RSW

Hey folks,

I'm new to the site here... have not yet played a game. I like what I see and am probably going to try out a core game here soon. I do have a few questions:

1. How large is the community of players for public games?

2. Is there anyway to run the client without and install on windows machines. I tend to do work on about 4 different machines and it would be great if I could run something like the client off a usb key instead of having to install it on a particular machine.

3. Assuming the above is not possible, I may install the client on my main machine and play more complex games using it, while having a simple game or two going and trying to play those via the web or email. How difficult is it to just play via the web interface assuming I just draw my own map by hand?

Welcome!

1. How large is the community of players for public games?

It's not large. There are probably fewer than 10 players who play frequently, maybe 20 who play occasionally, and several more who come and go. If you like what you see, you could help grow the community by inviting your friends in!

2. Is there anyway to run the client without and install on windows machines.

It's possible, but it's not as nice as running the installed version, because you'd have to get Python and wxPython and then run from source. However, you don't need to go this route. The client saves all of your game moves to the server, and then automatically downloads them again when you switch machines. Thus, you can install the client on all the machines you use, and switch back and forth at will, without even bothering to mess around with USB keys. I work this way myself. It does require that you have an internet connection on all of your machines, though, or at least an intermittent connection.

3. How difficult is it to just play via the web interface assuming I just draw my own map by hand?

I wouldn't recommend it. Some old-timers do this, but I know some old-timer radio operators who insist on communicating in Morse code, too. Once you play it graphically, you never want to do that all that work by hand again.

David

I will probably just go ahead and install on my main gaming machine. I don't want to install anything else on the machine I do most of my work on, however it already has Python and wxPython installed on it (I'm currently learning Python).

I'm getting an error though when I try to run it. Is there a specific place I should be running it from?

You mean, you're getting an error when you're trying to run the installed version? That should just work. What kind of error are you getting? Are you getting the error when you just pick it from the start menu?

Or do you mean you're trying to run it from source and you're getting an error? That's a completely different problem. In either case, I need to know what the error message is in order to begin to guess what's going wrong.

You didn't specify your operating system. I assume you're running Windows?

David

drwr wrote:

3. How difficult is it to just play via the web interface assuming I just draw my own map by hand?

I wouldn't recommend it. Some old-timers do this, but I know some old-timer radio operators who insist on communicating in Morse code, too. Once you play it graphically, you never want to do that all that work by hand again.

David

I was around when RSW just had text output and you had to map the worlds by hand. It is exponentially better to play with the client. Far far easier to see what's going on in the galaxy, and you're less likely to forget to move fleets with the undirected flag.

Greetings Valeroth;
I've been playing Starweb (which the classic game is a derivative of) for over 30 years --- all snail mail, hand drawn maps, and communication by note cards sent with the game turns. It has always been fun, but I'd never go back. I still play Starweb, but I use David's client to process my turns! I've tried a number of other game processing programs, but David's blows the doors off of all of them.
When you start a game, let everyone know you're a newbie, most players will cut you some slack. As David said, the community isn't all that large, and I myself am always trying to recruit new players. Welcome aboard, I'm looking forward to meeting you.
ZenCat/SquarePeg