(N/C) Invite game problems

[Tuism]

Tuism here - Invite games sometimes works, sometimes doesn't. There is very little indication of it working or not working. There are these scenarios:

1) It works as normal. I've had several games in a row with Victorybot. In game name "92% Victory Bot".

2) After I send invite, other player accepts, and we both get kicked back to Tactics Menu with no explanation. Happened between me and St4lker and Gamemaestro over a few different days, consistently.

3) Another player sends me invite, I don't even see it.

It's VERY VERY FRUSTRATING. Zero feedback means I don't know what the problem is and assumes it's broken. If nothing else please address with appropriate error codes (and that means not "error connecting" or something. If we can get some kind of indication like "bad connection between you and "gamemaestro"" or something, some kind of indication that the networks between us won't work, it would be a lot better.

Normal Versus game works mostly, against random opponents. Often I also get kicked out to Tactics menu after it "finds" a match. I tho k this happens against specific players, just like the invite game kicking me out to tactics menu.

Can we please get some kind of indication how/why this is? Latency display? Something? Anything?

Priority is high because it happens EVERY DAY and at least 60% of the time.

If anyone else with similar experience provide some of your details that would be great, like if you consistently can't get a matchup against a certain player.

Thanks!

[thest4lker]

Like u said, consistent with me and u

[gamemaestro]

Yep, as mentioned I've had problems with trying to play Tuism (he doesn't even see my invites, and when I accept his we get kicked to the home screen).

[ltgab]

Unfortunately, the game invite is all managed by Gamecenter. In the case you send the invite, you accept it then you are brought back to the tactic screen, the connection failed. Most of the time I got this problem it was because 1 of my devices internet connection was behind a firewall or had a strict nat.

Also, 3G connection might not work with friend invite (I know Tuism use 3G), it might be thecause of your problems.

[thest4lker]

I use 3G, and have no hassles with inviting anyone other than Tuism so far, if that info helps

[ltgab]

Well your 3G might be different then the one Tuism use for exemple. However, I'll try to check it with Thierry when we have more time.

Do you have your Gamecenter allow invites off by any chances?

[thest4lker]

I'll check with Tuism which 3G he is using (we are in the same country). I definately don't have invites off, because I can receive invites from other players

[Tuism]

Well I've played other people so it's not a settings problem. And it's not a strictly connection problem cos I've tried, in the space of minutes, to invite thest4lker and victorybot, and I would be able to play Victorybot but not st4lker. Same with Gamemaestro. Then try victorybot again, and it would still work.

Seems to be particular pairs of users. Or their IPs. Or their ISPs. Or something. thest4lker and I are both South Africans. Victorybot is... GMT-5, I dunno where that is.

[Tuism]

Update: I've tried two different ISPs in the same evening, both 3G, to connect with thest4lker, and it turns out one network can connect and play without a problem and the other cannot connect with him.

I don't know exactly what to make of this as there is no lag when playing with either networks - well, at least not different amount of lag - against some people it sometimes lags, but there is no discernible difference in connection besides that I can't okay some people on one and not the other.

So I don't know whether this is strictly not a big or something that can be "upgraded" or not?

My comment in original post about the lack of appropriate error still stands. Many people just face this infoless kick out to main menu, and it must be really frustrating.

[Brontobeuf]

If we strictly stick to the definitions I made, it should be "low" as it doesn't affect gameplay and is not directly gamebreaking. I understand how frustrating it is (and it would explain why I got issues playing with you sometimes ^^), but still, I'd say [low], especially if it is ISP related.

[Tuism]

OK let's negotiate and call it normal

[Pete]

I disagree it is ISP related. I have a 4 meg unshaped, uncapped account and it's always rock solid since its a business line and exspensive. I can have a Cisco router/Draytek firewall combination which can give realtime statistics on bandwidth usage an note that it doesn't use a lot of bandwidth (I forget the exact values but it's in another thread somewhere - around 100k I think up/down).

Often the game stutters vs certain people who I know are fine vs other players, indicating the issue is related to how the game breaks through nat. Moreover we have tested behind double nat and know the game cannot connect so it's heavily dependent on punching holes in a nat environment.

Since the devs have not provided a port range to be forwarded from your router to guarantee a stable connection, it should be considered moderate a bug until they provide one, where we will then have a workaround and be able to classify it as low.

Pete

[Tuism]

Sweet Pete I'm no network man, in fact I hate networking with a passion since it took me for bloody ever just to set up my wireless router +3G + ps3 networked combo and the errors are always in Martian.

So thanks for this, let's hope it's something that can be fixed

[ironcladtrash]

Tuism do you still have issues with this? I knew during the league play you and a few others that just couldnt connect to each other but I haven't heard anything in a while.