03-18-2011, 11:16 PM
Currently FH supports player communication via the 'MES' order; however no one seriously uses this order beyond the initial: "Hey nice to meet you here at star x,y,z, my email is blahblah@foo.com. Lets chat about that giant warfleet you have buzzing near my homesystem."
This is because the MES order is just another order, and orders are processed every X days, and in the usual course of strategic negotiation you want a response before the next turn. Since turns are 5-years of IG time, yet in FH communication is near-instantaneous (see the game manual), it makes sense that there should be some way of communicating outside the turn cycle.
E-mail is a fine way for players to communicate, however I think it is unideal for two reasons:
History is secondary. It would allow for players to elect making correspondence public after a game has finished, which would benefit the community as a whole. Also it allows the GM to keep a finger on the pulse of the game.
Even the game manual suggests the GM setup a list service of some sort for players to communicate.
Personally, I really like the PBEM Diplomacy (stealing from them again, I know) method of handling inter-player communication, or as they call it 'press'. This article explains it all nicely, but I'll summarize here.
The following commands are sent to the GMs email address, and the computer automatically sends the messages to the appropriate players (see below). This happens outside the turn processing cycle, so it is nearly instant.
Press (a message) can be sent to players with the "press" command:
Broadcasts can be sent to everyone:
If the GM allows it, there could be different types of "press":
I think this would be add an interesting dynamic to the game. When starting a GM could announce which press settings the game will use to give players some variation in the types of FH games.
Of course, there would have to be restrictions on who could send messages to who based on who has met who in-game. After all, if I haven't met any other species, it doesn't make sense for me to be able to send them messages or broadcast to everyone.
This is because the MES order is just another order, and orders are processed every X days, and in the usual course of strategic negotiation you want a response before the next turn. Since turns are 5-years of IG time, yet in FH communication is near-instantaneous (see the game manual), it makes sense that there should be some way of communicating outside the turn cycle.
E-mail is a fine way for players to communicate, however I think it is unideal for two reasons:
- Privacy - Requires a player to give out their email address
- History - The diplomatic parley and alliance machinations are forever secret
History is secondary. It would allow for players to elect making correspondence public after a game has finished, which would benefit the community as a whole. Also it allows the GM to keep a finger on the pulse of the game.
Even the game manual suggests the GM setup a list service of some sort for players to communicate.
Personally, I really like the PBEM Diplomacy (stealing from them again, I know) method of handling inter-player communication, or as they call it 'press'. This article explains it all nicely, but I'll summarize here.
The following commands are sent to the GMs email address, and the computer automatically sends the messages to the appropriate players (see below). This happens outside the turn processing cycle, so it is nearly instant.
Press (a message) can be sent to players with the "press" command:
Code:
press to Martians
Get off my lawn you dirty redfaces!
endpressBroadcasts can be sent to everyone:
Code:
broadcast
Don't come within 5 parsecs of 10,18,20 or the Transspecies Alliance will know and blast you to pieces!
endbroadcastIf the GM allows it, there could be different types of "press":
- White: messages sent to other players which indicates who it is from (this is the normal and default)
- Grey: allows for anonymous messages
- Black: allows for forged messages
I think this would be add an interesting dynamic to the game. When starting a GM could announce which press settings the game will use to give players some variation in the types of FH games.
Of course, there would have to be restrictions on who could send messages to who based on who has met who in-game. After all, if I haven't met any other species, it doesn't make sense for me to be able to send them messages or broadcast to everyone.
