Civ4 Gamespy Lobby can't be THAT pathetic??

[IronCrown]

I've played quite a lot of MP games, but so far only with friends via Direct IP connection. Today I tried connecting to Gamespy for the first time. I was dumbfounded when I saw the lobby. The only useful options are game name, number of players, map type and ping. Is that a joke or what?

At the very least I'd expect:
-map size
-game speed
-turn timer speed
-game already running, or waiting for players to begin?
-if running: current year/turn

Additionally I think the following info would be useful:
-type of player wanted (deathmatch/axe rush or builder etc)
-approximate skill level (Noble/Monarch/...)

Even if some of that information is put in the 'game name' column (rarely), I can't sort or filter the games accordingly.

Am I missing something, or is it really that bad? There's no way I will use this crap then

 

[LordRahl]

You think GameSpy Lobby is pathetic? Wait till you see Pitboss Server Application. My throwaway single use GUI's are better than that poor excuse for a paid product.

 

[IronCrown]

I don't understand how they could deliver this crap when the actual MP part of Civ4 is so great
Now I know why everyone complains of quitters and rushers... this poor lobby system scares off everyone except the shooter player type who is just looking for a quick deathmatch.

But I wonder, where is the place to find serious players? Not here obviously, in this subforum there's virtually no activity...

 

[IglooDame]

CanuckSoldier will be around momentarily to tell you that the ladder is where you want to go.

And he's right. The only reason I'm not there myself is because I prefer the mass-mp (dozen or more player) pitboss games that I can find here, at Strategamer or CDZ, or most often run myself.

 

[ShaneFarrell]

Where are the ladders IglooDude?

 

[IglooDame]

http://civ4players.proboards44.com/index.cgi

 

[IronCrown]

Thank you, signed up already

The list of rules is fearsome, though. And the forums are not exactly over-populated. A whole 6 threads in the Epic Games forum The CivIV mp community seems to be smaller than I'd thought.

 

[CanuckSoldier]

Our forums are not as active as CFC because MPers do there talking in the lobby or in games, this is something unique in the Civ world as SP fan sites have to use forums were as MPers have a "oral history" as much as written. In fact there are many ladder players that have never posted in our forums. Generally speaking the players that post in our forums are the vet clan players and the pbem/pitboss players.

If you haven't signed up for the ladder proper please click on the Free Sign up here www.myleague.com/civ4players which is our Cases Myleague based stats tracking and reporting system. You have to registered there for players to let you in ladder games.

As to the Lobby issues....well the official Firaxis response would be that there was only so much room in the lobby interface to provide data on games. But you can tell new games from old games by the check mark in the new column. Yes it would be nice to have more info, but generally what we have is ok if not primo, and you shouldn't be joining games unless they are new or you are specifically invited to sub in an ongoing game(nothing pisses MPers off more than having an univited player hotjoining an AI in the middle of a game). And it only takes a minute to enter a new game and fine out from the host the settings and then decide if you want to stay or not.

CS

 

[IronCrown]

I already registered and will definitely give it a try when I have the time.

Although I'm still not quite certain how I can find ladder games... but I guess I'll figure it out somehow

 

[CanuckSoldier]

Most ladder games have "ladder" in the tittle, like "Ladder OCC cton" or "Ladder 3v3 teamer" etc. It's probably best to try your skills at ctons(ffa's) before trying to get excepted as a new player in a teamer. For valid reasons most people don't appreciate inexperienced players being the weak link in a teamer.

CS

 

[IronCrown]

Thank you What does the abbreviation cton stand for?

And if I may try your patience a little longer: How do you find players of similar skill on the ladder? I understand that quitting is a no-no in ladder games, but I think it's quite hard not to quit when you are 5000 points in the lead or hopelessly behind everyone else because they are just much better than you. After all such a game can still go on for 10+ hours.

 

[CanuckSoldier]

cton is the name of a ladder player that invented a FFA with no diplomacy, Tech trading, or private messaging, and always war on of course.

You can look in the ladder standings for players that are around your skill level, or you can just advertise in the lobby for a novice game. It really doesn't matter for ctons if you are new, but for teamers they will want players of equal skill on both teams or it's not really fun. It's a fact of life that you are going to lose most of your first games. Humans are just so much better than the AI, just ask the other players for there advice after the game, most players will tell you what you are doing wrong and help you get better.

CS