Multiplayers Via E-Mail

Most people prefer to use the Play-By-Web site:

http://seiv.pbw.cc/

which automates much of the process, but for those who don't:

One player needs to be the "Host". The host is the person who will create the game in SEIV and process the turns.

Once all the players have agreed on the game settings, each player creates their empire for the game and e-mails the .emp file to the host. Remember to include a password when you create the empire, or anyone will be able to open your turn.

The host puts all the .emp files in the Empires folder, then creates the game as normal. The settings must be Different Computers, Simultaneous Turns, and again the host needs to set a password so that no one else can run the turns. Also, do NOT add .gam to the name of the multiplayer savegame file; SEIV will do that automatically. After you press Begin Game, SEIV will generate a .gam file in your Savegame folder. The host e-mails the .gam file to the players.

The players load the saved game and do their turns. When they finish the turn, SEIV creates a .plr file, which they e-mail to the host.

When the host has all the players' .plr files, he loads the game and logs in as Host, and runs the turn. SEIV creates a new .gam file, which the host e-mails to the players as above. The host can also make a .zip file of the .gam , .cmb , .trn , and events and stats files and e-mail the .zip , rather than just the .gam file.

Repeat until someone wins.

That's really all there is to it. The most important thing is that the host and all the players use the same version of both SEIV and any mod being used. SEIV does some checking to enforce this, and will reject any turn file that doesn't match.

capnq
PBW admin

"Good morning, Pooh Bear," said Eeyore gloomily. "If it /is/ a good morning," he said. "Which I doubt," said he.

Forgot to explicitly mention, the host should put the .plr files in the same Savegame folder with the .gam file before he runs the turn.

"Good morning, Pooh Bear," said Eeyore gloomily. "If it /is/ a good morning," he said. "Which I doubt," said he.