Solium Infernum PBEM sign-up thread (updated to include PBEM BBQ!)

Games
1

I hope I’m not stepping on another thread, but I figured we could use someplace to coordinate PBEM games of Solium Infernum. Which I heartily recommend. This is easily one of the year’s best multiplayer games.

However, you won’t want to jump into a multiplayer game before you’ve read the rules and maybe shuffled the pieces around in a single player game. And you won’t want to commit yourself to an archfiend build until you know a bit about the gameplay. Be particularly careful to understand the importance of your charisma, which determines how many resources you get. Don’t be too seduced by perks to the point that you ignore your attributes. Don’t be too quick to take a low nobility rank. These are things you may not know at first, and it’ll suck if you get locked into a PBEM game before you appreciate this stuff.

So here’s the deal: When you’re ready for a multiplayer game, post your name here and whether you’re willing to host. As names accumulate, I’ll arrange folks into groups of six and send you on your merry way. I’d also recommend that you start a thread for your game where you can talk publicly about what’s happening in the game. I imagine we’ve got enough interest for two or three full games, so hopefully that won’t be too annoying to non-SI players on the forum. But just as Bruce, Troy, and I had our liveblogging thread (waiting on Bruce’s turn!), I’d love to read you guys talking about how your games are progressing.

Finally, if you find yourself falling behind in the game and losing interest, I’d recommend that you stick it out. Worst case scenario, if you feel you’re completely out of the running, you can turn your side over to the AI. But there can be dramatic changes of fortune in Solium Infernum. And there are even ingame contingencies for winning by losing. You can also come in second place by hitching your star to another player’s wagon.

-Tom

CURRENT GAMES:

Game #1: Hell Is Other People
TomChick (host)
Abilio Carvalho
Ben Sones
Bamboo
Lum
Gunner

Game #2: Better To Reign (n00b game)
Morkilus (host)
Jab2565
Xemu
Lazy Shiftless Bastard
TheRock
scotthal

Game #3: Damn It All
porousnapkin (host)
Diddums
Josemas
Merakon
Jack Black
Thesper

Game #4: Deviled Eggs
Soldats (host)
spelk
MythicalMino
JM
tiohn
Jasper

Game #5: Hell to Pay
Deadbuffalo (host)
terpsicore
Bossman
Sepiche
Roboczar
Staff Sergeant

Game #6: Abandon All Hope
Dave Perkins (host)
Razgon
Nodrownboy2
Adam Eayrs
lesslucid
TomChick

Game #7: H-E-Double Hockey Sticks
Diddums (host)
Jason Lutes
Jack Black
Jasper
vm555
Thesper

Game #8: Alexander Wept
Thesper (host)
ddtibbs
Bossman
Josemas
Mike Sofaer
Deadbuffalo

Game #9: Prince of Darkness
Josemas (host)
ShivaX
Evil Steve
LokiUtgaard
Gunner
Morkilus

Game #10: Have Pitchfork, Will Travel
Eduardo X (host)
Dave Perkins
Morberis
WildOne
ShivaX
Ethan Perkins

Game #11: Brimstone and Blood
Nodrownboy2 (host)
Wild One
Brinstil
Nathan Sharpe
Ethylene Oxide
De_Treville

Game #12: No Flesh Shall Be Spared
Damien Niel (host)
Staff Sergeant
TurinTuramaba
Jeckal Died
nullspace
Soren Hoglund

Game #13: Damnation Alley
MikeSofaer (host)
Bossman
TurinTuramaba
ddtibbs
Deadbuffalo
McKnight

Game #14: I Love Lucifer
HarryEquador (host)
BleedTheFreak
jeff01
JordanP
Jason138
Pacman14

Game #15: Even Hell Has Queues
TurinTuramba (host)
Scuzzmuggler
Ethylene Oxide
Thesper
peakpg
ron_debry

Game #16: Sin to Win
Mysterio (host)
Bossman
ddtibbs
AaronSofaer
jeff01
Staff Sergeant

Game #17: Through the Fire and Flames
Calistas (host)
JordanP
Netriak
wiper
McKnight
LokeUtgaard

Game #18: Aw, Hell
Morberis (host)
Lloyd Heilbrunn
Sabin
Wisbechlad
wisefool
animeshk

Game #19: Something Wicked
Bossman (host)
Staff Sergeant
Primemover
juril
Thesper
willk0

Game #20: Express Elevator to Hell
AaronSofaer (host)
Calistas
Lloyd Heilbrunn
Idar Thorvaldsen
Bossman
Sabin

Game #21: A Touch of Evil
ron_debry (host)
animeshk
Josemas
willk0
JavaBean
Deadbuffalo

Game #22:There’s Always Room for Hell-O
DanielElliot (host)
Fizish
Paxton
Idar Thorvaldsen
JavaBean
Lloyd Heilbrunn

Game #23: Hellzapoppin
Stiger (host)
Wisebechlad
jaygittings
Deadbuffalo
TurinTuramba
Jab2565

Game #24: Fire on the Mountain
belgerog (host)
MikeSofaer
checkers
WildOne
willk0
chaedwards

2

Tom Chick, willing to host

-Tom
3

Abilio Carvalho, willing to suck

4

Maybe I should play at least one single player game first. Wow, Vic, this looks awesome!

5

Jab, I’ll be up for a really, really noob game.

6

Solium Infernum is downloading to my hard drive as I type this, at a blazing 30KB/s.

I am interested in playing in a PBEM game, but probably should not host for the benefit of all. As I said in the other thread, I should be in a game with people who are understanding of the following:

Though I enjoy them, I suck at strategy games, and, on top of that, I won’t have the time to follow any of Tom’s advice above. A single, PBEM game of SI is quite honestly all the gaming time I’m going to have for the foreseeable future.

My job is destroying me right now. I will commit here in public to submitting a turn once every 24 hours no matter the cost to my health or relationships, but that turn might also come very late at night US Mountain Standard Time. That said, I may have to make a 2-3 day business trip at an unspecified date in December during which I wouldn’t be able to participate at all, as I lack access to a portable, Windows computer.

If there’s no group that wants to put up with all of that, I certainly understand.

Edit: Errr, my name is Scott.

7

Definitely take heed of this. Your rank is important for a lot of things, including the strength of your starting Legion, which is actually a much bigger deal than you might think. At the lowest Archfiend rank, your starting Legion will not be strong enough to take on any PoPs right out of the gate–not even the relatively weak ones. Which can be okay, if you have a strategy for building up that Legion (perhaps bolstered by whatever you spent those Archfiend points on), but it’s probably not the best starting strategy. I’d recommend making your starter archfiend a Marquis.

Also, don’t spread your points too thin when you are buying attributes. This is not the sort of game where you will be good at everything, so don’t be afraid to specialize. Look at the chart that tells you what benefits, Rituals, etc. that each Attribute gets you, and pick one (or at most, two) to really focus on. For the others, dropping a single point isn’t too big a deal (that only costs two Archfiend points), but don’t be afraid to leave them at zero, either. You don’t need to put points in every Attribute.

I’m up for some PBeM, BTW. I can host or play–whichever.

8

I’m in for multi, and I can host, I think. I haven’t tried it yet of course, but I’m a Dominions veteran. A very poor Dominions veteran, but one nonetheless. I have 7 minutes left on my download.

9

I’m interested in playing a PBEM, though I cannot host.

10

Just to clarify, you don’t need to post your name now. This thread isn’t going anywhere. :)

When you post your name, I’m assuming you’re ready to be dumped into a PBEM game.

-Tom
11

I am in, willing to host though I can only email between 8:30 and 11 PM Eastern most nights. Not good at these sorts of things so if there is a B game, I’d prefer that one.

12

I’m definitely up for some PBEM with other total noobs – after a little single player play I love the mechanics so I’m curious to see how they play out in multi for reals…

13

Sign me up, please. Hosting is fine as long as the timezone doesn’t matter. (Does it?)

Hopefully this will fare better than the Aussie Blood Bowl league, which died quietly after a single game.

14

Ready to be pwned in pbem!

15

Sign me up for a game. Hopefully with people that won’t mysteriously disappear this time. I’m not sure about hosting though.

16

I’m ready for some PBEM. Non hosting. I’ve played teh demo to death and will have the full version anytime now.

17

Okay, so we’ve got enough folks here for two full games. The games are as follows:

Hell Is Other People
TomChick (host)
Abilio Carvalho
Ben Sones
Juffo-Wup
Bamboo
Lum

Better To Reign (n00b game)
Morkilus (host)
Jab2565
Xemu
Lazy Shiftless Bastard
TheRock
scotthal

PM your email address to the game’s host. Once he’s heard from everyone, he will then set up a game. I’d recommend the default settings (normal map size, normal game length, uncommon places of power) but with the map type of the host’s choice. This will then generate a file sent out to players, who will create their archfiends.

Since it’s a holiday weekend, folks’ schedules might be erratic, so this may not take off immediately. If you have any questions about the process, feel free to post them here. Any additional folks interested in games, feel free to sign your name. And if you guys are interested, feel free to start a thread about your game. I’d love to read how it’s going, inasmuch as you can reveal details without compromising your secrets. :)

 -Tom
18

Sign me up for the next game, noob or non, with internationals – I see people in the main SI thread posting about turns taking too long, but I hope allowances will be made for our compadres around the globe (e.g. the Swiss and Aussies above).

19

Diddums, since it’s a PBEM game, it should work just fine for folks in varying time zones assuming everyone is okay with basically a turn a day.

-Tom
20

A turn a day is what I figured, but I imagine there will be some folks (who quite fairly enough) would prefer more turns/day since this is new and exciting. The “official” Qt3 games being 1 turn/day would be perfect.