Zarquon Posted March 25, 2003 Share Posted March 25, 2003 Fionn, I agree that having movie files to analyze situations would be a blast, but it seems impossible to do so without paying through the nose for all the traffic. Popularity could easily kill a site like this. Perhaps a scheme could be found to share those files on a semi-private basis like a mailing list or such? I never had trouble finding reliable PBEM opponents on this forum, but I tend to stick to those I got, so maybe others have made different experiences. Anyway, how could a new site provide for more reliablitily in players? A public rating system a la eBay? Requiring players to reaffirm their availability once a month via automated emails? Might work. However, I'd still favor an illustrated setup/planning site, if only because it hasn't been done before. Novices would benefit the most of it (especially from studying defensive setups - I still consider myself lucky when I get a draw result out of a defense), but it should make an interesting read for all. Jörg 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fionn Posted March 25, 2003 Share Posted March 25, 2003 Zarquon, Private file-sharing already goes on. OTOH it is impossible to do this for large groups since the sheer volume of returned mail due to full inboxes etc ( and the necessity to answer many multiples of the numbers of questions I currently answer re: movie files) would just swamp me and take hours of my time to d/l every day ( I'm on a 56 Kb line). I would imagine most other good players ( excepting those with broadband connections) would feel much the same re: time and bandwidth issues. " A public rating system a la eBay?" Dangerous. Very dangerous. I've had situations where I've been unable to send a turn for 4 or 5 days due to pulling a couple of almost-back to back 32 hour shifts and I've had someone claim I dropped out of the game and only entered into it in bad faith. They chose to do this publicly in the forum (thus, IMO, proving they had a bit of an agenda). Public rating allows people to prosecute grudges etc and thus godamned place is so damned petty and perverse that there'd be lots of people willing to subvert the concepts of honesty and integrity in order to backstab people they dislike. Not a popular thing to say but believe me if you open said site with public rating systems it would happen. I question the viability of a site hosting offensive plans though since no attack plan survives contact witht he enemy, least of all a manoeuvrist attack. It'd be almost impossible to give a plan of attack for a manoeuvrist attack. I know that whenever I attack all I can ever generally say is "Company A will advance on a broad front with Companies B and C following some 300 to 600 metres behind and the tanks another 100 metres behind those. When I hit the enemy MLR Companies B and C will seek to punch through enemy weak points/pin enemy strong points with the support of my tank and artillery forces." It'd be impossible to get more specific than that. Of course that is informed by my belief that if ANYONE has a detailed, fairly rigid plan of attack by Turn 1 then that person is doomed to fail unless his opponent ( the defender) is hugely incompetent. So you have to evaluate it with that in mind. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Sgt. Emren Posted March 25, 2003 Share Posted March 25, 2003 Zarquon's Tactics Idea gets my vote for what is most needed. In addition to discussing tactics using tabletop maps (which is what I imagine Zarquon's idea may be compared to), this board is full of tactics tips which may be freely "harvested" and processed into very good articles (one of my favourite authors from this board is Jason C). You may be able to convince people to write articles on tactics subjects. Other ideas: -- get the FAQ posted!!! -- pros and cons of various units 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tigre Posted March 25, 2003 Share Posted March 25, 2003 well maybe you can have a look a this french web site, there is a lot of good things that you could use in your future cm website bideway if you are open for a common ladder I think we could do it and give more dimenssion to the cm comunity we have very good technician :eek: appuifeu gogogo 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nevermind Posted March 25, 2003 Share Posted March 25, 2003 Originally posted by Fionn: [sNIP] ......unless his opponent ( the defender) is hugely incompetent.If anyone fits into this category and would like to play,please get in touch with me 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lou2000 Posted March 25, 2003 Share Posted March 25, 2003 Originally posted by nevermind: </font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Fionn: [sNIP] ......unless his opponent ( the defender) is hugely incompetent.If anyone fits into this category and would like to play,please get in touch with me </font> 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hensworth Posted March 25, 2003 Share Posted March 25, 2003 Here is the AAR site I slapped together after taking part in the first round of a Tourney. I've posted the link a couple of times and have always had very positive reactions. It shows that something utterly stupid and simple can still be at least mildly interesting. As you can see I picked up on Fionn's idea (better call it his idea ) of trying to get both sides of the battle. It didn't quite work because many people didn't bother with writing AARs, but you get the idea of what I was trying to do. It takes up 9 MB. I've also had positive reactions to the format of the AARs I write. There are quite a few players out there who like to peruse this kind of stuff, get an idea of how other people experience the game. I think they could make up an interesting little sub-community. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zarquon Posted March 25, 2003 Share Posted March 25, 2003 Originally posted by Fionn: Public rating allows people to prosecute grudges etc and thus godamned place is so damned petty and perverse that there'd be lots of people willing to subvert the concepts of honesty and integrity in order to backstab people they dislike. Just like eBay, then But if you can't force people to end the games they began, all you can really do is find a few people who do and stick to them. Adding another multiplayer forum wouldn't help. Besides, I can't think of a way to ensure players on the list are really available for a game. I question the viability of a site hosting offensive plans though since no attack plan survives contact witht he enemy, least of all a manoeuvrist attack. It'd be almost impossible to give a plan of attack for a manoeuvrist attack. Of course that is informed by my belief that if ANYONE has a detailed, fairly rigid plan of attack by Turn 1 then that person is doomed to fail unless his opponent ( the defender) is hugely incompetent. So you have to evaluate it with that in mind. [/QB]Yes, that's why I said defensive setups would provide for the best learning effect. For example, I read a few threads about "reverse slope defense theory" and the like, but I found it hard to adopt these because these desciptions lacked illustration and examples. In the end, it all depends on the situation at hand, just like you said. However, defense setups should be complimented by attacks, if only to provide some laughs. The fun would come out of comparing attacks and defenses and imagining how it would play out. The site's database could withhold new defense plans for a couple of days or until somebody came up with an attack for the same map, so to minimize 'cheating', i.e. an attack plan just exploting weaknesses in a defense. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zarquon Posted March 25, 2003 Share Posted March 25, 2003 Originally posted by Sgt. Emren: [...]this board is full of tactics tips which may be freely "harvested" and processed into very good articles [...]. You may be able to convince people to write articles on tactics subjects. Other ideas: -- get the FAQ posted!!! [...]Huge collection of useful tactics threads. A must-read, and the FAQ already points to it, too, as well as to lots of sites with very good tactics articles. Unfortunately, most of them are not situation-specific. Of course, you don't need pretty screenshots to explain that flamethrowers have a range of only 45m and therefore are not ideally suited for long-range suppression fire. But talk in a theoretical fashion about placing minefields - you can be sure some readers will then place them behind their own lines to maximize the element of surprise or somefink. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erwin Rommel Posted March 25, 2003 Share Posted March 25, 2003 Since Mods wont be done...I would go with the tactics site...That would benifit everyone.Anything from defensive setup to offensive manuvering.Including AAR's and such.. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fionn Posted March 26, 2003 Share Posted March 26, 2003 LOL Nevermind . If memory serves me right you're having a tough enough time on the attack right? Must be that your opponent isn't a COMPLETE incompetent... Maybe just half-incompetent . Sgt Kelly, Excellent site. I really liked it and what you did. I don't know if it means anything to you but I know the amount of work which goes into them and the minimal positive feedback one gets so kudos and congratulations to you for doing this. THe AARs feel very "honest" too. Sometimes you'd see people obviously dressing things up and it is really obvious. You didn't hide your mistakes and that's very important IMO. Zarquon, Do you mean something like giving people terrain, forces and then telling them to make a defensive plan and then having that "graded" by the site's experten? Interesting idea but it wouldn't take long for people to quickly accuse others of cheating etc ( This community has, unfortunately, raised back-stabbing to a higher art form.) Also one thing I would point out that there is a HUGE difference between hearing someone describing something and seeing it in a turn movie. There's also a huge difference between seeing it in a turn movie and then trying to do it oneself. I am currently training my CMMC subordinates in fighting in a specific terrain type and even though they all would have (by my estimate) over 100 CMBO and CMBB PBEMs under their belts with experience fighting in a wide variety of terrains and environments they are still learning a huge amount from just one focused battle which is specifically designed to teach them a small number of tactical points unique to this type of fighting. (IOW this is a bit of a plug for AARs again ) 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MG-42 Posted March 26, 2003 Author Share Posted March 26, 2003 Hi Gang, Just popped on to post a quick e-mail. Time is against me this morning . Just wanted to reassure you that I'm closely monitoring this discussion. I'll summarize my understanding of it when time permits but it's looking like a tactics/AAR site with provision for multiplayer and some way of implementing a live contact system (i.e Ulilizing ICQ or something a lot better maybe - Love the idea of profiles for all members with ongoing records of their battle scores) Sorry I can't analyze in depth right now but please keep talking...I'm paying close attention and eve nbegan stopryboarding a few ideas on the train yesterday. Speak to you all soon MG P.s., Fionn I am honored you for one (not taking away my respect for anyone else who has joined in) have jumped on this thread, I have more respect for you then is probably healthy (we're talking stalking category here ). I just wanted to say that in it's current form the presentation of AAR's and movies etc is large and unwieldy but there are ways of minimizing this (use of the dreaded but ultimately useful Flash springs to mind). I try to build sites that have such a diverstiy of visitors to cater for the majority of bandwidths/specs etc. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hensworth Posted March 26, 2003 Share Posted March 26, 2003 Thanks for the praise, Fionn. I was, however, trying to make the OPPOSITE point . Writing AARs doesn't have to take long (I do them while the game is in progress, hence some of the 'honesty', you can't gloss over mistakes until you KNOW they're mistakes ). Slapping that little site together certainly didn't take long. Check out Daffy Duck's site as well. Link is in his current post. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fionn Posted March 26, 2003 Share Posted March 26, 2003 Sgt Kelly, Ah well then you mustn't be afflicted with the terminal laziness that afflicts me whenever I have to write anything. It takes me weeks to get around to begin typing. Once I start typing I knock the whole thing out in a few hours but it always takes me forever since I'm an amotivated, lazy SOB . 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poor Old Spike Posted March 27, 2003 Share Posted March 27, 2003 Hey MG42-If you want any tactical articles etc give me a shout and I'll be glad to contribute,as there's a heck of a lot of chronically bad tac advice around the forum that needs putting right.My qualiications?-I'm the Rugged Defence cmbb Ladder Leader :cool: 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gyrene Posted March 27, 2003 Share Posted March 27, 2003 Bandwidth. Gyrene 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
86smopuim Posted March 27, 2003 Share Posted March 27, 2003 A swift kick in the ass. THats what this pace needs. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fionn Posted March 27, 2003 Share Posted March 27, 2003 My qualiications?-I'm the Rugged Defence cmbb Ladder Leader And you're not going to stop until absolutely everyone knows it eh? *chuckle* Of course I'm only ranked 87th on the CMBO ladder so what do I know? [ March 27, 2003, 06:39 AM: Message edited by: Fionn ] 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColumbusOHGamer Posted March 27, 2003 Share Posted March 27, 2003 Originally posted by Rex Bellator: Damn how did I miss this until now. One thing which I'm having problems with and which I have lost count of the number of others who are likewise, is hosting screenshots.Rex hit the nail on the head! The most useful site for CM right now would be a server for file storage, be it graphics, large mods or whatever. Tactics/AAR's are nice, but a place to put screenshots or host those one-time 20MB sound mods is even better. If you had both, you'd get a lot of traffic. But let me caution you. Unless you have a business-class connection (i.e. $$$), you're ISP will likely drop you/charge you for too much bandwidth after a few weeks. I would highly recommend, before you commit yourself to running a website, you check into your ISP's rules of hosting and the costs involved. It adds up fast. Just the .02 from someone who's dealt with these issues.... COG 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MG-42 Posted March 27, 2003 Author Share Posted March 27, 2003 Originally posted by Poor Old Spike: Hey MG42-If you want any tactical articles etc give me a shout and I'll be glad to contribute,as there's a heck of a lot of chronically bad tac advice around the forum that needs putting right.My qualiications?-I'm the Rugged Defence cmbb Ladder Leader :cool: Poor Old Spike, Duly noted you will be a valauble asset should we decide to take it down the AAR/Tactics route (which is looking increasingly likely) Thanks for the support MG 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zarquon Posted March 27, 2003 Share Posted March 27, 2003 Originally posted by Fionn: </font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />My qualiications?-I'm the Rugged Defence cmbb Ladder Leader And you're not going to stop until absolutely everyone knows it eh? *chuckle* Of course I'm only ranked 87th on the CMBO ladder so what do I know? </font> 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poor Old Spike Posted March 27, 2003 Share Posted March 27, 2003 Originally posted by Fionn: </font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />My qualiications?-I'm the Rugged Defence cmbb Ladder Leader And you're not going to stop until absolutely everyone knows it eh? *chuckle* Of course I'm only ranked 87th on the CMBO ladder so what do I know? </font> 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fionn Posted March 27, 2003 Share Posted March 27, 2003 Arrogance is GOOD,but just make sure you can talk the talk AND walk the walk ! Well now, that last part would be the key wouldn't it? I can do both ! With all due respect 40 games does not a record make. I see you've lost 11 of them. There are several people on this forum who have winning streaks longer than your total number of RD games. So, while command arrogance and self-belief are absolutely necessary one shouldn't allow them to blind one to the fact that, perhaps, one's sample isn't large enough to be statistically significant. Zarquon, Well, I believe everyone can improve if they get a bit of help and are willing to work at it and be honest with themselves re: what needs improvement etc. As re: bandwidth. Aren't there free servers out there one could link to to store the pictures/movie files etc? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zarquon Posted March 27, 2003 Share Posted March 27, 2003 "Well, I believe everyone can improve if they get a bit of help and are willing to work at it and be honest with themselves re: what needs improvement etc." I found out later that my newbie opponent had a 3-digit forum member number. "As re: bandwidth. Aren't there free servers out there one could link to to store the pictures/movie files etc?" I think many free hosting services restrict this because bandwidth/webspace limitations on free accounts wouldn't make much sense if you could create 500 accounts and cross-link between them. Besides, you'd need scripting and DB support to allow people to upload their articles and screenshots. Maybe we can get Poor Old Spike as a site sponsor? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zarquon Posted March 27, 2003 Share Posted March 27, 2003 (double post) [ March 27, 2003, 03:08 PM: Message edited by: Zarquon ] 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.