Hey yall...just thought I'd post here for the first time. The last time I heard of this game was back in like 1992 or 1990 when I played on a local BBS in St. Louis. I had no idea that the game was still around! I happened to stumble into it on the net by pure accident. I must say...Tradwars was THE BEST ONLINE GAME EVER! I d/led the software and am getting ready to install it and bring back some great memories! I spent I don't know how much time with this game and am looking so farward to getting back into it. I got some questions from the more experienced players first though.

1. How is cheating? Is it a problem in the current releases?
2. How does the software work? Its is client/server or peer to peer?
3. In some of the forums I see scripting mentioned. I take it this is pretty much allowed. Isn't this a big advantage over "Manual" users?

Thanks in advance to my questions. THIS GAME ROCKED BIG TIME and I hope its still just as good.

Rocky

1. Cheating as in bug exploitation isn't that big of an issue at the places I've played, I can't say how it is on the smaller servers

2. Client/server. You can use any telnet client to connect to a server. Most servers are free, I've yet to see one that isn't. A list can be found at http://www.tw2002list.com/ I often play at hardcoded.dnsalias.org and twgs.alienbase.net

3. I can only speak for the servers I play at, and generally consider major servers. Helpers and scripts are allowed there. Yes, it is an advantage over manual users. Many players who write their own scripts use zoc (http://www.emtec.com). If you are interested in this, you may want to look at http://thereverend.coastgames.com/ As far as helpers go, two of the most popular are twx proxy (http://xide.clan.co.nz) and SWATH (http://www.swath.net).

I hope this answers your questions. If you have more, feel free to ask. If no one responds (I look here infrequently) you can reach me at kemper3@roguesrattery.com.

Zoc wasnt mentioned as a helper .. k3 said "helpers and scripts" and went on to say "many scripter use zoc" .. ..

Zoc is a terminal program .. probably more friendly to oldies than helpers are ..



<<Doctor Who>>

I remember playing and always wondered what it would be like to play with other people playing at the same time. Some things I don't see how it would work. What if I wanted to raid your ship? I would move into the sector your in but you would see this and just move away...you would keep moving and I would never be able to attack you...right? How does this work?

Also...can someone point me to a good server that doesn't have turn restrictions? I would like this to begin with just until I can get back into remembering everything about the game. Then I'll be looking to get some more serious competition going on. I used to be very good at the game, lets just hope I haven't lost my touch.

If you play the old fashioned way, it is still possible to be competitive with people who are using the scripts and 'helpers'? Or should I just give it up and resign myself to learning all the scripting and 'helping' programs out there? Thats $25 I could save if I just do it the way I used to.

NM...I checked that Tradewar list site and they gots all the info I need about finding an unlimited server. Hope to see some of you out there! UNCLOAKED that is...>:) WEll...that is if things are the way they used to be...hehe

quote:
I remember playing and always wondered what it would be like to play with other people playing at the same time. Some things I don't see how it would work. What if I wanted to raid your ship? I would move into the sector your in but you would see this and just move away...you would keep moving and I would never be able to attack you...right? How does this work?


You gotta be quick. You could sneak up on someone then cut and paste the commands to move and attack into your terminal. Or photon them, then they can't move.


quote:
Also...can someone point me to a good server that doesn't have turn restrictions? I would like this to begin with just until I can get back into remembering everything about the game.


I'd recommend against unlimited games. They favor helpers very heavily. People run bots that play for them 24/7. You won't last a day unless you play that way too. And if I'm not mistaken, that's not what you're looking for – you want a good old-fashioned game.




Suddenly you're Busted!

quote:
TWX was mentioned as a helper, it is not. ZOC was mentioned as a helper, it is not. SWATH is, and that is not the only helper out there, but is best and easy to use. TWX and ZOC you can use once you get backinto the game for scripting, as needed.


As Doctor Who mentioned, I never once claimed zoc was a helper. It's a terminal program that a lot of people who write their own scripts use. I stated that. As to twx, I consider it a helper. It has scripts packaged with it, built in bubble and deadend finder. Built in port and sector database. That, and it's designed specifically for tradewars.

Ok...thanks for the info guys. Its helping a lot! I looked into the unlimited turns thing and your right. The # are pathetic! Too much of everything. So..in scanning all the different servers out there I noticed a trend of Not puting any Aliens or Ferr. What up with that? I used to love playing with the aliens and ferrengi. Added a lot to the game. Has something changed to make people hate it so much?

quote:
Has something changed to make people hate it so much?


Just lotsa newbies who like "kewl" edits.

Suddenly you're Busted!

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Yes and TWX will not do squat without something else. By itself it might be better described as a "helper in waiting". Not putting down ZOC or TWX, but trying not to confuse Rocky by lumping those apps in with helpers.


TWX requires a telnet client, which isn't a big expectation. Windows comes with one built in. As to confusing him, you imply that twx is only good if you want to do your own scripting. This is simply not the case. It comes with built in scripts and a built in database. You could never learn anything at scripting and still use it to greatly help you. As to lumping zoc in with helpers, my original message said "as to helpers..." and the talked about swath and twx. Anyway, I am tired of your pathetic nitpicking. When you have something intelligent to say, I may respond again.

You remember any of the BBS's in St. Louis you use to play at? I grew up there and ran my own for a while.

I agree with the alien/ferrengi thing, I always thought the old ferrengi were a lot better then the gold.

Oh boy...names of BBS's. Well, Now that is a hard one! lol. The police or something like that? Not sure if they ran TW or not but I posted there regularly. There was also one in town that had 30 lines in it or something...till the guy got hit for child porn I believe. I had a friend who ran a big one, can't remember the name of the server but his name was Icarus I think. Anything ring a bell? If you remember names, say them and I may recognize them.

I grew up in Chesterfield.

There was a big one I remember which was the "Monopoly Board" i believe. I also played on "ThunderDome" some, and the main bbs i played at was the "Dragon's Lair". There were 2 more that I can distinctly remember the games, but not the names. I think the sysop at one of them went by Nightmare or some such similar name.

I was born in chesterfield and lived there till 3rd grade, then moved out around Ellisville.

I remember The Dragons Lair. I was on there. I went by the names: Rambo or Maloriean. I also remember the Monopoly Board but that wasn't one of my regulars. I've never heard of the ThunderDome.

Hey, cool, I recognize some of those.

I lived in St. Louis in Ballwin then Ellisville for a while there. I barely remember the boards I was on, but I went by Slyfox pretty consistently everywhere I went.