hi,
if you are still interested i am willing to introduce you to triplea lobby play in real time?
bye
ole
TripleA standardization
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The developer’s forum. Go to the main page that lists all the forums and then go to, I think, the software page. That might be where you can get more info.
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@The:
The developer’s forum. Go to the main page that lists all the forums and then go to, I think, the software page. That might be where you can get more info.
Thank you!
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I don’t see how triple a can be the standard if it does not allow you to play by the rules.
see my question in another thread.
http://www.axisandallies.org/forums/index.php?topic=12377.0. -
I don’t see how triple a can be the standard if it does not allow you to play by the rules.
see my question in another thread.
http://www.axisandallies.org/forums/index.php?topic=12377.0.TripleA has been problematic with Carriers/Fighters in the past, mainly because the standard rules governing them and Submarines are rather complicated. In other A&A programs this isn’t an issue, because other programs don’t track the rules for you the way TripleA does. In ABattlemap for example, you could move the fighters anywhere you wanted to, because Battlemap doesn’t track this kind of information, it just provides a graphical display for players to use however they want. Your fighters can move as they please, and unless someone was there to tell you its against the rules, the program would allow it.
TripleA is a little different, because its designed to track the rules that govern unit interaction. According to the logic of the TripleA program, fighters get to move 4 spaces and must have somewhere to land at the end of the phase. With land territories this is simple, but with carriers its harder because they can move around, and you can’t always tell where they will end up. In the situation you cited above, the problem stems from the quirky airstrike/submerge rules for Subs, more than anything else. The only reason why its legal, is because you know for sure that the sub can’t fire back, and that you will have freedom of movement once its under water or dead. 98% of the time the fighter-carrier dynamic works as it should, its only in these types of odd situations where you have subs/carriers/fighters working together in concert that you might run into a snag.
In any case, you can easily fix this situation, by just selecting “Kamikaze” fighters in the game options, or through the use of the edit mode. The guy you were playing with just didn’t understand the rules of the game, and would probably have be an even more hopeless opponent if you were using a program that didn’t keep track of the rules for him. Next time just use “Kamikaze” fighters, or the edit mode, and if there are any doubts refer him to this thread.
In the future you will probably find a speedier resolution to your problem if you post the issue on the TripleA dev boards rather than here, since there’s no guarantee that the code guys are going to be browsing A&A.org to catch stuff like this. Perhaps Kevin could recode the Carriers (yet again) so that fighters can move based on all possible landing options during Non-Com, though I’m sure you can imagine how that would get complicated, when you have to factor in things like submerging subs as well. Its usually just easier to allow a fix by player edit, which is essentially what the other programs do too, they just don’t call it an Edit, since all the rules have to be tracked by players anyway.
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The only advantage TripleA has is when you have two or more players unfamiliar with any of the dice rolling utilities out there. Then you have TripleA roll the dice for you.
However, this is easier to deal with at FoE, AAMC, AA.org, Frood and any number of random dice generator sites. Therefore, there is no need to bundle this software into the mapping utility.
Now, if you just wanted to map with TripleA, then I would suggest that it is horribly more labor intensive to use TripleA to map than any other mapping utility out there including setting up the physical board yourself!
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The only advantage TripleA has is when you have two or more players unfamiliar with any of the dice rolling utilities out there. Then you have TripleA roll the dice for you.
However, this is easier to deal with at FoE, AAMC, AA.org, Frood and any number of random dice generator sites. Therefore, there is no need to bundle this software into the mapping utility.
Now, if you just wanted to map with TripleA, then I would suggest that it is horribly more labor intensive to use TripleA to map than any other mapping utility out there including setting up the physical board yourself!
Well here’s the issue as I see it: When you use a program like Battlemap, you have to know how to play the game already. You need to be familiar with the rules, the dice rolling utilites, and the dynamics of exchanging information with other players (either via email, or forums or whatever.) In the beginning, you have to have someone around to show you how to use the program to play the game, because its not exactly very intuitive.
There is a big difference between a functioning stand alone game, and a map/board tracking utility. I would argue that the latter requires a lot more overhead to opperate, especially for the new player.
I’m not sure what you mean when you use the word map as a verb. What does it mean “to map”?
The advantage of TripleA in my view, is that you don’t need to know the rules, or the board set up, or the various protocols related to PBEM or PBF style gameplay to use it. Its basically all self contained, with a relatively simple user interface, and a way to meet other people online via the Lobby. I don’t see any of the other programs (with the possible exception of gametable) even coming close to providing something like that.
TripleA is not just a map utility with a built in dice roller. If you’re judging it like that, then I think you’re being a little unfair in your assessment. There is also a bunch of java code and under-the-surface stuff going on, that allows TripleA to support real time gameplay, live over the internet, which simply does not exist in these other programs to which its constantly being compared.
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Yes, I do assume you have read the rules before playing the game.
However, if you do not wish to read the rules, you can always get a copy of Iron Blitz and Axis and Allies from Hasbro, there are plenty of copies for sale on eBay I’m sure. :P
And hey, they’re much prettier!
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Yes, I do assume you have read the rules before playing the game.
However, if you do not wish to read the rules, you can always get a copy of Iron Blitz and Axis and Allies from Hasbro, there are plenty of copies for sale on eBay I’m sure.
And hey, they’re much prettier! :P
Well I already own both of those. But they have not supported online play for over 5 years now. Plus, both those CDs were hacked and broken a long time ago, so they’re not very reliable for Multi-player games. In fact the decision to pull the Hasbro CD from Gamespy, is arguably the reason why TripleA even exists in the first place.
There was no online alternative for real time MP play, so we built one. Well, Sean and Logan built it, but it has since been added to by other people. It might not be the prettiest thing around, but that’s because it was put together by a bunch of non-professionals, as a volunteer effort.
I don’t see the need for sticking out tongues though. Did I say something that upset you or something?
I was asking a serious question, when I asked what it means to map. :)
Is that like when you use the gameboard, and the map utility simultaneously, like in chess by mail? I could see the allure of something like that, but its not the way I play.I don’t generally use TripleA in conjunction with the physical board, though I sometimes have the board set up in the computer room while I play online, just to look at it. When I use TripleA, its normally for quick games with minimal set up and instant gratification. If I have to email someone, or post the results on a forum between turns, the whole thing loses its luster for me. Basically I try to use the computer to recreate something of the Face-to-Face experience.
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No, not upset. I was just making a point that if all you want is a game where you don’t need any dice, the AI is artificially idiotic and has pretty pieces, the hasbro discs were good at that.
But I will assume that most players have the books, the boards, the fundamental understanding of the game and all they need for online play is a computer with internet access and a dice server. If that’s the case, it’s far easier to use mapping utilities not all encompassing games.
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TripleA allows me to play a game of A&A with an ex-colleague that lives miles away from me with on-line direct connection and chat. It is like we are still living in the same city and meeting for play face to face.
TripleA allows me to play multiplayers games, with my friends or with other people with on-line direct connection and a Lobby with chat to find opponent.
In our Italian forum, as I said, we use TripleA for PBEM game.
People have to learn only a single program.
TripleA is a completely different program from ABattleMap and MapView. They can not be compared, because make differents task and are aimed to different use.
Moreover it is Java and may run everywhere. I work on server side application using Java (Enterprise Edition) on any kind of system: Windows, Mac, and Linux. Java may be used to access to DataBase, to realize web applications and to implement Web Services. Running a simple stand alone program with Java is really easy in comparison.
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Romulus,
I play games in real time with ABattlemap all the time!
Make your move, roll your dice, finish your move, send map.
5 seconds later your partner gets the map.
He makes his move, rolls his dice, finishes his move and sends the map back.
This might actually be faster than tripleA too because you don’t have to fight the program to move the units where you want to move them and correct errors in the programming! (Especially if you want to use any house rules!)
TripleA is just too inflexible, it’s a burden to use and on many systems, it does not function properly. Not all, not a majority, but on many systems.
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@Cmdr:
Romulus,
I play games in real time with ABattlemap all the time!
Make your move, roll your dice, finish your move, send map.
5 seconds later your partner gets the map.
He makes his move, rolls his dice, finishes his move and sends the map back.
Yes, but you are Commander Jennifer not a simple soldier… :-D :-P
Other can not do the same… :roll:
@Cmdr:
This might actually be faster than tripleA too because you don’t have to fight the program to move the units where you want to move them and correct errors in the programming! (Especially if you want to use any house rules!)
TripleA is just too inflexible, it’s a burden to use and on many systems, it does not function properly. Not all, not a majority, but on many systems.
Seriously, what I mean is that TripleA alows to make this without a supporting forum, or email or exchange of file. It is a synchronous way of operating while the solution adopted with ABattleMap is essentially asynchronous. Other programs require additional programs to be run: web browser, email client, account on a forum and so on. TripleA do not need all of that it allows two copy of the program to connect and interoperate.
ABattleMap maybe used in situation in wich more flexibility is needed but it seems to me that it is not self-contained like TripleA so it is useful in specific situation. Speaking of standardization, I think that a single self sufficient program like TripleA seems best suited.
About editing, house ruling and specific setting you are right, TripleA is not well suited for them, at moment maybe in the future. For standard match with standard rule I believe it is better.
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Okay, so TripleA and Hasbro both are completely internalized and allow for games to be played over the internet without any support from outside the game. (Technically so does the physical board, but you need trust there, with Hasbro/TripleA you don’t need trust.)
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:-D
TripleA all the way!
No one else does it better IMHO :wink: -
@Cmdr:
Romulus,
I play games in real time with ABattlemap all the time!
Make your move, roll your dice, finish your move, send map.
5 seconds later your partner gets the map.
He makes his move, rolls his dice, finishes his move and sends the map back.
This might actually be faster than tripleA too because you don’t have to fight the program to move the units where you want to move them and correct errors in the programming! (Especially if you want to use any house rules!)
TripleA is just too inflexible, it’s a burden to use and on many systems, it does not function properly. Not all, not a majority, but on many systems.
I really don’t understand your crusade against triplea.
All of the arguments about play-by-email apply to triplea as well. You can send triplea files just like battlemap files. And by the way, that’s not Real-time unless you can see the opponents moves as they do it. Actually Triplea is even more like real-time because if you get a file emailed to you, you can go into the history and see the moves and the turn played out again, as if you were watching it live.
I don’t get what you are saying about having “to fight the program to move the units where you want to move them” The one potential problem area is with figs and carriers, but that is a minor nuisance in rare cases at most. the mechanics for moving units is FAR better than battlemap in that you can potentially move entire stacks (including multiple unit types) with a single click instead of having to drag 5 or 10 units of a single type at a time. Have you even used the program lately?
Now, your point about house rules I can see, but otherwise I’m not buying most of what you’re selling. Just say you haven’t been able to get it to work on your machine, and quit making up complaints about the rest of it.
And that doesn’t even begin to address the actual features triplea has that an automated map tool doesn’t, like cash tracking, turn history, integrated calls to diceys, and many more.
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I gotta say I like TripleA. I just got it. I can see that it is kinda cheesey in some aspects. But if you want play a game without setting up a board it’s really nice.
And, yup you were so right Jen when you said the AI sucks. It is great for kicking around ideas though.
The other plus I see is the fact that most of the guys I play with have ‘Grown-up’ lives, that’s not a slam to anyone, but when people have careers and kids it can be hard not to have ‘Jr’.come take a swipe at the board with his rattle.
An added plus is that you can have the game or a movie on while you alternate around the computer. While this doesn’t replace that ‘table on the board’ experience. It’s a great tool in my opinion.
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Tim:
You cannot always send files with TripleA and get them to work on another computer. Switch tried to send me his file and it wouldn’t open on my home computer, laptop or work computer. He tried sending it like 3 times too. TripleA is somewhat okay when it works, if it works, but it’s just “Plug and pray” whereas Battlemap is “Plug and Play.”
Honestly, I don’t understand the TripleA cult out there. It’s completely inferior in every way imaginable. It is unflexible. Half the time it doesn’t even apply the rules. For some reason the AA Guns in it have almost a 90% accuracy (slight exaggeration, very slight). The AI completely sucks, the Iron Blitz AA would wipe the floor with it in a heart beat, hell, my TI-30Xa scientific (not graphing) calculator could wipe the floor with the TripleA AI and that’s with the broken rules and buggy program.
Funny part is, after round 20, it’s a crap shoot. Game usually locks up and forces you to open task manager to kill it. Assuming you are on any flavor of Windows that is.
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To anyone who has not tried TripleA yet,
Please do not let Jen’s tirades against the program dissuade you from giving it a try. I’ve never encountered any of the problems she’s described in my use of the program with two exceptions.
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The program does not implement the rules for carriers and fighter range properly, in that you can not tell the program “I’ll move my carrier here in non-combat to pick up surviving fighters.” TripleA calculates legal fighter moves based on where your carriers are, not where you plan to move them later. A fairly minor issue with a number of workarounds. Black_Elk already went over this in great detail in a post on page 1. I’m not aware of other instances where it does not “follow the rules” for the AAR OOB rules.
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The AI is awful. But the TripleA makers never made any claims that it was any good. They have always acknowledged that the AI was something they threw together and improving it is fairly low on their priority list.
If you do encounter the other issues she describes, post here. I’d be interested to know if they are common, or rare (I suspect rare).
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They’re probably rare, doesn’t mean they don’t exist or that TripleA is some magical gift from the gods. :P
I just want people to have realistic expectations. TripleA is not conducive to house rules, it’s difficult to edit when you do need to edit it, in other words, it is very inflexible. You get what you get, in this case, you get exactly what you paid for. (What really sucks is that because it is very inflexible, it won’t even allow you to follow the rules!)
TripleA has SERIOUS issues with D-Link and Cisco Routers, especially ones with built in firewalls.
If you have your Windows optimized (I suspect it is because I optimized it so it wouldn’t crash at all, even when some program does something stupid, it won’t crash like Mac OS will crash or an unmodified Windows will) then odds are good you won’t be able to load someone else’s saved games. (note, you should also ensure that everyone is using the same flavor, there’s a couple dozen flavors of TripleA out there, unlike Battlemap or Mapview.)
The dice seem to be very skewed. Seems to me the first couple to first dozen AA shots seem to have a very high hit rating with the AA Guns. Not sure, but it would be interesting to actually count them, now that I do a lot of SBRs against the computer (because the computer is an idiot.) I’d be willing to make a small wager that the AA Gun hits are around the 80% mark though at least in the first few to dozen shots.
Basically, if I was forced to use TripleA, I’d require my opponents to roll their dice at Frood or another proven statistically neutral dice server because TripleA dice don’t have a good track record of being accurate. 1/6 does not = 80%. It doesn’t even =30%. It’s less than 20% but it seems like 5 bombers attacking result in 3-4 bombers being shot down by the TripleA dicey.
Top this all off with the absolute ease of use and ability to modify the game you find in programs like Mapview and Battlemap and you really should wonder why anyone would use TripleA for online game play. It’s an okay program to kick around ideas or to waste some time fighting the computer. (I like to see what happens when the AI plays me and I have a rule of no more than 1 infantry purchase per nation per round for myself….normally, you’d lose in a heart beat, but the AI is SOOO STUPID it can’t win even when you handicap yourself!)
All in all, if you could only put one system on your computer, hands down, without hesitation, I would recommend Battlemap. It’s the standard for online game play at all the major gaming clubs (though they permit other mapping utilities if all sides agree) for a reason. It’s 100% reliable. It’s 100% compatible with the rules. And it’s 100% easier to adapt to rule changes like LHTR, LHTR 2.0, house rules like AARe, AARHE, and custom house rules.
The only downside, if you can consider it one and I don’t, is that Battlemap does not have a built in dicey. (Which means your opponent can’t crack the server like they can with the TripleA dice servers.)
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AI is not used in Battlemap because Battlemap is so superior it does not need an AI to get players to use it. TripleA’s only feature to get new users to use it is the AI and Dice rolling features.
And for the record, I did say I was exaggerating slightly. I also clarified it seemed to be a bug that only effected about the first dozen or so bombers on SBR missions (not on attacks which I find funny too.)
Honestly, AxisOfEvil, I think you need to go back under the rock you were hiding under and stop trolling the boards making slanderous attacks based on unfounded facts and assumptions. You’re as bad as Switch.
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