Very informative, Roger


(I stickied it, for now! Hope it goes well!)

It's working very well so far and quite a few of the "old names" have turned up, along with some representatives of the Russian Hamachi network.

Hot topic at the moment seems to be whether a great mod - MPE 1.5 - is now being improved or ruined by adding various levels of things such as polearm and vision to low level units, and whether frostlings are now the only race worth playing in that mod.

Well... Someone has to start with the tradition of writing down Online Experiences. (Winner in bold)

Match 1 [MPE][M+Ug]: Jeronimo (tigrans)/Melissya (elves)

I started at right, she at top (so our distances were short). After capturing all structures in my domain, I headed to north, since south was blocked by mountains, and find her there. My party was stronger, so I won the siege.

Note: This Canadian girl reminds me of Matriarch. She showed having experience in this game... it what can I say from observing her movements/decisions when was pressured. Also builds 1 or 2 towns for a good opening.

Match 2 [MPE][M+Ug]: Jeronimo (shadow demons)/Melissya (nomads)

2nd chance for Melissya . This time she got a better start in her words. We started more separated this time (I was in corner right-top, she was in left side). I got lucky with spell book, researching Phoenix after Casting I.
When I found her, I took her structure 1 by 1, and then sit in a WatchTower close to her capital (to mass phoenixs), in some moment she decided to attack me with all her Wizard's Defence (lots of Pit Guards), but lost the battle. After that she surrendered.

Note: She conquered a Nomad city with Tower at center... but without any gold, and vs 2 towers, she took the right decision .

Match 3 [MPE][M+Ug]: Jeronimo (shadow demons)/Fairy (tigrans)/Trii (dwarves)

Jeronimo -> Fairy. Jeronimo -> Trii

Interesting match. We all started in separated corners (tough Trii in underground).
I conquered my close structures as usual, and hurried to middle, where 3 cities were waiting to be under my control .
I found Fairy at corner top-right (I started at bottom-right). There was a "human strong area guard" separating us... since I had a lurker near, I saw and waited until he killed them. Then next turn I moved my main forces straight to his capital (killing in the way his survivors from the area guard battle).
After winning the siege, I took all my troops and moved left, where I found Trii waiting me with a strong-enchanted stack.
His domain looked quite poor in surface. And a sneaky hero discovered only 2 structures at Underground. We fought an exciting battle in Snow terrain. I won very closely (Dire penguins earned from nature quest were useful ).

[This message has been edited by Jeronim (edited 07-07-2011 @ 01:26 AM).]

Oh, girls are playing this game, too? After such a long time? Kinda surprising, those canadians, ha

My bad i got a lot of work 50/hours each week, but hopefully i get online this week, cause honestly i need a victim for my pleasure.

Some Years ago we did write some nice reports at that german battlefield site, i wrote rather long reports, but we did write a summary of all the important events not descriping each turn like the pbem crowd.
We even added the save file of the last turn, so you could see what everyone did.

ah, i see you play shadow demons a lot. Sphere combinations missing? Nummber of last turn would be interesting, too.

Hehe, a gentleman should let her win once at least. :P

[This message has been edited by DarkMystery (edited 07-05-2011 @ 06:29 PM).]

For Online reports, I usually mark starting positions, important battles and inflexion points (big change of odds for 1 player).

I'll add "duration"/"spheres" in next reports, starting perhaps the day I vanquish you Tir.
But I dont consider to post Wizard "skills" much important. Is it really possible to upload saves here?

PD: I used Shadow demons twice , well yeah 66% is a lot. I play other races too.

[This message has been edited by Jeronim (edited 07-05-2011 @ 08:33 PM).]

Look here:

http://aowsm.the-battlefield.com/index.php?page=ranking

This seems to be the new battlefield. Only 30 players are listed. Some years ago the interface was black/green and there were hundreds of players, me included. But just for you, to see how ladder games were setup on this private tourney site.

You see how much points someone has as calculated here: http://aowsm.the-battlefield.com/index.php?page=pointsystem#pointsystem2

his W/L ratio, and the results. You can click the results, then you come to a place there people sometimes write a story of the most important events and you can look into the save game file.

There was a lot of activity some years ago, but i think its now dead, thats just how it was set up. Amazing you missed all that, i think it was something for you.

I saw the links. Reading some of the "reports", I find much L+ug+sw or even XL scenarios (due to the Map Size Bonus).

I'd like to mention the Timer. Most players at chat-room use to play with 2 minutes in L maps, which I cant follow.

Knowing myself preety well, I only request before starting a game that players decide how much timer they'd like.
I wont play unless we accord in the timer. Maps can have UG or SW, timer remains same (not negotiable).

Small: 2 minutes
Medium: 3 minutes
Large: 4 minutes
ExtraLarge: 5 minutes

Now you realize why the 3 reported games are in M size. They refused to play 4 minutes Turns.

[This message has been edited by Jeronim (edited 07-06-2011 @ 11:29 AM).]

Ever played Quickchess? Online TBS play is about the same. 2 Min is more than enough for M size maps, even if it takes longer as usual, its always easy to manage in that timeframe.

L or L+UG will be played 2mins untilt turn50, then people usually agree to reload the save file and set it up to 3 mins.

Just play it more quickly and priotisize things. For more detail and more time you need to play pbem.

People will start flame you like TrupePurple if you demand more mins than 2-3min. We all had that years ago.

From what I have observed... there is a tendency to play extensive, instead of intensive.
I dont enjoy matches where Im not able to give my 100%.

I'd prefer 30 turns of 4 mins, than 60 turns of 2 mins.
All this because I like playing as perfect as possible (competitive spirit).

You will understand after 2 or 3 duels vs Jeronimo.

The Russian Hamachi network tends to use 3 or 4 minutes, whereas the Gamespy people generally used 2 minutes. That's one of the reasons that the communities didn't combine after Gamespy dried up.

priotisize

Prioritise, or possibly prioritize

Quoted from RogerRabid:

The Russian Hamachi network tends to use 3 or 4 minutes, whereas the Gamespy people generally used 2 minutes. That's one of the reasons that the communities didn't combine after Gamespy dried up.

I don't care if it's 2 min rounds, 3 min rounds, 4 or even 5 minute rounds, but is it really all that difficult to compromise or give up on something for once (or every now and then)? (While I quote you, Roger, this is not directed at you )

Isn't being stuck in tradition, or loop, for the sake of being used to it... dull?

Isn't being stuck in tradition, or loop, for the sake of being used to it... dull?

It is indeed. But unfortunately some people are just too conservative...

Hellbrick, can you join this chatroom?(technical wise)

I think that as a "minimum gesture", everybody should connect to mibbit (even if doesnt take part in conversations).

Its nice when people talks about more things than just "AoW". Since we are persons from all parts of the world, we have been talking about our cultures too... and also told several jokes .

Its a REAL PITY, that you see guest's flags from many countries (Canada/EEUU/England/Argentina/Israel/Poland/ Sweden/Finland/Germany/Australia/Korea) but not a single russian flag... (having so many players at Hamachi)

Quoted from Hellbrick:

It is indeed. But unfortunately some people are just too conservative...

Its more than "some", basically "all" community isnt willing to visit the chat-room.
From my point of view... its preety sad. Russians are missing a great intercultural experience.

Hellbrick, can you join this chatroom?(technical wise)

He has visited the chatroom

I don't care if it's 2 min rounds, 3 min rounds, 4 or even 5 minute rounds, but is it really all that difficult to compromise or give up on something for once (or every now and then)?

The simple answer is yes, for me anyway. The main disadvantage of an online game of Shadow Magic is the enormous amount of time that you have to invest in it. We found over about 3 years of playing daily that most moving could be done in 2 mins, for the first 50 turns at least. Let's say that an average game takes 3 hours with 2 minute turns, that would be 4.5 hours with 3 minute turns and 6 hours with 4 minute turns. Factor into that people who fall asleep at their PCs or quit because they lost their main hero stack, and for me that is just too much of a gamble.

From my point of view... its preety sad. Russians are missing a great intercultural experience.

Unlike the normal parts of the world, here people who can speak English well enough are somewhat rare. And don't start about translators - the rubbish they generate is just awful =) So keeping a small talk is a challenge for some people - it's sometimes a challenge even for me, and I can't remember the last time I watched a movie in Russian

As I already said somewhere, the only thing that could possibly lure out our guys would be a combination of a better chat than Hamachi and a better NAT traversal solution then Hamachi. But even then, I wouldn't be so sure of positive outcome due to the mentioned stubbornness of mentioned people...

MATCH 4: Jeronimo vs RedWood666 & Gorlan (FriendTeam)

Jeronimo: Dwarves (4air/2water) - TopLeft corner/Surf
RedWood666: Dark Elves (life) - BottomRight corner/UG
Gorlan: Tigrans (full cosmos) - BottomLeft corner/Surf

Version: MPE 1.5 Map: M+UG (34 turns)

These Rumanians players didnt believe me at first when I challenged them in a 2v1!
I founded a pair of cities, then explored with caution until I saw them allied. Their Parties together were very strong.
The main action occured at center: the moment where I started having advantage was when I killed Gorlan party (who was going to siege along with RedWood666, but he moved first and I attacked him out of my city).
Since I won that fight with few casualties, his ally decided to raze 1 village and retreat.

At my maximum military power, I could organize 4 simultaenous Assaults (armies of +12 units marching to different positions).
Army 1: Capture center from above. (Lurkers + Berserks)
Army 2: Capture center from right. (Lurkers + Humans L1)
Army 3: Make UG pressure towards RedWood666 Domain. (Frostlings + Clerics)
Army 4: Make Surf pressure towards Gorlan Domain (Berserks + Clerics + Hunters)

Captured Gorlan Domain first, then I moved towards RedWood666 Domain (where Gorlan respawned, but had no troops).
I vanquished them together in the final siege.

Once we finished, they commented the experience felt "weird".

[This message has been edited by Jeronim (edited 07-14-2011 @ 07:51 AM).]

I would love to play online sometime if you guys are playing. I bought this game about a week ago and fell in love. I wish I played it when I was younger but I must have been too absorbed in heroes of might and magic games.

Join the chat-room! I will be there on some weekends...
Im not always online, but there is a solid base of players to give you a warm welcome.

[This message has been edited by Jeronim (edited 08-22-2011 @ 05:42 PM).]

Ahh... where is this fabled chatroom ? This thread is dedicated to it but I see no information anywhere on where it is or how to get to it ?

Chat-room is no longer available...

Now I'm in a Hamachi network called AowNet (no password).

Everyone is welcome there. Feel free to join.