F:AT "Slow" game of Magic Realm (Realmpeak)?

Hello fellow F:ATties,

Robin Warren - author of Realmspeak - has squashed a really nasty memory bug which will allow for the game to handle a large number of players without crashing - probably up to the full 16!

So, once Robin puts his new version up (his rough ETA is June) I'd love to get a big "slow" game going.

A "slow" game plays just like any ordinary game of Realmspeak, but the clients connect and disconnect as they please while the server stays up for days, weeks or however long is necessary. It's pretty much PBEM but without the email, and much less work for the host. When it's a player's turn, he logs in and plays until he's done. If two or more players are interacting tightly, for instance you and a partner are battling monsters or other characters, then you'll have to coordinate when to log in together, otherwise the game could be seriously held up.

One neat feature of the slow game is the HTML export that displays the game state for web browser viewing - realmspeak.dewkid.com/games/SlowGame/ The hosting player would refresh that after each turn or whenever he feels appropriate. It should be easy to rig up something that refreshes the HTML whenever new data is appended to the log file, so the web page would always be current.

Big games are awesome because characters tend to form groups and wreak havoc on the monsters and natives, then they run into each other, spew threats, epic, bloody battles take place. Plus if you're playing for one individual winner you can certainly expect backstabbing and arguing over treasure.

The parties even tend to make sense thematically based on starting locations - like the "Holy Rollers" (White Knight and Pilgrim) start at the Chapel while scumbags like the Swordsman, Black Knight and Sorcerer begin at the Inn, where the dirty rogues also hang out. Meanwhile the Captain might start at the guardhouse or house, perfect locations for him to hire a band of soldiers to lead into battle. (Actually anyone has the option to start at the Inn if they so choose, which can mix things up.)

So as I said, we wouldn't begin for some time as Robin hasn't released the new version yet. He says roughly June but thats not something we can hold him to. (This version is supposed to fix a shitload of bugs, btw.) This would give us time to prepare, and newbies could learn the ropes before jumping into a multiplayer game head-first.

OK, who wants in??

I would be interested, but I can't make it more than a week without getting killed. I just don't understand the combat system. I would, however, like to see the results of other players actions. Might be a good learning game.

I'm totally in. I guess I'd better start playing now so I can figure the whole thing out.

I'd be into it, but I'll have to finally sit down and try to learn it since I never really had the option of playing it FTF.

Can any Mac users help me figure out how to run this crazy thing?

LOL...That's always the problem with this game - no one knows how to play it. One thing I've done in the past is have my buddy connect to my computer using VNC (desktop sharing) and Teamspeak while I demonstrated how to play. I started with my favorite part - the combat simulator - because I believe getting combat down is crucial to not sucking.

So maybe we should do something like a group Magic Realm 101 class.

Metalface, the zip file you downloaded should have a file called mac_readme.txt. Here's part of that file:

"Unpack the MacRealmSpeak.sit, and move the two applescript files to the same level as the RealmSpeak.jar file. Double-click the appropriate script (one launches the game, the other launches the battle simulator), and the game should start. Do not click the RealmSpeak.jar file directly anymore - memory doesn't get set up properly if you do this."

You have to have Java 1.5 or greater installed. If you are unsure, at a command prompt, type "java -version" to get the version number.

NeonPeon wrote:

Metalface, the zip file you downloaded should have a file called mac_readme.txt. Here's part of that file:

"Unpack the MacRealmSpeak.sit, and move the two applescript files to the same level as the RealmSpeak.jar file. Double-click the appropriate script (one launches the game, the other launches the battle simulator), and the game should start. Do not click the RealmSpeak.jar file directly anymore - memory doesn't get set up properly if you do this."

You have to have Java 1.5 or greater installed. If you are unsure, at a command prompt, type "java -version" to get the version number.

Ah thanks! I hadn't moved them onto the same level.

I'm willing to try this, too, but, like everyone else, I barely know how to play. I've run through Realmspeak a number of times and combat remains especially incomprehensible to me.

I'm a little rusty but once I've played some refresher games I'd be down for some MR online. As far as rules go I've got most everything down except magic and casting spells. Fully understanding how that works still eludes me.

-Will

Sounds great. I'd love to get in on it.

Does Realmspeak use the 2nd or 3rd edition ruleset?

Count me in...

mjl1783 wrote:

Sounds great. I'd love to get in on it.

Does Realmspeak use the 2nd or 3rd edition ruleset?

You know I'm not entirely sure which ruleset it "officially" uses. When I need to refer to the rules I always look at the 3rd edition, and so far I haven't found any inconsistencies. For what it's worth I know the game allows you to use two optional rules that are recommended in the 3rd edition rules (watchful natives and knights adjustment).

This sounds awesome, but my first attempt to comprehend Magic Realm combat has failed. Maybe I will the give rules another look sometime soon.

I'd love to play. But, I'm in the same boat as most everyone else; I don't quite get everything yet.