This is following from the Boardgames idea, but there are an awful lot of computer games out there that are multiplayer friendly. There's the massive ones, like Everquest or Worlds of Warcraft, and there are much more localized ones, like Neverwinter Nights (role playing) or the venrable Worms serries (blow each other up with sheep!).

There's a microsoft space flying/shooting simulation called Allegiance that's offered free to the public, but I'd need to google it for more info.

With the prevelance of broadband and free or commonly available games, I think we could easily have some more game groups spring up out of this as well.

Now, the only problem that comes to mind is that Buzzfloyd and I share an internet connection, and that includes the IP address. If I host a game of Neverwinter Nights, she can't see me to join. We hope to fix that with some more network cards and a length of cable, but I dunno if that would work for letting us both connect to other people at the same time, unless one of us hosts it. So, this could be a situation where it'd only work for smaller scale situations, or persistant servers that would allow simultaneous log-ons.

We'll look at that when the time comes! For now, who's interested, and what games would you suggest?

I'd be interested if it wasn't for the depressing lack of games I have. The only game I could see myself playing online at this time is Diablo II.

Which i don't actually have a copy of :-p

CIV 3 can also be played online although I can imagine it is very time consuming because the single player game is. Cool though.

I'd be interested.

Civ 3 requires an expansion pack or two to be online capable, but seeing as Civ 4 is in the works already, Civ 3 "Gold" or "Platinum" or possibly "Uranium" editions should be cheap right now.

Civ 3's great... you can "capture" enemy civilizations' worker units, and trade them to other civilizations. You can even demand workers in peace negotiations if they have any in their capitols. It's the first time we've seen a slave trade in a Civ game. (Colonization just had 'Convert' Indians)

At long last, the American rail network can be built by Chinese laborers, just like in the real world!

It sounds a bit dull to me. I like games where you can see people's faces.

I've been a masive fan of Civ 2 for years, still played it up to a week ago then I bought Civ 2 and expansion pack for less than £15 and i'm now hooked on it. It's harder than Civ 2 but the amount of faetures make it far more entertaining too.

PS: I didn't know Civ 4 was in the making, cool! 8)

Civ 2 was a brian reynolds design, as was Alpha Centuari (which is one of the best such games ever done), I think Sid Meier had a lot to do with Civ 3, but i'm not sure if he was actually the project lead or not.

I think they've given Civ 4 to other people to develop, sort of like that Activision serries, Call to Power or whatever it was called.

I used to play the first Civilization game on an old Packard Bell 8088 machine. great times.

Get me broadband, the games and a house of my own so I won't be distracted by nagging parents and I might be able to join in

No, no, and... no.

Sid Meier was heavly involved with Civ 2 as well wasn't he. That call to power was a poor game as was the add on for Civ 2 called fantastic worlds or something like that.

I used to play CIV on my atari 500, that was the start of a lot of hours of gaming for me.

Meier was involved, but they were primarily Reynolds designs. That said, one should never dispute the mighty power and majesty that is Sid Meier's legacy.

From the duel engine in Sword of the Samurai to the entire genre spanning majesty of Pirates! and Covert Action to the genre pioneering Civilization, he is a man to whom all gamers and game developers should send cards on father's day.