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So after many years of watching me play these beautiful games, my father asked if we can play together. He lives in FL and I live in NY, so when I told him about PBEM, his eyes lit up. Unfortunately, we are having a heck of a time getting it to work. I've never played by email before, so I looked up what files we're supposed to exchange, and all of that. But when he gets the second .HST file from me, he's unable to move any of his forces. Here's what we've been doing. Please let me know where we've gone wrong here. Thanks!

1) I, the host, start a new game, naming it Maria-Theresa. He does the same on his end.
2) I save the game and send him the .HST file.
3) He copies that into his Maria-Theresa save folder and moves his stacks. He saves but does not run his turn.
4) He sends me his .ORD file. I move it to my Maria-Theresa save folder
5) I load the game, move my own forces, and run the turn.
6) I send him the new .HST file from turn 2.

Rinse and repeat (...) right?
I know this is one of the older titles. Do we also need to be exchanging .TRN files?
Thanks in advance for any help.

Hey JackJack,
You are doing it right for the newest game engine, but Rise of Prussia uses an older, and different, method of file exchange.
It is easiest to do shared hosting, that is, each of you will run every other turn.

So,
1. You start the game, make your first move, save.
2. Then send all files to your opponent.
3. Your opponent then creates a folder in the Save directory for the game and puts all the files in that folder
4. Next your opponent makes his move, saves and runs the turn
5. Next your opponent makes his new move and saves,
6. Then he sends you all files where you do the same thing, move, save run, move again, save, send all files.

A couple of things. Do make sure you are in the same game build. The newest for ROP Gold is 1.11RC2; but the same one is what is important.
Exchange the second tab of the options page to make sure you are using the same game settings (the other tabs do not matter)

Be sure to ZIP or RAR. Game files are liable to corruption. So what I do is place the game saves folder on the desktop as a shortcut, then i open the folder, select all files, use the ZIP command for all files. Then you opponent unzips into his folder. After turn one, accept replace all files option.

pbem is fun, so post any other problems issues, but the above should get you going.

I should add, if for some reason you just do not want to do shared hosting, this sequence also works.

1. You create the game and send a copy of the trn file to your opponent (it is important to save the trn file in your folder)
2. You both make your moves
3. Your opponent returns the ord file.
4. You run the turn and save
5. You send the trn and the replay file to your opponent
6. repeat 2 - 5 until game end.

I add this because there are reasons one player ought to be the host, but for most play, it is fun for both players to see the battles resolved every other turn.

Thank you! Waiting to hear back from him to see if it's working. I think we'll try the second method for now, and try shared hosting once we get the hang of things. To that point, there is no need to send him an .hst file, only the turn and replay files, correct?

The 2nd method is working, thank you! I think we'll try concurrent hosting next. I really appreciate your help. It's great to be able to play this while we're both stuck at home.

Excellent news. Thanks for sharing that this is working for you. pbem is really a very nice way to play.

Now you just need to give us some After-Action Reports

Seriously though, it's heartening to see people using this COVID madness for some good! Have lots of fun!

-deguerra

Hehe, an AAR, I saw that one coming! I will do my best, though it'll be my first. Bear in mind it's his first time playing anything beyond the tutorial.

You got it my friend. That is if you're still looking for some help

Let me know I will be around in the forums!