Pitboss Game: Soylent Green is Running

[WVUFAN]

I'm gonna host a second Civilization 4 Pitboss game if there's interest. I would prefer to have new players who are not currently in the FoFC Global game. Depending on interest, I can have from 4 all the way to 18 players.

For those who do not know, Pitboss stands for Persistant Turn-Based Server. In a normal Play by Email game, each person takes their turn, then sends the emailed turn to the next person in line. Trouble is if one person neglects or is unable to take their turn, it causes the game to completely stop. Pitboss solves this by allowing for people to take their turn when they want, at their own convenience.

It also has an option for a clock timer. The "Pitboss" or the person running the server, sets the time limit for each turn, usually 24 hours If everyone takes their turn before the timer expires, people can then immediately take their next turn. After 24 hours (or whatever time the clock is set), those who have not taken their turn are skipped, and the game goes to the next round. (By skipped, I mean none of their units move -- research and queues advance normally)

If a player is gone for a long absence, that civ can be taken over by another person with no difficulty, or even set to AI until the person returns. In other words, under Pitboss, no one causes a delay in the game (except for the server owner if his router hates him .... not that I would know anything about that)

What comes with the game:

1. Email Notification. You're automatically emailed when a new turn is ready.
2. *NEW* Web-based stats updated every 10 seconds. If you're away from your Civ game, you'll be able to keep track of the status of the game at any time with any internet connect. The first FOFC game, called "FOFC Global", just started this service, and it's located HERE (http://www.apartment167.com/pitboss/viewgame.php?gameid=46)
3. It's quicker than PBEM, but slow enough for the casual player. Since YOU choose when to play your turn, and the server (should now) be up 24 hours a day, a missed turn no longer will hold up everyone else. Perfect for the person who realizes that the game is not the most important thing.

If you're interested, post here and PM me with your email address. If you have a preferred Civilization, let me know and I"ll make it happen for you. Preference given to Non-FOFC Global people first. After that, if the Global people want yet more punishment from someone like me running the game, by all means, join up.

If no one is interested -- well, that's cool too. With my router FINALLY fixed (thanks for the suggestion on the Linksys router, Terpkristin), this is no problem at all for me to run, and since I love the game, it'll be fun for me as well.

[Yossarian]

I want to play, what with the bloody raging game dying on its arse.

[Franklinnoble]

I wanna play. Dibs on Kublai Khan. Sharon wants Catherine. That is, if you decide to take players from the other game...

[WVUFAN]

Well, preference will be given to people who aren't in the other Pitboss game first, but I'm sure there'll be plenty of room. I'm hoping that some of the people who were initially interested (Lonnie, Barkeep), will participate in this one.

[Alan T]

I'm interested, I have the Direct2Download version of Civ4, but I think its patched up. that won't be a problem will it?

[Franklinnoble]

Nah... as long as you're at ver. 1.61, you're cool.

[spleen1015]

I'm in if you'll have me.

[aran]

I'm in!

This should be goddamn awesome.

[Stevebsfan]

I'm not interested in this specific one, but after reading about pitboss here a few times, i've been loading up Civ4 on occasion and trying to get better so I don't get whipped online.

I have a question though, how are pitboss games usually handled early on, or how is the game set up? The opening turns must be painfully slow, right?

[WVUFAN]

I'm not interested in this specific one, but after reading about pitboss here a few times, i've been loading up Civ4 on occasion and trying to get better so I don't get whipped online.

I have a question though, how are pitboss games usually handled early on, or how is the game set up? The opening turns must be painfully slow, right?

Yeah, in hindsight I think I spam the board with too much of the Pitboss thing. I apologize for that.

Also, I doubt you'd get whipped online. If I can be competitive in civ4 games, anyone can. :-)

To answer your other question, I think the slowness of the game is really a matter of comparison. Most who are playing in the Pitboss games or are interested in them started on Civ4 Play-By-Email games, and compared to them, Pitboss is WAAAAY faster. It caters to people who like a consistant game, but lack the time to play a normal Internet Civ4 game. I would call it a happy medium for those type of people.

RuntheBall had an excellent idea of a Pitboss game with an accellerated start -- one where everyone who is playing in the game would log on for an hour or two straight and initially take their turns, getting as many of the early stages of the game out of the way as soon as possible. You might PM or talk to him, because for those who can do it, that's honestly the best way to start one of these things.

However for me at least, my schedule is completely opposite of most peoples. I work nights, and quite a few people in the FOFC Global game play their turns at wierd times, so the idea of a 24 hour clock is appealing to many of us because we can take them when we want.

I have a tendency to run (or try to run) games designed for those who understand that it IS just a game, and have lives outside of it. That's why I set the clock at 24 hours, and have no intention of changing that for the second game. People have families(like GStelmack) and work(like me) and outside interests(like Jeeberd), and if they also want to spend 5-10 minutes a day playing in a Civ4 game, I'm gonna do what I can to make that available to them.

It's cool that you're not interested in my Pitboss game, but I would highly encourage you to give Pitboss a try down the line, regardless of who runs it. If you like Civilization 4 it's a great way to run a game.

If you have any questions about how a game runs or how to set one up yourself, PM me, and I'll do what I can to help you get one going.

[Vince]

Ditto what WVU said -- I'm a bartender on the West coast, and about now is usually my best time for turn-taking availability. It's tough, unless it's my day off, to be around at a similar time for those on the board -- I'm typically at work from 3:30 PM PST until Midnight PST or later...which is a prime time for most East AND West coasters to be doing more 'fun' things like playing Civ.

[Yossarian]

my bro wants to play too

will pbem email address

[Runtheball]

I'll take a spot if you can't fill the game with new players. Will choose my civ based on what's available when (if) I'm allowed in.

If I could get enough interest in a Pitboss game with an accellerated start (everyone online at the same time to speed-up the first 25-30 turns or so, then shift to an 18 hour clock) I'd love to host that game. I posted that here a week ago and received little interest. It would be tough to coordinate, but if anyone wants that kind of game PM me and we'll discuss it.

I've also bumped the thread for the game I tried to start last month...so we don't flood this thread with discussions of a different game.

[Stevebsfan]

Yeah, in hindsight I think I spam the board with too much of the Pitboss thing. I apologize for that.

Oh, I wasn't trying to hint at that. I apologize if you took it that way.


RuntheBall had an excellent idea of a Pitboss game with an accellerated start -- one where everyone who is playing in the game would log on for an hour or two straight and initially take their turns, getting as many of the early stages of the game out of the way as soon as possible. You might PM or talk to him, because for those who can do it, that's honestly the best way to start one of these things.

Yea, that does sound like a good way to start it. Once the game gets rolling, I can see longer turns being a better thing. I'm usually in such a rush to get to the next research or whatever, I often overlook things I should be doing each turn to improve myself.


It's cool that you're not interested in my Pitboss game, but I would highly encourage you to give Pitboss a try down the line, regardless of who runs it. If you like Civilization 4 it's a great way to run a game.

Well it's not that i'm not interested in your games, I am.. just not this round. I probably worded that bad too. I probably should have left the not interested part out, because it made it sound bad. Anyway, once I get some free time i'd definitely like to join either yours or runtheball's game. It sounds real fun. Btw, how long does the avg game take in days? Do you finish it before people drop out? Thanks!

[WVUFAN]

Oh, I wasn't trying to hint at that. I apologize if you took it that way.

I didn't. I just realized while writing my response that I could have combined some of my threads into one. It's cool.


Yea, that does sound like a good way to start it. Once the game gets rolling, I can see longer turns being a better thing. I'm usually in such a rush to get to the next research or whatever, I often overlook things I should be doing each turn to improve myself.

The accellerated clock idea that Runtheball has is honestly the best way to start a game. The trick is getting everyone to come on at the same time for an hour or so. That's gonna be difficult.


Well it's not that i'm not interested in your games, I am.. just not this round. I probably worded that bad too.

You didn't word it bad at all. I just wanted you to know that playing the game via Pitboss is a good way to playing, regardless of who is running the server.


I probably should have left the not interested part out, because it made it sound bad. Anyway, once I get some free time i'd definitely like to join either yours or runtheball's game. It sounds real fun. Btw, how long does the avg game take in days? Do you finish it before people drop out? Thanks!

You're always welcome to play in the second Pitboss game I'm starting up, but if you have the time, it looks like RuntheBall's game would be right up your alley. I would play (and will play) in it if the time he's starting is in my schedule.

The average game is 630 turns. Outside of my internet issues, we're getting about a turn to at turn and a half a day. Runtheball's game (I think) will be on an 18 hour clock, so his will go much quicker.

[aran]

What's the status of this game? Is it likely to happen with the limited interest that's been expressed so far?

[WVUFAN]

8 people for a Civ game is pretty good. I'm gonna give it a few more days past the 4th of July "weekend" before setting it up, since some aren't online due to the holiday, but it's definitely gonna happen.

Right now we have 5 non-FOFC Global players interested, and 3 people from the first game. Again, 8 people ain't bad.

[JeeberD]

Count me in if you take current players...

[WVUFAN]

Ok, so right now we have 10 players. That's more than enough to start thing out.

Are there particular settings everyone would be interested in? What kind of maps would you like? With this game, you guys will determine the kind of game you're interested in.

Plus we'll need the name of the game -- I like the name "Eric Kills the Other Civs". What do you think of that one?

[aran]

Maximum-Civilization starring Daivd Winters?

[spleen1015]

"Horns Maniac Sticks a Trout in Your Rectum When Wearing Patriotic Undies While Being a Dictator Sometimes" sounds like a good title to me.

We can call it HMSaTiYRWWPUWBaDS for short!

[Bisbo]

I'd like to play.

[WVUFAN]

Maximum-Civilization starring Daivd Winters?

Heh. :-)

Daivd Winters designing a Civ-style game -- I wonder how he would butcher it?

[aran]

Your cities would grow at different speeds depending on your framerate.

The game'd take him 78 years to develop but land units would have the "feature" of being able to walk across water tiles. There would be 2 units included with the game, but Daivd would give you tools to make more. Units three or four tiles away would suddenly attack you because of bad animations/collision detection... This is almost a fun excersize.

[Franklinnoble]

No barbarians, and team continents would be nice.

[WVUFAN]

Right now, we have 11 players: 4 from the first FOFC game, 5 from FOFC, and 2 from CivFanatics. We'll start the game on Sunday, July 9. I'll give a few more days to decide on players, but until then, I need input on the style of play. (In other words, there's still room if you want to play. The game is extended now to anyone who has Civ4, FOFC Global players or not)

FranklinNoble suggests No Barbarians. Is this what everyone else wants?
Also, what do you mean by "Team Continents"

Are there any other rules people would like to see?

[WVUFAN]

I'd like to play.

If you're still interested, PM me with your email address.

Dola -- here are the people who are interested in playing so far:

1. Yossarian
2. Alan T
3. Spleen1015
4. Aran
5. Yossarian's Brother
6. FranklinNoble (from FoFC Global game)
7. Sharon (from FoFC Global game)
8. RuntheBall (from FoFC Global game)
9. JeeberD (from FoFC Global game)
10. Dandridge (from CivFanatics)
11. ZenSpiders (from CivFanatics)

There's still 7 spots open if someone would like to give this a try -- you only need a internet connection and Civ4 patched to the most recent edition, plus 5 minutes of your time a day.

-- Eric

[Runtheball]

I"d suggest avoiding the largest map sizes, in order to keep the game to a reasonable length, and allow us to find each other within the first few months of gameplay.

[Bisbo]

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=6 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=alt2 style="BORDER-RIGHT: 1px inset; BORDER-TOP: 1px inset; BORDER-LEFT: 1px inset; BORDER-BOTTOM: 1px inset">Originally Posted by Bisbo
I'd like to play.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
If you're still interested, PM me with your email address.


Still interested....PM Sent.

[Alan T]

If you're still interested, PM me with your email address.

Dola -- here are the people who are interested in playing so far:

1. Yossarian
2. Alan T
3. Spleen1015
4. Aran
5. Yossarian's Brother
6. FranklinNoble (from FoFC Global game)
7. Sharon (from FoFC Global game)
8. RuntheBall (from FoFC Global game)
9. JeeberD (from FoFC Global game)
10. Dandridge (from CivFanatics)
11. ZenSpiders (from CivFanatics)

There's still 7 spots open if someone would like to give this a try -- you only need a internet connection and Civ4 patched to the most recent edition, plus 5 minutes of your time a day.

-- Eric


Your PM box is full, so I can't send you my email information right now :)

[Barkeep49]

Since your PM box is full let me say that I appreciate the invitation but as I cannot find my Civ IV disc I remain unable to play in this.

[Franklinnoble]

Since your PM box is full let me say that I appreciate the invitation but as I cannot find my Civ IV disc I remain unable to play in this.

Do you have the game installed? I can help you with a nocd option...


Team continents means everyone is on their own island, basically. It gives you a little room to grow in the early game without worrying about any early conflict... but it can also be challenging, as the isolation can be a disadvantage if you can't establish early trade partners.

[Barkeep49]

Do you have the game installed? I can help you with a nocd option...


Team continents means everyone is on their own island, basically. It gives you a little room to grow in the early game without worrying about any early conflict... but it can also be challenging, as the isolation can be a disadvantage if you can't establish early trade partners.
I do have the game installed. I had thought you needed the CD to do a nocd option.

[Franklinnoble]

I do have the game installed. I had thought you needed the CD to do a nocd option.

Nope.

http://www.digitalstadium.org/smf/index.php?topic=59.msg1815#msg1815

:D

[aran]

Team Continents is a no-no. I'd prefer to not make naval power required for every nation if they even remotely want to wage war. Having us all isolated also means that early conflict simply doesn't happen, which I think is quite boring and just protracts the early game. ESPECIALLY if there are no barbarians to fight in the early game.

I'd suggest Large map, 6 continents, and everything else at middle-of-the-road.

[WVUFAN]

Your PM box is full, so I can't send you my email information right now :)

Again, sorry -- I've opened up more room in my PM box now. :)

[WVUFAN]

We only have a single slot open for the new Pitboss game starting up, so if you haven't signed up yet, now's the time. We have the following players confirmed. (Given the fairly equal split, a good name for this game might be FOFC v. CivFanatics):

1. Yossarian
2. Alan T
3. Spleen1015
4. Aran
5. Yossarian's Brother
6. FranklinNoble
7. Sharon
8. RuntheBall
9. JeeberD
10. Dandridge (from CivFanatics)
11. Zenspiders (from CivFanatics)
12. Bisbo
13. Stevebsfan
14. WVUFan (if more than one person wants to join, I'll opt out)
15. Burke Randa (from CivFanatics)
16. Lob (from CivFanatics)
17. Mike Johnson (from CivFanatics)
18.

If you have not done so, PM me your email address. For those that have, thank you very much.

[saldana]

WVU, dont slot me in yet, but if you havent got any other takers by the time you were planning on starting this game, you can slot me in at 18...just let me know by pm or email that i am in or not.

[Franklinnoble]

You keeping track of the civs we want?

[aran]

I think it should be random civs. That'd make for much less bitching.

[Franklinnoble]

I think it should be random civs. That'd make for much less bitching.

Then I'd just bitch about not getting to pick.

[WVUFAN]

You keeping track of the civs we want?

Yup. So far 4 people want the English. :-)

[saldana]

Yup. So far 4 people want the English. :-)

oh yeah, i will only play if i can be the germans. ;)

[Lonnie]

I want in if the last spot is open.

[WVUFAN]

Lonnie, you're in. PM me your email address.

[WVUFAN]

oh yeah, i will only play if i can be the germans. ;)

If you're really interested, you can have my spot. Give me a PM if you want in.

[saldana]

If you're really interested, you can have my spot. Give me a PM if you want in.
nah, its fine, i will wait for round 3 (hopefully on or about July 25th), let lonnie have slot 18, and you can stay in....i wasnt really looking for a new game...i was just rrying to help get round 2 off the ground

[Runtheball]

I'd also give up my spot if someone else wants in. I'm in FOFC Global and expect to start CivEarth Saturday night.

[WVUFAN]

I'd also give up my spot if someone else wants in. I'm in FOFC Global and expect to start CivEarth Saturday night.

If you're serious about that, I'll take you up on it. The stupid Pitboss server won't let me scroll down long enough to activate the 18th player.

If you'd like to play, though, you can have my spot (I'm in 2 games already). This wouldn't be a big deal to me if you'd really like to play. PM me and let me know what you would like to do.

[spleen1015]

I am having trouble getting connected to the test game. It tells me the connection has timed out.

Is the game still up and running?

[WVUFAN]

I am having trouble getting connected to the test game. It tells me the connection has timed out.

Is the game still up and running?

Nope, the test game was taken down this afternoon. The actual game will be set up tomorrow night.

[Yossarian]

hi, just noticed I'm not on the CC email list - my bro is though. :-)

[spleen1015]

Can I request Lizzy this late?

[WVUFAN]

Yossarian, what's your email? I have you and your brother as having the same email address.

Spleen: Nope, not too late -- assuming someone hasn't already taken it. My handy notebook with eveyrone's requested civs is at home -- if she's taken I'll let you know.

[spleen1015]

Any word on when we'll be getting started? Just wonderin'!

:D

[WVUFAN]

Die game is on, and is now called "Soylent Green". Changing the topic title to reflect this.

[Franklinnoble]

Is anyone else able to get on right now?

[spleen1015]

There was a lot of hairy stuff going on for me. I was finally able to take my turn, but in all of the mayhem(:)), I screwed up.

[aran]

I got in successfully and completed my turn. Right when I was about to leave, i saw JeeberD log in.

[Franklinnoble]

Nevermind... I got in.

[WVUFAN]

The game got out of sync, which can happen especially when a game is just starting, so I saved and restarted the server.

[Yossarian]

wvu - i pm'd you but haven't recieved anything

my mail is [email protected]

[WVUFAN]

Ok, cool. I'll make sure you're added to the list.

In the meantime:

Here's how to get into the game:

1. Open Civilization 4
2. Click on Multiplayer
3. Click on "Direct IP Connection"
Game Name: Soylent Green
Network Address is: 24.154.139.119:2050 (http://24.154.139.119:2050/)
Password: king

Select your civ and create a password to protect it.

[Lonnie]

I took my turn last night. I meant to check again before leaving for work but was in a hurry.

[Runtheball]

Civstats shows several unclaimed civs. Do you still have 18 players committed to the game?

[WVUFAN]

There's been two that says they're playing when they get off work, but two that have not responded to my email.

[saldana]

There's been two that says they're playing when they get off work, but two that have not responded to my email.


let me know if they dont show up....i can still jump in if you need a player.

[Stevebsfan]

Sorry for the delay, had trouble connecting, but took my turn.

[Grammaticus]

Die game is on, and is now called "Soylent Green". Changing the topic title to reflect this.
:eek: You guys are eating people?

[saldana]

new turn is started, i took the last civ, prepare to bow down to me!

[ERoy]

Due to an error (which was me accidentally closing up the Soylent Green Pitboss window without saving first) I need to request that everyone who has taken the turn for 3970 BC retake it. I apologize for this. The time clock has been reset.

[WVUFAN]

dola -- Wow -- I switch browsers, and it auto logs me into a username I had forgotten the password for YEARS ago.

So, ERoy is me -- I started a new username when I couldn't log on using that on last year.

[saldana]

dola -- Wow -- I switch browsers, and it auto logs me into a username I had forgotten the password for YEARS ago.

So, ERoy is me -- I started a new username when I couldn't log on using that on last year.


i figured it was you since thats who pm'ed me yesterday, i just couldnt figure out why you changed your name :)

[Alan T]

Any idea what happened with the game last night? My name was messed with on my civ, and i noticed some others were too?

[Lonnie]

I received two emails this morning from the CivStats server

From: WebStats <Pitboss>
To: [email protected]
Date: Jul 14, 2006 4:12 AM
Subject: [CivStats] New Turn for Soylent Green

A new turn has begun in your Pitboss game:
Soylent Green

The year is now 2620 BC

Then ---------------------

From: WebStats <Pitboss>
To: [email protected]
Date: Jul 14, 2006 4:19 AM
Subject: [CivStats] New Turn for Soylent Green

A new turn has begun in your Pitboss game:
Soylent Green

The year is now 3910 BC


I took my turn after this I don't think it jumped 1300 years, but didn't really pay attention. What's up with that?

[aran]

I may not be able to take my turn on saturday. Will the game still execute orders that I've queued up even if I don't take a turn?

[WVUFAN]

Lonnie: the civstats program got my two pitboss games mixed up. No worries, it's been fixed.

Aran: Yep. Queued items will still build and research, but units won't move.

[Yossarian]

but units won't move

They will if you shift-click to queue orders.

[saldana]

did anyone else have to play their last turn twice? i had to make the same moves a second time, and the goodie hut i went into gave me less gold the 2nd time. :(

[aran]

They will if you shift-click to queue orders.

How about if you right-click outside their movable range?

[Yossarian]

I imagine that'd work fine too - because that works on a singleplayer turn even if you don't do anything but press 'finish turn' queued orders will happen I'd imagine. Same with build queues and research queues. I don't know what would happen if you finished research or building without their being a queued item.

[Yossarian]

anyone else having problems connecting? I'm timing out.

[Lonnie]

He sent out an email earlier saying it would be down for about a day while he works on the computer it's running on.

[Lonnie]

I was able to get in early yesterday, but have not been able to since.

[spleen1015]

Yeah, I was unable to get on this morning.

[Franklinnoble]

Power outage.

[Lonnie]

I can ping it, but I can't connect. Any word from Eric?

[Franklinnoble]

My guess is that the PC came up with the power, but until Eric gets home and starts the pitboss app, it won't work.

[WVUFAN]

WARNING:

If I see any indications that any of the players in my Pitboss games are using known AI exploits, YOU WILL BE KICKED IMMEDIATELY. This is your only warning.

This is a game, and if you have to (essentially) cheat with the AI in order to get ahead in the game, this isn't the one for you.

I'm sure everyone in this game will play the game as it was intended, and since we currently have no AI, it shouldn't be a problem. As these games go, though, eventually someone WILL quit -- real life has a tendency to do that sometimes. PLAY FAIR. I do NOT consider utilizing known AI exploits as playing fair.

Just wanted everyone to know so the air is clear when it comes to the games I Pitboss.

EDIT NOTE: I'm not accusing anyone of this. I'm simply making my position clear when it comes the Pitboss games I run.

[Yossarian]

Any chance we can reduce the turn time? Crank in a few more turns?

[Lonnie]

Just when I take the lead and it's down again!

[Lonnie]

So are we done? Do I win?

[aran]

I've stopped trying to submit turns because of the amounts of downtime. It's not worth it for me to start up Civ4 just to try to log in to this game and time-out.