title: Long running RTS game multiplayer considerations
body: <p>I'm working on a real-time space strategy game clone which at its time did not have any multiplayer option. I want to add multiplayer to it. </p>
  
  <p>The gameplay itself is relatively long: about 10-15 hours of gameplay needed for complete a playthrough. This is very long and I don't want to force the players to play it uninterrupted or lose the game state due crash/power outage. </p>
  
  <p><em>How do similar games solve this kind of problem? Save multiplayer game just like a singleplayer game?</em></p>
  
  <p>In singleplayer mode, the player can pause and accelerate the simulation time (In pause mode, the player is still able to issue orders, build on planets, etc.). </p>
  
  <p><em>How can this feature be translated into the multiplayer mode?</em></p>
  
  <p>Let's assume there are more than 2 players (additional AI or human players) and one player attacks the other which switches the game into space/ground battle. These battles can be paused as well to issue orders.</p>
  
  <p><em>What should happen with the other non-involved players? Should they wait? Should they be forced to operate only in their own kingdom?</em></p>
  
  <p><strong>Update:</strong> Just some details about the game.</p>
  
  <p>I'm cloning <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperium_Galactica" rel="nofollow noreferrer">this</a> game. The clone is released as open source, therefore, its likely someone will create a cheating version. This is an issue but not that important now. I think I solve it by moving the game state and control between the players: first it runs on the first player's machine, then moves to the second etc.</p>
  
  <p>I would like to put more emphasis to the third question above: </p>
  
  <p><em><strong>What should the other players do when two are engaged in a battle?</strong></em> </p>
  
  <p>Battles are fought on different screen as the kingdom management screens. In single player mode, the battles automatically stop the game world and neither the player, nor the AI is able to manage its kingdom during the battle.</p>