MP patch wishlist

Since through Steam patches have already started coming out, it might be a good idea to have a wish list for Multiplayer Issues worthy to fix in the next patches.

It would also be useful to entitle your suggestions relative to the area they cover, say broadly

a) technical issues/bugs
b) Game Bugs
c) mp enhancements
d) balance issues/game suggestions

Its worth it for all patrons to list all issues even duplicating suggestions to show the extent of people that think a particular issue is affecting players, and for clarity the moderators or myself may make a complete listing in the original post together with a note of which of those have been addressed (every few posts). The number in parenthesis is the number of players that have made that or similar suggestions.

Current Patch = v3.30 (30/03/2009)


Land Battles

a) Technical Issues/Bugs
(2) - Prevent Editing of Unit Prices/Stats by cheaters to participate without game detecting it.
(t1master, Postino)
(2) - AI doesnt always take over when a player quits in 2v2 games.
(tgi01, Lavos)
(2) - Game/Server disappears late in battle when playing as guest without an end battle screen/player left and battle will end screen. This also seems to affect windows live achievements.
(Zerg, Postino)
(2) - Clarify/Fix in-game chat channels adressed to all players and to team players. Ally chat doesnt always work.
(t1master, Postino)
(1) - Cant select free-camera or limited camera in mp menu
(Kenchi_Sulla)
(1) - Serious connections issues with v3.30
(Postino)

b) Game Bugs
(2) - Infantry - Remove hidden-while-moving ability from long rifle units.
(tgi01, Lavos)
(2) - Infantry - Light Infantry (perhaps linked to special light infantry, riflemen stance) wont do a decent about face (facing rotation) when ordered to withdraw a bit. A few clicks on the "forward" button fix it, but it is annoying nonetheless.
(Kenchi_Sulla, Postino)
(1) - Infantry - Light Infantry when on fire at will, sometimes unit keeps shooting and killing even when enemy units are already out of range.
(Kenchi_Sulla)
(1) - Infantry - LOS issue - Units shooting into a hill or ground when that perticular unit is in range, but not in sight.
(Kenchi_Sulla)
(1) - Infantry - Often when giving multiple units the same shooting order for an out of range target, said infantry units will just keep walking toward the target as if they were given a melee attack order.
(Postino)

(1) - Artillery - Limber and unlimber problems with artillery. It doesnt always work well.
(Kenchi_Sulla)
(1) - Artillery - Limber-up and fire at will buttons seem to have arguments with each other; Please fix it so that limber button needs only be pressed once to comeback to guns ready to get towed swiftly.
(Postino)

c) MP Enhancements
(4) - Add more maps or provide community with a map editor.
(tgi01, Lavos, t1master, Postino)
(2) - Restore ability to select money settings or add more money levels
(Kenchi_Sulla, Postino)
(1) - Restore chat lobby
(Postino)
(1) - Provide ability to be able to check out servers in other regions from within the game
(Postino)
(1) - Provide an indicator, as opposed to a filter, for whether a game is ranked or not.
(Postino)
(1) - Show the names of players on their unit info pop-ups.
(Postino)
(1) - Give the host control how many units of foot, horse and art that a player can select for his/her army.
(Postino)
(1) - Flag edge color designations for “all” participants (not just same faction opposites) in multi-partner games.
(Tomisama)
(1) - VOIP without adding your teammates to friends list (mini)

d) Balance Issues/Game Suggestions
(3) - Artillery - Mortars too strong for their price. Say by tweaking their price or accuracy or range.
(tgi01, Lavos, Postino)
(3) - Artillery - Limit artillery ammunition.
(tgi01, Lavos, Postino)
(2) - Artillery - Reduce limbered artillerys vulnerability to fire (too vulnerable)
(Kenchi_Sulla, Postino)
(2) - Artillery - Make hidden units more easily/quickly detectable (especially artillery/Non-infantry units)
(Lavos, tgi01)
(1) - Artillery - Make horse drawn/foot artillery more accurate, save for 24clb.
(Postino)
(1) - Artillery - Rockets - dont deal damage to infantry, but are guided on artillery making them perfect anti-artillery.
(Kenchi_Sulla)
(1)Light Dragoons and Grenzers are overpowered. (Lavos)

(2) - Cavalry. Provide them with more stamina.
(Lavos, Postino)
(2) - Cavalry. Increase cavarly penalties in the woods.
(t1master, Postino)
(1) - Cavalry. Make Ulhans, Hussars more useful.
(Lavos)
Counter (1); Ulhans, Hussars are useful as they stand.
(AggonyDuck)
(1) - Cavalry. Ensure all cavalry units are worth taking stats/performance wise (adjust worth/cost ratio to equal for all cavalries).
(Lavos)
(1) - Cavalry. Add blobbing penalties to cavalry units to prevent defeating infantry units by massing them.
(t1master)
(1) - Cavalry - Add skrimish mode to Dragoon units.
(Kenchi_Sulla)
(1) - Cavalry - increase marching speed so it is closer to running speed (too high a difference between the two).
(Postino)
(1) - Cavalry - retain their morale as currently.
(Postino)

(2) - Infantry - Restore stake properties/abilities as in M2TW.
(Lavos, Postino)
(1) - Infantry -Re-balance range of long rifles (slightly reduce).
(Lavos)
(1) - Infantry - Make stats/cost ratio for infantry units the same to ensure all units/factions worth it (some are too cheap).
(Lavos)
(1) - Infantry - Make light infantry available in the early era (in order to widen its use).
(Zerg)


Naval Battles

a) Technical Issues/Bugs

b) Game Bugs

c) MP Enhancements

d) Balance Issues
(1) - Re-balance rocket-ships (too strong for their price). Say either weaken them or make them more expensive.
(Paolai)
(1) - Fix range of 1st rate ships (with the current range - 400 - they are redundant)
(AggonyDuck)
(1) - Increase the effect of wind on ship speed; naval battles are slightly slow paced.
(Postino)
(1) - Please introduce/tweak ship directional vulnerabilities to round shot. Ships of the line were historically extremely vulnerable to shot from the bow or stern but this doesn't seem to translate to the game.
(Postino)

after more than a 100 games :

1. more maps ... ( how difficult can be to make a steppes map ... )
2. ammo limit on cannons
3. price / accuracy of mortars
4. remove the moving while hidden on the freaking long rifles ...:furious3:
5. AI takes over when some1 quits ( seems to work in 4 vs 4 but not in 2 vs 2 )
6. .... and the counterstrike mod where campers get highlighted and receive damage ...:laugh4:

TGI

Ive had issues with the game/server disappearing normally (i think) when the host is loosing but it just kicks me out to the main menu screen no battle end screen or player left and battle will end message.

Is this a bug or a player trying to crash his game to avoid a loss being recorded? Its relay pissing me off as I just want some fun online. I suppose I should try and host my own game lol

[Balance Issues]

I like how foot units are balanced. Guards are super strong, but expensive. Grenadiers can kill even guard, but their bombs have a delay, so if attacked unit charges or retreats, it has a chance to escape all harm. Line inf are a bit too strong against cavalry charges from back. They should be able to defeat cavalry charge from front or when in square with ease, but now they even defeat cavalry when charged from behind. Light infantry are good. I personally would decrease long range rifles range for a little and ether increase their cost, or decrease cost of normal light infantry.

On other hand, Austrian Jaegers are way too cheap and Spanish early era Guerilas slightly too cheap.
Austrian line inf is also a little too cheap.

Cavalry balance is horrible. At the moment most useful cav units are dragoons, light dragoon (as charge units!) and general bodyguards. Most prominent horse units of the era, Ulans and Husars are completely useless, while expensive household cavalry are good for one skirmish only, their fatigue doesn't allow any more.

Guns. I don't use them much but I allow all of them except mortars in my game. It appears normal canon bullets are too inaccurate and kill too little. Its making canons that depend on them (horse artillery) bad. Most people ether use howitzers with both area attack abilities or late 24lber with that long range 'shotgun' ability.

Stakes. They should have same properties as in vi.
If one player deploys them, then his cavalry should also get killed on them if he runs over them from wrong side. If cavalry is walking, then they should be able to walk through them without loses.

I'd also like that hidden units would be detected sooner. Its annoying that you know where opponents unit is, but can't detect them without getting couple or even whole unit of your men killed. But that could be only my preference. I guess theres a lot of player who'd like em to stay hidden even longer.

ps. just because gollum summed it up as a vote. I forgot to add that I completely agree with every single point TGI pointed out. Those are the most important problems with the game. Tweaking game balance comes second.

Thank you tgi01, Lavos - updated.

This is not strictly MP but adding light inf tactics for early battles would be nice and let you get a bit more from light inf early as you can't get light inf with out it in the main campaign.

Though I suppose this is a nice to have thing more than a important bug fix.

All suggestions welcome - thank you for the input Zerg.

Ladies and gentlemen of mp, please make your views qualitatively and quantitatively known publicly, so we can list them nice and neatly in order to ravagely complain over a concrete set of issues rather than ravagely complain vaguely for everything ~D

STW/MTW veterans and RTW/M2TW veterans and new players - please give out your patch wishes for ETW to be a better game online.

Swoosh So, Paolai, Celtiberos, Kenchikuka, Uglies, Trash, Chaos, Aggony, Wolves, Mizus, the Imperial Polish and Russian clan forces, Tomisama, Mars/Kocmoc, AMP, Cheetah, Krook, Aonar, t1master, Elmarkofear, YellowMellon, Bzzy of RTK, Monarch, tibilicus, Jochi&OrdaKhan, Warman... and the many other ronins/clans/players/patrons i forgot to mention... please drop by to give your precious 2cents on the matter...

:bow:

Actually I am only playing naval battles. For the sea battles I must admit CA made a very good job, less for rocket ships (too strong for their price) for the rest imho it is all ok and very well done.

Thank you Paolai - updated.

For naval battles fixing the range of first rates would be good. 400 compared to 500 means that normal first rates are hardly ever selected.

As to cavalry balance, I've found hussars and uhlans to be useful.

Thank you AggonyDuck - updated.

Several bugs: not just linked to mp but here we go nonetheless.

-When light inf is on fire at will, sometimes the unit keeps shooting and killing even when units are already out of range.

-Sometimes light inf (perhaps linked to special light infantry, riflemen stance) wont do a decent about face when ordered to withdraw a bit. A few clicks on the "forward" button fix it, but it is annoying nonetheless.

-limber and unlimber problems with artillery. Everyone who tried to redeploy arty in a battle knows what I am talking about. It doesnt always work well.

-LOS issue on inf. Units shooting into a hill or ground when that perticular unit is in range, but not in sight.

-Cant select free-camera or limited camera in mp menu

-want to be able to select florin settings

-Skirmish option on dragoons?

-Rockets!! dont damage inf, but are guided on artillery making them perfect anti arty.

-limbered artillery is extremely vulnerable to fire

Thank you Kenchi_Sulla. Updated.

Ladies and gentlemen of TW mp - for so many mortar (and rocketship) haters and defenders we have in the relevant threads, there are only two people advocating to rebalance mortars in this one.:laugh4:

Please make your views known irrespective of someone else having made the point in order to paint a quantitative and qualitative picture to CA members that are possibly viewing the forum. We have a real chance to get things fixed quickly through steam. Please for your own enjoyments sake use it.

I am also certain that almost the whole community wants more maps, or the inclusion of an ironboard map for competitions - it would be beneficial to make that clear in terms of numbers.

:bow:

Just wanted to second that hiding is far too fast , specially for canon / large non infantry troops in woods ...

TGI

maps maps maps... do we get an editor this series?

the in game chat to all or the team is a little bit confusing, perhaps just a clarification on which is which, i think i've got an idea though.

other than that, just make sure that those who have edited the units costs/stats cannot play with those of us who don't hax the game files. :wall:

Thank you tgi01 and t1master, updated.

Dear ladies and gentlemen of TW mp - ETW haters and lovers, please bother to tell us in writing your precious estimates in what needs patching - the sooner the better - the more the merrier ~D

:bow:

cavs should get a penalty when charging through the forest and all bunched up. i played two games yesterday where cavs ripped through my line infantry in the woods as if they were on a flat plain. cavs were also massed/spammed like in rome, a big wedge all attacking the same unit.

Thank you t1master. Updated.

a) technical issues/bugs
Game/Server disappears late in battle when playing as guest without an end battle screen/player left and battle will end screen. this also seems to affect windows live achievements, I never got the achievement for my first naval battle b/c of this.
Fix the chat bug-I'd like to talk to allies w/o the enemy hearing it!

b) Bugs

Light Infantry; (perhaps linked to special light infantry, riflemen stance) wont do a decent about face (facing rotation) when ordered to withdraw a bit. A few clicks on the "forward" button fix it, but it is annoying nonetheless.
Often when I give multiple units the same shooting order on an out-of range target, my inf will just keep walking toward the target as if it were an melee attack order.
Limber-up and fire at will seem to have arguments with each other, please fix it so that I can press limber once and comeback to guns that are ready to tow-I am tired of having to hold their hands to get them to move.
Cavalry in my games have 2 speeds, normal charging speed and slow as molasses. Why dose it take 2 forever's to walk my cav somewhere when it takes only 10 seconds to get to the same place by running them.

c) mp enhancements
Chat lobby would be nice...
A way to check steam servers in other regions from within the game would also be nice.
An indicator, as opposed to a filter, for whether a game is ranked or not would be great too.

d) balance issues/game suggestions
+Stamina, +penalty from woods for Cav.
Don't adjust morale effects for Cav!
Mortars:too powerful, accuracy doesn't matter with mass-barrage weapons, adjust range a little and price a lot.
Horse artillery needs greater accuracy, and foot artillery slightly less so(excepting the 24lber).
Artillery is extremely vunerable to counter artillery fire, losing a whole battery to one explosive shell is nuts!
Steaks should be adjusted to VI properties.
Limited artillery ammo.

Thank you Postino, updated.

two for naval battles:
Please increase the effect of wind on ship speed; naval battles are just a tad too slow.
Ships of the line were historically extremely vulnerable to shot from the bow or stern but this doesn't seem to translate to the game. If possible I would like to see ships having directional vulnerabilities to round shot.

Thank you Postino, updated.

Quote:

---

(1) - Artillery - Make foot artillery slightly less accurate save for 24clb.

---

What I had meant was make both horse and foot art more accurate, but horse moreso. For simplicities sake just include foot art with the horse art.

more:
Show the names of players on their unit info pop-ups.

Give the host control how many units of foot, horse and art that a player can select for his/her army.

Add a few more fund denominations.

Give us more maps or a map editor.

Gollum is now taking bets on how long it will be before I reply to this thread again.

Thank you Postino, updated.

Ladies and gentlemen of mp, i am sure that it is imperative for many of you and your competitions that editing stats/prices without the game going desync, yet so far only one person has mentioned it. I know for a fact now that CA staff is checking this thread - please let your views be known for your own enjoyments sake.

:bow:

Under MP Enhancements;

Flag edge color designations for “all” participants (not just same faction opposites) in multi-partner multiplayer, would enhance the game.

Thank you Tomisama, updated.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by gollum

Thank you Postino, updated.

Ladies and gentlemen of mp, i am sure that it is imperative for many of you and your competitions that editing stats/prices without the game going desync, yet so far only one person has mentioned it. I know for a fact now that CA staff is checking this thread - please let your views be known for your own enjoyments sake.

:bow:

---

oh ic.
Well as to blatant cheaters I've seen stake abilities added to line infantry and perhaps some suspect armies. Cheaters are a game killer-squashing exploits takes precedence over all of my other wishes. I do have confidence that CA will address this, but the sooner the better.

since the latest patch(March 30th) I've been having serious connect issues. out of 15 or so games yesterday I only saw the summary screen twice- this is not counting the large numbers of hosts I couldn't connect to. 2 days ago it was lots better.

Thank you Postino. Updated.

EDIT
Dear Ladies and Gentlemen of mp, i have to unfortunately now discontinue my org participation as i will be soon departing in a long professional journey that will take me to places that net access wont always be available.

I hope that the moderators will continue updating this thread that potentially may serve the developer and the mp community if properly taken care of.

May i suggest to whoever does this, to update the current patch version at the OPs top and also add a Fixed - version... (date...) in front of fixed issues in order for the thread to show what has happened and what is going on.

Last but not least, i hope that ETW mp issues will be solved and that the game will turn out as enjoyable as possible for all of you that play it online.

GG & HF all :beam:

:bow:

MP Enhancements:

VOIP without adding your teammates to friends list.

Some little balance updates after playing more games. Everything I already said is still about the same as it is, except:

I don't have much complaining about cavalry. Gen bodiguards, normal dragoons aren't as good as I thought they are, and uhlans, husars are decent, BUT lights dragoons are way too powerfull. They beat every other cavarly. Their morale is great, they are larger unit than other cav, their charge is very good (thanks to more man), their fatigue is among the best of all cavalry AND they can shoot.

Next thing, Grenzers, those guys if used with a little micromanaging are able to destroy guard infantry quicker than grenadiers. They are way too good for the price you pay for them. Them and Jeagers make Austria by far the most powefull faction in late.

Also it would be great if noone had long range light inf in early, but thats not a huge problem.

all i can say so far are the simple ones

1. to know who your allies and enemy are with there names
2. team chat to work
3. the hidden riflemen on open ground :(

* Foot Artillery need to be able to run with out being in a group.

* Add an ‘Alt’ to the positioning mouse click to place the selected unit(s) facing the same direction as they are currently, not just the azimuth direction we have now.

* Require all battle participants to select to End Deployment, before that happens.

* Replays need to be periodically auto saved and easily retrievable so that even with drops and desync crashes, we can see the battle up to that point for competition reviews.

* We need a game logfile and reader for statistical analysis, and to verify that people are playing by competition rules.

how is the long rifles hidden while moving a bug

perhaps you havent checked the reload speed of long rifles, its 15 as opposed to 30 (thats a difference of about 5 seconds for the first reload 10 seconds for the second etc) for most riflemen there accuracy 60 as opposed to 65. there price not that much less. thats game balance silly not game bug