Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Jamuk]

Just put in a built time period, like one year, and make the game save and quit after that.  This way, you both are always at the same position when synchronization actually matters.  Before the game starts back up, the results of any actions taken at the end of the previous turn are taken into account.  If you send 100 soldiers one turn, they will appear for the other player at the start of the next turn.  This would allow multiplayer fortress games to be played on the time of the player.  If the players agree that they will be at the next turn in one hour, then whoever fails to reach the required place will be kicked out of the game or some other similar penalty will be put into place.

This of course, would not be real time and may require players with faster computers to wait for the others to catch up, but that is a sacrifice they must be willing to take.

In this way, it would work exactly like 2 succession games running in parallel, where each player must deal with the actions of the previous, or in this case, of the actions of the other player.

[Erk]

Hey, make that a server-settable time period and you're on to something... 1 year, 1 month, 10 dwarfdays, 1 dwarfday, etc. Depending on the play group you'd set it to what you feel is appropriate, and a smaller time scale means less of a wait between turns.

Dwarf fortress with pausing being an option rather than a requirement would be cool for multiplayer too. Server says no pausing, so players can't pause. draco doesn't play. Server says pausing, and you can play with a small group: I know my friend and I would have a hell of a lot of fun in a 2 player fortress, and I can see no way that would not work with the current interface. Multiplayer does not mean MMO. It just means sharing the experience.

Finally in terms of synchronisation:
Dwarf fortress is turn based. The turns are just very short. When the game is paused and you press . one time, you take 1 step forward. 1 step=1 turn. For synchronisation, games just need to ensure they are synchronised to the server's step speed, or perhaps have another server-set variable, number of steps to take before checking synchronicity. Fewer steps before checking means fewer instances where a dwarf might suddenly teleport somewhere else because the server says he's in a different place; more steps between checks mean the game will run faster but data will occasionally be relocated by the server.

It'd run slower, but it'd run. Nobody's saying you have to play it multiplayer, but I think a LOT of people would love to try.

[Draco18s]

I suggest to anyone who thinks that it'd be really really worthwhile to play MAngband.

THEN come back and say how you could do DF in a similar way.

[Erk]

do you even read posts in multiplayer threads, or just post prewritten comments saying mp in dwarf fortress is impossible?

[Draco18s]

I read.  And I keep seeing the same insistances on why it's a good idea without actually explaining how the technical problems are to be overcome.

Hell, I haven't even mentioned in this thread how Toady himself wants nothing to do with it.

[Mikademus]

Saying MP could be done in DF is like saying peace is achievable in the Middle East if only people were nice to each other.

[Ioric Kittencuddler]

Saying MP could be done in DF is like saying EA could make truly awesome video games, if only they cared.

Hey, I like this game!

Saying MP could be done in DF is like saying elves could make good allies, if only they weren't such jack asses.

Saying MP could be done in DF is like saying Westboro Baptist Church could be a wonderful group, if only they weren't a bunch of hateful lunatics.

[Eagleon]

DF multiplayer is possible. It's far from a technical problem. Toady just doesn't want to do it. EOF. Everyone can stop bickering now please? I'd ask to get back on topic but that'd just be silly.
...
and they could have upgradable weapons and special abilities, and when they're fully charged they say "BARUK KHAZAD! KHAZAD AIMENU!", even the hoary marmot!

[Ioric Kittencuddler]

What about zombie elephants and giant cave spiders?

[LeoLeonardoIII]

You would ride the zombie elephants. And GCS would be a throwable kart weapon that you'd get by smacking a ? box.

[Mikademus]

I was a bit dissapointed with Mario Kart Wii because it focused too much on weapons and party elements, and since DF is more hard-core I think it would be better if the DF racing would focus more on precision steering. Murdering the goblin prostitutes after having sex though is a must!