One person starts the game. They set up a game as usual (difficulty,
barbarians, number of civs, etc.) and then make some decisions such as
how long a turn takes. Default settings for turn length are:
Then the admin then sets the following parameters (all are yes/no)
Open Game (Players can join during a game)
Kill Civilization on Retirement
Show Human STarting Positions
All Humans Can Chat from Start
Double Production rates
Double Movement Rate of Ground Units
You can choose to wait for other players to join, or you can start
immediately. The computer AI runs each civilization until a player joins
and takes over that civilization.
The administrator can change various game options at any time as long
as all players vote to accept the change. This process is anonymous.
Once a player's time runs out, play automatically passes to the next
player in the queue, whether AI or Human.
During each turn, you can move your units. Between turns, you can do the
following things:
Manage your cities via the City Windows
Consult your advisors
Change your tax rate
Chat in the chat window
Conduct diplomacy via emissaries
In the chat window, you can send to all players, one player only, or any
number of specific players in the game. You can also send messages
anonymously, and you can choose to ignore anonymous messages. You can,
therefore, conduct diplomacy via the chat window, but any binding
effects, such as trading technologies, maps, etc., must be done via the
diplomatic emissaries. You can now set your attitude when conducting
diplomacy via emissaries (uncooperative Zulu emissary, enthusiastic
English Emissary, etc.)
You can drop out at any time, and that "Kill Civilization on Retirement"
option will kill the quitter's civ if checked, or the AI will step and
and start playing if it is unchecked.
You can also save a game and pick it up later.
Basically, while the game moves slightly slower than the single-player
one does at first, eventually you will need all the time you can get.
I'll try and post more info as it becomes available or if there are any
changes to gameplay.