit: I did right clink sav link as, i think it'll work ok.

Edit again: I had a little look and a battle. It seems you had a very productive reign. I am sorry to say however I use peasent garrisons, I respect you for not using them but I'm already playing hard difficulty, which I dont usually do so I'm not going to try to make it harder. I'll try not to use them extensively, but they;re handy in our war against egypt to free up some men. Anyway I wont say anymore until RU time.

[econ21]

Sounds like you have an event-full innings, Zomby_Woof, and have produced a dramatic write-up,, with its fair share of tragedies as well as triumphs (sending phalanxes in open battle against the Parthians was brave).

I like the screenshots - especially the two doomed generals locked in personal combat. But one minor point - do you really like the green arrows? I always sided with frogbeastegg and the subtitle in her RTW guide green arrows must die, so I followed her advice to edit the preferences file to get rid of them.

[Zomby_Woof]

Thanks Simon, I decided that I would finish the write-up today no matter what. Unfortunately I got pretty annoyed with it and ended up rushing it and cutting out a pair of relatively important battles as well as a couple of skirmishes.

I personally like the green arrows when I'm actually playing the game. I think it helps keep my organized but I'm always kind of disappointed with how ugly it makes everything in the pictures...

[Dutch_guy]

Good write up Zomby_Woof, enjoyed reading it

The green arrows don't really bother me that much, though I usually do edit them out.

[Monarch]

Very nice ZW, good read.

I'm just after a tip really. Is it best to say play a turn, then if something important happened save, exit out and write it up. Or play the whole reign then write up or what? Advice please.