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Post by Canucksoldier on Jan 27, 2006 19:06:35 GMT -5
This is a warning that was provided to Firaxis by GS and provided to us by the resident MP programmer:
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We were recently contacted by developer relations at GameSpy, informing us that we had an unusual number of connections coming from outside of our title space with the extension _c4f. I realize this is due to a user created application used to allow communication with the lobby while in a staging room or in a game. Due to new upcoming GameSpy security guidelines, anyone connecting to a game's title room outside that game's registered game name (which is exactly what this application does) will be banned for 24 hours. This ban should be implemented sometime next week, and we don't want to see anyone affected by it.
We at Firaxis didn't have an opinion on the use of an application such as this one, but it appears GameSpy unfortunately does. I hope that the recent changes to the staging room satisfies the need for this application. Please pass this along to the multiplayer community currently using this application as we do not want them to be inconvenienced
Thanks!
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CS
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Post by Canucksoldier on Jan 27, 2006 19:10:32 GMT -5
As posted by Swissy:
Gamespy has informed Firaxis they have noted the lobby connections from outside of the game. They intend to start blocking those connections next week using IRC ban commands. Note that they may be able to ban by IP so those with a static IP may not be able to play the game until they can get a new IP from their ISP.
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Post by Magzi on Jan 27, 2006 19:16:29 GMT -5
Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.........................well give us a decent lobby then.............................................
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Post by Canucksoldier on Jan 27, 2006 19:41:10 GMT -5
I have added lobby chat in the Vote screen to the wish list as this is really what most of us *needed* C4f for anyway.
CS
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Post by skidbladnir on Jan 27, 2006 19:42:24 GMT -5
funny how quicker they are on defending their system than on improving it..what a stupid move..
hopefully Firaxis realizes the importance of c4f as compared to its failing lobby and pushes for GS to accept c4f connections. But I'm sure you guys who have some sort of imput by firaxis promoted c4f (right? well you should imo)
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Post by Canucksoldier on Jan 27, 2006 19:49:08 GMT -5
funny how quicker they are on defending their system than on improving it..what a stupid move.. hopefully Firaxis realizes the importance of c4f as compared to its failing lobby and pushes for GS to accept c4f connections. But I'm sure you guys who have some sort of imput by firaxis promoted c4f (right? well you should imo) This issue is really out of Firaxis's hands, they had no opinion on c4f, it's strictly GS forcing the issue, and it's just curtesy that Firaxis was even told and that they warned us. As to the lobby, you will likely continue to see improvements if they are possible and it's really a better lobby in 1.52 than it was in 1.00 so Firaxis does listen. CS
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Post by Sidhe on Jan 27, 2006 19:51:36 GMT -5
I see so Gamespy creates the problem by refusing to provide an adequate lobby system and then when someone does they do everything in their power to stop people from using it? Absolutely and incredibly shameful behaviour. ATM I use c4f nearly every game to round up droppers, now I'll have to get someone to quit the game to find someone? It's about time Gamespy got up off there fat arses and did something about what it is that makes players resort to applications. They have shown a total lack of respect for CIV players and their concerns, I can only hope that either a) a decent lobby system is implemented soon, or b) someone hacks the nuts out of there ip blocking system and gives us a lobby we can use again. Frankly either would suit me. I really and sincerely hope Firaxis doesn't have to resort to using this company for Civ5 they seem to be nothing but trouble from what I can see. I suggest you make that lobby chat in game, as it's very usefull for that too. I can't tell you how easy it makes it to play civ using this application, if you're gonna replace it, imitate it. Honestly if gamespy had spent as much time programming a lobby system as implementing a way to stop everyone using theirs then this problem wouldn't exist. But then that's too easy isn't it?
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Post by Tony on Jan 27, 2006 20:11:01 GMT -5
ALL I can say is OMFG, just when i thought things couldnt get any worst.
I have been posting like crazy how diffucult connecting to a game is for me/maybe all. Nearly every game i play is via direct IP using c4f.
This is probally the biggest BS i have read for a long time, back to attempting to coneect for 30 mins then doing someting else.
One last time....BS
Edit:: One last thing, what is stopping CIV4 having a gamespy arcade room? If its security based, ie password, then i would without a shadow of a doubt have a passwordless lobby that has GS arcade access.
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Post by friedrichpsitalon on Jan 27, 2006 20:11:46 GMT -5
Yes, please realize that this IS NOT a Firaxian move or Firaxian decision. As for Civ5...well... ...what's the legitimate rival to Gamespy? We need another service to get their act together and challenge Gamespy. X-Fire isn't it.
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Post by skidbladnir on Jan 27, 2006 20:48:13 GMT -5
If GS had a way to tell Firaxis about it, I guess Firaxis has a way to answer GS, and tell them how stupid that would be.
Or even better, maybe firaxis could work with Eiffel on finding a way to let c4f use legitimate civ4 "extensions and title space" ? What about that eh?
Answers to both those questions would show how dedicated Firaxis is to its fans basis (and Id be happy if at least they tried something)
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Post by Sidhe on Jan 27, 2006 21:05:19 GMT -5
Their actions atm are bemusing. You'd of thought keeping a community of thousands of customers happy, a good business move, pissing them off and giving them no lobby thus stunting any financial gain they could rake out of subscribers to me seems the act of a rather stupid executive. It's only the friggin' GOTY, it's only bigger than Jesus ;D Honestly when did business become about idiots in suits playing politics instead of about its customers! Oh yeah I forgot about banks I was not aware that frigging is a word, thought it was slang. interesting, so why isn't *ank** then ;D or Merchant Banker to use the thingyney. Actually banker and this word are kind of synonomous IMO ;D at least if you go higher than branch level. hehe That's c.o.c.kney
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Post by alice on Jan 27, 2006 21:30:08 GMT -5
seems that blizzard games work great, mabey civ5 could emulate their games, warcraftIII is a good example of a very functional multilayer game,
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Trayk
Worker
Lets Party at your place!!
Posts: 148
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Post by Trayk on Jan 27, 2006 21:55:19 GMT -5
When I was playing C3 I paid for GS membership so that I would have an AD free GS. Since I no longer use GS looby I let my membership lapse. It seems to me that IF GS made us a lobby, me and others like me would pay them again. hit em in the wallet!
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Post by friedrichpsitalon on Jan 27, 2006 22:26:05 GMT -5
If GS had a way to tell Firaxis about it, I guess Firaxis has a way to answer GS, and tell them how stupid that would be. Or even better, maybe firaxis could work with Eiffel on finding a way to let c4f use legitimate civ4 "extensions and title space" ? What about that eh? Answers to both those questions would show how dedicated Firaxis is to its fans basis (and Id be happy if at least they tried something) Answer: GS doesn't care what one game developer thinks. They know they have a monopoly on the market. I'm also quite sure that if Firaxis tried to demand it, Gamespy could call "Breach of contract" and pull the plug, neatly dropping CIV MP into the blackness. And, oh yeah, potentially nuking the expansions, too. You make the grave mistake of thinking Firaxis has any power with Gamespy except in the "we can offer you business" sense... and Gamespy knows they're the only game in town for Firaxis. You also make the grave mistake of thinking you have anywhere approaching a full understanding of the situation. You can't just wave your hands and say "Firaxis, make it so." They have their limits like anyone else. How about that, eh? The problem here is not Firaxis - they quite agree with us. The problem is Gamespy, and how they treat their customers - corporate and individual.
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Post by Tony on Jan 27, 2006 22:29:19 GMT -5
Cant Civ drop passworded lobby and get GS arcade?
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Post by Avogadro on Jan 27, 2006 23:54:11 GMT -5
They had said the interface would'nt work...maybe our C4F-developper could help
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Midgard
Worker
Captain of LoD
Posts: 103
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Post by Midgard on Jan 28, 2006 3:30:05 GMT -5
Gamespy is very much NOT he only lobby host in town, Westwood and Valkrienet are just a couple others that have hosted very stable mp games (the Command & Conquer series and Hearts of Iron series respectively) perhaps Firaxis should try to give them a call.
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Post by Sidhe on Jan 28, 2006 3:36:30 GMT -5
Ah yes microsoft syndrome. Funnilly enough though with the advent of the internet customer bases in this situation have more power than companies. I'm not quite sure what us customers could do in this situation but as Trayk says how many c3c and CIV people subscribe to Gamespy accounts not just on CIV but on say Medieval total war etc,etc, both on this and various other accounts. Let's say for arguments sake it's 3000 and let's say you put a note in the forums for each of their customers to let their subscription lapse on any games they play through gamespy and by word of mouth to encourage people to do the same. Say as a rough guess Thats 3000x20 pounds(not sure how much it costs) thats 60,000 pounds($106,391) per year. A drop in the ocean maybe but that's probably about the salary of the idiot who made this decision, a nice little protest. I doubt anything like this would happen but Companies would do well to remember that pissing off your customer base has damaging and far reaching implications. Give us what we want please. I wouldn't be surprised if GS hasn't already lost a great deal of money through there ineptitude over this CIV thing. Which makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. ;D And who runs Age of Empires? I think though that gamespy are cheap in comparison to these other guys. You certainly do get what you pay for.
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Post by skidbladnir on Jan 28, 2006 7:12:39 GMT -5
It sure is easy to describe GS as the monopolistic bad guys you can't do anything against. Last time I checked, there were other very functionnal MP lobbies out there.
Come on, I can hardly imagine them pulling the "contract breach" weapon as soon as Firaxis would issue a critic or a suggestion.
+In your hurry to defend Firaxis&the status quo, you didn't answer that part of the question :
Is that faisable? (tho you might actually not know much more about it atm than anyone here)
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Post by GERMANIA on Jan 28, 2006 8:01:17 GMT -5
Well, i can only say that we need a program to coordinate games specially when some one drops and he isn't coming back specially when it is the host who drops, so how do you wane give him the ip to join back..
We need a program for that, so get that we still can use C4F, ore get that GS Arcade gone work with CIV
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