The as Asynchronous Gaming Society

[Heliocentric]

PBEM* became a funny thing old games did, a relic of terrible Internet connections and floppy disks. Recently I discovered Frozen Synapse, and while it's actual game play grew dull to me it's support for asynchronous play was a glorious marvel.

Later I began spending time with Solium Infernum, it's high impact turns meant getting some grand strategy in the morning for 5 minute's with your cereal was a very real possibility. Drop box was key to this, it's a cloud file host but it merges with windows so well you hardly need to think about it.

It dawned on me that there are rather a few turn played multilayer games I have abandoned because they are too drawn out for a single session or unsuitable for play with randoms.

Civilization 4: Colonisation anyone?

*Play By Email

[Dominicus]

I might be interested, although I only just started playing Civ 4: Col. I'll try to get a few more hours in this weekend to get my skill up a little bit :P. So place me on your reserve list, if you have better people to join take them, otherwise I'll be up for a game.

[Heliocentric]

I am crap at civ 4 col, but trial by fire seems a good way to learn. Also, subjugating natives!

[DeVadder]

If this thread is mainly about organizing a game of Civ4 Colo, never mind me. However if your interest is awesome Play By Mail games on the internet that require (or should i say allow) for extensive planning with turns as long as several weeks in some places and games that can span years, then let me guide your eyes to these two gems:

http://www.starsautohost.org/stars.htm
It is a page where you can fully automatical (however there is good support by the one guy who runs it) play 'Stars!', which is a complex 4x game that never really got popular. Imho that is because of its complexity and the lack of widespread email and internet when it was new, together with the predictable AI. However, as the site shows, those of us who got hooked still are 15 years later.
The game is long abandoned and the forum of Starsautohost can get you a serial key easily. Normally they will however ask for a small donation towards the hosting cost for the version that runs on SAH. Older versions and the demo are free however.
edit: Also, let me add, there often are newbie games organized on the forum and the community is very nice with helping those not as experienced in the game.

http://webdiplomacy.net/
There are several sites that allow to play the awesome boardgame Diplomacy online. This one is just the one some friends of mine play on. Diplomacy is basically the opposite of Stars!
The rules are extremely simple but nothing can be archieved alone. The typical turns of Diplomacy are mostly used sending emails or PMs to organize turns and short or longterm alliances. Or breaking them. Imho online and with strangers is the by far best way to play Diplomacy because secret negotiaons are far far easier that way and the person you hate after the game for breaking the crucial alliance one turn too early and sending you into doom instead of glorious victory used not to be one of your friends but some internet stranger.

[Heliocentric]

I only mentioned civ col because it came to mind. I'm hoping for suggestions. I'll browse your links later.

[audiox]

Hey.
I've always been somewhat interested in AGEODs line-up of games, and some games based upon their engines.
Now playing something like "Pride Of Nations" as PBEM would mean spending an undue amount of time booting the game (imho), but if we were a bunch of guys crazy enough to do it then it would be fun. (Its amazing how much damage you can do to your economy in that game!)
There are smaller scenarios than the empire-spanning one for "PON" as well, which would be a better starting point for people with little experience playing it.

Another, easier option would be something like "Rise Of Prussia". Which does the combat-side of things and avoids heavy economy micromanagement.

A third choice might be "Revolution Under Siege", much larger than "Rise of .." but more manageable than "Pride of...."

Disclaimer : I am not in any way competent in these games, i would just like to tinker with them in multiplayer. Singleplayer has little or no appeal to me at present.

[Kelron]

I'd like to try Rise of Prussia multiplayer. I only have a vague idea of how the game works though.

[Beard Of Bees]

I used to love Stars! I remember one of the things you could do was build a mass accelerator and fling a huge amount of minerals or something at an enemy planet to obliterate it. Fun times.

[DeVadder]

I used to love Stars! I remember one of the things you could do was build a mass accelerator and fling a huge amount of minerals or something at an enemy planet to obliterate it. Fun times.

Unless of course they have a mass accelerator themselves and catch your precious minerals. Or intercept your packet with a fleet of haulers mid-space, loading everything.

[bornmodernbaby]

yeah,

like to try Rise of Prussia multiplayer. have a vague idea of how the game works though.thanks

[Fumarole]

For asynchronous fun, start a chain game of Total War or Crusader Kings II. Each player rules for the life of one leader then passes the save files to the next player immediately upon that character's death. Watch your friends bring to ruin all of your carefully wrought plans.

[gravity_spoon]

I play Civ 5 using Giant Multiplayer Robot service to pass around save files.

[Heliocentric]

Conquest of Elysium 3 is in the indie royale, i think we have a candidate.