Matrix Games Forums

Bad news

I continue to have a difficult time with the multiplayer aspect of this game. We are playing the campaign game and we can get the first battle of the session without a problem. But the second battle will get hung up in the middle of the game, causing us to have to restart the game. We get an error "Close combat encountered an internal error at address 0x536735 and will now exit. Game version 2012.11.25.1"
 
Never had this problem when we were able to connect directly. I realize that Matrix really, really, really doesn't want us to ever do that again, but it does take away from the enjoyment.

The Multiplayer Guru: How an Aussie created the world’s most successful legacy matchmaking system

ORIGINAL: VonManstein

ORIGINAL: WoT

you need 2 copies and both need to be able to connect through the new server

But, the problem is: The new server (lobby) works bad. Its impossible to play fine, without lag, frozzen, etc.

While I appreciate that you are having some problems, there are many other posts from people clarifying that they are playing fine without any issues.

ORIGINAL: WoT

The company has a terrible recent history with supporting their servers...

tm.asp?m=1875765&mpage=4&key=�

This system will probably end up the same through lack of company interest

I'm not sure what you're trying to say. That thread covers a 2 year period with a tiny number of posts. Hardly a "history" of anything.

We've been working on solutions for the section of people who are having poor connectivity with the server since the moment we found out there was an issue post launch. We are hoping to have a beta version with automatic direct connection out to people for testing very shortly.

Cheers

Pip

It sounds like you are making a very special exclusive server to address the very small percentage of people who can't connect normally while screwing around the majority of people who had no problems in the first place.

ORIGINAL: mooxe

It sounds like you are making a very special exclusive server to address the very small percentage of people who can't connect normally while screwing around the majority of people who had no problems in the first place.

We want more people to play CC and more people to play MP. Make no mistake, MP players are a tiny minority - albeit one that tends to stick with the game longer and enjoy all the bonuses of playing real people, making friends, and so on - but we want to get more people playing MP and removing the issues caused by NAT routers helps in that goal.

Most people will simply give up when asked to open ports on their router. So we invested a lot of effort into solving this issue. Nobody reported any problems during the beta, and we have improved the server performance greatly (according to reports from players) since launch. We are now also close to releasing an update which adds transparent direct connection if it is set up, which we are hopefully will solve the problems that some people are having. At the point we will, one hopes, have the best of both worlds.

Cheers

Pip

quote:

ORIGINAL: WoT

The company has a terrible recent history with supporting their servers...

tm.asp?m=1875765&mpage=4&key=�

This system will probably end up the same through lack of company interest


I'm not sure what you're trying to say. That thread covers a 2 year period with a tiny number of posts. Hardly a "history" of anything.

It clearly shows the lack of ongoing support for servers hosted by your company! - lost in 2 years.

an update which adds transparent direct connection

What does that mean?


Does it mean i can play multiplayer on my LAN without an internet connection like all previous CC games?

ORIGINAL: WoT

an update which adds transparent direct connection

What does that mean?


Does it mean i can play multiplayer on my LAN without an internet connection like all previous CC games?

No. You would still need the online lobby to kick off the game. I also think (though I am not entirely sure) that the lobby would then use the external IPs to attempt the direct connection.

Cheers

Pip

ORIGINAL: WoT

quote:

ORIGINAL: WoT

The company has a terrible recent history with supporting their servers...

tm.asp?m=1875765&mpage=4&key=�

This system will probably end up the same through lack of company interest


I'm not sure what you're trying to say. That thread covers a 2 year period with a tiny number of posts. Hardly a "history" of anything.

It clearly shows the lack of ongoing support for servers hosted by your company! - lost in 2 years.

To put this thread into perspective:

The MMCCIII system was a third-party utility that was provided along with Close Combat: Cross of Iron. Matrix Games hosted a server for this third-party program. It was used by a very small number of players. It was never a core feature of the product.

As Matrix never had the source code for this utility, all they could do was restart if it stopped running. Looking at the thread, the 'Hey, the MMCCIII server isn't running anymore' posts happened about once every 6 months. After a time the person who originally installed the utility left Matrix Games. And then it took significantly longer to restart it as a new IT person would have to figure out where this program was actually installed and how to get it going again.

Steve

We are hoping to have a beta version with automatic direct connection out to people for testing very shortly.

This is heartening news. I'll put the game on my wish list now (assuming the direct connect code gets the thumbs up by the community

quote:

ORIGINAL: WoT

quote:

an update which adds transparent direct connection



What does that mean?


Does it mean i can play multiplayer on my LAN without an internet connection like all previous CC games?


No. You would still need the online lobby to kick off the game. I also think (though I am not entirely sure) that the lobby would then use the external IPs to attempt the direct connection.

Cheers

Pip

So we still won't be able to play then.. which means it won't be fixed.

No mention was made of this in the features list
Nor was there mention made that the huge variety of mods for this game does not exist.

This will, in fact provide years less gaming pleasure

From the features list:
Integrated multi-player lobby and match-making forums.

Enjoy the huge variety of modifications available from the Close Combat Community providing years of additional gaming pleasure.

ORIGINAL: PipFromSlitherine

No. You would still need the online lobby to kick off the game. I also think (though I am not entirely sure) that the lobby would then use the external IPs to attempt the direct connection.

Cheers

Pip

A step in the right direction but not there yet.

While it is admirable to have a lobby to get people together forcing it and taking out the ability for direct IP connection is a step backward. I still have all CC games and see more people playing CC5 and its mods than the newer releases now 13 years after it came out. Over the 13 years many forums and lobbies have come and gone but the game is still playable H2H. Will this Matrix/Slitherine lobby be around 13 years from now???

If we had the ability to do direct like we always have then your answer wouldn't matter.

Also why could CC5 be used with other lobby software and still keep its direct IP connection but that couldn't be done with Matrix/Slitherine solution for PiTF???

ORIGINAL: PipFromSlitherine

I'm not sure what you're trying to say. That thread covers a 2 year period with a tiny number of posts. Hardly a "history" of anything.

Cheers

Pip

BattleHQ from Matrix has had problems for years. Mainly broken signup pages, not just days at a time either, WEEKS. Could be even longer but usually its only the Close Combat people who bring the problems up.

I am pretty sure its broken now because I cannot signin with my main account or even create a new one. The re-releases are not compatible to even be launched by BHQ.

so that's two server/lobby sytems that slitherine/matrix have dropped to the detriment of their customers.


now a third is in the firing line with h2h play becoming absolutely impossible when they lose interest - this is really pathetic.

Bring back Direct Ip connection for h2h play.

who made the decision to drop it, they should be sacked, absolutely stupidly short sighted.

I agree. Bring back Direct Ip connection for h2h play.

Hi i just want to mention, myself and a friend played a whole turn of the grand campaign so far with no crashes and almost no lag.

People like to make a fuss but actually the game seems to run pretty smooth and absolutely no problems connecting so far as host or as client.

Same here, but for the first time...

Despite freeze and few crash (no one in game but in the interphase), the grand campaign is a real fun in multi.

My report is that the game in itself is stable but the lobby too 'sensible' but not unsuitable for multiplayer experience.

YOU ARE A LUCKY MEN. Probably you play in USA. In Europe (Spain) we have a lot of problems. For that, the lobby it,s probably perfect for you, but not for the other people like me. We need the direct conecction via IP, because we play all of the cc games in this way (or mode) without problems. Please, we want FREE conecction via IP like in the other cc games.

I add: In the future, if matrix games or slitherine go down (dissapear like enterprise and closed the lobby)we can´t play any more in multiplayer (no more PitF H2H) if we no have an IP direct connection.