World Conquest PBEM faq From: ptsbill@crl.com (William Rapp) Date: Wed, 07 Feb 1996 00:00:00 +0000 This FAQ is designed to answer some of the more frequently asked questions that have been asked about our wargame, WORLD CONQUEST. 1) What is World Conquest (WC)? 2) What is WCVIEW? 3) Is WCVIEW needed to play WC? 4) How is WC played via E-Mail? 5) What are "Head-to-Head" (H2H) games? 6) What are 12 player games? 7) How are game turns submitted? 8) How often are WC games processed? 9) How do I get started? 10) Where I can I learn more about WC? _________________________________________________________________________________ 1) WHAT IS WORLD CONQUEST (WC)? WC is a computer moderated WWII era wargame of strategy, tactics, and diplomacy that can be played by 1-12 players. WC is a simultaneous turn-processed game (versus sequential play as a typical board game usually operates). This means that everyone's game orders for each game are entered into the computer at the same time to process the turn and generate the results. WC's features include: * Hidden (unexplored) territory revealed by player exploration; * Wrap-around game maps * 30 different types of combat units; * Simultaneous movement by all players; * The ability for units to take 5 phased moves during a turn (phases); * A unique endurance feature that requires players to consider supply and energy factors when moving troops and deciding strategy; * Combat rules that give realistic balance to both attacker and defender; * Simultaneous turn processing (NOT SEQUENTIAL) for all players; * Moderation in 12 player games, reducing disruption from player dropout. ________________________________________________________________________________ 2) WHAT IS WCVIEW? WCVIEW is a "client"/GUI/player's helper (Dos program for PC/clones) that allows you to view your game board graphically! If you have a PC/clone, text-based games are a thing of the past! WCVIEW provides players with an array of easy-to-use tools to play our game, WORLD CONQUEST! Here's some of the highlights: * The ability to look at your WC game map from different height perspectives (orbital-treetop)! * Allows players to review the orders/moves given to their units and watch their units roll across the game map! * Allows players to view game history forward and backward through a game * Combat pages that are color coordinated by location, showing all the "gory" details as enemy and friendly units pile into each other in the target square. * Automatically tracks the various endurance costs of each move! * Allows each player to name his/her cities and units! This allows players to personalize a "theme" (ie. Roman Legions, the Borg, etc.). * Allows e-mail messaging between any/all players in their game. Messages can take the form of: a) PROPAGANDA (public; where the author is not announced) b) ANNOUNCEMENTS (public) to all players c) INDIVIDUAL (private) messages to one or more players! * Offers an extensive "Help" screen. Unit statistics can be found there, as well as questions on game mechanics! * The ability to make private memos about activities, locations, and units and recall them with a keystroke. ________________________________________________________________________________ 3) IS WCVIEW NEEDED TO PLAY WORLD CONQUEST? NO! It is however, one of the more enjoyable ways to play. WCVIEW is needed if you want to play via E-Mail, but many of our players do not have a computer and have enjoyed playing by receiving a "paper" turn sent via surface mail. See #7, HOW GAME TURNS ARE SUBMITTED. ________________________________________________________________________________ 4) HOW IS WC PLAYED VIA EMAIL? Playing World Conquest via the Internet is easily accomplished using E-Mail file transfers between you and the turn-processing computer located at our office. SENDING IN A TURN The turn file MUST be sent as a text message! Insert the *.EML file that WCVIEW generates in the body of a text message. Do not use a mail program which mails the file as an "attachment". -----------> To repeat: DO NOT USE FILE ATTACHMENTS! <----------- RECEIVING A TURN Whenever a game turn of WC is processed, our computer will E-Mail you the results. The E-Mail file (game turn) must be downloaded from the Internet and copied in the WC directory using a [*.ZAP] filename extension. Our client program WCVIEW will find the game turn file and decode the encryption so that the game turn may be viewed by WCVIEW. ________________________________________________________________________________ 5) WHAT ARE "HEAD-TO-HEAD" (H2H) GAMES? H2H games are smaller, faster-paced versions of World Conquest played between 2 players. They are played on a 20 x 20 grid map that wraps around, so that if you go off one edge you will move onto the opposite side. Due to the fact that you "know" who your opponent is in each game, diplomacy is not a factor in the game. (Although an occasional polite taunt can be fun...<grin>) In most games, there are 11-13 cities to fight over. The game ends when a player concedes (RESIGNS), or he has lost his last city. Most games last from 10-30 turns. H2H games are a great way to learn the WC game system before jumping into a 12 player game! A ONE player demo game is available, allowing you to experiment with the WC game system without any hassles. It is INCLUDED in the various game packages that are available. This version of WC can be played via E-Mail, paper, or fax. ________________________________________________________________________________ 6) WHAT ARE 12 PLAYER GAMES? 12-player games are played by (surprise!) 12 players on a 50 x 60 grid map. One of the major differences in this game is that diplomacy and misdirection is usually required in order to win a game! Initially, each player starts out controlling one of the many cities (each city is a production center on the map and allows the player to produce additional units). Each player starts with several combat units placed in their starting city. The map is intentionally left blank (unexplored) and as you move your units across the map, the terrain on the map becomes visible. All four edges of the map "wrap around", so movement off any edge will bring you back onto the opposite edge of the map. The game tempo is roughly divided into three different segments. Initially, each player spends the first five or so turns exploring the unknown territory around his capital and conquering armed neutral towns and villages until other players are met. The second segment of the game begins when other players are encountered; diplomatic activities begin. The final segment of the game starts at different times for different players. The enemy has been defined; the battles for "victory" have begun! The basic game ends (victory conditions) when a player captures 12 towns or cities (no villages), and holds them for one turn. This can be easier said than done... To date, our players have played over 200 12-player games. Most games last between 25-35 turns. The shortest game ever played was 14 turns; the longest, 74 turns. The 12 player game is a professionally moderated, computer run game between human opponents. Game turns can be submitted by E-Mail using WCVIEW, or via surface mail or fax. Turns are processed in 1-week, 2-week and 3-week cycles. ________________________________________________________________________________ 7) HOW ARE WC TURNS SUBMITTED? FILE TRANSFER VIA INTERNET EMAIL FILE TRANSFER VIA BBS SURFACE MAIL FAX ________________________________________________________________________________ 8) HOW OFTEN ARE WC GAMES PROCESSED? The answer to this question depends on your method of submitting turns AND the type of game that you are playing. General guidelines are given below: TIME BETWEEN GAME TURNS EMAIL/BBS PAPER (MAIL/FAX) PLAYERS IN GAME: minimum/maximum minimum/maximum 1 PLAYER (demo) 1 hour / 30 days as often as submitted 2 PLAYER (H2H) 1 hour / 30 days 2 weeks / 3 weeks 3-12 PLAYERS: 1 week / 3 weeks 2 weeks / 3 weeks E-mail games are automated and will process within the parameters above WHEN all players' turns are in. In a one player game, a submitted turn will automatically process during the next cycle (1 hour). In a two player E-Mail game, the computer will check to see if both players have submitted their game turns. When it finds both players' completed turns, it will process the game and E-Mail the results back to each player. Games that have ANY "paper" players will automatically be processed using the "paper" guidelines. This allows players, without the use of a computer, to receive their game turns via surface mail, review their results, write the "marching orders" for the upcoming turn, and mail these orders back to us for keypunching/processing. If a game has a "paper" player, we will publish a DUE DATE for each upcoming turn. Players must submit their orders by the published due date in order to have their orders for their units used. _________________________________________________________________________________ 11) HOW DO I GET STARTED? There are a couple different to get started in WC! Pickup the game package from us via one of the following methods: www page: Go to: http://www.dnai.com/~conquest click on: Play a game select the appropriate game package to ftp VIA FTP: Host: ftp.dnai.com User: anonymous Password: your E-Mail address go to: ftp/usersabc/c/conquest pickup: wcdemo1.exe (if you do NOT have pkzip) or... wcdemo2.exe (if you DO HAVE pkzip) web page transfer: These uuencoded files (4) can be found on our www page or in the forum where you found this FAQ. E-Mail request: I will be happy to E-Mail you the game package using uuencoded files. Send me a request at: conquest@dnai.com bbs Call our bbs and download the appropriate game package as noted above in "ftp." After installing our game package, type WCVIEW to start the client; give your units "marching orders" and fill out the registration form. Detailed help screens can be found in WCVIEW by typing F1 twice. Email the *.EML files that are created by WCVIEW to our Internet E-Mail address at: ptsbill@crl.com We will send the 1st turn's results back to you within 24 hours (except on weekends and mail holidays) Review the 1st turn's results using WCVIEW and give your combat units "marching orders" for turn 2! Email turn 2's *.EML file to us for AUTOMATED (every 2 hours) processing! ________________________________________________________________________________ 10) WHERE CAN I LEARN MORE ABOUT WC? WWW Page: http://www.dnai.com/~conquest E-Mail: conquest@dnai.com telephone: 510 245-1300 fax: -1201 bbs: -1202 Prime Time Simulations PO Box 650 Pinole CA 94564 Up