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PC/Mac : Digital version of the popular tabletop gaming system. Fight battles on your desktop in single and mutiplayer!

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IainMcNeil
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Post by IainMcNeil »

My concern is the boards are only a small % of the player base. Most dont come here and may not know how active the community is.
little
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Post by little »

Iain,

I have to agree with CheerfullyInsane on this. Anything you put up here on what is going on will become quickly out of date and doesn't seem worthwhile for the time and effort that will be needed to keep it current.

What might be more useful is an idiots guide to Multiplayer as a sticky on the forum, or on the website, which could explain how quickly challenges are taken up, urge people to get out there and issue their own etc. If useful, it could also include points on how to treat other players (e.g. if going on holiday or unable to make a turn for a few days then let the people you are playing know etc). Just a thought, but I would rather the Team's efforts were spent rolling out the new books (Wolves of the Sea hint hint...... :wink: )
gazxtrix
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Post by gazxtrix »

I would have to agree with little on this.

A sticky or readme after downloading the game, on the ettiquete of challenges and encouragement to do so.


Cheers

Gary
IainMcNeil
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Post by IainMcNeil »

I'm talking about an automated system that gets stats from the server - definitely dont want to do it manually :)
little
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Post by little »

Quite Right Iain, but even with the time spent creating an auto system what does it actually mean? The easiest way to find out how active it is out there (and it is) is to post a challenge.

The only challenges I am reluctant to accept are when I know the other chap only uses the one army (and I am looking at the Swiss, Galatians or med. Irish), resigns early if he doesn't like it, or the points are so high that it will be a wall to wall battle!
massina_nz
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Post by massina_nz »

Just wondering because I'm new to FOG, what is the common Army point size for an open challenge? At the moment I'm only issuing 400pt army challenges, and am having no problem gettting challenges accepted, even in the New Zeland time zone. The Multiplayer system really is a marvel IMHO. Well done guys.
CheerfullyInsane
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Post by CheerfullyInsane »

What with the League running a lot of people will have 500 pts army readily on hand.
But there's no real norm for army-sizes.
Personally (and I suspect most would agree) 400 is a little low. I'd go for 500-600.
But as you pointed out yourself, there's no shortage of opponents whatever your army size.

Lars
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massina_nz
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Post by massina_nz »

CheerfullyInsane wrote:What with the League running a lot of people will have 500 pts army readily on hand.
But there's no real norm for army-sizes.
Personally (and I suspect most would agree) 400 is a little low. I'd go for 500-600.
But as you pointed out yourself, there's no shortage of opponents whatever your army size.

Lars
Okay, thanks for the advice, I think I'll progress to 500pt armies next. I really like the idea of being able to play multiple armies so you can get a feel for which ones you like playing the most, and that doesn't mean the ones with the most cheese.
IainMcNeil
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Post by IainMcNeil »

The issue is with new users really. The established guys know how busy it is. For a new user with no open challegnges it can feel dead.
little
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Post by little »

massina_nz,

I think army size is a personal preference. I do enjoy 400 pt games as there is so much more room to manouvere. 500 - 600 points gives a balanced army, but most lists are at their limit at 800 - 1000 pts and you know you are facing a mob army when the challenge goes out at this level (med Irish, galations or swiss) and it is wall to wall. But I think for most people 400 - 600 is about right.

Never thought of CheerfullyInsane's point of the tournament players having fixed lists at 500, but it sounds good advice for someone setting out, though I have never had a challenge sitting there for long between 400 -700 points as most players are happy to experiment with their army lists on a friendly.
little
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Post by little »

Iain,

I didn't want to double up on my point of army size (above) and your point on newbies.

For reference, I am on old (very old now I think on it... ) hand at the table top and have played a few MMORPs out there on the computer. But it can be daunting to switch from messing with the AI to going multiplayer (it was for me, not just because of this new fangled technology, but you have no idea of what type of players are out there!), however the vast majority of players I met at the beginning when I took the plunge were constructive in their advice if I mentioned I was new. And I now return the favour to people I play who are new to the game. I think most of us are here for a challenging game and finding opponents over the world who do, or will in the future, give you a run for your money in trying for a win.

Therefore I really do think that a Newbie / Idiot guide would be helpful for multiplayer games on what you should expect and what you should do. As mentioned in an above post, this could even be on the download or in the box. This game excels in the multiplayer, and it is a shame that new players can be put off by looking out at the challenge list and thinking there is nothing out there when there is a very active community. But I still don't think a bunch of stats will solve this.
IainMcNeil
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Post by IainMcNeil »

Thanks - where and how do you think we should give this info to players?
little
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Post by little »

Oh blinkin' heck :wink: That put me on the spot and gives me a chance to show my luddite tendencies on websites and computers.

I don't know the ins and outs of websites, but the game's launcher has a link to Slitherine's website. Would it be possible to have another link in there headlined "FAQs for those new to Multiplayer" that goes to a forum page? This may not be possible, so I would welcome others chipping in here. As for myself, I think I have said enough on this topic :)
IainMcNeil
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Post by IainMcNeil »

I think any help needs to be in game for it be accessible to newbies. Most players dont ever visit the site. Once they get here they're in a minority already!
CheerfullyInsane
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Post by CheerfullyInsane »

iainmcneil wrote:I think any help needs to be in game for it be accessible to newbies. Most players dont ever visit the site. Once they get here they're in a minority already!
I agree. The obvious choice would be to put it in the infamous help-file.
However, that particular piece of disinformation needs some serious rewriting before adding anything new to it.
So, barring that, I'd supply a readme.txt with the install-file.

Although, speaking from experience, while the file may say "readme", very few players actually do... :roll:

I think little might be right on the money, at least for a temporary solution.
Use a link on the splash-screen (much like the update-advert), and link it to a forum-page.
Not only might it answer some of the newbie questions, it also leads them to the boards themselves.
(Insert mental image of a Judas goat, and lambs to the slaughter here) :)

Lars
I've got two words for ya: Math is hard.
IainMcNeil
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Post by IainMcNeil »

People just dont read those things - it has to be fully integrated in to the game experience to be of any use really.
gazxtrix
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Post by gazxtrix »

Just a thought.

What if the server posts a fixed number of open battles, always keeping maybe 10 games available either random dag ones or scenario battles.

That way the original posters problems may be alleviated.
Xiggy
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Post by Xiggy »

Maybe post have many games are in progress. There may be no challenges up, but 300 games in progress. Might indicate how active things are. Post it on the accept challenges page.
IainMcNeil
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Post by IainMcNeil »

Having open challenges is an idea we've toyed with. Basically it would always be there and effectively create a new "open" challenge when you accepted it, with the settings from the "empty" open challenge.

Or we could have you put on a waiting list for the next person to accept the "open" challenge.

This might be the best way to deal with it.
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Post by stockwellpete »

iainmcneil wrote:The issue is people prefer to accept than issue challenges. Who knows why - something to do with being in control and we're having trouble working out a way to deal with it.
I'm new - but already I prefer to accept rather than issue challenges. This is because I am only interested in playing genuine "historical match-ups". I read a lot of history so for me the fascination is to recreate fairly realistic armies and scenarios. So I am not at all interested in fighting against, "killer armies" full of 15th C Swiss pikes or classical Roman legionaries when I have created, say, an early medieval Anglo-Irish army (a bit of a military backwater at that time, but very interesting nonetheless). There is no historical value in it - plus the Anglo-Irish are completely outclassed from the start.

If there was a way that I could issue open challenges for "historical match-ups" then I would be more inclined to initiate games.
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