Did Activision actually try to play a CTP2 MP game before shipping this product?

[TheReverend]

One has to wonder.

It seems literally impossible to have a successful multiplayer game that lasts into modern times.

The constant resyncs and client computer's game crashes have been part of every CTP2 mp game I've tried to play so far (about 10 games so far).

This seems to be the case for everyone who has posted here, so what's the deal? How could they have released this game with unplayable multi-player?!

This is not to mention the many smaller, annoying, but non-vital mp bugs (ie: I've "entered" the Renaissance about 24 times now, and keep getting told about how my human opponent has begun work on Aristotle's Lyceum - which was already built 1,000 years ago.)

Is anybody having a successful mp experience with CTP2? Is it just us LAN players with these problems?

Can anyone from Activision honsetly tell me they've played this game in mp mode from start to finish without game-crippling bugs each and every time?

What of course makes this all so frustrating is that when it does work, it a whole heap of fun to play against other humans! Please get this stuff fixed very soon, Activision.

-The Rev. Brendan Powell Smith @8-\

[Metamorph]

Didn't you hear?

The number of multi-player users of CtP2 is a tiny, insignificant fraction as compared to the whole, according to Activision. In fact, it's entirely possible that you and I are the only two people in the world genuinely interested in the feature. Everybody else is perfectly content to play single-player against the ever-challenging AI.

Hence, Activision doesn't feel compelled to get this silly little "multi-player" feature working properly just for radical extremists like you and me who insist upon it. I mean, after all, what kind of software company caters to the desires of its customers? That would just be plain silly.

- Metamorph

[skorpion59]

Hey, Meta, I sense you are a little angry.

Can't say I blame you. I tried to get some traditional MP (over my home network) testing done during the Beta but was never given the chance. Perhaps this is why.

[igarcia]

We did test the multiplayer part of the game and did get rid of a lot of bugs, but of course there will be some issues we either could not fix or fixing them would have delayed the release of the game for a few more months. What issues in partucular are you having in multiplayer?

[Jerk]

Multiplayer bugs/issues:

1) Resynches every turn early or late in the game
2) Nonhost players crashing on resynching
3) Nonhost players game hanging on resynching
4) Conquered cities after a resynch belong to the original owner and the player's units used to conquer the city disappeared.

I personally have not been able to finish one multiplayer game on our lan because one nonhost computer becomes so unstable that they crash EVERY turn. Well, some are crashes, sometimes their game just seems to close with no error. Either that or their computer hangs while attempting to resynch. As host of two games I also noticed that whenever i beached my units from a coracle both nonhosts immediately resynched.

There are complaints all over the multiplayer message board including a few from me. I guess I am one of the rare players who ONLY plays multiplayer civ so these bugs fustrate me more
[This message has been edited by Jerk (edited December 05, 2000).]

[Robm]

Please, Please don't imply that Activision knowing released a game with bugs because they would have cut into the profits to fix it and release it right. The thought makes me sick.

[TheReverend]

quote: Originally posted by igarcia on 12-05-2000 01:54 PM of course there will be some issues we either could not fix or fixing them would have delayed the release of the game for a few more months.

Robm, igarcia didn't so much imply this as come right out and say it. @8-/

And though it's very disheartening, I could see Activision cutting some minor corners in order to get their product out earlier, but this... I again echo the sentiments of all of us here on this CTP2 mp forum: CTP2 multiplayer quickly becomes unplayable!

igarcia, I'm not sure why you have to ask me what specific problems I've been having when I spelled them out in my original post, and others have listed the same main complaints.

Please see Jerk's list above for a concise summary.

I ask again: has anybody at Activision played a successful mp game from start to finnish that wasn't crippled into unplayablility by the major bugs listed above? Anyone outside of Activision for that matter?

igarcia, I appreciate you responding to this thread. I sincerely hope you will pass on these complaints to those who can fix CTP2's multiplayer to make it playable.

There are other problems/bugs/annoyances [ie: lame inability to make diplomatic negotiations during opponents' turns - Civ2 could do it 4 years ago!], but I don't really want to distract Activision from fixing these main major issues that are keeping CTP2 mp from being what could be great game, but is currently just an exercise in frustration.

-The Rev. Brendan Powell Smith @8-/

[Grandpa Troll]

Ok..here it is...
I am having so much fun with this game..I play MP..either thru a lobby..like california..or I play single player MP.version so i can start at ren or modern..and play it over lan feature..absolutely NO problems..no resyncs..I have an Atlon 700 256 ram..Cable Connection...
Go Get 'em Activision..
Great Job!!

The Former Patton..DrDanger Red October....

Hoooray!!

Troll

[igarcia]

Dear Jerk (boy that sounds mean) and all the others who have posted their current issues here, I am compiling a list and sending it to the people that are leading the patch testing, I'll see if the patch is addressing any of these issues or if they have a workarounds for any of them. Let me know if there is anything that is not listed here.

P.S. Could you guys let me know what your network configuration or Internet connections are like? Please be specific and don't just say, "I have a cable modem and all my other games work" that does not help. Also if you post your network setup please include everything like your firewall, proxy server, Internet connection sharing etc. I need to get as much information as possible.

And to the Rev, yes we are able to finish a multiplayer game with 4 ai and 4 human via lan.

[This message has been edited by igarcia (edited December 12, 2000).]

[MidKnight Lament]

Everyone get in and let igarcia know what your specs are (I haven't tried MP yet). We want this patch to make MP as good as possible!

------------------
- MKL
"And a sun that doesn't set but settles" - Augie March
Shameless Plug: http://www.poetic-license.org ............. All welcome.

[yoda]

I am utterly shocked that you can actually finish an MP game... unless you never had combat with another human... the game is unplayable. I've posted many "patch fix" suggestions. I see that version 1.1 is now out... sure hope it solved the "unplayable" part of the MP game.

quote: Originally posted by igarcia on 12-12-2000 01:55 PM Dear Jerk (boy that sounds mean) and all the others who have posted their current issues here, I am compiling a list and sending it to the people that are leading the patch testing, I'll see if the patch is addressing any of these issues or if they have a workarounds for any of them. Let me know if there is anything that is not listed here. P.S. Could you guys let me know what your network configuration or Internet connections are like? Please be specific and don't just say, "I have a cable modem and all my other games work" that does not help. Also if you post your network setup please include everything like your firewall, proxy server, Internet connection sharing etc. I need to get as much information as possible. And to the Rev, yes we are able to finish a multiplayer game with 4 ai and 4 human via lan. [This message has been edited by igarcia (edited December 12, 2000).]

[gp3]

The patch 1.1 does not fix any of the issues. If you read carefully, they state that they "Addressed synchronization issues".

What the hell? How about "Fixed the synchronization issues".

How about sending a product out the door that works? Maybe have a little bit of responsibility before making people pay $40 for a half-ass attempt? If you state on the box that it is a Multiplayer game, maybe it should be??

Fix it. That's all I have to say. Get Activision off it's profit-margin butt and fix it!!

GP3

[AnimeKydd]

I also have to voice my disappointment.

My roommate and I gave up playing CTP in order to wait for the patch to come out. I guess we must be some of the minority who really only enjoys the competiton from another human gaming over a LAN network.

At any rate, so this isn't just a ***** session...I will admit the game did appear to last a bit longer before the "resync" every turn began, but at 910ad the same thing started happening...resync on the non host machine every turn...the Aristotle wonder being reported every turn...the resyncing player losing all production and the map reverts to displaying stone age cities.

This makes the game utterly unplayable. I really do hope there is an intention to truly fix this problem as I do think it is an awesome game.

[Prushka2]

CTP2 caused an invalid page fault in
module CTP2.EXE at 016f:00442707.
Registers:
EAX=00000000 CS=016f EIP=00442707 EFLGS=00010202
EBX=40000059 SS=0177 ESP=00d4fc60 EBP=00d4fcb0
ECX=03202b4c DS=0177 ESI=03202b4c FS=2cb7
EDX=05535e40 ES=0177 EDI=05534010 GS=0000
Bytes at CS:EIP:
8b 88 a8 03 00 00 85 c9 74 04 33 c0 5e c3 a1 e0
Stack dump:
03c236f0 00634fbe 05534010 00000000 40000059 032b0f90 05535bb0 00d4fc8c 004d0d2d 00d4fca8 00d4fcac 00d4fcb0 0048f849 00d4fca8 00d4fcac 030ef0fc

and remember, I HAVE USED THE PATCH!!!!
this patch did fix several bugs, but i still cant get past this specific error

and YES, i have attempted all procedures that the customer service represenatives recommends in correcting computer configuration for the game

hey , this is also the Same error that we had Before WE GOT the patch
so please get patch v1.2 out and fix this
(its a NONHOST ERROR)
the host always stays on...while those who are connected expierance a game crash w this error page
(2Players--4AIs--giant map)

[Prushka2]

oh, ya,
its on IPX LAN
using hub
specified IP and subnet mask
host computer is p3 700mhz 256MB RAM voodoo3-3000 (compaq)
nonhost comp is p3 450mhz 128MB RAM sis530(video)

our resynch error did seem to always occur around 800AD -- 1200AD
we have tryed playing this with full intentions of avoiding specific problem causing things (like spybug, or killing settler crash bug)
we have restarted our games countless times from countless years, and we just cannot seem to get past the resynch errors...they are impassable from the games standpoint

even configuration alterations dont seem to change the results..we always get a game crash

ACTIVSION...fix this or i will get my $$ back