Just a few quick questions

[Ulfang]

I've never played a Multiplayer CK game before and just have a few newbie-esque questions.

Do you use Valkirienet or just an internet host as there never seems to be anyone on VN!?
Do you set a certain playing time for all players involved so say after a couple of hours you finish for the night until the next scheduled time?
What if someone isn't available next time you play can yopu continue the game and does that player then get dropped?

I'm trying to work out if I can join a game you see. Thing is I'm not available for more than a few hrs a night and usually don't get on the comp till after 12am till about 4am but i'm in the UK and need to see if that fits in well with my American cousins

 

[Swuul]

I suggest you read the "What do you need to know to play EU2 MP" found in my sig, as it is also compatible with CK.

Anyway, there are random games in V-Net, though not very often. Good time to check is around 18-20 CET, as that is when most Europeans are around looking for a game.

Longterm, aka scheduled, games have threads on this forum (or other forums, I know there is a finnish forum where a CK game is running, and I have no doubt that there many others too). Scheduled games have a fixed time when it is played (for example 18 - 21 CET) on the scheduled weekday. Check the game threads for the times etc.

When (notice, not "if") a player misses a session (s)he is supposed to have arranged a subsitute ("sub") to play for the session. If a sub is not available, then AI runs that power. CK AI is pretty good in running the power for a session, though high BB and/or high prestige will lead to problems (the AI is happy as hell to claim all of Europe if it has the prestige, which leads to massive BB, which the AI is not able to cope with). In every longterm game any given player is practically guaranteed to miss a session or more, real life interferes with gaming However, when the game is set-up the players should find a time-slot which usually fits most of the players, thus avoiding the problem.

While there certainly are americans playing this game, most of the active MPers on this forum seem to be from the Nordic countries, Great Britain or the Benelux countries. A time window of 01:00 - 05:00 CET you seem to have open might be rather problematic (as it is still afternoon in much of America at 1 AM CET) for any people having more conventional working hours or school. Of course during weekends that is easier to overcome

 

[LordLeto]

There are a couple American players. Though the time differnce has caused problems for me when attempting to play with Europeans, which means actually waking up in the morning. But given theres a 5 to 6 hour differnce between the UK and the eastern seaboard you shouldn't have a problem playing with americans given it'll be about 7 and work/school should be over. Now you just go to find them.

 

[Ulfang]

Ah right well I'm not bothered who I play with its just most posts i've read on the forums seem to have some sort of American Timezone when arranging games so just assumed most MP'ers were from the U.S

I'll keep my eye out and give it a try. I've played a mix of Kingdoms and Dukedoms (Latest being the Duke of Anjou) but have no experiences vs Human players but seems to me it would be a much more interesting game