Multiplayer issues

ScottWAR · #1 January 2nd, 2011, 02:03 AM

I did a lot of different things to try and get a multiplayer game going, and am going to list all of them to help figure out what the issues is. So this may get long.

Tried hosting a game and got an error when I clicked on the create button-- something like unable to find or use the address given (even though it automatically detected my IP). I have a router and suspected it as the issue, removed it, and then I was able to host a game (no more error).(I was unable to choose to generate a random map and could only use the existing map,...this MUST be fixed,....random maps are essential for long term playability. Another issue is I was unable to change any flags or colors, not a big problem, but it would be nice if people could play the color and with the flag of their choice).

My opponent joined and we started the game. I had chosen for nations to start as small, so I had one territory(with 2 fab complexes in it)and my usual 2 inf and 1 tank. However my opponent only saw an entire map covered with fog of war. We advanced the turn to see if he would show up when player 2 started its turn. No luck.

We tried starting a gmae with various settings changed- medium and small nations starting size,..nuetrals and no neutrals,...with an AI player and without an AI player all with the same results.

We than tried him hosting and he got the same error I got when I had the router connected. Except he didnt have a router. We then tried making an exception for his firewall,...same error when clicking 'create'. He then tried truning off his firewall, same error.

At this point we gave up.

ScottWAR · #2 January 4th, 2011, 07:19 PM

Ok, a couple of days have passed since the holidays,..... A statement that this is a known issue or that this needs to be looked into or if its something to do with network settings/isp etc,....or ANY communication on this issue would be really nice. I would like to play a mp game eventually...............

ScottWAR · #3 January 7th, 2011, 11:59 AM

Hello? Would really love a comment,.......starting to get a little aggravated...........

ScottWAR · #4 January 9th, 2011, 01:41 PM

Well, a week has passed since this post was made and not one single reply from the developer.

Support ticket sent to Shrapnel.

Skirmisher · #5 January 9th, 2011, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScottWAR

Support ticket sent to Shrapnel.

What will that accomplish?

Can you get a refund?

ScottWAR · #6 January 9th, 2011, 06:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skirmisher

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScottWAR

Support ticket sent to Shrapnel.

What will that accomplish?

Can you get a refund?

Actually its the way shrapnel wants to handle support.

In their answer to me they state they that DO NOT want their developers posting in the forums.

Sounds kinda backwards to me. Why would you want to make it appear the devolper never bothers to post in his games forums? Do you WANT potential customers to come here and see people asking questions, never getting answers, and getting the impression Aaron ignores his customers? Because thats exactly what is happening here......

One of the things I hear all the time about game developers is whether or not they communicate with their customers. To make it appear that Aaron doesnt communicate with his customers.....ON PURPOSE.....is a real good way to get a bad reputation started,...and a good way to prevent sales.

Skirmisher · #7 January 25th, 2011, 07:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScottWAR

Well, a week has passed since this post was made and not one single reply from the developer.

Support ticket sent to Shrapnel.

Can you tell us all if this "ticket" has done anything to improve your gameplay?

I'm willing to try to join a game if you feel like hosting one.

Uncle_Joe · #8 January 10th, 2011, 02:10 PM

I hope that there was something lost in the translation there because yeah, you're right...it makes no sense to actively discourage developer interaction (unless you have a 'community team' that functions as a liason or something).

Because the first thing I do when I'm looking at buying a game is go to the game's forum and if there are a ton of complaints and no responses, I tend to be far more careful about my purchase.

Skirmisher · #9 January 10th, 2011, 08:28 PM

Well it's weird that there isnt even a moderator here.

I guess I'll just delete the game and hope it all works out someday.
Multiplayer TCP/ip not functioning and single player not my cup of tea.

Mission acomplished, you got my money.

JCrowe · #10 January 11th, 2011, 06:57 PM

eehh ... don't be too hasty; it's hard to judge when the facts are not all in evidence. The company could have good reasons for its policy: legal exposure, bureaucratic protocols, employee work concerns, etc. On a basic level, it might not be a very efficient use of Aaron, Bob, Joe & Sally's time to "monitor" every forum that carries mention of their company’s products, and responding to each signal of distress fired into the electronic night of cyberspace.

In any event, a ticket has the advantage of giving them lots of specifics and a "live" example on which to work. Not always the case with complaints taken off a forum, unless they reach out to the individual complaining, and, more-or-less ... set up a ticket. In which case, you might then discover that the solution to complainant’s problem is very simple, and you just spent an hour of a developer’s time to fix something a minimum-wage lackey could have solved off an answer chart for $3.99.

Regardless, it's clear that the game needs a lot of rework, and those kinds of changes aren't something they can run on the fly. Consider the modest improvement between versions 1.01 and 1.05 - and the fact that it took three (if not four) weeks to bridge that small gap and do the little that it did. And they still have AI work, unit rebalancing, the aforementioned multiplayer, and (in my opinion) rework of some unit mechanics. (Stationary nukes, visible subs, sea spaces exempted from bombardment, ‘moving-target’ infantry … take your pick.) None of this is an easy fix.

So, might as well send a ticket and a list of comments for fixes, upgrades, and alterations. It might be a while in coming, but honestly – would a major like EA give such suggestions the time of day? (No. No they would not. See “Legal Dept.”) It’s kinda neat to be able to participate in a meaningful way on a work-in-progress, even if it does mean playing guinea-pig. Those opportunities don’t come around very often.