Instructions for using PBEM

[buyhevs]

After enjoying playing BotB with old friends on my old iPad 1 via Apple's Game Center, which had some issues; I was excited to see that BotB had been updated, and that a new over-the-internet server solution would be utilized. I'm playing now on an iPad 2 runing iOS 9, and am disappointed with how the user experience has degraded; but am heartened that I can take advantage of the PBEM server, provided how I can figure out how to use it.

Of course I have a Slitherine account; so I:

1) Choose Multiplayer on BotB
2) Logged into my account
3) Selected Issue Challenge
4) Checked "Paired", enter a password, and Issue Challenge

I'm thinking that for my friend to "find me", and the game I initiated; would he issue a paired challenge with the same password?

Thanks in advance,

Matthew

[buyhevs]

We got it to work; but that was after creating lot's of Challenges, that when accepted, ended up having a game board w/o any pieces on it. We'll continue the game we successfully started; and then maybe, my friend and I will see exactly which steps created the empty games.

[IainMcNeil]

If you are seeing issues please let us know the exact details and which player names they are in so the team can check them out. We've already fixed a number of bugs but almost certainly have more to go!

[buyhevs]

OK, for some reason, the earlier Challenge I'm able to check this morning (because it's my turn), shows a populated game board. The latest Challenge is the one we've started to play; but if you want to check out the earlier ones, they are the games between buyhevs and AaronPDX.

[buyhevs]

Unfortunately my friend, AaronPDX, can no longer see the game we started, let alone any of the old Challenges anymore.

I'll surf around to see about how one joins the Beta; as I'd like to see Bulge, as well as the rest of the Shenandoah titles successfully rewritten/ported.

Matthew

[IainMcNeil]

The beta games and released games are on different servers and cant talk to each other. If you started a game with the live version it will not be visible in the beta and vice versa.

[fabulousforrest]

I posted an open challenge. Get an email this evening saying it was my turn. Went to multiplayer and there was nothing there. What to do?

[Shards]

Hi fabforrest,

I've had a look on the server and sadly I can't see your game at all!

Can you try and create a new challenge and see if that one works properly? Also, could you PM me the details of the email that you received from PBEM so that I can check the logs?

Thanks!

[fabulousforrest]

I issued a new challenge. Says completed, but I don't see it anywhere. Should I?

[sa_gibson]

The PBEM solution is a problem - first because it doesn't work, and second because if it did work it would still be much clumsier than what existed before.

Can we get some feedback on where we can expect this to go? Will the multiplayer solution for Bulge (and the other CiC titles) support real-time play, at some point in the future, in the way that the GC versions of the games did? And, when will that be?

To be clear, I mean:

- you can enter the game when it isn't your turn, and stay there after your turn
- if your opponent moves while you're in the game, you will see that move play out, and then it will be your turn
- if your opponent moves when you're not in the game, or when you are in another game, you will get a banner alert, and you can select that alert, and be immediately shifted into that game, and see the move play out
- the game icon on your device will have an alert symbol of some kind, which tells you that it is your turn, without having to check your email or launch the game to find out
- you can maintain a list of other players in the game, and launch games against them by simply picking one of them
- games so launched are 'direct' and private, rather than public, so there is no need for a password mechanism

Is this the future, or is it irretrievably the past?

[Shards]

I issued a new challenge. Says completed, but I don't see it anywhere. Should I?

Hi! When you issue challenges, they appear in the "Issued Challenges" tab (you may need to click refresh) whilst they wait for someone to take you on

[Shards]

To be clear, I mean:

- you can enter the game when it isn't your turn, and stay there after your turn
- if your opponent moves while you're in the game, you will see that move play out, and then it will be your turn
- if your opponent moves when you're not in the game, or when you are in another game, you will get a banner alert, and you can select that alert, and be immediately shifted into that game, and see the move play out
- the game icon on your device will have an alert symbol of some kind, which tells you that it is your turn, without having to check your email or launch the game to find out
- you can maintain a list of other players in the game, and launch games against them by simply picking one of them
- games so launched are 'direct' and private, rather than public, so there is no need for a password mechanism

Hi!

Gamecenter is certainly in the past. We want to be able to support and move forward with all of the CiC titles, and our strategy to do that is that we want to bring them to as broad an audience as possible. We'll keep using PBEM++ as it gives us fantastic cross-platform support and you can rest assured that it's a platform that is constantly being added to and evolved.

Most of the ideas you have up there are on our product backlog for CiC and PBEM++ and we look forward to being able to discuss it more in the future

[fabulousforrest]

I issued a new challenge. Says completed, but I don't see it anywhere. Should I?

Hi! When you issue challenges, they appear in the "Issued Challenges" tab (you may need to click refresh) whilst they wait for someone to take you on

It is not there

[Shards]

It is not there

Hi! From what I can tell, you have one active game where you're the Challenger, Vs Petem1991 which started on the 1st Oct and it's your turn. Does the game not appear in your active game list?

Ta!

[fabulousforrest]

It does not appear.



I got an email saying it was my turn (I think I PM'ed the contents to you), but I don't see it or the challenge I just issued.

[fabulousforrest]

Yo! I still can't see any challenge I issue.

Just got a slew of updates to the app, but this still does not work. What up?

[Shards]

Yo! I still can't see any challenge I issue.

Just got a slew of updates to the app, but this still does not work. What up?

Hi fabforrest, can I ask what system you're running the game on? PC, Mac? Steam or non-steam?

Also, can you see the list of other people's challenges in the Accept a Challenge tab?

Ta!

[fabulousforrest]

On iPad. Latest version on IOS.

Can see other challenges. All have the lock and/or link badge.

As noted above, I got a "your turn" email, but could see no game.

[AlexRadu]

Hello Fabforrest!

I am sorry that you've encountered problems. We are still trying to fix as many issues as possible and we will also look into this reported issue.
Thank you for your time and info!

Cheers,
Alex