Posted by Starrh:
I enjoy stars because I can play it through E-Mail and I do not have to dedicate a whole day to playing the game. I was hoping that it might be possible to set FreeOrion up so that I would be able to play through E-Mail. I am not sure that the battle interface will allow for it though.
Good point. How often can a person play all day? That raises other questions about multi-player (mp) games.
QUESTION: I read somewhere here that FO supports mp. Don’t remember seeing what type(s). Which types of mp games does it support? There are hot seat, Internet and Home network (TCP/IP), PBEM.
If for home networks, you can count on me to do FO testing on my network.
QUESTION: If FO is to allow mp games on the internet, then can I assume mp games can be saved to a server, so that you’re not stuck in a game all day?
For FO PBEM games, battles could be automated, as like Stars!
First, some praises for SSnG, and then some praises for FO.
Instead of forcing all players to stay online throughout the entire game, SSnG mp games were set up to utilize a central server to receive and serve up game files for each completed turn, or as you would log back on the next day to resume a game.
The great advantage is that you could take your turn “offline.” You could manipulate your empire offline -- at your convenience -- and then log back on to the server to upload a completed turn file. If your other opponent had also completed and sent his turn, the server immediately process the turn, and you would immediately receive the new updated game files.
This is a good model which has its advantages. You don’t have to blitz a game, and not sit there all day, but
play at your convenience. But none of this would preclude staying on line, taking many turns and playing for several hours if you wanted. You would also log in to the server’s site to see a list of pending game starts.
Like some mentioned above, I’ve also played every 4X space game made, including SSnG. The SSnG design is a game significantly ahead of its time. It is a “next generation” 4X Space game, well beyond anything done so far. I hope Jeff and Co. can get funding some way. It would be a mistake to judge SSnG by its demo. If you never got a chance to peruse the Crisium site, and you claim to be a lover of 4X space games, then you’ve never tasted the ice cream.
BTW, SSnG wasn’t quite as complete as some here have seemed to suppose. The beta was actually an early beta, was still alpha in some respects; it didn’t have some of the main features programmed in yet. (No, I’m not on their dev team, but I’ve played the beta legally.)
If FO even comes close to the feature set that SSnG has in its design formerly seen at the Crisium site, I will be ecstatic. I really do hope FO eventually grows to become a game ahead of its time.
FO looks like a terrific project so far. FO, and everyone associated has my blessing and support. And I hope to have some great ideas myself that will contribute to the insight and design of the project.
I’m very curious as to a
“rough” estimate on how far along the 3.O stage is.
Chow