22 replies to this topic

[Voidcrafter]

So... Since I, sadly, have experienced the uselessness of the rejoin "feature" I've decided to ask you guys for your opinion.

My experience first:
I use it mostly when the game freezes(because I tend to have quite good internet connection - aside of PGI understandings for "server stability", "lag" and such) - from time to time I use it when a lag spike hits me and it endures more than ~20-30 secs.
So let's have a closer look on the three cases:

1) - The game crash issue.
When that occurs you're forced to force-kill or alt+f4, otherwise said, quit the whole game. After you do so you'll be(in the best case scenario) dropped at the launcher as a starting point and you must perform the following steps:
- launch the game.
- wait for the first logo commercial to go away(it's unskipable)
- hit "space" like a mad man until you're on the username and password screen and type those.
- WAIT about 20 secs(best case - I don't remember it taking that little time though) for "connecting" progress to complete.
- Click Rejoin.
- WAIT about 20 secs(again - like the first) for "connecting" progress to complete.
- Wait the map to load(ordinary for me it's about 1/3 / 1/4 of the "connecting" time).
Join the game.

2) Disconnection issue:
Now this one is pretty much like case 1) - you repeat all I've described without the steps you have to perform to start the launcher and get to the username and password screen.

3) Lag spike issues:
When you've got to a point that you're bored/tired of waiting for the lagging to seize - you(and read "I") ordinary quit the match and rejoin it, repeating the steps:

- Click Rejoin.
- WAIT about 20 secs(again - like the first) for "connecting" progress to complete.
- Wait the map to load(ordinary for me it's about 1/3 / 1/4 of the "connecting" time).
Join the game.

BONUS!! :
After you join the game:
- to realize you have no HUD indicators...
- Quit the match.
- Rejoin.
- WAIT about 20 secs(again - like the first) for "connecting" progress to complete.
- Wait the map to load(ordinary for me it's about 1/3 / 1/4 of the "connecting" time).
Bonus disclaimer: This far this has happened to me EVERY SINGLE TIME I used the Rejoin "feature". Every. Single. Time.

Now - the Rejoin option is not a bad idea - in fact - it's really a GREAT idea!
... but.
The game base client is way, and I mean WAY too slow to make that "option" a valuable feature.

My opinion is that the game doesn't have enough background threading, processing, data streaming/steaming to be optimized to make that option valid.
My opinion is that this option is not quite discussed just cause the game with it is a tiny, itzi, bitzi, niuniu better than the game without it.
My opinion is based on the fact, that each time the disconnect case(the main reason this feature was included), the crash case(the sub-reason this feature was included) it cost me 2 mins(the least) to re-enter the game.
You know what 2 minutes in this game mean right?
And btw I got decent PC - i5, 2gb Video etc. - all the above without even playing on Ultra quality - I can imagine there're people playing the game that feel my pain even harder...

My suggestion:
Start working on a easy, sort-of painless way implementing ways to make the game load faster.
That huuuuge loading data from the servers when you first enter the UI after the name and the password screen, that long waiting time for your configuration to be saved server-side, that huuuge waiting time before the map loading screen show up...
There are way better ways to do that.
Worker threads/background workers/call it whatever you wish - those background processes/threads that are synced with your core part of the UI/game, that have the sole purpose to update all these things UNNOTICABLY, while we, the users, perform all the stuff we want without noticing all those UNBEARABLE loading times...

Share you thoughts if you wish.

Edit: Forgot to mention that this Rejoin feature manage to NOT kill me only ONE SINGLE TIME since they've implemented it.
Also - this the lag/crashing ordinary does not occur when the game starts - always it occurs when the shooting starts - a time, where even 20 secs are way too much waiting time, not to mentin 2 mins the least.
I got screens from my latest death caused by the slow Rejoin option - from now on I'll try take a screenshot for every time I have to use it.

Edited by Voidcrafter, 20 August 2014 - 08:56 AM.

[Deathlike]

I'm pretty sure this is a "feature" that "works as intended"... if only "works as intended" meant what it was supposed to mean.

[A banana in the tailpipe]

So far I haven't noticed one latency hitch from a player rejoining, so I'm going to assume it works as intended.

[Voidcrafter]

lockwoodx, on 20 August 2014 - 09:02 AM, said:

So far I haven't noticed one latency hitch from a player rejoining, so I'm going to assume it works as intended.

My point was not that the Rejoin is causing lag(though there're things that point that way but nvm) - I mean the opposite - the lag is causing rejoins

[Allen Ward]

Voidcrafter, on 20 August 2014 - 08:50 AM, said:

So... Since I, sadly, have experienced the uselessness of the rejoin "feature" I've decided to ask you guys for your opinion.

My experience first:
I use it mostly when the game freezes(because I tend to have quite good internet connection - aside of PGI understandings for "server stability", "lag" and such) - from time to time I use it when a lag spike hits me and it endures more than ~20-30 secs.
So let's have a closer look on the three cases:

1) - The game crash issue.
When that occurs you're forced to force-kill or alt+f4, otherwise said, quit the whole game. After you do so you'll be(in the best case scenario) dropped at the launcher as a starting point and you must perform the following steps:
- launch the game.
- wait for the first logo commercial to go away(it's unskipable)
- hit "space" like a mad man until you're on the username and password screen and type those.
- WAIT about 20 secs(best case - I don't remember it taking that little time though) for "connecting" progress to complete.
- Click Rejoin.
- WAIT about 20 secs(again - like the first) for "connecting" progress to complete.
- Wait the map to load(ordinary for me it's about 1/3 / 1/4 of the "connecting" time).
Join the game.

2) Disconnection issue:
Now this one is pretty much like case 1) - you repeat all I've described without the steps you have to perform to start the launcher and get to the username and password screen.

3) Lag spike issues:
When you've got to a point that you're bored/tired of waiting for the lagging to seize - you(and read "I") ordinary quit the match and rejoin it, repeating the steps:

- Click Rejoin.
- WAIT about 20 secs(again - like the first) for "connecting" progress to complete.
- Wait the map to load(ordinary for me it's about 1/3 / 1/4 of the "connecting" time).
Join the game.

BONUS!! :
After you join the game:
- to realize you have no HUD indicators...
- Quit the match.
- Rejoin.
- WAIT about 20 secs(again - like the first) for "connecting" progress to complete.
- Wait the map to load(ordinary for me it's about 1/3 / 1/4 of the "connecting" time).
Bonus disclaimer: This far this has happened to me EVERY SINGLE TIME I used the Rejoin "feature". Every. Single. Time.

Now - the Rejoin option is not a bad idea - in fact - it's really a GREAT idea!
... but.
The game base client is way, and I mean WAY too slow to make that "option" a valuable feature.

My opinion is that the game doesn't have enough background threading, processing, data streaming/steaming to be optimized to make that option valid.
My opinion is that this option is not quite discussed just cause the game with it is a tiny, itzi, bitzi, niuniu better than the game without it.
My opinion is based on the fact, that each time the disconnect case(the main reason this feature was included), the crash case(the sub-reason this feature was included) it cost me 2 mins(the least) to re-enter the game.
You know what 2 minutes in this game mean right?
And btw I got decent PC - i5, 2gb Video etc. - all the above without even playing on Ultra quality - I can imagine there're people playing the game that feel my pain even harder...

My suggestion:
Start working on a easy, sort-of painless way implementing ways to make the game load faster.
That huuuuge loading data from the servers when you first enter the UI after the name and the password screen, that long waiting time for your configuration to be saved server-side, that huuuge waiting time before the map loading screen show up...
There are way better ways to do that.
Worker threads/background workers/call it whatever you wish - those background processes/threads that are synced with your core part of the UI/game, that have the sole purpose to update all these things UNNOTICABLY, while we, the users, perform all the stuff we want without noticing all those UNBEARABLE loading times...

Share you thoughts if you wish.

Edit: Forgot to mention that this Rejoin feature manage to NOT kill me only ONE SINGLE TIME since they've implemented it.
Also - this the lag/crashing ordinary does not occur when the game starts - always it occurs when the shooting starts - a time, where even 20 secs are way too much waiting time, not to mentin 2 mins the least.
I got screens from my latest death caused by the slow Rejoin option - from now on I'll try take a screenshot for every time I have to use it.

I have the same experiences with the Rejoin function. It takes ages to rejoin (my computer is a bit slower and closing the client takes a lot of time while the systems is dumping stored data). After that I lack minimap/radar, blips and my own HUD completely...I am completely useless - no targeting reticule, nothing. Playing LRM boat is even worse, how am I supposed to lock up? I never tried quitting and rejoining a second time, maybe it fixes the HUD issue? But by then, the game will surely be almost over. last time i rejoined I just came back into the game the very moment my Stalker exploded...

[Angel of Annihilation]

Well for me, I have had at least two matches where I discoed and manage to come back and rejoin the fight. In another circumstance one of my teammates discoed and was out for about 5 mins, only to come back on just in time to win the match for us (literally. Everyone else was dead until he rejoined).

So while it isn't perfect, it is a better system than what we had going on before which of course was no system.

[Revis Volek]

I disco very often for many reason...some random and different some the same all the time.

The first Time I drop on Terrible Therma EVERY night I disco and have to rejoin....
About 1/3 of the time i change my mechs, loadouts, or Modules i Disco and have to rejoin...
Also very often don't get into the match when we do Private Lobbies.....REJOIN!

Allen Ward, on 20 August 2014 - 10:38 AM, said:

I have the same experiences with the Rejoin function. It takes ages to rejoin (my computer is a bit slower and closing the client takes a lot of time while the systems is dumping stored data). After that I lack minimap/radar, blips and my own HUD completely...I am completely useless - no targeting reticule, nothing. Playing LRM boat is even worse, how am I supposed to lock up? I never tried quitting and rejoining a second time, maybe it fixes the HUD issue? But by then, the game will surely be almost over. last time i rejoined I just came back into the game the very moment my Stalker exploded...

This is bug with the rejoin....powering down and back up again will bring your HUD back.

Edited by DarthRevis, 20 August 2014 - 11:22 AM.

[ApolloKaras]

It's helped a tremendous amount. For SOME reason I've been getting memory allocation errors after so long a gaming session. I ran memtest and it has come up with nothing as well as a few other memory stress tests I did earlier today, so I think its program related. (Memory leak? I can't figure out why MWO needs 2.2gb of ram lol) However when the map loads if I get the error I'll be kicked to desktop. I have just enough time to rejoin before the 60 second timer is gone

Edited by Saxie, 20 August 2014 - 11:25 AM.

[CDLord HHGD]

Sorry, today is no different than yesterday or last month/year. A disco'd mech is a free lunch for a light. Even more important now that said mech might come back alive... Reconnecting to your death can't be fun, but in the current set-up, can't be avoided either...

[A banana in the tailpipe]

Voidcrafter, on 20 August 2014 - 10:09 AM, said:

My point was not that the Rejoin is causing lag(though there're things that point that way but nvm) - I mean the opposite - the lag is causing rejoins

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

[SVK Puskin]

Fortunately i have used this option only once so far but when i rejoined the match was over so from my experience this option is useless and uneffective but some players may have different experiences. I think it would be fair if someone disconnect due to crash or lag issues so the match would be delayed or restarted and i also think it would be fair if the disconnecter fail to rejoin 1 player from the enemy team should not be able to move(paralized) so the match would be balanced in terms of numbers of players. If the disconnecter is in light Mech so 1 light Mech in enemy team would be paralized etc. If enemy team does not have light Mech than it would be nearest weight class - medium Mech etc but this is problem of the matchmaker. I suggested in the past to kick player to make balance but their refused this idea and as we can see this system has issues.

[Pyrrho]

Voidcrafter, on 20 August 2014 - 08:50 AM, said:

BONUS!! :
After you join the game:
- to realize you have no HUD indicators...
- Quit the match.
- Rejoin.
- WAIT about 20 secs(again - like the first) for "connecting" progress to complete.
- Wait the map to load(ordinary for me it's about 1/3 / 1/4 of the "connecting" time).
Bonus disclaimer: This far this has happened to me EVERY SINGLE TIME I used the Rejoin "feature". Every. Single. Time.

Power down your mech, power back up. HUD returns.

[Helsbane]

My son plays on a 32bit OS, and MWO kicks him pretty much every time on RC, RCN, TT, and occasionally on AP. He's given up trying to rejoin on RC and RCN, because by the time he gets the game reloaded, the opposing team has already killed him due to the small map size allowing them to rush him. We've even tried to defend him long enough for him to reload, but they always see an empty and go for the easy kill.

[Lyoto Machida]

I usually crash two or three out of every four times on Alpine and Terra Therma consistently. It helps me quite a bit.

Saxie, on 20 August 2014 - 11:25 AM, said:

It's helped a tremendous amount. For SOME reason I've been getting memory allocation errors after so long a gaming session. I ran memtest and it has come up with nothing as well as a few other memory stress tests I did earlier today, so I think its program related. (Memory leak? I can't figure out why MWO needs 2.2gb of ram lol) However when the map loads if I get the error I'll be kicked to desktop. I have just enough time to rejoin before the 60 second timer is gone

Like you, I usually get back in right as my lance is walking away. Rarely do I get stuck out of game long enough for someone to kill me (unless I spawn on the spaceport in River City on skirmish).

[A banana in the tailpipe]

Lyoto Machida, on 20 August 2014 - 12:01 PM, said:

Rarely do I get stuck out of game long enough for someone to kill me (unless I spawn on the spaceport in River City on skirmish).

You must not drop on terrible therma much. With the new spawn points 2 lances literally start 30 seconds apart if you're an 80kph+ mech.

[Sougard]

When I disconnect, it is usually because I crash at the map load. The game considers me having 0 ping and starts a 60 second countdown.

I go through the motions with client restart, and enter the game about 10-15 seconds after match start. Sometimes I have no HUD, but powering my mech down and up solves it.

So yeah, it helps. It’s not very good, as it doesn’t work for many people, but I’ll take it over nothing.

[ApolloKaras]

Pyrrho, on 20 August 2014 - 12:00 PM, said:

Power down your mech, power back up. HUD returns.

See even restarting works in the 31st century

[Troutmonkey]

Before the rejoin features was added I would probably get DC'd and booted back to mechbay / login screen about 1 in 100 games. Now that number is about 1 in 20, except the game doesn't boot me, it just desyncs and everyone starts moonwalking. Whatever they did to make rejoin work has obviously busted some server code elsewhere

[Lyoto Machida]

lockwoodx, on 20 August 2014 - 12:03 PM, said:

You must not drop on terrible therma much. With the new spawn points 2 lances literally start 30 seconds apart if you're an 80kph+ mech.

That's one of the two maps I stated I consistently drop connection on...I'll dc anywhere from 1 to 6-8 times in a 6 hour period (depends on map rotation and luck with Alpine/Terra that particular day). Haven't had an issue getting killed before I can get back in on Terra yet because I usually get back in before the 60 second countdown ends or right after it.

[A banana in the tailpipe]

Lyoto Machida, on 20 August 2014 - 04:46 PM, said:

That's one of the two maps I stated I consistently drop connection on...I'll dc anywhere from 1 to 6-8 times in a 6 hour period (depends on map rotation and luck with Alpine/Terra that particular day). Haven't had an issue getting killed before I can get back in on Terra yet because I usually get back in before the 60 second countdown ends or right after it.

That's also one of the only maps I've seen Desyncs on. That, Frozen city, and Forest colony.