Interest in Forming an EST On-line Bull-pen of Players

High Elf General · **Posted:** Tue Mar 03, 2009 11:05 pm

Im in, I just guess I need to know the specs on hows it going now!!

Count me in!!

lorderkenbrand · **Posted:** Tue Mar 03, 2009 11:40 pm

This sounds rather fun! I've downloaded the file at the bottom of the page but do I need to download the remaining 10 or so files, like Moria, Helms Deep etc?

FelixPhantasm · **Posted:** Wed Mar 04, 2009 1:32 am

Haldir_Strikes wrote:

In order to learn the basics easily, does everyone want to play with 350p armies?

Do you want to respect the Legions of Middle Earth army lists? I for one would prefer that to ad hoc list creations.

FelixPhantasm · **Posted:** Wed Mar 04, 2009 1:40 am

lorderkenbrand wrote:

This sounds rather fun! I've downloaded the file at the bottom of the page but do I need to download the remaining 10 or so files, like Moria, Helms Deep etc?

Yes, download all the extensions. Each player will need them all to get maximum flexibility out of the board building tools and to get all the models. In other words if only one player has a given extension loaded the other player might not be able to see everything on the board.

PS - Mac users will find they have to name modules and extension folders slightly differently. There are good tutorials on how to save and name mods and extensions as part of the Memoir 44 files page at the Vassal site. When I have more time I will try to post back the specifics for both PC and Mac users. In the mean time check out the "Extension How To Text" on the M'44 files page at the Vassal site.

http://www.vassalengine.org/community/index.php?option=com_vassal_modules&task=display&module_id=148&page=Files

Haldir_Strikes · **Posted:** Wed Mar 04, 2009 8:46 pm

FelixPhantasm wrote:

Haldir_Strikes wrote:

In order to learn the basics easily, does everyone want to play with 350p armies?

Do you want to respect the Legions of Middle Earth army lists? I for one would prefer that to ad hoc list creations.

Yeah, LoME is a must - we can start off with smaller games first, just to warm to the mechanics of Vassal.

This being said, it is probably now possible to play scenarios from the journeybooks such as the Fellowship etc - that would be pretty fun too.

gaarew · **Posted:** Wed Mar 04, 2009 8:48 pm

So, would it be possible to have multiplayer battles via VASSAL, ie. 2 vs. 2?

Krol · **Posted:** Wed Mar 04, 2009 8:54 pm

gaarew wrote:

So, would it be possible to have multiplayer battles via VASSAL, ie. 2 vs. 2?

Yohoho!! Who would've thought we'd be asking that question so soon

Keep it coming, guys, the more the merrier!

FelixPhantasm · **Posted:** Wed Mar 04, 2009 8:56 pm

Yup.

Several players can synchronize on the same virtual board. Once synchronized everyone can move anything. Theres no built in division of who has what.

For mutiple player mutiple force games the mod has a tool to label each model with its owner for ease of remembering.

gaarew · **Posted:** Wed Mar 04, 2009 9:01 pm

Sweet.

This, I guess, means that once we have our heads around the software, that any of us can play any other forumite.

It opens up whole new avenues for online campaigns, the To9G's, and numerous other ideas.

Perhaps you should start a new thread Todd solely for people interested in playing via VASSAL, where we could gather everyones info in the first post as new people join up? Have the links to the software and tutorials, then a list of users.

StinkenChicken · **Posted:** Wed Mar 04, 2009 11:33 pm

Well I downloaded the main program but I cant get the extra maps to work. probably by the time someone reply's Ill have figured it out. :-D

MuslimRohirrim · **Joined:** Tue May 27, 2008 7:19 am **Posts:** 311

great!! count me in guys. though time difference will be awkward for me, logging on from Egypt, but I'll sure try to connect in time whenever possible after all this time of isolation. :twisted:

I'll let you know how it goes with setting up the softwares.

hope, hope....

Krol · **Posted:** Fri Mar 06, 2009 5:12 am

ok, so the first online OR skirmishes have taken place (in my and Haldirs_fan's - are taking place) and I think everyone involved liked this program a lot. It has its quirks that we have yet to understand (like installing extensions), but overall, with some practice, it will be pretty fun to play.
The controls are actually quite intuitive, if you memorize all the shortcuts (practice, again) and even though we spent about an hour on our first three moves, I can see it getting faster.
Also, as one of the Johns put it we'll probably need to set up some database for boards. That way we don't have to start from scratch every time.
And in my case, I finally have a reason to get busy making my army lists. "Too long have you sat in the shadows!"

Kudos again to FelixPhantasm for the find and the "share" (can one say that?).

P.S. If you haven't gotten the point of this post, it's one word: Join! We really would appreciate (or at least I def know I would) lots more players.

FelixPhantasm · **Posted:** Fri Mar 06, 2009 2:40 pm

Ditto that Krol.

I love the idea of a data base of saved game files. That would make scenario play so much faster.

Skype is the other important accelerator needed to get closer to the face to face experience on-line. I'm sure that you and Haldir_Strikes figured that out as you furiously typed questions and moves back and forth to each other in the chat window.

Don't be shy folks, talking to each other isn't really that different than typing to each other and it leaves your hands free to work the module controls!

gaarew · **Posted:** Fri Mar 06, 2009 3:19 pm

FelixPhantasm wrote:

Don't be shy folks, talking to each other isn't really that different than typing to each other and it leaves your hands free to work the module controls!

Plus you pick up all sorts of swearing in different dialects.

:-D

Haldir_Strikes · **Posted:** Fri Mar 06, 2009 11:17 pm

@Ilia: Wrong Haldir hehe - I'm Haldir_Strikes

@Todd: I'm going to second the use of headsets - I've got one and next time we go into both VoTR and skype, I will definately be using it! A mic is much more useful due to its sheer convinience.

gaarew wrote:

Plus you pick up all sorts of swearing in different dialects.
:-D

Not to mention the rambling curses from defeated foes

lorderkenbrand · **Posted:** Sat Mar 07, 2009 2:45 am

Forgive me for being a total idiot around computer software but I can't seem to get this thing to work. I downloaded the large file and tried to run it but instead of playing it asked me whether I'd like to find the program needed to run it or search for it on the web. I chose the latter but it ran up no leads so I'm at a deadend on how to work this, could someone please help me?
:oops:

Thanks

Haldir_Strikes · **Posted:** Sat Mar 07, 2009 3:13 am

Hey guys I got the extentions working! You'll all be face palming when you see how I did it though

1.In the Vassal Module, Right Click on VoTR.
2.Then click on Add Extension

3.It will open up the VOTR ext folder, or you can just browse to find it if it doesn't do it automatically. Click on a mdx file (say Helms Deep) to load it.
4.It will then disappear from your folder, and a key symbol will appear next to VOTR. Click it, and it shows a drop down menu of all the mdx files you've loaded!

Krol · **Posted:** Sat Mar 07, 2009 4:05 am

Haldir_Strikes wrote:

1.In the Vassal Module, Right Click on VoTR.

By "in the Vassal module", do you mean we click on the vassal shortcut, the program starts running, we press "Play Module", and then take it the way you said?

@ Lorderkenbrand: do you have skype? if not, install it by Sunday (it's free and simple), I will be online most of the day, and I will be more than happy to help you. Also, Todd's gonna be around then, and he can definitely answer any of your questions.
my skype id is Ilia Alexander Kurenkov, feel free to add me once you're in. Good Luck and keep trying

Haldir_Strikes · **Posted:** Sat Mar 07, 2009 5:10 am

Pretty much Ilia. Here's the visual method.

MuslimRohirrim · **Joined:** Tue May 27, 2008 7:19 am **Posts:** 311

Have you tried to save your game guys? It would make a nice battrep and tutorial if you posted the file.

Interest in Forming an EST On-line Bull-pen of Players

Who is online