The Will of the Senate PBM - out of character thread IV

[Lucjan]

Sorry about the double post..but..

Due to a recent panic attack I had because I was convinced some treacherous swine had somehow secretly used one of our diplomats to give Carthage Lepcis Magna, because we lost it and I, for the life of me, couldn't figure out how, I must ask you all a tiny favor.

If, by chance, you are fighting a battle initiated during another faction's turn, and our new turn starts after your battle is over, let me know what all of those little icons that scroll down the left side of the screen tell you. They contain valuable information that prevents such panic attacks, like, Carthage bribing Lepcis Magna back to their side. Due to nobody's fault really, this little event had been overlooked, and I got very very confused very quickly.

Even if it's just a really short note to let me know what happened like "units in rome, arretium, capua." "buildings in tylis, bylazora." Or whatever the messages happen to be.

The republic has become seriously huge, and to have to go through every single town every turn to make sure buildings have been built or what-not gets very tedious. Those little icons make everything a heck of alot easier to organise and remember. The problem is, those icons don't reappear when you load the save game, and all that information is lost to be manually dug up again.

So I'd really appreciate if you guys could remember and try to help me out with that. Thanks everybody in advance.

[Death the destroyer of worlds]

Best is just to hit escape immediately after the battle (might have to bash that key a bit). You should get a chance to save when the next factions turn is (so before our next turn starts). This way you don't have to make any notes at all and the first consul can see for himself.

[Lucjan]

I don't think that works the way it's supposed to...

The save you sent me that you did that way, I only get two messages. New family member and the end turn report.

From what I can gather.. the unit recruitment and building completion icons never appear, because those things are already registered on the campaign map from the moment you hit end turn, if you're loading a save with those things already on the campaign map, they won't be recognised as newly recruited or constructed and I don't get the icon.

This is, also, why I think I never saw the message about Lepcis Magna, Lepcis Magna was already Carthy again on the camp map by the time the save file was taken, when I loaded it, the game registered LM as being Carthy and neglected to mention to me that it had been bribed away from me during the ai's turn.

Because the ai completes all your orders when you hit end turn, before it actually takes its own turn, saving during the ai turn makes the computer 'forget' to tell me about all the new and wonderful things I have to play with.

[econ21]

[edit: Lucjan posted at the same time as me - I'm replying to DDW]

I don't think this is going to solve the problem - if we save a game in the middle of a transition (ie at the moment when the AI attacks us) and exit, I suspect we lose all messages pertaining to events leading up to the attack. The only messages that will show up after we load it are those that happen during or after the battle.

At least, that's what happens with the winter-255-lucius save. The Carthy AI presumably bribed Lepcis Magna during its turn but before Thrace attacked. We saved at the moment of the Thracian attack. But when the battle is resolved & our turn comes, we are not informed of the Carthaginian bribery. In this particular case, I think we can legitimately role-play it as skull-duggery - if you are turning traitor, you might want to keep it quiet from the big Roman army roaming around nearby.

[Lucjan]

Oh, we're going to legitimately rp this out. I wouldn't have it any other way, and I really don't mean to be a pain to those who may end up with that end-turn battle...but I'm human, I forget exactly what I put where in all our 50 some settlements.

I'm not asking for specifics of what building type or unit type like the computer gives you, just the simple note of...

You have new units in (enter city names).
You have new buildings in (enter city names).

[Death the destroyer of worlds]

This is handy for screen capture during battles :
http://www.gadwin.com/printscreen/?prnscr

EDIT : I let it play out after saving and all I got was an end of turn report icon. I was under the assumption that you didn't build/train anything that turn (pretty unlikely, not I think of it).

[Braden]

I did spot 2 Carthy diplomats on their way down towards L.M. when I was reviewing the save before last but lost their position as Decius was further north looking for the oncoming armies (a much better idea).

Small garrison + diplomats = easy bribe. Seems logical.

the other option is to do a simple "PrtScn" for each event and then use that for a brief report. I know that I just can't remember the names of places and never seem to have a pen and paper near the PC.

[Lucjan]

I'd be perfectly happy with screenies.

[econ21]

How's it going Lucjan? There seems to have been something of a pause since Monday.

[Lucjan]

There's alot to consult, but the campaign is moving forward. I'm going to get more on top of the consular reports, I know they're supposed to be every two days, it just doesn't seem like a significant amount of stuff happens in just two days. They'll be more frequent though from now on.


Speaking of, there's a new update now! It's a lengthy one too.

[Braden]

Excellent work Lucjan, I think the key is that your taking lots of time to think things through and consult directly with your Generals (as we know).

All this takes time but the results are worth it, good detail on the report.

I have to be honest and say I'm really worried about the situation your legion is in doesn't look good, I hope you can keep giving the Carthy's the run around until relief arrives mate.

Good luck to ya, by comparison I've got a real easy job ahead of me

Edit: Oh and what on EARTH is Appius looking at! That’s the sort of expression you only get when you put on your trousers and find there was a bird-eating spider inside them…..

[Lucjan]

Either that, or the shot was probably taken on his honeymoon, and Appius is getting his first good gander at Marcia.

[StoneCold]

Good report. :)

Just a minor nitpicking... :P, I see you forgot to report on the defection of Lepcis Magna.

[econ21]

Yes, a very good report. Now can we fight someone? (God, I am starting to sound like a human version of Lillacor, the talking sword in Baldur's Gate 2 that I despised.)

[Lucjan]

Report on my shortcomings? Please, allow me a little bit of senatorial arrogance. Besides...I have to give the senate something to whine about when Servius gets back.

It doesn't matter that we have Lepcis Magna again now, four years ago you didn't report that we lost it to begin with!

EDIT - Ok, ok, you can fight someone in..what, 10 minutes, after I do my battle!

[Mount Suribachi]

Speaking of, there's a new update now! It's a lengthy one too

Again, can I re-iterate an earlier request of mine, please please please, when you do a Consular report, please add a reply

I ask this for 2 reasons.

1) So I can quickly and easily see via the new post symbol that a new report has been made

2) So we can get off page fracking one!!!!!!. Ahem. Even with broadband it takes a couple of minutes to load that page due to the 150 images on that page.

[Lucjan]

Oh! Sorry mount suribachi! The next report, as per your very truly spoken request, will be made in a "reply" rather than an edit...and, errrr, every report after that too.
EDIT - It's hard work leading a massive republic! Sometimes these minor details slip my mind. lol, sorry.

[Avicenna]

Oh dear, I'm here!

[Lucjan]

Um, welcome back? Having seen you in a while, where've you been?

New battle report going up soon.

[Tamur]

I am wondering, do you still welcome newcomers, and is this were I would ask? The past week has been the first time I've wandered into the PBM forum for more than a few minutes, and it's been truly fascinating to read the (extremely well written) reports and debate in the Senate threads.

If you're not bringing new people in here I perfectly understand.

[Lucjan]

Yes we are.

We've actually got some pretty strong new avatars available.

Have you read the FAQ thread?

[Tamur]

hi Lucjan, thanks for the quick reply.

Yes, I have read the FAQ thread fairly thoroughly at this point. However, I apparently will be spending two or three days downloading the required files, as my current downloading of part one of seven via rapidshare (a misnomer if ever there was one) is going to take another three hours. The bottleneck is not on my end since I'm on a T3 line.

21 hours of downloads is rather daunting but I'll do it! However, if anyone knows of other places besides rapidshare to grab these files, I would Really appreciate a pointer.

Once I get the downloading done I will be ready to jump in.

And, I submit myself to your wise judgement regarding where I might best serve.

[Lucjan]

Thank you, but my wise judgement won't burden you with choosing an avatar for you. That's your job. The avatar becomes your personality for the game, so it's important you choose one you think you'll like.

There are a number available for the taking, some of them better than others, but sometimes flawed characters can be fun, you can see our newest one, (quite promising too if I might add) in my latest consular report. (Speaking of flawed characters, I had a HOOT playing Manius during the trial. lol)

Misnomer indeed...rapidshare and I don't get along. If you can't get rapidshare's multi-part zip to work (Like I couldn't...) I have all the single file zip files saved and could upload them to something else, like, mega-upload. And you could get them from there. Those multi-parts work wonderfully for some people. For others, (like me), they just don't seem to want to put themselves back together.

[Mount Suribachi]

Welcome Tamur, there are indeed some interesting avatars available....

[Tamur]

Assuming the list of available family members is current, would it be OK to step into the shoes of Galerius Vatinus? As far as I can find, he is:

- the son of Valerius Paullus, born spring 274
- currently 19 years old, and has spent most of his time in southern Italy or Sicily
- has commanded one battle against a few bandits while on march from Syracuse to Rome
- is currently near or in Rome, while his father is commanding the Italian legion

Though the new Coruncanius is going to be quite the fellow, I would feel a bit awkward taking over such a superstar when I am a bit new to the process and all.

Someone let me know if this is ok. I don't know whether that would put me in the upper or lower house, so someone will need to tell me this as well.

Thanks! And Lucjan, if you could somehow get those files on a different server that would be splendid. The first of those seven files still has 20 minutes to go...

[Glaucus]

You can take whoever you want, don't be bashful. The Coruncanius are an ancient Roman Family yes, but that doesn't mean you can't join them. The upper house is if you want to debate in the senate but not fight battles, and the lower house means you have the mods installed and will fight any battles your avatar gets into. The choice is yours, though since your downloading the mods I assume you will join the lower house, correct?

[Tamur]

hi Glaucus,

Yes, I am downloading the mods and will definitely be participating in the battles, osv. Thanks for the clarification.

After posting that last, I found that Galerius was played by Eclectic and already has quite a history. So I think I would rather take up the clean slate of the young Coruncanius, Appius Barbatus. With a name like that, who knows where he will end up?

[Tamur]

Hmm, a definite problem. File #1 was there, but file #2 (at least) has been deleted from RapidShare. I'm renaming the service SlowShare-RapidDelete.de

So, if someone could let me know where to find these files, that would be positively splendid. I went to the RTR page on twcenter, and they don't seem to have the same set of files for Platinum.

[Lucjan]

Right, and look at that silly glare in his eyes. Is that brilliance, or just because he's a goofy looking bugger?

EDIT - I'll upload the biggest file to megaupload now, while I go take a nap. Still waiting on econ's return of the save after he fights his battle. If I get it within the next 3 1/2 hours the next move after I do some army maneouvering will go to DDW, if not, we'll see how things go tomorrow.

[Tamur]

Thanks very much for your help Lucjan. I'll content myself to comment here and there meanwhile... and yes, I was wondering about those eyes. A bit too much white to be a perfectly normal Sharp fellow...