Internet/LAN play

[Scott_WAR]

LOL, yeah a lot of people have forgotten what it was like to play a wargame in real life, with a real board/map and pieces/counters. People would spend large amounts of time waiting for their opponent/s to finsh their turn, and not have any problem with it.

[Reiryc]

ORIGINAL: Scott_WAR

LOL, yeah a lot of people have forgotten what it was like to play a wargame in real life, with a real board/map and pieces/counters. People would spend large amounts of time waiting for their opponent/s to finsh their turn, and not have any problem with it.

Yep... as long as there is a chat function, then I'm fine with sitting around shooting the bull while my opponent moves.

[CommC]

Guys, you can still do that.. just fire up Teamspeak, and you can all chat while you're making your moves. Just leave the game up, and each email the turn after you make your moves. In short, you can still play the PBEM game like you would a board game or on-line game.

[Franky513]

Lets hope that they add TCP/IP play in the future with a patch. We can wait.

Ciao Frank

[lion]

Guys, you can still do that.. just fire up Teamspeak, and you can all chat while you're making your moves. Just leave the game up, and each email the turn after you make your moves. In short, you can still play the PBEM game like you would a board game or on-line game.

do forget that you have to alt tab go to email download it and the get back into the game and play. that is an a lot of effort to play the game multi. My friends and I would pplay Axis and Allies while BSing on Teamspeak for a couple hours and then save the game and come back later and play. It is nice to BS while playing a game that does not require quick reflexes like an action game. Rather than just sit and talk while each other is moving you are going to have to screw around downloading files and all that. Another option should have been made available

[Arckon]

Hey Eric

I'm sorry you're unhappy that it doesn't have TCP/IP multi-player, but the design does not lend itself well to that type of play, whereas PBEM is perfect for it.

and Joel

Although I understand the interest, keep in mind that this game takes most players 5-30 minutes to make a move.

I agree with you both really think PBEM is best suited for this game same as it is in BIN.
However the other game Matrix has coming out Combined Arms: World War II (formerly Battlefields!) , which looking forward to as much as I was GGWAW.
I posted over at that forum reasons why I thought that game would be perfect for Lan/TCP/IP Play in the hope that may be looked at since it is still in development. Ludovic Coval was good enough to answer, but never really got a reply to my follow up question. While I believe GGWAW far more suited to PBEM and will be my preference for playing multi, the amount of posts here may inspire you to look a little closer at Combined Arms: World War II (formerly Battlefields!) .

Thanks, hope you don't mind me posting on one of your other games in development in GGWAW thread.

Arckon

[Reiryc]

ORIGINAL: CommC

Guys, you can still do that.. just fire up Teamspeak, and you can all chat while you're making your moves. Just leave the game up, and each email the turn after you make your moves. In short, you can still play the PBEM game like you would a board game or on-line game.

More hassle... yes it can be done, but it requires more effort since both parties would need to be sure to have the third party software. Also it distracts from a seamless system whereby the moves and chat would be done in game and they can be viewed as they happen.

I always enjoyed seeing an opponent start a move then take it back in live play or with board games. Gives insight into what he is thinking.

[riley555a]

Dude maybe more people would like TCP/IP, it wouldn't kill the creators to add it in. I don't see any reason why the option shouldn't be there, you may think it's a stupid idea or that it's pointless, but some people want it. I really doubt everyone who plays this game will say "oh TCP/IP is pointless, i'm going back to PBEM"(if TCP/IP is added). Like I said TCP/IP would just be much more convenient, Also as whatever his name said, the flow of the game wouldn't be broken. Some people just find that the flow of the game gets broken over PBEM. This is the only complaint I have on this game, there's no TCP/IP.

[Erik Rutins]

I'm not saying TCP/IP is pointless, just that it was never part of the design and that the structure of the game is not ideal for it. Matrix has several games that support TCP/IP and some that support both. We've been very up front about the game being PBEM-only for multi-player and as gamers and designers who've played games with both modes of play we find some games more suited to PBEM. For those who haven't tried GGWaW in a multi-player PBEM, don't knock it until you've tried it. It's a great way to play.

We aren't going to make any promises about future TCP/IP support because it requires a significant look at the game and what can be done to determine if and when this could be added. Keep in mind this is not something simple where it can be added in quickly, it's a major, major additional feature that would take a lot of time to do in order to get the less ideal of the two multi-player modes, IMHO. However, as always we're monitoring the forums and taking feedback into account.

Regards,

- Erik

[Scott_WAR]

We understand that it is a major addition, but I for one have been saying it needed it since I heard it was only going to have PBEM. Now, while it may be the opinion of those that developed the game that PBEM is enough, it is obvious from this post that many feel otherwise. Now, to EXPECT you to do this is a little much, but considering a little research would have told you BEFORE the game was released that this was a much wanted feature, it is something you should feel compeled to add. After all, you were informed while the game was still in development, by myself,as well as others, that WE WOULD WANT THIS OPTION. And at that time you said it could be added, IF PEOPLE WANTED IT. Well, PEOPLE WANT IT.

Yes, you were very up front about the game being PBEM only, but several of us were correct when we told you, TCP/IP NEEDED to be added, ESPECIALLY since this is a retail relelase. It was your choice not to listen to us then, now you see we were correct in our judgement that TCP/IP would be a desired option.

So please, go ahead and start looking into it, because I can tell you, as more people get the game, more people are going to be asking for it.

[riley555a]

Not trying to get down your throat Erik, it's a superb game. I'm not saying you have poor service either. Simply put - There should be the option for TCP/IP for the people who want it.

[Bluestew0]

I cast my vote in wishing there was TCP/IP support. My regular MP gaming group, while not posting here, feels the same. Please keep the door open for possible TCP/IP support down the road.

[Joel Billings]

ORIGINAL: Bluestew0

I cast my vote in wishing there was TCP/IP support. My regular MP gaming group, while not posting here, feels the same. Please keep the door open for possible TCP/IP support down the road.

We're keeping the door wide open at this point. In 2 weeks Keith Brors will be out in California to visit Gary, Mike and me, and hopefully meet with someone we know that has done a lot of TCP/IP work. We hope to have a much better sense of how much work it would take to do a TCP/IP patch after that trip. In a world of infinite resources, we'd have this feature since clearly some of you want it. Of course, we don't have infinite resources.

[Scott_WAR]

You should sell the manual in your store.. Many of us downloaders would like to have it, and it could help with those uninfinate resources. I would pay for it if it were reasonably priced.

[lion]

We aren't going to make any promises about future TCP/IP support because it requires a significant look at the game and what can be done to determine if and when this could be added. Keep in mind this is not something simple where it can be added in quickly, it's a major, major additional feature that would take a lot of time to do in order to get the less ideal of the two multi-player modes, IMHO. However, as always we're monitoring the forums and taking feedback into account.

Translation: The game has already gone gold. Why in the world would be put in that kind of work?

I am sure that you games are written in a object oriented fashion so since you have TCP/IP games already it would not be like reinventing the wheel. I know enough about programming to know that it is not that easy but it is something that would make the game better.

I purchased the game to play it online with a couple good friends. I told them all not to buy it until the game can be played in some fashion besides PBEM. I am sure that I am not the only person doing that.

I have played season of Madden on the playstation with some friends by emailing the file back aon forth and it is a total hassle! I would suggest making it a compoment of all future games. I am sure that some people love PBEM, but in the retail world we want things easy.

[Jombee]

Here's a good example with a simuliar game to look at. When Strategic Command was released, the only multiplayer option was PBEM. (For those who are unaware of Strategic Command, it's like a "lite" version of the board game Third Reich.). One of the main complaints was that there was no TCP/IP option, so the developers patched it into the game. If a tiny budget company like battlefront can put the resources into developing a TCP/IP patch, then one would certainly think that Matrix/2x3 could do so too. I think its very clear that many players would prefer this option, or at least the choice to use it.

[Erik Rutins]

Gentlemen,

These requests have been heard and responded to in as open and fair a fashion as possible. No further information will be forthcoming until some additional work has been done.

Regards,

- Erik

[Scott_WAR]

Thank you
[&o][&o][&o]

[solops]

I may play some PBEM, but I have no interest in TCIP/LAN. My personal preference would be for the effort to be put into moddability and the AI.

[Espejo]

[:)] As an avid Strategic Command player I support the notion of TCP/IP.

Simply put in a message button which pops up when a turn is finished (If you surf around the net) and let the other players observe when something happens, like on a board game. Replay, autosave would be nice. Easy TCP/IP Setup like Sc not like CIv3 and more stable then Hearts of Iron please. Offer the possibility that the AI takes over a dropped out player and vice versa.Nice Chat window and voice chat if possible, Auto AAR protokoll, pregame view of settings for all player, clock to limit turn time, perhaps a spectator mode for the interessted crowd of players? Hmmm, I see list is getting long.

Still multiplayer keeps a game alive and shows fast the unbalances in the game. I think within the next days we will see already many "cheesy" strategies pop up where an AI isn´t able to cope. => for example "early Barbarossa"

I play SC although as PBEM still it isn´t the same feeling as playing TCP/IP. Besides your product looks nice and polished and hopefully next week I will have time to play it. Thanks for the possibility of DD. Nice gadget for us german players to get your game. Still already some other players (from the Strategic Command crowd [:'(] )I know are although very interessted in your game. Thanks for your effort to enrich the turn based strategy world.