MP Courier Crashing

[Garnier]

If someone alt-tabs from the game and has their "Full Screen" option on, the game will freeze like this until they come back.

I have always recommended that everyone change their setting to "Windowed". As long as your resolution is set to fill the whole screen, this has no effect on what you see, but it means you can alt tab in and out of multiplayer without causing any problems.

[Martin James]

If someone alt-tabs from the game and has their "Full Screen" option on, the game will freeze like this until they come back.

I have always recommended that everyone change their setting to "Windowed". As long as your resolution is set to fill the whole screen, this has no effect on what you see, but it means you can alt tab in and out of multiplayer without causing any problems.

Our group has been playing the game ""windowed" for a while, so whatever is causing the problem it's not that. Thanks for raising it though Garnier. It could well be something that no-one has mentioned yet. I think we're at the point where all suggestions are extremely welcome.

Martin

[Saddletank]

Some new information. As you have begun to consider, Norb, the crashing may be related to free-typed message length. Not every long message crashes the game (as I tried to do last night) but we have now had several games crash instantly after sending long messages and its getting to the point that we can almost make the game do it. The vagaries of the internet and bandwidth etc means a crash is not always guaranteed, but... this looks very hopeful as the culprit.

Can the NSD testing team try some games please and type out long player to player messaages (it can be junk text, no need to start deploying your literary skills on a War and Peace!)

[born2see]

Saddletank wrote:

Can the NSD testing team try some games please and type out long player to player messaages

We have tried that many times with no negative results. I've stayed out of this discussion until now but I think Norb is on to something with his observation that some of the players are using outdated files. The question is, as he says, do you stop the game when that is detected. When we test we always use the same updated version.

B

[Saddletank]

The question is, as he says, do you stop the game when that is detected.

How would we know to stop the game? Our games either work to scenario completion or they freeze (hang up).

We get fatal crashes at game start sometimes with incompatible mods.

When we test we always use the same updated version.

Again, I'm not quite sure what you mean? We're all patched to the same version, obviously. What else can we check other than that, please?

[born2see]

ST,

I think we should continue this discussion here.

http://www.norbsoftdev.net/forum/mp-for ... lity#43876

B

[Monty]

Many people play MP every night and usually have games without issues.

Are they using couriers? Otherwise that's statement is irrelevant. Our group can play MP perfectly fine as long as we don't use couriers. If we do, then it's almost certain to break eventually.

Concerning teamspeak, our group (Rock, Paper, Secession) do not use any form of VOIP. Our only forms of communication in game our via in game chat (when our generals are close to one another) and courier.

[Saddletank]

Two more solid MP games tonight in addition to the one last night, all ran for 90 minutes and we threw out lots of very long messages. Very stable, no issues.

Thank you very much Norb, it looks like you fixed it.

If anything else off turns up, we'll let you know.

Oh - I simply *hate* the couriers heading for the roads. If you can make that an option please it would be very much appreciated.

[Little Powell]

Oh - I simply *hate* the couriers heading for the roads. If you can make that an option please it would be very much appreciated.

The reason why couriers head for roads is because we want to stress how important it was to keep the roads open and clear of the enemy historically. Of course it can always be improved (since sometimes a courier will use a road even when it would be much shorter not to use it), it is part of the core design of the game for historical realism.

And I'm glad to hear courier games have been stable. A little too early yet to declare total victory, but very good news. Keep us informed.

[KG_Soldier]

As I remember it, and mind you I haven't played with couriers in a while, the key is to get close to the unit you're sending the courier to.

I know if you're really close a courier won't even be sent.

But isn't there a distance at which the courier will take a road? Like if you're closer than 200 or 300 yards the courier will take a direct path?