Harold Posted November 26, 2000 Share Posted November 26, 2000 When playing by PBeM which one do you prefer and why. I have a number of PBeM opponents going simultaneously using both methods and I can't figure out why people like them numbered. I find overwriting is much easier to keep track of, it's cleaner, and if I really want to go back and look at a turn I can simply regrab the attachment from the email and rename it then. So what is the purpose of numbering other than draining the HD and confusing your opponent . Please enlighten me. Harold Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fuerte Posted November 26, 2000 Share Posted November 26, 2000 Overwriting is correct. My PBEM helper application supports only games where the file name remains the same. Try it. It remembers all e-mail addresses and you can send all e-mails with one mouse click. http://www.sci.fi/~fuerte/pbem.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noba Posted November 26, 2000 Share Posted November 26, 2000 _____________________________________________ "I find overwriting is much easier to keep track of, it's cleaner, and if I really want to go back and look at a turn I can simply regrab the attachment from the email and rename it then. So what is the purpose of numbering other than draining the HD and confusing your opponent " _____________________________________________ If I read this correctly, by keeping the file attachment, you are taking HD space anyway. I prefer to number and put a name on the turns and keep the results in it's own PBEM folder - which is named after who and what game we are playing. Something about overwriting always scares me, and I tend to keep my mail clean as possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BFCElvis Posted November 26, 2000 Share Posted November 26, 2000 I recently got in a debate about this with Peng. The only reason I can think of to name and save all files that are sent is if you plan on writing an AAR when you are finished. If I want to do what Harold mentions I go back to the old email and redownload the attachment. One of the few advantages to AOL is that I never delete email (except junk mail) and am able to retieve it, sometimes weeks after it has been sent, without taking up any of my hard drive. I find the numbered things just clutter up my PBEM folder. Fuerte, Last time you posted about your PBEM thing the link didn't work but I will try it again now. ------------------ What do we do with a terrible liar? Well, Great liars we send into the clergy. Good liars we groom for politics. Moderate liars we supply with sherrif's badges and guns, and the bad liars, well, we make them heroin whores. So what the hell do we do with the Terrible Liars? Well, it seems we turn them into physicists called "chrisl." Peng Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Berlichtingen Posted November 26, 2000 Share Posted November 26, 2000 Ok, two points. 1) if you might write an AAR, you will need to keep the individual files 2) Overwriting sometimes corrupts the file Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark IV Posted November 26, 2000 Share Posted November 26, 2000 I keep all the files, numbered consecutively, at least until the battle is over (then I usually forget and keep 'em anyway). They are useful for tracking whose turn it is when real life intervenes for a few days, or an opponent's email barfs, or his (or my) brain just goes to sleep. Files do get corrupted. Utilities like One-Click use that system for tracking. I can go back and review a situation after a few days lag. There are some cool and instructional moments and situations to revisit, that would never occur to me to simulate on my own. Plus, I keep thinking, wouldn't it be cool... ...drum roll... ...if you could save all your turns into one continuous movie? (Rim shot). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harold Posted November 26, 2000 Author Share Posted November 26, 2000 I wasn't aware of files being corrupted by overwriting. What actually corrupts them and how often does this occur because of overwriting? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fuerte Posted November 26, 2000 Share Posted November 26, 2000 I am not aware that overwriting has never corrupted a file. My PBEM helper application supports both MAPI and SMTP. If your e-mail client supports MAPI (MAPI32.DLL), then all your files are saved in the Sent folder, so you have a backup. I personally use SMTP just because I don't want my e-mail program to get filled with old PBEM turns. I have all received turns in a separate e-mail folder (automatic Outlook Express mail rule), and that is enough for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Captitalistdoginchina Posted November 26, 2000 Share Posted November 26, 2000 Three reasons: 1) If your opponent happens to send you back the wrong file (Maybe the same file you sent him) you will overwrite your original one - so you cannot send it to him again (I have had that happen to me several times. You will not realise this has happened until you try and open it - and by then its too late. 2) If you have free time or while awaiting incoming PBEM files you can open up your last move and review it....I like to watch the good bits again and again! 3) Without numbering you can get confused over who's turn it is, especially if you have more than 10 games going at the same time CDIC ------------------ "Death solves all problems - no man no problem" J.V.Stalin, 1918 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jarmo Posted November 26, 2000 Share Posted November 26, 2000 I've run into the "hey, this is the same file you sent me last time" a few times. Having a couple of latest turns around helps to solve things quickly. Oh yeah, you also can immediately tell how far along your game is just by looking at file numbers. It's a good thing if you have a no-good brain like mine. [This message has been edited by Jarmo (edited 11-26-2000).] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fuerte Posted November 26, 2000 Share Posted November 26, 2000 My PBEM helper takes care of that "same turn again" problem as well, because it checks the file times before overwriting the actual game files. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilhammer Posted November 26, 2000 Share Posted November 26, 2000 I rename and overwrite, so to speak. I have a shortcut to the PBEM directory that I drag and drop pbem.txt files or zipped files too. I clean out the directory manually to keep me from getting confused. I am not a frequent mailbox cleaner, so all my PBEMS are archived by default. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BFCElvis Posted November 26, 2000 Share Posted November 26, 2000 CDC, you reasons number 1 and 2 are first good reasons I have heard for not overwriting. Perhaps I will rethink my point of view. ------------------ What do we do with a terrible liar? Well, Great liars we send into the clergy. Good liars we groom for politics. Moderate liars we supply with sherrif's badges and guns, and the bad liars, well, we make them heroin whores. So what the hell do we do with the Terrible Liars? Well, it seems we turn them into physicists called "chrisl." Peng Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fuerte Posted November 27, 2000 Share Posted November 27, 2000 A new version is available ( http://www.sci.fi/~fuerte/pbem.htm ): 1.0.69 (27.11.2000) Fixed: Release 1.0.68 couldn’t send via SMTP, if the From and Sender e-mail addresses were the same. Thanks to Alan Kinner for reporting this! Sorry for the inconvenience… [This message has been edited by Fuerte (edited 11-26-2000).] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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