Online Campaign

[abclkhan]

Hello

I would like to start an online campaign. Its a very simple idea, and im posting this to detect any interested people. So please, take a look at the parameters following these words and post in this topic only if you are interested in join me.

1) Its a realistic setting. The players will start at a german harbour and drive their boats to their patrol zone. During this time, contacts will be established, targets will be found just like the in the single mode. but there wil be no time compression. The u-boats may sail alone or toghether, changing information and orming wolfpacks as convoys are detected.

2) the game will last for many hours, since the patrol zones are not in the vicinities of the harbour.

3) Upgrades, rewards, punishments and renown will be granted as they are in the single.

4) Each patrol may last for several days of gaming, and for this they should be broken in chapters, i mean, 5 hours saturday, and more 5 hours next weekend etc . The players could build an agreement f how many hours they want to play in a day of gaming.

thats all

[abclkhan]

bump

[JU_88]

The patrols will only take several hours? without Time compression i think It could take days, you cant pause an MP game either so players will have to hope they dont cross paths with a plane or escort while on 'auto pilot'

Well.... not for me - but good luck and let us know how it goes.

[Blacklight]

It sounds like a lot of fun, but unless you set the missions close to the harbors, it will take days. Better off setting it as a MP mission that starts in a certain area and has events in that area occur. Then take the results of that tour and make a new MP mission for another zone and just toss all the participating subs there. You can still split up the sub groups by sending different MP missions to each group saying that they're patrolling different areas and then maybe bring them all together again for other missions depending on events that occured.

I'd be interested, but there's no way I could do a drive all the way from port to the mission areas in 1x, do my searches in 1x, and then return home 1x. My wife would kill me if I left the computer on and had to wake up and jump out of bed when I hear my computer speakers shout "ALAAAAAAAAAAARM !!!!" several times a night.

[Ping Panther]

Is this to be a GWX2 event?

[abclkhan]

Originally Posted by Blacklight

It sounds like a lot of fun, but unless you set the missions close to the harbors, it will take days. Better off setting it as a MP mission that starts in a certain area and has events in that area occur. Then take the results of that tour and make a new MP mission for another zone and just toss all the participating subs there. You can still split up the sub groups by sending different MP missions to each group saying that they're patrolling different areas and then maybe bring them all together again for other missions depending on events that occured.

I'd be interested, but there's no way I could do a drive all the way from port to the mission areas in 1x, do my searches in 1x, and then return home 1x. My wife would kill me if I left the computer on and had to wake up and jump out of bed when I hear my computer speakers shout "ALAAAAAAAAAAARM !!!!" several times a night.

Exactly. My idea was not to play 24h a day, but cover a limited range each sesion of gaming. Example: We choose to play in a saturday morning. We start ar Brest and go to the english channel with the intention to block it. That would give aprox 240Km, with a VIIB we can cover in 7 hour unless u want to play with a IIA.... :hmm:
Another approach is: I start from brest, you from cherbourg, the other guy from Calais and we set ameeting point as a wolfpack . Someone discovers a convoy, gives its position and we converge to it.

Thats the spirit. we play until we are up to, then u give me positions, number of fishes, crew status, etc, and the most important, we start at the same time later... no need to play while doing our wives... Contacts will be there again since we are playing the same campaign...

MIssions could be set to meditterraneum, where distsnces are short.

The most interesting point of this kind of gaming is not the sinking of ships itself, but the way to it -- plot interception courses, track their course by hydrophone things like that, and the wolfpack stuff.

Yes if people agree, that would be a GWX event. It would be nice to have installed: GWX 1.03 + carotios map mod (has more cities) and OLC GUI mod (wich I love ) If we have crashes for 3 times, all should have a stock installations ready to start playing. Since our achievements should rely on ou abilities as uboatman, no cameras are allowed ... only 100% realism.

[BulSoldier]

I dont see what is the point of staying say 3 hours just watching your sub traveling, and then saving and next week again traveling 2 hour and finally contact.It would be better just to plan the contacts diferent boots will encounter and playing only this part, there is no point "playing" hours of traveling.

I think its just step too far from gaming.

[Blacklight]

I dont see what is the point of staying say 3 hours just watching your sub traveling, and then saving and next week again traveling 2 hour and finally contact.It would be better just to plan the contacts diferent boots will encounter and playing only this part, there is no point "playing" hours of traveling.

I think its just step too far from gaming.

Exactly what I was suggesting. Maybe make like a role playing game kind of thing out of it. Plan individual situations for the people involved... then drop each of us in the middle of it so we pretty much immediately get into the action instead of each of us driving out to our locations from the bases. Maybe include with the mission description something like: You've traveled for days into the North Atlantic toward your assigned patrol grid of AN35... when your hydrophone operator notices something... then start the mission.

Maybe have different stories planned for each person or make them up on the fly but have a grand story working in the background that brings everyone together into a huge wolfpack in the end or something.

"The Allies are up to something... there never used to be this many warships patrolling this area ? What's going on ?"
Next mission.. two subs are sent to the area to investigate...
Something happens to them... Maybe the Allies are working on a new weapon or ship or something or are setting up for the world's largest convoy or something like that.... who knows....
Doing a bunch of single missions, linking the stories together, intermixing them with occasional MP missions where a couple of us would have to meet up sometime online to do the mission and then have all of us together for the big "Grand Finale" would work MUCH better.

Take it from me. I'm the ultimate role playing game nerd who has half a walk in closet full of role playing games and over 20 years experience running them. This would be the best way to set something like this up.
You may even be able to take this a step further like have a chat room for all us Uboat captains to talk to each other and compare notes to solve some kind of mystery thing that's going on. Having a plot that we can unravel as well would increase playabilty and add excitement to the game as well instead of it being just a bunch of missions. The key would be to write a really cool and deep plot with some nice twists and figure a way to work it into the game's framework.

[Capt. Shark Bait]

Originally Posted by Blacklight

...My wife would kill me if I....wake up and jump out of bed when I hear my computer speakers shout "ALAAAAAAAAAAARM !!!!" several times a night.

but then, where would the immersion factor be?

this would really be doable, but as BL said, real time could be a prob when it takes 200+hrs to reach a GRID if leaving from a base in RT. i think it would be better to start near whatever GRID. good thing i have weekend nights off work, atleast for the forseeable future

[Badger Finn]

Originally Posted by Capt. Shark Bait

but then, where would the immersion factor be?

this would really be doable, but as BL said, real time could be a prob when it takes 200+hrs to reach a GRID if leaving from a base in RT. i think it would be better to start near whatever GRID. good thing i have weekend nights off work, atleast for the forseeable future

Radio msg recieved-Convoy sighted AK47 inbound

"SHIP SIGHTED"



Just getting 4-5 hours uninterupted to play is tricky enough and I havnt seen a multiplay that you can save

:hmm:

[GoldenRivet]

i would really love to see an online campaign take place on a dedicated server that would run 24/7. hell i might even participate in a limited role (dive to go to work or something as long as unlimited air was on!)

problems with this are

1. Disconnections: what happens if a player is stalking a convoy and broadcasting its position for a wolf pack to join up, and he spends the better part of 18 hours intercepting and assuming a firing position and suddenly a winter storm shuts down the power to his home? or his internet connection is reset?

2. Real Life: what protections exist for players who wish to "pause" their envolvment or disengage enemy contact so they can go out on that hot date, or go to work, or defecate etc?

3. Crashes: what happens if a player spends three days running full throttle for a contact report only to finally arrive and his computer crashes either due to an SH3 fault, or a fault caused by another program on his computer / random reason?

the list of problems with this type of multiplayer arrangment could go on.

I have given it much thought.

Ideally, i wish that there were some sort of 24/7 real time server that would run 1939 - 1945 SH3 (2007 - 2013) and it would be great if there were a virtual BdU that could issue orders to various flotillas, and flotillas that would issue orders to various boats within that flotilla etc - recreate the u-boat war so to speak. but, with a game that relies so heavily on time compression to make the game even remotely playable this type of multiplayer environment is far too vast in the level of dedication and time required for the average player... sure, if i was 13 or 14 years old again and had an entire summer to kill and had absolutely no other plans than to sit in my room from mid June to the end of September i would gladly join the ranks of a virtual Kriegsmarine. but unfortunately i think that for most guys with a 9 to 5 job and a family... and for myself with a job that requires me to leave home for 4 days at a time... its just not an attractive concept in terms of what is demanded of the individual player.

one other point comes to mind... if you choose to play for 5 or 6 hours and then resume on another day, what if all of the players that were there on day one couldnt all be there on day two? how are you going to reset the player starting positions so that they start out where they left off? and if you are stalking a convoy... they are surely spawned in the random layer, who is to say the same convoy you spent 6 hours tracking on monday will still be there when you start a new game on wednesday?

im not trying to shoot down your goal, dont get me wrong, in fact i hope you prove me wrong , but - despite the concept being really cool - i think there are too many constraints associated with a real time simulation like SH3 to make it interesting to any more than only a hand full of players.

[Blacklight]

That's exactly why I would say.. make a bunch of individual missions for each individual player that eventually comes together into a main story and build it up to a big multiplayer grand finale. Instead of everyone driving out to the mission, drop us into the mission area at the start of each mission.

Real life is far too intrusive to do a good portion of what you're suggesting. The individual missions would be the way to go... and occasionally assign a MP mission to a couple people durring it all in a gradual build up to the grand finale would work well. Maybe allow each person a week or so to allow him or her to complete the mission or to meet up with his or her partner for the mission... then read everyone's mission reports and make the next series of missions from that.

I think this is the only way that your suggestion would really work (And it could be quite fun with an interesting storyline designed that make us feel a part of something)

[abclkhan]

Originally Posted by Capt. Shark Bait

but then, where would the immersion factor be?

this would really be doable, but as BL said, real time could be a prob when it takes 200+hrs to reach a GRID if leaving from a base in RT. i think it would be better to start near whatever GRID. good thing i have weekend nights off work, atleast for the forseeable future

Please read my posts again partner...

[abclkhan]

1. Disconnections: what happens if a player is stalking a convoy and broadcasting its position for a wolf pack to join up, and he spends the better part of 18 hours intercepting and assuming a firing position and suddenly a winter storm shuts down the power to his home? or his internet connection is reset?

that is a real problem, players must have an agreement on what to do.

2. Real Life: what protections exist for players who wish to "pause" their envolvment or disengage enemy contact so they can go out on that hot date, or go to work, or defecate etc?

To defecate and to piss, we could use bedpans!
Now, seriously, u cant imagine how nice is to intercept a convoy u are trying to track for hours...when action comes, you really dont want to leave ur computer. Believe me sinking ships this way is like to defecate after 1 week of constipation.... Just imagine. Imagine how nice must be this sensation. But tell me, when u are playing normal games at UBI, what do you do when nature calls?
I just dont think that is a relevant question, if u want to leave for some minutes, just do it, its just a game. But when im in action, i do it fastly. ( No I dont take laxatives for this he he)

3. Crashes: what happens if a player spends three days running full throttle for a contact report only to finally arrive and his computer crashes either due to an SH3 fault, or a fault caused by another program on his computer / random reason?

Well all we need is to know hes position at the moment of the disaster, then we edit the map accordingly.
The only problem in this case is: when players start, in the new map, they wont be necessarily at the same subs... you know? Sugestions concerning to a solution for this probelm are very welcome.

Indeed, crashes are common and tricky.

sure, if i was 13 or 14 years old again and had an entire summer to kill and had absolutely no other plans than to sit in my room from mid June to the end of September i would gladly join the ranks of a virtual Kriegsmarine. but unfortunately i think that for most guys with a 9 to 5 job and a family... and for myself with a job that requires me to leave home for 4 days at a time... its just not an attractive concept in terms of what is demanded of the individual player.

Humm... I said 5 to 7 hours per game session... not 24h... we dont want to become zombies...
Ithink playing for 5-7 hours once a week is less than many people are used to do.... if my english is correct u ll understand me. and The players dont need to be all the time in front of the computer... I have the habit of leave the sub sailing and check for contacts periodically.
Look... if u are such a busy guy, you just cant play this kind of game. Period.

one other point comes to mind... if you choose to play for 5 or 6 hours and then resume on another day, what if all of the players that were there on day one couldnt all be there on day two? how are you going to reset the player starting positions so that they start out where they left off?

See above.

and if you are stalking a convoy... they are surely spawned in the random layer, who is to say the same convoy you spent 6 hours tracking on monday will still be there when you start a new game on wednesday?

The main targets / ships / convoys should be set in the map so as we dont loose them at those situations. However, I should say, players should avoid stopping the game in a moment of action... Think: If you spent the last 3 hours planning a wolfpack why would u want to quit? If u are forced to do it, dont worry, u are not out of the flotilla... we give u a nice position in the next day of patrol. and keep having fun.

i think there are too many constraints associated with a real time simulation like SH3 to make it interesting to any more than only a hand full of players

You ve got it. Actually, my post is to call exactly this hand full of players... no the full sh3 community.

[abclkhan]

Originally Posted by Blacklight

That's exactly why I would say.. make a bunch of individual missions for each individual player that eventually comes together into a main story and build it up to a big multiplayer grand finale. Instead of everyone driving out to the mission, drop us into the mission area at the start of each mission.

Real life is far too intrusive to do a good portion of what you're suggesting. The individual missions would be the way to go... and occasionally assign a MP mission to a couple people durring it all in a gradual build up to the grand finale would work well. Maybe allow each person a week or so to allow him or her to complete the mission or to meet up with his or her partner for the mission... then read everyone's mission reports and make the next series of missions from that.

I think this is the only way that your suggestion would really work (And it could be quite fun with an interesting storyline designed that make us feel a part of something)

Your suggestion is not what I intend to do, but appears interesting to me. Perhaps we could elaborate this. Reminds me what they do at subsim.:hmm: