A truly astonishing online experience!

[Fairlight]

The last game I played online was Diablo 2. Understandably, I have not gone near multiplayer since for anything -- being a 56k modem user, I was relentlessly confounded by laggy play and dropped connections.

I reluctantly decided to give MTW a try this morning, as the single player campaign mode was beginning to wear a bit thin.

The amazing story begins.

I log on to my ISP, then boot up the game. I go to multiplayer, and find out I must register at gamespy. This takes me a minute or two, and then I log in without problems to the MTW gamespy lobby screen.

Those online are pleasant and instructive. I see that there's a 1 on 1 going, and jump in. I pick my units and nation with ease, and am soon ready to play. My opponent sets up quickly, and we start. The game runs just as smoothly as single player. Units respond fast and my armies behave as I would expect. My opponent, more experienced than I, hands me my arse but complements me for having a sound basic understanding of strategy. We chat for a little while, and he explains some of the ropes to me.

I walk away from my first newbie session of MTW multiplay with nothing but happiness and satisfaction at a great game.

Truly weird, huh?

[Knight_Yellow]

he he

see sinlge player pales in comparison to mp

[Alrowan]

ahh.. nice to hear this froma first timer online.. we try to make a god impression

[1dread1lahll]

56k works fine, welcome to multi.....

[baz]

indeed welcome http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[tootee]

Hope to see you more often online, and in JF.

Welcome http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wave.gif

[Skomatth]

Mind trading lifes? You're pretty lucky, but most of the guys online are friendly, #ignore those who aren't. Also, mind telling us who the helpful guy was so we could give him a pat on the back?

-KenchiSko

[Kas]

Very nice indeed and welcome

FearKas http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Krasturak]

Quote[/b] (Fairlight @ Feb. 04 2003,17:17)]I walk away from my first newbie session of MTW multiplay with nothing but happiness and satisfaction at a great game.
Gah

We can only hope to provide this experience to more people.

Gah

[Dionysus9]

http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/pat.gif

Good news. Now you must learn about some of the pitfalls.

1) If you play any singleplayer (or custom battles) before playing multiplayer YOU MUST shut down MTW and restart it.

that will get you started, but there are a lot more.

[bosdur]

Quote[/b] (Fairlight @ Feb. 04 2003,12:17)]Those online are pleasant and instructive. I see that there's 1 on 1 going, and jump in. I pick my units and nation with ease, and am soon ready to play. My opponent sets up quickly, and we start. The game runs just as smoothly as single player. Units respond fast and my armies behave as I would expect. My opponent, more experienced than I, hands me my arse but complements me for having a sound basic understanding of strategy. We chat for a little while, and he explains some of the ropes to me.

I walk away from my first newbie session of MTW multiplay with nothing but happiness and satisfaction at a great game.

Truly weird, huh?
Glad that you have a great first impression. Some of us are not so fortunate, one of the first online comments some ppl get can be "rushing players like you are what kills the game" or something polite such as: "I will pick an army that suit your skill, hope you find it challenging and interesting."

If you do meet with these ppl, plz ignore their harsh words,because they can also give you the best of the best of advices http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif.

[LRossaLordJimi]

My first experience on MP wasn't nice like this,the foyer was very very slowly http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/mecry.gif But most of players was helpful http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
Welcome to MP era,see you on the battlefield http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wave.gif
Ave

[LittleGrizzly]

dont scare him off with all ur bad first time experiences
its great all the time http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

[evilc]

i've said it beore and i'll say it again, 33k works fine, let alone 56k.

Hail newbies http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wacko.gif

[ElmarkOFear]

This is beginning to sound like an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting or in this case an MTW Anonymous meeting. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif hehe YEs my name is Elmo and I'm an MTW-holic lol

[Wizard of Evil]

Hello,

I live in Turkey, and i cant find the original game here (i have the pirated). When i order it from the internet i will have to pay 60 $ more for transportation, but i do want to have the original game if i know that i can play multiplayer. In my town all we can get for accessing internet is 56 k, with not so good pings. I was a real fan of Age Of Empires II, played it for more than 3 years. The best pings i could get was 350 - 400 ms, but AoK was playable with those pings. My question is; around an avarege of 500 ms pings that i will get, will it worth 100$ to order it from the internet?

And also dont see me as a guy that uses pirated version of everything. I respect the programmers and try to buy the original of everything, but i just cant find MTW here, and paying 100 $ in a game that i am not sure about playing multiplayer seems much to me. If the game is playable with the pings i will have i will pay that amount tho.

[Puzz3D]

Wizard of Evil,

Yes the game will play ok with those pings with the exception of hosting the bigger 3v3 and 4v4 games. Especially hosting 4v4 doesn't work well with 56k.

At this point you might want to wait for the Viking Expansion. In addition to being sold as an add-on to MTW, it might be made available as a full MTW + VI product. That would save you a shipping cost over buying MTW and then VI in 2 or 3 months when it comes out.

[Gaius Julius]

I haven't tried MP yet.
I want to learn the ins n outs of the game better, before I venture out to the online battlefield.

Hearing of your positive experience, only strenghtens my desire to try MP. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[Fairlight]

Quote[/b] (Gaius Julius @ Feb. 05 2003,22:28)]I haven't tried MP yet.
I want to learn the ins n outs of the game better, before I venture out to the online battlefield.

Hearing of your positive experience, only strenghtens my desire to try MP. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif
Thanks you all for the encouragement. I've played three games now, and actually won the last one. My opponent led with his general's unit and he got killed in the first few seconds of the melee, so I was probably lucky.

No-one's been horrible to me yet, but I've never been bothered by that kind of thing. That's what /ignore is for, eh? It's only when co-op partners go player-killer on you that I get whiny. :>

[Gaius Julius]

Fairlight

When I finally make the jump to MP, maybe I can play you sometime. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[tootee]

Quote[/b] (Gaius Julius @ Feb. 06 2003,06:28)]I haven't tried MP yet.
I want to learn the ins n outs of the game better, before I venture out to the online battlefield.

Hearing of your positive experience, only strenghtens my desire to try MP. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif
there no need to learn the in&out of the game in SP before venturing to MP.. just go online and sweat and bleed and moan and experience it all with an open mind and a strong heart.. time waits for no man.

[Wizard of Evil]

Thanks Puzz3d. I guess i ll wait till the VI comes.

[Gaius Julius]

Quote[/b] (tootee @ Feb. 05 2003,23:50)]there no need to learn the in&out of the game in SP before venturing to MP.. just go online and sweat and bleed and moan and experience it all with an open mind and a strong heart.. time waits for no man.
Thanks for the advice, maybe I will. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[Orda Khan]

Quote[/b] (evilc @ Feb. 05 2003,14:49)]i've said it beore and i'll say it again, 33k works fine, let alone 56k.

Hail newbies http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wacko.gif
Very, very true Evil_C
First advice I would give is ignore those who think you or your equipment is not worthy of their game, when in fact the reverse is so often the case. I have been 4v4 games that run like clockwork...all on my lowly 56k.

Pet hate.......... ***** is hosting a game - no 56k

Hope you have many more enjoyable battles

.............Orda

[Cazbol]

I had my first MP-experience a few days ago and like Fairlight's it was a most pleasant experience. Everyone I talked to was helpful and provided advice when then heard I was a newbie. My main problem was finding games that actually started, but waiting for other players to join gave me the chance to talk to others who were waiting.

I finally got to play a 2v2 and what a glorious battle it was, mainly because we won decisively, where I drove one opponent off the field in a matter of minutes. I was high on self-confidence the whole weekend. I suspect someone will put me in my place in my next game.

This was a totally different matter from STW multiplayer where I never managed to get on multiplayer because of bugs in registration.

[Magyar Khan]

well just be lucky with it, cuz u cant compare the 2 games and notice the flaws in mtw.

[Alastair II]

I, too, just started MP, and I suspect I'm not going back. MP is simply much more exciting; every battle that's played is an interesting, fun, uniquely difficult challenge, where SP is monotonous and repetitive by comparison. So I encourage anyone who liked Ender's Game or who likes real tactics with real people and human interaction to play MP. BTW, I have a firewall, and if anyone knows of which ports to open in order to host, could they tell me? I have a cable, so I shouldn't have much trouble with ping.

[Jabberwock]

Wow
I've been thinking about trying MP for a while, but have never played anything online before. It looks like it could be worth a punt if Fairlight's experience is anything to go by.
So, if you see me out there tomorrow with NOOB stamped on my forehead - be nice.

[Kensai Achilles]

My first days in the foyer were fine and pleasant as well.
I recall, I told people in the lobby If expert players would show a noob some ropes and they did. Thanks http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

One of the most pleasant one was with Borygo (whoever hides behind this name thanks m8 http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wave.gif ). It was my second day i think, and he played me 1v1, 5 times in a row (maybe less I don't remember but it felt like 5). He provided me with lots of basic MP insight. Back then sometimes I also private message some familiar clan names for opinion until they seemed to get tired of being asked http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

Then I stopped asking around and keep on practicing on my own, testing different armies, handing out my general's head here and there to many veterans (sometimes to other noobs) http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif