multiplayer interface = horrible

[Navaros]

why does the Multiplayer interface of VI suck so much?

here are the things that i REALLY hate which i'm sure CA could EASILY fix with a simple, small patch:

1. you can't choose your team til ALL PLAYERS are in the game. that's nonsense. i don't like having to stare at the screen constantly until the game is full, only then to have to click READY. the entire step of having to click READY in this situation is a wasteful and needless one that should be removed outright. i want to be able to choose my army AS SOON AS I ENTER THE GAME, that way i can go watch TV or whatever til the game is full and everyone else has chosen their army and is ready to start - without me having to stare at my monitor constantly for no good reason at all; as i do with the current dumb setup

2. you can't GO BACK one step if a player drops during army selection - MAJOR WTF? you should NOT have to re-host in this situation - that's idiotic. yet in the current setup, you MUST re-host

3. why can't the host set TIME LIMITS for ARMY SELECTION and TROOP DEPLOYMENT. i really do not ENJOY having to wait 15 minutes for everyone to select their army, then another 15 minutes for everyone to deploy. that is total BS - there NEEDS to be host-selected time limits in place for these things. this is ESPECIALLY ANNOYING since it usually takes about 30 minutes just to get a full 8-player game from the time the host offers one.


all these changes are simple common sense that would make Total War MP a million times more fun and less aggravating to play - so what's stopping CA from implementing them, exactly?

[Gregoshi]

Well, the going theory is that the CA staff is a bunch sadistic freaks that get their jollies from the screams of frustration in the lobby and in TW forums. I'm sure they are all high-fiving each other after reading your post.


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

As for selection and deployment, everyone works at their own pace. Some are fast or use standard armies every game. Others are slow and/or meticulous spending every florin with great care. Army selection and deployment can often spell the difference between victory and defeat and not too many are crazy about that defeat option.

Think about a typical RTS like Starcraft/Warcraft, where instead of starting with nothing and building up your base/armies over the course of the game, you had to purchase all your buildings and units before the game started and then place those bases/armies on the map before the game began. I think they would take just as long to get started as the TW games if that were the case.

BTW, I think you'll find most people agree that the online interface does need quite a bit of work.

[ichi]

Quote[/b] ]Well, the going theory is that the CA staff is a bunch sadistic freaks that get their jollies from the screams of frustration in the lobby and in TW forums. I'm sure they are all high-fiving each other after reading your post.

ROTFLMAO

I play a lot of MP and I must agree that there are many, many things that CA and GS could/should fix. But I usually only spend 3-5 minutes waiting for players once a game is hosted, and another 3-5 minutes during army selection. While waiting I usually engage in thrilling conversation (AKA XSBS) with my mates, or make new friends (and occasionally enemies).

I used to carpool with a buddy to go skiing. I was a newbie and he was an expert-expert. Every morning we would arrive at the ski resort and I would get ready, then spend 15-30 minutes waiting for my friend, because he was very popular and had to chat with almost everybody, so it took him forever to get ready to ski.

One day I complained to him that I was tired of waiting for him every morning, and that he should hurry up. He calmy replied that while I waited 15 minutes for him in the morning, he waited ALL DAY LONG for me (since I was much slower than he on the slopes).

I think that spending a little extra time setting up can really help once the game starts.

ichi

[Navaros]

i can agree that choosing armies/deploying in Total War is a time-consuming process and give some leeway due to the nature of the game.

however, in all the games i've played so far people have always been taken this concept to the EXTREME - which is VERY frustrating.

btw i am 100% convinced that the LOUD GONG just before a the map is loaded in MP is to WAKE EVERYONE WHO HAS FALLEN ASLEEP UP

waiting around in Total War MP = magic-cureall for insomnia

[Togakure]

If it's so simple to fix, then why don't YOU design a solution and submit it to CA? If you knew anything about systems design in an open multi-user environment, then you would know why the things you hate are the way they are. Sure there is room for improvement--there always is, but so many still play (and have FUN) regardless of the minor annoyances. If you hate it so much, why don't you (do us all a favor and) quit?

Maybe your armies wouldn't rout so fast and you wouldn't lose so often if you spent more energy studying the game and focusing on intelligent practice, instead of wasting your energy on so much expressed negativity and hatred here. Maybe it would help to see past your own preconceived notions and realize that TW games are indeed superior to most other pc-based tactical battlefield games.

Maybe I wouldn't get so annoyed if I didn't have to read your extraordinarily negative posts here. Hmm, come to think of it, I don't have to, and now I won't--when I see your name I'll know to look elsewhere. But it sure does feel good to express MY annoyance for a change. Do be careful, I wouldn't want you to burst a blood vessel in your brain from all that anger (sic).

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