We need to set up an IRC chat room

[Lebatron]

After trying out this patch I realized there is no live chat room to make finding opponents easier. I find them invaluable when playing live. Back in the day when I used to play Hasbro's Axis and Allies CD there was a live chat room for it at Microsofts gaming zone. The Zone made it very easy to get a game going. I doubt Matrix is going to go that far but there are similar ways to copy this. All that needs to be done is secure a channel on some server like irc.freenode.net and use a chat client. Even Java can be used for this. The pic below is from joining the TripleA Axis&Allies chat room. At the moment it was empty of players but the snapshot gives you a general idea of what I mean. Having a chat room for WAW is way better than posting IP numbers here. In the chat room players can discuss in realtime who is joining what game and playing what side. And here is another plus to having a chat room. After the game starts players can still keep their IRC client open and continue to BS with those outside the game while they wait for their turn. This is common practice during an A&A game. This can address some of the wait time many have been critical of. So what do you guys think?

[JanSorensen]

It might be an idea - though I am unsure if enough would be using it to make it worth while.

The matrix forums actually already have a chat area. Click on "all forums" to go to the main page and then on "Users in chat" at the top. That will open a chat room. If its suitable I cannot say - I am not big on chat rooms.

[Lebatron]

Great, that's exactly what we need. Plus there is no need to find a host sight now. Those looking to play realtime WAW could just visit this chat room to find opponents. It will be slow at first, but once the ball gets rolling there will usaully be someone around to play.

The chat room will work so much better than the forum for live games, but the forum will remain the place to ask for PBEM games.

[Daykeras]

Just not enough people.

And honestly, I think TCP/IP isn't the way to play this game.

[Lebatron]

Well live is not the best way to play this game, but if you want to try your hand at speed play then it could be fun. A lot of people did ask for it. Anyway don't discount the chat room Matrix has just because its always empty. There just has not been the need to use it until now. Just how many of Matrix's games have live play and do not have some kind of built in opponent finder like on-line shooters? If WAW came with a built-in opponent finder chat room, then it would be unnecessary to use the Matrix chat room or forum. But since there is no built-in client then this is the best option.

I think there will be enough people. This game just went international. If there are enough A&A players to make the chat room I posted above an active place, and it is, then certainly the WAW chat room could be popular.

[Davidovich Trotsky]

Best way is just to have eachother on msn, i find it alot more helpful

[Oleg Mastruko]

You don't need IRC chat room for that. There are specialized programs to help you find opponents online.

In fact I think Matrix licensed one such application couple years ago (or merely supported it?). I think it's name was BattleNet. I used it to find opponents for HTTR couple times (HTTR is real time wargame, it can't be played in turns, both opponents must be online to play).

It worked great. However, the interest appeared to be low - there were no more than handful players in HTTR online "rooms" at any given time. BattleNet had rooms for Close Combat series too, which were considerably more popular. Perhaps WAW would be popular too?

I think the biggest problem is choosing which system (application) to use.

There is also HyperLobby, which I think is most popular independent system for "match making" I used it for Dangerous Waters - this great submarine simulation I play - but to tell you the truth I think I played DW online via HL only once (DW sessions last for many hours and you must be alert all the time cause you're driving nuke sub in enemy waters [;)] so I usually play it in solitary mode vs AI).

Screen from HyperLobby is below.

Of course then there is GameSpy, perhaps the most well known such system, usually used for FPS, RTS games and such.

Overall this is an interesting idea. Though I would personally still prefer finding opponents among my online frineds and acquaintances, or on "opponents wanted" board here on Matrix site, for a game as popular as WAW it certainly makes lots of sense to be supported by HyperLobby, GameSpy or something.

(Incidentally, this game I mentioned, Dangerous Waters, went retail couple days ago, and publishers included GameSpy support on retail CDs - GameSpy installs automatically. Definitely something Matrix and/or 2by3 people should investigate for more popular games in their catalogue...)

Oleg

[Lebatron]

The problem I see with these other suggestions is that it will divide the WAW on-line community. You would want everyone to gather in one place wouldn't you? It would not be good to have some use the chat rooms and others use some other client, because then there would be less players in each area. That would make for a pretty dull chat area. Since Matrix games has a chat area already we should just use it. There are many advantages to this.
1. No special software is needed.
2. Its right here.
3. Since its right here, maybe the devolopers like Joel will drop in every now and then.
4. Others who don't play WAW but visit the forum for the others games will see that the chat room finally has people in it. In other words fresh blood.

I see no reason to suggest alternatives. This is the best way if 2by3 does not put a fully functional oppenent finder inside the game.

[mdh1204]

Oh YES - Lebatron. This is exactly what the game needs, and its the logical progressive feature to have for online play. Originally when games came out they only had "peer to peer", but that's talking 5 years or so. Now, with online play it can easily (and on the part of the designer/company) be a walk in the local park to find players. One chat service forum type environment for play, and this forum for discussion.

Com'on Matrix - Ketchup! Or, I will Hatchet-sup ya.

[Joel Billings]

David Heath just mentioned that there is a thing called Battle Net at the Wargamer.com. He says it has a chat area and he will add the WaW beta to the list of games. He said you can go there, find an opponent and then start a game. I'm not sure exactly what goes on there, but maybe someone here knows about this and can explain whether this does what you're looking for.

[Lebatron]

I went to Wargamer.com to look for this lobby client and instead found Battle HQ. Perhaps this is what you meant. It seems like a good program. Registering is free so I signed up. At the moment WAW is not in its list of games, but as Joel said it will be added soon. Don't confuse the game called "SP World at War" with our game. This lobby client has what we need to find opponents. One of the nice things I noticed is that you can create your own rooms.

[dobeln]

What needs to be done is just deciding on a chat, and then posting a permanent (and prominent) link to the chosen chat. Presto!

[Lebatron]

I agree. It could be the Matrix chat room or Battle HQ found over at the wargammer.com that could be used. But it seems that there is no momentum or desire to form a chat room to facilitate on-line play. It does not help that 2by3 will not step in and throw their weight on way or the other. Its seems silly to me that they decided to invest the time and effort to develop the on-line code and then do nothing to promote its use. I disagree with others who think this forum is just fine for setting up on-line games. For PBEM forums work fine. For setting up an on-line game on the spur of the moment they do not. Thats when you go looking for opponents in a chat room.