Multiplayer questions / enhancement requests

[spowell42]

Hi, I've noticed the following issues with multiplayer (using version 1.14 patch) In some cases I suspect that I'm doing something stupid, but in others they are clearly bugs.

Could anyone let me know if any of the issues below can be "fixed" by changing settings somewhere? And / or if any of these are "known" bugs that are being looked into?

Thanks,
Scott

p.s. - all of these are based on playing a simultaneous turn game with one friend and 2 computer AI. Both of us have cable modems so have fast internet connections.

1) Would like a clearer way of indicating that my friend has finished his turn. Perhaps make the screen go darker when its waiting for him to finish but I'm already done?

2) I do not seem to be able to get cities to not automatically start building something new without asking me what to build next. I know there is an option for this - I have it turned on (i.e. "ask for build orders after unit construction" is on), but the cities still automatically start building something random. It does NOT happen this way in single player

3) Similar to #2 - once a technology is finished being researched the game is automatically choosing the next one to research without popping up the dialog to choose the next one. If I don't pay attention, I miss this and research something I don't want

4) Screen automatically jumps to next unit the INSTANT a unit finishes moving. I.e. I move a unit to explore some unknown territory and the game jumps down to the next unit before I can even see what the prior unit revealed. Some pause here is needed

5) Have some points that seem VERY laggy, especially when both my friend and I are on cable modems (through the same provider). Have points where it shows a ~ next to my name (meaning that its my turn to move?) but don't get control to actually move anything for easily 60+ seconds.

6) chat messages (using the ~ key) get truncated - they are not showing up wrapped properly

7) This is not a bug but something I've ALWAYS wanted - even in multiplayer. I would very much like a QUICK way to show all of the resources ($, production, food) provided by spaces on the map. I know there is a toggle in PREFERENCES to turn this on (permanently), what I want is more of a "hold the TAB key and they all show up, release it and they are all hidden again"

8) When I go in to the internet lobbies, I only see a total of 2 or 3 games being played. Is this a bug - or are there only really 3 games being played in the whole world? (I have no filters turned on to exclude games) ???

Thats it for now...this was only based on a single hour in multiplayer with a friend, and I know a few of these (#6) have been posted elsewhere.

Thanks,
Scott

 

[spowell42]

p.s. - re #1 - my friend and I played with the timer turned off because we don't like to be rushed...in this mode it was very difficult to tell when it was my turn and when it wasn't. Thanks!

 

[Elen-edhel]

I concur with these observations. Regarding # 1, however, the ~ next to your name indicates that you have not yet moved. When you see it disappear next to other names, that means they have finished their turns.

I agree that the lack of popups for unit build orders and technology research orders poses constant problems throughout the game. The text messages that flash about units and buildings having been built flash by too fast to make appropriate adjustments. Please give us the option to display popups.

The chat wrap problem is just a royal pita. I can't understand how the game could have shipped with such a fundamental flaw.

Let me add to your list the following:

1. While queuing units works correctly (though it is time consuming because of even slight lag), shift-queuing buildings does not. When I queue a temple, for example, the temple stays highlighted. So when I add another building the temple is replaced by that building and I have to start again (if I even notice the error). Thus, I have to highlight the next empty line in the queue manually for each new building. This is a problem in the heat of battle, where I find myself constantly overwriting my choices. Some of this is caused by lag and some because I forget that a problem exists and fail to compensate, but mostly it's just that shift-queuing simply doesn't work for buildings.

2. We need a feature on the main MP start page whereby we can see the updated settings of available games. Often, for example, a game will be advertised as "elimination" when the host insists it was advertised as "Regicide." I constantly have players ask me to change from "Turnless" to "simultaneous," when I have already done so in the settings available in the staging area. Further, without being able to see all the settings for a proposed game, I often find that players start arguing once they get into the actual game setup area. It's hard enough to get 3 or 4 players to connect that far. To have them drop because they hate Pangaea is just ridiculous. And there is a limit to how much of this can be dealt with in chat while in the staging area. And I don't see why the staging area should even be necessary. The Zone manages to let players see game settings with no problem (here I have experience only with the Age of Kings series). I think we should be able to click off our settings and have them appear in the main page where games are advertised.

3. And if we must have a staging area, please give the host the ability to boot players. It's a drag constantly having to ask players with high pings to leave. If they refuse to leave or simply don't accept that they will likely be unable to connect, it just spoils the launch attempt and the whole process must begin again (reboot usually included).

4. As host, when someone is unable to connect from the staging area to game setup, the game hangs and I often get a message that "Host has canceled the game." But I haven't canceled the game, so why do I get this message? Then I am usually unable to host again. Instead, I am kicked back to the game menu and I have to reboot my computer.

5. On the reboot issue, I am livid. On average, I have to reboot half a dozen times for each game I am able to start successfully. Mostly, this is because of the aforementioned problem of being unable to host after a game has failed to start for one reason or another.

6. Ensemble Studios Online has implemented an autopatch system for Age of Mythology, which requires players to install new patches before entering the playing area. While the system still has some kinks for some users, it worked perfectly for me. We need such a system to eliminate the constant hassle of asking "does everyone here have 1.14f"? Half the players say "Yes" when they should say "no," since they confuse 1.14 with 1.04 (understandably enough). Or they just don't seem to understand the need to have perfectly compatible versions. Minimally, players need an alert system indicating that a new patch is available.

7. Turnless mode seems buggy in big battles. I recently played a game in turnless which was quite exciting and fast paced (I like the idea of turnless, mind you); but when my ally and I attacked our mutual enemy, we reached the point where all our turns were elapsing without being able to move a single unit. The battle was essentially stalemated and the game was ruined. Needless to say, it's extremely frustrating to get fairly far into a game only to have something like this ruin it.

I offer these comments constructively in the hope that the MP experience can be gradually but steadily enhanced. It just boggles my mind that I can run a 3D RTS game like AoM, but I have nightmare experiences trying to get a game of PTW to work. When it does work, of course, it's a joy to play.

Cheers,

Elen-Edhel

 

[flightdeck]

Man, traffic on this forum is light compared to when CivIII was
released. Guess everyone starved to death on CivIII.

Anyhow, my items to add to this running list, since this seems
the best place to add them:

BUGS/COMPLAINTS/WANTS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1) Delays (on a 2-player game with 6 AI, both fast internet
connections, no firewalls, ping<100) are very long. Every single
mouse click and keystroke has a 1-2s delay before anything
happens. I find it makes the game unplayable.

2) SMAC had:
a) pause,
b) customizeable and modifible time limits, and
c) showed the time remaining as number (the bar current thingy
isn't very helpful).
It'd be nice to "have these features back". I find timed games
unmanageable without them.

3) (Already mentioned) The chat window is truncated and almost
useless
you want
to try
talking
like this
all game.


4) All AI actions are processed "instantly" so there is no hope of
moving before they do at the start of a turn. I don't remember
this problem with CivNet. This also makes it impossible to play
a proper offsensive/advancing game because the AI will always
get first shot. An obscene amount of cannon fodder is needed
to lead the charge---the game balance is completely wrecked
as a result.

5) The white "active unit circle" thingy sometimes disappears
during a turn (comes back the following turn).

6) (Already mentioned) No notice given of tech advances.

7) (Already mentioned) When a city has built something I'm not
prompted to specify the next project.

8) (Already mentioned) Screen jumps to next unit the moment
an order is issued to the current unit---you don't get to see the
outcome.

9) It should be possible to disable the "Retire" option in Mplayer,
so players can't see everything when gaming stops for the day.

10) In CivIII, "Enter" would temporarily exit a negotiation,
allowing you to look at other things and then come back. This no
longer works in PTW.


I know I have more, but that's all I can remember at the moment.

 

[warpstorm]

There is a pause option in PTW. It is oddly enough activated by pressing the Pause key.

 

[sp3]

for multiplayer only,
I would rather build a civ than just a war machine
how about
1."accelerated production" only for city improvements, or
2. doubling shield cost for any unit but warrior and worker?

 

[flightdeck]

Originally posted by warpstorm
There is a pause option in PTW. It is oddly enough activated by pressing the Pause key.

Cool thanx!

I just love it when core functionality is undocumented!
Maybe if I smack all the keys at random I'll find the other
missing features, too.

 

[metalhead]

One thing that HAS to be changed, I think both for MP and single player - when you choose Accelerated Production, worker speed should be accelerated as well. This is something I can't believe was not included, because with regular speed workers, you can't keep up at all with your civs growth, and this ruins this play mode, which is otherwise ideal for MP.