Multiplayer Comings and Goings

[Morbio]

I'm probably going to but this as it looks good and I was really looking forward to the multiplayer and creating battles for FOG2. But...

FOG2 battles can't be played in multiplayer and this is a shame because it brought a campaign element, with all the economy, supply, recruitment, elements that would make it awesome. I understand (at a high level) the technical challenges and practical issues, e.g. waiting weeks for battles to be fought in FOG2 before able to move on to the next term, and I understand and accept (at least for now) this decision.

The multiplayer element is a concern for me too. A game is likely to last 100s or turns and so having a frequent turn timetable, e.g. 1, 2 or 3 days, is reasonable to try to complete a game in a year or too. But, given that people will need periods of absence, e.g. 2 week summer vacation, then a frequent schedule will result in the AI taking over and so making it impractical to complete the game for many people. I've heard that there are changes coming to allow people to come and go in the game, or maybe a person's play could be delegated to another player (or new player) for a period. So is this true and what sort of timescale for these changes to be deployed?

Despite this I will still probably buy the game anyway as even as a single player game it looks great, but I really want to play multi-player too.

Can anyone from the developing team comment?

[Tamas]

Players cannot join ongoing games presently. It's something we'd like to add as a feature later on, but it does mean some major technical changes, so I cannot yet promise it.

Otherwise, you need several skipped turns in a row to be booted out of a game permanently.

[Morbio]

Players cannot join ongoing games presently. It's something we'd like to add as a feature later on, but it does mean some major technical changes, so I cannot yet promise it.

Otherwise, you need several skipped turns in a row to be booted out of a game permanently.

I was informed that this is 3 turns and for games with a 1, 2 or 3 day turnaround then a 2 week holiday is going to be a killer

What about the possibility of delegating to another player, would this be simpler than introducing a new player?

[Tamas]

Players cannot join ongoing games presently. It's something we'd like to add as a feature later on, but it does mean some major technical changes, so I cannot yet promise it.

Otherwise, you need several skipped turns in a row to be booted out of a game permanently.

I was informed that this is 3 turns and for games with a 1, 2 or 3 day turnaround then a 2 week holiday is going to be a killer

What about the possibility of delegating to another player, would this be simpler than introducing a new player?

I think from a technical point of view that's not really different than just admitting a new player, I am afraid.

[Tamas]

Actually, I was wrong earlier.

What happens in 3 turns of absence is that the server stops waiting for you, but you are never kicked out of the game (but you can surrender to leave).

[Morbio]

Actually, I was wrong earlier.

What happens in 3 turns of absence is that the server stops waiting for you, but you are never kicked out of the game (but you can surrender to leave).

Oh, that makes it more interesting.... I could play, but I'd have to accept that in those rounds play during my absence I'd be more vulnerable or drop back in relative development.... but it still might be worth it!
Would it be possible for the AI to play during absence? If there was a toggle that could be initiated at the start of vacation and reversed on return that may be less bad! Please say yes, please....!

[Tamas]

Actually, I was wrong earlier.

What happens in 3 turns of absence is that the server stops waiting for you, but you are never kicked out of the game (but you can surrender to leave).

Oh, that makes it more interesting.... I could play, but I'd have to accept that in those rounds play during my absence I'd be more vulnerable or drop back in relative development.... but it still might be worth it!
Would it be possible for the AI to play during absence? If there was a toggle that could be initiated at the start of vacation and reversed on return that may be less bad! Please say yes, please....!

The AI takes over after those 3 turns, until you return.

[Morbio]

Actually, I was wrong earlier.

What happens in 3 turns of absence is that the server stops waiting for you, but you are never kicked out of the game (but you can surrender to leave).

Oh, that makes it more interesting.... I could play, but I'd have to accept that in those rounds play during my absence I'd be more vulnerable or drop back in relative development.... but it still might be worth it!
Would it be possible for the AI to play during absence? If there was a toggle that could be initiated at the start of vacation and reversed on return that may be less bad! Please say yes, please....!

The AI takes over after those 3 turns, until you return.

That makes it better, but if it is possible to set it on (a bit like out of office) so that it could kick in on the next turn then that would avoid 3 turns of doing nothing, which could be disastrous if in the middle of a war... which is a probable state of affairs!

[zonks]

A lot of the negatives I see about the multiplayer campaign with FOG2 may apply to some, but those of us that play over LAN with a few beers have no issue in waiting for a battle to be completed, its a real pity, nearly all the boxes were ticked bar one, multiplayer battles in FOG2, we wargamers are usually a patient lot, So we will wait.