By Glenn Saunders
But for someone new to this aspect of Wargaming, it can sometimes lead to frustrating experience where files just don't seem to cooperate. The purpose of this section is to point out what has "tried and true" techniques that have proven themselves over time in rigorous playtesting to reduce if not completely eliminate PBEM difficulties.
First of all, you can NOT keep your gamefiles in a separate folder (or directory). As much as it may like you can, this Windows95 file management ability does not work with WF. I order to work properly, ALL Saved gamefiles must be kept in and opened from your \West Front directory that by default is usually: C:\Program Files\Talonsoft\West Front
Secondly, when playing the game, ALWAYS, always, always, ALWAYS keep the same gamefile name. Here is a couple of tips on this: a) Consider starting your PBEM gamefile name with 00 as these files will alphabetically appear at the top of your directory list, b) use your initials and your opponents initials separated by a dash. Therefore if I, Glenn Saunders was playing a game with John Brown, our gamefile might be: 00gs-jb.bte ...it may seem complex, but it really works.
Avoid trying to send files back and forth that include the turn number. If you wish to use the File | Save As... function to save the game at every turn, than that is your own business. But if you try sending these variable filenames you will inevitably make a mistake and save the file with the wrong name resulting in lost time and relying turns or exchanging email while you sort out the mess with your opponent.
Passwords can be used with PBEM games. The whole purpose of the password protection in West Front is to prevent your opponent from accidentally opening your gamefile in the wrong phase and thus spoil the Fog-of-War effect by seeing the position of you hidden units. Passwords are for honest players and are not meant to stop cheating. There are some people out there who are going to cheat, but by and large, folks are honest.
Keep your password simple. This is not your bank account or your company secrets that are being guarded here. Use common words that are before your eyes or so easy to spell as to me difficult to make a mistake on. Avoid complex names using special characters and shifts in case from capital letters to lowercase. Here are some examples of my favorites: As I look around my office I see the words "sony" and "laserjet". I see "pocket" and "oxford". I drive a "chevy"! My good friend severed at sea in the navy aboard "ssn205". These are the sort of simple things one can seldom get wrong.
Use a compression utility and ALWAYS "zip" you files, even if they are not big. Zipping ads a little time to the PBEM process, but it saves tons lost game time. Zip compression utilities can be found as shareware on many sites around the Internet. You will certainly find something at : www.winzip.com
ZIPPING the gamefile has two purposes: 1) it reduces file corruption when the it is being sent across the many miles that separates you and your opponent. I will not go into the technical details, but it is like "rolling up a map - before you step out into the wind" - there is much less chance the map will ripe that way, 2) When sending and receiving files by email using many different types of email programs, ZIP files are usually handles in a consistent manner that can be handled by the person receiving the file. For example, I have been sent files that were not zipped and they are sometimes appended to the end of the email message. In these cases, it is possible but difficult to copy the entire message into an editor and remove the unwanted parts. But it is more work they I like and prone to error. Miss a single character and the file will not work properly.
Any email message that includes a gamefile should have the word GAMEFILE in the subject.
Some people like to chat and exchange email messages, either game comments or other news with their opponents. Sometimes they attach the file. But sometimes they THINK they attached the file, and never mention the game in the message. The result can easily be several lost days while the person who "thought" the sent the file (and didn't) waits for the person who doesn't have the file.
If you are chatting with the person you are playing, be careful to remove the GAMEFILE word from the subject line if your message does not contain the file. When in doubt - ask! It only takes a second and avoids days in lost gaming.
Make yourself a backup copy of your game BEFORE you press the END PHASE Button and get the file ready to send. What I recommend is that you do a FILE | SAVE AS... view.bte - then "SAVE AS" again - back to the GAMEFILE name. This does 2 things: 1) It allows you to look at and ponder the situation while you wait for your opponent to respond - (sometimes it could be days and you may wish to look at the situation map) 2) It gives you a backup - if has become corrupted during the transfer and your opponent can't open it at his end for whatever reason, you merely open your new file - SAVE AS - Gamefile - END PHASE - ZIP and resend it to him. You'd be surprised how many games have been saved that way.
Finally, ALWAYS press the END PHASE button before you send the file. Sounds simple but you'd be surprised how often it is forgotten. Simply by rushing to send out the file and get on with the game you are more likely to cause delays. And that is a fact proven over many matches.
In the event that you do have a problem with a PBEM game, reading a file or getting any error, here is what is recommended. Try 1) checking your password 2) Completely shutting down your PC and COLD starting it (that has opened 3 or 4 file that would co-operate) 3) if #1 & #2 fail - ask your opponent to check and make sure he remembered to END PHASE. These 3 simple things correct 98% of PBEM problem.
If problem continue, come up to the TalonSoft Discussion page and see if one of the helpful contributors can help you out.
Good Luck and Good Gaming.
