Observation re: Multiplayer

[Weasel Keeper 0]

First off, some of you may know I was a beta tester for SFP1. One thing I wish I would have tested more was multiplayer, but hooking up with other testers at the time was difficult with my schedule. However, when I did get a MP game once in awhile I never had many problems. Those MP sessions were always with the same builds sans mods/skins...always the same builds.

 

Tonight I hooked up with a squad mate who recently got SF. Neither of us has any mods/skins. We both went through Hyperlobby, connected without a hitch, and flew head to head virtually lag free and bug free for an hour. No CTDs, no black screens, just pure killing fun.

 

This leads to my observation. Maybe we were just lucky, but I'm thinking MP is working just fine for vanilla SF...right out of the box and patched. I'm thinking there might be a compatibility issue with folks who have additional skins, aircraft, or even adjusted files. This observation is with the retail version and is no way associated with any beta builds.

 

If I understand right, the host machine decides what's compatible. My squad mate was the host with stock SF, and I joined him with stock SF so there were no problems at all.

 

If I'm correct about all this, then it's not HL that's the problem, but rather host "A" has adjusted something...joiner "B" has something different or nothing at all, and game crashes. I haven't attempted to join anyone with skins or something, but I know I had an enjoyable hour of dogfighting tonight. :D

 

I'm guessing even though this sim is extremely moddable, MP compatibility still needs work.

 

<S>

[Weasel Keeper 0]

Ooops, BTW Navychief, I hope you don't think I was avoiding you in HL tonight. As I exited my session I already planned on coming here to post my thoughts. As I closed HL I saw you in there...it was too late because I'd already clicked off.

 

<S>

[snapple2993 0]

I found a new little thing in mp, that actually helps.

 

If you ever get the message "terrain data on your machine is different then host", and he is running stock desert, but it comes up as *desert*, get on RW, and talk to the host and tell him to play with the terrain menu, and just reset it to desert fictional (even if it already says so on the host screen). I have had the terrain message a lot, but the other night I was flyin with a squad mate, and told him to mess with it, and he just did as I said, and the message went away, and we flew for like an hour.

 

I stongly recommend voice comm, for this game, until the bugs are out. That way you can tell the host to wait for everyone to get in hangar (verify through voice comm) and sort out all the issues.

 

Hope this helps a few of you out.

[Weasel Keeper 0]

Rgr Snapple, voice comms is a must for figuring out what's going on. Good point also re: terrain. :)

[BP_MOSCOW 0]

Weasel: SF:P1 totally vanilla is not working in MP. I still get many CTD's and System reboots playing online with friends who are also running total vanilla. No mods or additions at all....

[Weasel Keeper 0]

BP, do you get the same problems while flying off line? I know some folks are still having a tough time with something not clicking in the sim regardless of MP or offline. It would be cool to narrow down the problems. My game runs almost flawless all the time off or on line. Here's my system, maybe we could do some comparisons. Everyone should jump in and state whether they're having problems or not.

 

P3 500

256MB Ram

40GB Seagate HD (7200rpm)

Win 98SE

Dx 9

GeForce 4 MX420 64MB video (41.09 drivers)

SB Live! X-Gamer sound

M$ Sidewinder Precision Pro stick