I'm hating ETW multi-player...

[Eusebius86]

Alright, I decided to put my ETW grand campaign on hold due to CTD's and try out the mp aspect of the game. I am absolutely hating it. I'll list my main reasons why, and see what the rest of you people on the forum think.

- Lag: Is it just me, or does ETW/steam lag more than other games? It's a real game killer for me.

- Stupid people: It doesn't matter if it's naval battles or land battles, people just do not understand how to play as a team. Either they rush forward and get annihilated, or they sit back all day while you get crushed, and they do nothing. Plus, I'll host games specifically saying "2 arty limit no mortars" and people still ignore me, very frustrating.

- Cheaters: people who play ranked games only to quit minutes before being beaten, so that you don't get any points.

- Finding people to play with: it's a lot harder to find a good game. I used to play Company of Heroes, and it was really easy to find a good game based on ping, difficulty, experience, etc. ETW MP has very few filter options; either the game is open or it's not.

I also used to play World in Conflict a lot online. I found it to be very enjoyable, a lot of people knew what they were doing, and there was a heavy emphasis on team work. ETW MP just doesn't have that feel at all. Maybe I'm just asking too much. What do you guys think? I'm tempted to just play ETW single player grand campaigns, and pick up World in Conflict again for some fun multi-player action...

Maybe I should only play with members of CoH and ETW multiplayer steam groups?

[gollum]

Hello Eusebius86,
is this the first time you play TW mp?

[Evil_Maniac From Mars]

- Cheaters: people who play ranked games only to quit minutes before being beaten, so that you don't get any points.

This one sucks - it really, really sucks. I have also gotten almost no CTDs or quits to lobby in the single player campaign, but it happens too often in multiplayer - which doesn't only give me no points, but often assigns me a loss when I am winning. Only one of my ranked losses so far is deserved, and that is very frustrating.

[Eusebius86]

Hello Eusebius86,
is this the first time you play TW mp?

Yes. I've played TW since RTW was released, but never mp. I have played many multiplayer games on World in Conflict and Company of Heroes though.

[gollum]

I see - then there are several... harsh realities of the scene that you have to put up with unfortunately. However there are joys too - and i would say that in the end they outweight the bad stuff. How about you pm the Assistant Moderator and leader of the org mp group Tomisama and ask him with what bunch of guys its best for you to play as a new player?

Try to stick with people that are friendly and knowledgeable about the game and little by little improve your skills. It needs patience but it can be done.

Good Luck

[Eusebius86]

I see - then there are several... harsh realities of the scene that you have to put up with unfortunately. However there are joys too - and in i would say that in the end they outweight the bad stuff. How about you pm the Assistant Moderator and leader of the org mp group Tomisama and ask him with what bunch of guys its best for you to play as a new player?

Try to stick with people that are friendly and knowledgeable about the game and little by little improve your skills. It needs patience but it can be done.

Good Luck

Tomisama, ok. Thanks Gollum. ETW mp would be much more enjoyable if I could find some people who knew what they were doing and didn't cheat...

[gollum]

They do exist - hold on...

[Eusebius86]

They do exist - hold on...

I've really tried to give CA a chance and not complain, but they're really letting me down. My grand campaign has crashed ceaselessly since the last update, and they haven't done anything to curb cheaters and prevent laggers from joining games... O well, I guess things can only get better.

[gollum]

Well, i have to be honest with you - CA arent historically exactly famous for mp support - but one can place hope in Steam delivered patches. In any case usually versions before 1.2/1.3 face various bugs normally and its within 3-6 months that we can judge the full potential of the game once these have been resolved.

ETW is actually better imho than RTW and much much better than M2TW both sp and mp, and many others view it this way. Just keep the faith.

[tgi01]

ummm check your score ... you will get points even when some1 quits be4 the battle ends ...
AND they will loose points ..

TGI

[A Very Super Market]

You simply cannot force to stop being . Law of nature. No company is at fault over who buys their product.

[Eusebius86]

ummm check your score ... you will get points even when some1 quits be4 the battle ends ...
AND they will loose points ..

TGI

Maybe the times I was checking I wasn't playing ranked games? So I guess there's no problem with dropping from unranked games...

Edit - what an underwhelming 100th post... sure took me longing enough to make it to 100 posts.

[Lavos]

Also there is one very important thing regarding lag that a lot of people forget. Lag in tw games can be caused by high graphical settings, so try to play at lower that what you think your system can manage. Even if you can play campaign all on high settings, always set mp settings lower.

[Eusebius86]

Also there is one very important thing regarding lag that a lot of people forget. Lag in tw games can be caused by high graphical settings, so try to play at lower that what you think your system can manage. Even if you can play campaign all on high settings, always set mp settings lower.

Is 25 FPS ok? Or should I shoot for something higher?

[Tsavong]

I find idiots and cheaters (well hosts which quit to avoid defeat) the most annoying thing about MP. If only CA could add a patch to deal with, them like a boxing glove to pop out of there monitor and hit them in the face when they quit or have a swearing match with others.

I also don't like the fact that MP gaming is divided up into regions by steam I'de prefer the whole world at my fingertips. Did it work like that in the older games?

[Abokasee]

Yea Online "I'll D/C cuz im getting pwned" is a bit lame, in TF2 the Pyro can get a "BBQ Party" Acheivment, basically if you cause a dominated player to leave the server, you get that acheivement, thats brilliant! Perhaps a similar system could be applied to ETW?

[The Hun]

I'de prefer the whole world at my fingertips. Did it work like that in the older games?

It did. There was a lobby. Anyone online was in this lobby.

[Skunker4455]

Well, i have to be honest with you - CA arent historically exactly famous for mp support - but one can place hope in Steam delivered patches. In any case usually versions before 1.2/1.3 face various bugs normally and its within 3-6 months that we can judge the full potential of the game once these have been resolved.

ETW is actually better imho than RTW and much much better than M2TW both sp and mp, and many others view it this way. Just keep the faith.

Very true, I find that ETW's MP progresses at a much more appropriate pace than RTW and M2TW and is a much more fulfilling experience. It's a closer fit to MTW's multiplayer, which I thought was the best multiplayer experience of any strategy game ever. There are, of course, some kinks to work out. One of them is the obviously overpowered and underpriced mortar unit, others I'm sure will be addressed. I can't see CA's reasoning behind not supporting their multiplayer. Total war games are great in single player, but multiplayer adds an extra dimension to the game that keeps players from wandering too far from the next installment.

[gollum]

Welcome to the org Skunker4455.

[Andres]

Welcome to the Org, Skunker4455

[Vuk]

I am hating ETW MP too. :P Here are my reasons:
1: Unfair advantages: By this I mean, how is it fair to have two people's ranks on the line, and give one player all the advantages? I have fought 3 battles so far (not a lot I know, but I have reasons for not fighting more), and everytime I had a very much inferior army and started in an extremely inferior position. On my first battle I was on low ground outside a massive fort, and have one mortar and one cannon that could not attack walls! The enemy had several mortars they could hit me with to my one, and 5 units of light infantry, 2 melee units, and cavalry. The enemy had a far superior force to mine and could beat the snot out of me in an artilery exchange. I ended up winning that one because the guy I was playing against was really stupid and sent each unit out one at a time for me to slaughter :P
My next battle was as the Spanish against a British player. They were WAAY up high on a massive hill, and had three things of rocket artillery, some light cannons, and a mortar. The were able to construct fortifications and had plenty of cavalry and a strong corps of Blackwatch, grenadiers, and some kind of guard infantry. I had one mortar, three light cannons (that were destroyed by the enemy rockets before they could even get into range) two cav, and line infantry. I ended up having a close defeat and killed as many of him as he killed of me, but I lost half my army to his artillery by time I was in range. :P My third battle was almost just like the second, only this time I had almost all melee infantry! ! MELEE INFANTRY against line infantry!? How fair is that? The only reason I would have won is because the player played really stupidly, but the quit before I could win. I do not mean to whine, but it really stinks when you are given the crap side of the stick every darned time and you score is affected by it. Considering the odds, I actually did really good each time I think, but I still only won 1 out of 3. On ranked matches, shouldn't CA at least try to give each side an even chance?
2: Second complaint is that if a player leaves a battle that you do not win by default. Sure a player could have a crash, but most likely a player is gonna leave so you do not get the points.
3: It lags ungodly! Sure it may be my crappy computer to an extent, but I do not think it should be that bad.


As to people's complaints about overpowered mortar, I do not think so. I just think that the rest of the artillery is underpowered. There is a reason that the Russians used mass artillery bombardments.

[Tsavong]

I don't quite understand your point about unfair army make up, you pick the army you are going to use when you join a game online I don't ever use the default one that pops up.

As for hill advantage I agree with you there. Far to many players will host a game with a big hill such as that 2 v 2 map I forget the name of and camp up there all day. I had one guy camp up there in the corner by the Red line so he could not be flanked and called me and the other guy down the hill cowards as we killed his allied player... then he quit as we advanced on him.

As for players leaving the battle when they are loosing that is a problem I think its only the host that will bring down the game with out the right end screen coming up. I think the idiots and cheaters online are the biggest problem for online play.

As for lag during the battle I don't think that is the fault of CA could be the host having his settings too high and his comp just can't take it or your connection with the host is just lagged somewhere. Lag is just a problem with online play no matter what game you play.

[Vuk]

I don't quite understand your point about unfair army make up, you pick the army you are going to use when you join a game online I don't ever use the default one that pops up.

As for hill advantage I agree with you there. Far to many players will host a game with a big hill such as that 2 v 2 map I forget the name of and camp up there all day. I had one guy camp up there in the corner by the Red line so he could not be flanked and called me and the other guy down the hill cowards as we killed his allied player... then he quit as we advanced on him.

As for players leaving the battle when they are loosing that is a problem I think its only the host that will bring down the game with out the right end screen coming up. I think the idiots and cheaters online are the biggest problem for online play.

As for lag during the battle I don't think that is the fault of CA could be the host having his settings too high and his comp just can't take it or your connection with the host is just lagged somewhere. Lag is just a problem with online play no matter what game you play.

I was doing quick battles where they pick the armies for you so that I could get the title that goes with it.

[ELITEofWARMANGINGERYBREADMEN88]

Default ones really aren't to bad .

[gollum]

Its really funny that in this sub-forum you ll never see titles as *I am loving ETW mp!* and the like...

[Tsavong]

lol. Well i have been just the odd player you find there can ruin the match.... though there is not alot that can be done with that there will allways be people who cheat or are abuseive.

[gollum]

Indeed you are right Zerg, its unfortunately part of the mp scene. Most people are unerved by this actually. There are however people/groups of people that strive to accomodate new recruits. TW mp has many interesting personalities and players...

[Puzz3D]

lol. Well i have been just the odd player you find there can ruin the match.... though there is not alot that can be done with that there will allways be people who cheat or are abuseive.

That's where the clan system comes into play. Cheaters or dishonorable players get kicked out of clans, and if whole clans are cheaters or dishonorable they get ostracized by the clan community. The game itself has to be good enough to attract enough serious players to form such a community. Total War MP once had such a community, and they wouldn't had left if the quality of the online game had been maintained.

[tgi01]

Its really funny that in this sub-forum you ll never see titles as *I am loving ETW mp!* and the like...

hmmm .. you just gave me an idea ...

TGI

[Lethaface]

Well, untill now I had quite a blast playing ETW online :)

Played RTW, M2TW & ETW untill now. Not really played a lot of mp before ETW though.

The early quitters are indeed sad, however I cant really blame someone if he decides not to watch how his partner gets eradicated by the same enemy that mangled him up :D

It should not be a reason for quitting back to lobby, altough I noticed I still earned points and scored a win during those times. Perhaps the worst thing is that when it happens, I loose the opportunitie to save those beautiful replays of pure ownage! ;)

Mortars seem overpowered but are also sitting ducks, so Im not really getting all the stress about em. I have yet to see the person that takes mortars only. Have been defeating enough players with 2+ mortars without having any mortars myself. Against mortars you gots to keep moving. When I can keep the enemy occupied, its rather easy most of the time I to kill them mortars with some sacrifice cavalry charge, which is noticed too late by the distracted opponent.

I must admit though that at the moment I usually take 2 mortars along with 1 or 2 horse artillery.

I have witnessed lagging here and there but I blame it on internet connections. I only witnessed lag in 2vs2 games and then only when all 4 players got into action.

And yes, like in all games with mp you are bound to walk into some people of 'another' level or perhaps its better to say they are at another check point in life. As I try to be the adult, I try not to be bothered to much by them. Hey, once we were young too, right?

If you see my game online (lethaface) your sure to have a rule free game with (at least 1) 'normal' persons that are in for the fun.

Few nights ago I won my hardest victory ever. Wanting to try out the persians in MP (after the unlock modpatch), I found out how bad they suck in melee hehe. However I first sort of eliminated my opponent using cav, guns and my elefant general (big grin on my face when it trampled through 4/5 stacks of line & light infantry). Then the other opponent killed off my teammate, leaving him with 1 organ gun and 1 mortar. I attack with a massive stack of 8 almost 100% strength line infantry against a mixed group of survivors. Probably I had more numbers then both of m combined. It started well with me shooting one remaining cavalry to pieces but then he charged 1 half depleted line inf into my line inf. Perhaps it was because of the 'fire & advance' stance but this 80 men routed 1 full regiment and mangled another one before being routed itself. Then I slowly lost all my units in the fight that came, mostly in melee. In the end the enemy had probably only left 200 man over different units. I quickly moved my last cannon to protect my 2 remaining mortars. And with a lot of luck, many grape shots and mortar shels I routed all his units. 3 of them only meters before the cannon barrels. With sweaty hands i finally clicked the victory button :)

Yes, I love ETW MP ;)

Cheers