Multiplayer constant crashes and freezes

[rmdesantis]

Karl
The game will freeze mid-battle requiring us to restart. Sometimes we get an error message (I posted it on a separate thread). We re-start the software which means we have to refight the battle. This allows us to proceed one or two battles, and then the process (freeze/bomb out) repeats. So we cycle through things and are only able to play with much frustration.

Mike

[VonManstein]

ORIGINAL: KarlT

Hello,

IMO, Mike very successfully summarized our general feeling. Hence using the terms of goodwill being wasted to the point of non return.

Mike, when you wrote that you passed the freezing/error message in your H2H GC, what do you mean by this? Did you play it until you were finally able to successively complete a battle, and the issues never duplicated themselves again? On our part, it's just unplayable... we tried over and over again, different nights and so forth, to no avail, to the point where frustration was just too much to handle.
What is incomprehensible to me as a business owner, is how can a reputable and legitimate software company asked $40 per game and deliver a grossly unplayable H2H game? Seriously! We've never posted and/or publicly complained about any CC games, just dealt with all its shortcomings simply because of it uniqueness. I think we have reached our limit. We both have busy lives, yet we always found free time for H2H CC's GC. As reasonable grown-up's we just came to realize that our money has this time been spent unwisely, and it won't happen a second time.
As Mooxe put it, "why did they change multiplayer....... why not just build on whats already in place". All what we were asking was a H2H playable GC and direct IP connection option, and we would most likely have faithfully purchased the next CC edition. Anyways...

Steve,
I confirm that we both use vanilla version of the game, both patched it with the 'Hotfix' and also used the automatic patch option. We do not used any 'fog' mod. Just the game your company SOLD us.
Thanks,

Karl

I agree with you. Please, restore direct IP connection option in the next patch

[DUCATI998]

ORIGINAL: rmdesantis

Karl
The game will freeze mid-battle requiring us to restart. Sometimes we get an error message (I posted it on a separate thread). We re-start the software which means we have to refight the battle. This allows us to proceed one or two battles, and then the process (freeze/bomb out) repeats. So we cycle through things and are only able to play with much frustration.

Mike

Oh boy, you guys are VERY patient! As you so eloquently put it, CC vets are used to deal with the "idiosyncrasies of the software", but this time it's just too much. Such an old software is supposed to improve, not regress in its play ability, certainly not at the price we've paid for it. Never before any CC's H2H GG has been unplayable for us, it's like anything we have experienced in the past.
Replaying the battle over and over again wastes the surprise advantage one opponent may have had over the other. Plus it takes a lot of time to do so, if one can deal with the mounting frustration.
My feelings is that the H2H GG has not been beta-tested in length as we are attempting to do it: meaning battle after battle and turn after turn, extensively using all options of the game until the last day of the campaign. IMO, this is plain shameful.

Thanks,

K

[mooxe]

One thing I have done in the past with H2H GCs is rebuild the battle. We only rebuild the territory lost/taken. If there was some significant game changing loss, (say all the mortars in the BG were lost in that battle) we would recreate the lossby running/driving the unit in question down a street to be mowed down. Most rebuilds though just involve recapping the land. Atleast you get to move on!

In my experience only reapping land and ignoring unit losses usually benefits both sides equally in the long run.

[rmdesantis]

ORIGINAL: mooxe

One thing I have done in the past with H2H GCs is rebuild the battle. We only rebuild the territory lost/taken. If there was some significant game changing loss, (say all the mortars in the BG were lost in that battle) we would recreate the lossby running/driving the unit in question down a street to be mowed down. Most rebuilds though just involve recapping the land. Atleast you get to move on!

In my experience only reapping land and ignoring unit losses usually benefits both sides equally in the long run.

We do the same thing in order to speed up our game play. I guess it's a common-sense approach to the challenges of the program. And yes, we try to be patient because the two of us have been friends for almost 50 years and it is less about the mechanics of the game and more about being able to spend some time talking/complaining/hanging out (even though we are far apart). It would be nice, though, if we could complain about something other than the game.

[DUCATI998]

ORIGINAL: Steve McClaire

Thanks, I will take a look at the file.  Please verify that you both have the hotfix EXE installed, as it sounds like all the crashes are on the client side?  This would make me suspect some difference in game files.  Are either of you using any modified files (like no fog)?  if so, you both need indentical files for multiplayer.

Hello Steve,

Did you get a chance to look at the file? If yes, what transpired form it?
Thanks,

K

[SteveMcClaire]

ORIGINAL: KarlT

ORIGINAL: Steve McClaire

Thanks, I will take a look at the file.  Please verify that you both have the hotfix EXE installed, as it sounds like all the crashes are on the client side?  This would make me suspect some difference in game files.  Are either of you using any modified files (like no fog)?  if so, you both need indentical files for multiplayer.

Hello Steve,

Did you get a chance to look at the file? If yes, what transpired form it?
Thanks,

Hi Karl. I've looked at the file under the current build (under development and internal testing) and it seems fine. Are you still experiencing the original problem or have things been okay since you were first able to progress?

Steve

[DUCATI998]

ORIGINAL: Steve McClaire

ORIGINAL: KarlT

ORIGINAL: Steve McClaire

Thanks, I will take a look at the file.  Please verify that you both have the hotfix EXE installed, as it sounds like all the crashes are on the client side?  This would make me suspect some difference in game files.  Are either of you using any modified files (like no fog)?  if so, you both need indentical files for multiplayer.

Hello Steve,

Did you get a chance to look at the file? If yes, what transpired form it?
Thanks,

Hi Karl. I've looked at the file under the current build (under development and internal testing) and it seems fine. Are you still experiencing the original problem or have things been okay since you were first able to progress?

Steve

We're stuck! And we just don't have the motivation to start a new GC all over again... I'll try to get Martin to try it out one more time, but he's pretty much fed up. Can't blame the guy though.
In the past we used to find 'ways around' CC's shortcoming, but not this time.
Thanks,

K

PS: On THAT map/battle using our file, have both testers used their air strikes?

[SteveMcClaire]

ORIGINAL: KarlT

We're stuck! And we just don't have the motivation to start a new GC all over again... I'll try to get Martin to try it out one more time, but he's pretty much fed up. Can't blame the guy though.
In the past we used to find 'ways around' CC's shortcoming, but not this time.
Thanks,

K

PS: On THAT map/battle using our file, have both testers used their air strikes?

Sorry to hear that. There is a new update coming ASAP that I hope will resolve this, given that it appears to be working fine for me under that build. And yes, I did play the next battle in your saved game file (Hill 314) multi-player and used both sides airstrikes.