Asynchronous game play (complaints)

[JesusTheSociopath]

When I have connection issues (usually it is the server side), I rejoin and the game replays all the other players moves I missed out one. So while I'm ready to make my move, the other players MUST wait!
Also if typing messages or inspecting Race+Powers (not at selection - just generally browsing others or Indecline etc) the entire game pauses for me, I see not other player actions happening. So if I continue looking my turn may pop up and I will be unaware, as when I get out, the other players turns must be run through (displayed to me) before I'm able to have my turn.
This is Rediculous!

Also the speach bubbles appear over everything and there is not an obvious way to close them, or see if they disappear or another bubble covers them.
I also often get "Disconnected by Host" - completely destroys the entire game (no rejoin).

Also when you maximise, the screen does not move the Race+Power selection to the right side immediately.
Alt tabing to browse the web, or even minimising while playing results in game issues (frequently crashing/desynching) I believe this is caused by disconnection for the Days of Wonder user Account, as this frequently reAuthenticates it then replays all other players moves, even if I previously saw them.

If a game that has 1 player dropped closes down, and I am in the middle of seeking a new game match up - it crashes Small World 2 ( I expect this is because you cannot receive the message popup box as there is already a searching popup active on screen).



I hope they fix these issues.

[EricB@DoW]

These issues have been reported and we are working to improve the whole app based on you guys' feedback. Thank for your patience.

[YannDoW]

> Also the speach bubbles appear over everything and there is not an obvious way to close them, or see if they disappear or another bubble covers them.

Clicking on them will close bubbles.

[JesusTheSociopath]

Yes, I did figure out how to click on speach bubbles - but sometimes they cover others and is difficult to close one to see another, also if you are creating one it covers new ones that appear.
I'm unsure who thought this would be a good system, obviously good code (ticket to ride) at days of wonder is not being reused.

[Purple Gwemlin]

My friends and I are finding that when we start a >2p game "with buddies", only the person who starts the game can see it if the others are offline at the time. Is that meant to happen? Both players don't have to be online to start a 2p game yet we find they seem to for 3p. Odd...?

[Vallter]

Originally posted by EricB@DoW:

These issues have been reported and we are working to improve the whole app based on you guys' feedback. Thank for your patience.

Great news, thanks!

Could you provide any ETA?

[EricB@DoW]

No ETA yet, we are still recovering from the excesses during the end of year festivities :)

[EricB@DoW]

@Gwemlin
You can invite friends to a game even if there are not online when you do. That allows you to play with friends on different time zones for instance.

That works for 2, 3, 4 and 5 players games. If you mean it does not work for 3 players games

[...] yet we find they seem to for 3p.

then that would be a bug

[JesusTheSociopath]

The game is constantly dropping me. Also if a "saved game" closes while I am joining or in another game - the entire small world program crashes. Frequently my account is disconnected - I'm not able to see saved games, or my buddies. What the heck is the issue!?

Originally posted by EricB@DoW:

No ETA yet, we are still recovering from the excesses during the end of year festivities :)

Obviously these programmers are unprofessionals - who think they know Pointer/Recursion(or perhaps they think recursion, pointers, and even data structures to be silly implementation details, maybe you don't even know what these things are), have probably never written a lisp compiler for fun. All programmers make mistakes - however, it seems you are unable to find the mistakes.

Definition of a Great programmer:

1. Smart, and
2. Get things done.

You don't seem to be either.

Can you pass this simple test?

Write a function that determines if a string starts with an upper-case letter A-Z
Write a function that determines the area of a circle given the radius
Add up all the values in an array

[cazaron]

There's no need to be rude like that.
These forums are for pointing out bugs, getting help and listing features you'd like to see in future issues, not for blatantly slandering the developers of the game.

[JesusTheSociopath]

I paid for the game, NOT a beta version!
My account is constantly deAuthenticating - which crashes my games, causes my friends to be unviewable, and sometimes even preventing my account for showing up - I'll post screenshots every time this happens, instead of complaining then.

[JesusTheSociopath]

I have a feeling, that the major problems may not even be the programmers - my new theory is that it is server load (ie not enough servers or underpowered servers).

[DinosaurSatan]

"Definition of a Great programmer:

Obviously these programmers are unprofessionals - who think they know Pointer/Recursion(or perhaps they think recursion, pointers, and even data structures to be silly implementation details, maybe you don't even know what these things are), have probably never written a lisp compiler for fun. All programmers make mistakes - however, it seems you are unable to find the mistakes.

Can you pass this simple test?

Write a function that determines if a string starts with an upper-case letter A-Z
Write a function that determines the area of a circle given the radius
Add up all the values in an array"

Joel Spolsky? Is that you, man?

http://www.joelonsoftware.com/articles/GuerrillaInterviewing3.html

[JesusTheSociopath]

I've been pretty hard on the programmers.
I'd just like to say, you do have a very difficult job. As this game is a cross platform application, which mostl likely will require multiple languages & compatibility between those different platform versions.
You probably have little voice concerning bug fixing prioritisation (ie before new platform application development, etc).
There is also the fact that all the race/power abilities & combinations make a very complex job.