Poll

Why do you not play op2 mulitplayer on XMPP?

I am afraid of losing
0 (0%)
Its no challenge (anymore)
0 (0%)
I find singleplayer more interesting
1 (6.7%)
I prefer to play other games
0 (0%)
I'd like to play and have the time, but I want bigger games than 1 vs 1
0 (0%)
I don't want to wait 1000 hours for a game when on xmpp
2 (13.3%)
My life is keeping me busy
9 (60%)
Multiplayer is not working due to technical problems
2 (13.3%)
I don't like the Spark xmpp client
0 (0%)
other (please post a reply, describing your reasons)
1 (6.7%)

Total Members Voted: 15

Author Topic: Why Do You Not Play Op2 Mulitplayer On XMPP?  (Read 30320 times)

Offline TH300

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Why Do You Not Play Op2 Mulitplayer On XMPP?
« on: March 20, 2012, 08:38:17 AM »
I'm noticing that people are playing fewer games -- even under consideration of the usual fluctuation. I am also seeing that people are around, posting on the forums, and sometimes even on XMPP, asking for games, but not finding people to play with.

I have been wondering how activity could be brought back to opu. But, without the knowledge of why people are not playing, its hard to find a solution.

Personally, I am busy with my life and will be for the next few months. I don't have no free time, but I'm not willing to spend it on 1v1s. Furthermore, I can only play using NetFix (tbh. I never tried Hamachi - don't like it), which used to cause trouble for some people (but I have yet to try out the new version).

I had the idea of one gaming day/weekend per month or per half year. But it will have to be days where people have time and maybe not too often. What do you think?


PS: why can I not make polls where people can choose multiple options?
« Last Edit: March 20, 2012, 08:39:52 AM by TH300 »

Offline CK9

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Why Do You Not Play Op2 Mulitplayer On XMPP?
« Reply #1 on: March 20, 2012, 06:39:18 PM »
I think a large portion of it is that we are all older and have more we have to take care of.
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Offline friction

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Why Do You Not Play Op2 Mulitplayer On XMPP?
« Reply #2 on: March 21, 2012, 06:21:13 PM »
hi people, i was hoping for a game, i have seen quite a few people ask for games but not usualy at the same time and i havnt been around very long so there is still potential for games, hope we can all find a time to play. i will be on, if i am there i guess i will try and ask.

Offline Venera

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Why Do You Not Play Op2 Mulitplayer On XMPP?
« Reply #3 on: March 21, 2012, 08:59:25 PM »
I just randomly stopped playing OP2 for some reason.  Also, I have been doing a lot in my weeks.  Repertory Orchestra, community band, and church.  Really the only time I get to do anything is after school on Fridays to Mondays to actually have a good game.  I am trying to get back into OP2 however.

Offline Spikerocks101

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Why Do You Not Play Op2 Mulitplayer On XMPP?
« Reply #4 on: March 21, 2012, 10:54:43 PM »
I find Outpost 2 is more complicated to set up then most other games for multiplayer, but my main reason is simply I don't have time. I regret not playing more, but I still enjoy the community non the less.
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Offline Flashy

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Why Do You Not Play Op2 Mulitplayer On XMPP?
« Reply #5 on: March 23, 2012, 05:06:39 PM »
An honest answer? I didn't get around to settle on xmpp yet. Otherwise... well I probably forgot how to play by now anyway.
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Offline Freeza-CII

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Why Do You Not Play Op2 Mulitplayer On XMPP?
« Reply #6 on: March 23, 2012, 05:14:36 PM »
eh im busy

Offline Arklon

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Why Do You Not Play Op2 Mulitplayer On XMPP?
« Reply #7 on: March 24, 2012, 10:48:45 AM »
Also, Hamachi just lowered the user limit on free networks to a maximum of 5 (down from 8, which they lowered to from 12 or 16 the other week). That, combined with people being too lazy to leave networks and not just log off, makes it completely useless for OP2.
« Last Edit: March 24, 2012, 10:49:48 AM by Arklon »

Offline Lugia3

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Why Do You Not Play Op2 Mulitplayer On XMPP?
« Reply #8 on: May 13, 2012, 07:15:19 PM »
This game will never die, as I have said before.

Speaking of the Hamachi problem... We could web 5-7 networks together to get all 6 players connected for a full game.
« Last Edit: May 13, 2012, 07:16:57 PM by Lugia3 »

Offline Hooman

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Why Do You Not Play Op2 Mulitplayer On XMPP?
« Reply #9 on: May 13, 2012, 08:41:22 PM »
This might be a good time to test the most recent NetFix patch. I've considered bundling it into a new download package, but I'd like a few more reports of how well it works. I believe the latest change may account for some of the problems people have previously reported with it. I would also like to move it off the "Serial" button, onto it's own properly named button. The button change patch has already been written, I'd just like some more verification before bundling a new package with the button change and the NetFix update.


I find I avoid using Spark because of the amount of clicking needed to join the channel, and because the chat window doesn't minimize to the tray. I feel that auto join and minimize to tray are important features to get people to join, and to stay hanging around.
« Last Edit: May 13, 2012, 08:42:51 PM by Hooman »

Offline Savant_Ace

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Why Do You Not Play Op2 Mulitplayer On XMPP?
« Reply #10 on: July 17, 2012, 07:07:39 PM »
Its funny, going from a life where nothing is going on and you could play Outpost for hours on end to a life when things are so busy, you can forget how to sit down. For me personally, There are many factors that consume my time, but I do my very best to play a single player game once a month if not once a week. I think the assessment above is fairly accurate. The figurative children of New Terra are growing up. In a world where the draw to games is better graphics and online reputation, its difficult to find people and keep people who can appreciate the truly awesome thing that the OPU is; and I'm not just referring to the games themselves, but the fact that they have somehow motivated as many people as they have to cling together with the common dream that it just will not die. There are plenty of games that once had a much greater following which have now simply ceased to exist, with no following, no community, and no trace of ever returning.

     I'd be the last person here who would want to hint that the community is on a decline, but I find myself hard-pressed to come up with another conclusion based on the data presented. As time goes on, we grow different in life and situation, and those differences change our views and priorities in existence. An analogy might be that the children of New Terra are running out of resources (be it time, priority, funds, etc) to build a starship needed to keep the dream alive and continue to a bold new world. It remains to the time and effort of those that remain to make the best use of that which we have left and press onward remembering each in our own minds why we are here, and that to truly believe in this means that extinction is not an option.
 

Offline Simpsonboy77

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Why Do You Not Play Op2 Mulitplayer On XMPP?
« Reply #11 on: July 22, 2012, 06:10:37 PM »
For me it is my real life keeping me away. I have a full time job now, so I have less time. With the time I do have left, its mostly spent with my friends from real life. I wish I could devote some time to OP2, since its such a great game and so unique. I have tried to get some of my friends into it, then I would be more inclined to stay.

I haven't played a single player game in ages. I was looking for other campaign maps to play, but they are somewhat hard to find on the forums. I have not even installed Renegades, and every time I look at this forum I say I will, but I never do.

I set up XMPP, but I don't like it mostly for the same reasons Hooman listed.  
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Offline Hooman

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Why Do You Not Play Op2 Mulitplayer On XMPP?
« Reply #12 on: July 24, 2012, 01:54:58 AM »
I'm kind of thinking we need to explore other options for chat clients.
 

Offline Savant_Ace

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Why Do You Not Play Op2 Mulitplayer On XMPP?
« Reply #13 on: July 24, 2012, 04:56:51 PM »
Second.

-----------------------------------

I've been using Pidgin. Its a little over done for just XMPP, but it functions.

Edit: Posts merged by TH300. Please use the edit button.
« Last Edit: July 25, 2012, 02:52:28 AM by TH300 »

Offline CK9

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Why Do You Not Play Op2 Mulitplayer On XMPP?
« Reply #14 on: August 03, 2012, 10:45:31 AM »
What about creating our own?  I've made a VERY simplistic one for group projects that works.  With a little more effort, we could make something similar to the shoutbox, IRC, or any other chat program and not have to worry about the licensing.
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Offline TH300

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Why Do You Not Play Op2 Mulitplayer On XMPP?
« Reply #15 on: August 05, 2012, 03:49:34 AM »
I made my own xmpp client already. I have been planning to release it (and its source code) to opu. But before that I have to generalize some things in it (hardcoded login credentials are bad for distribution) and add some configuration facilities. Since I am using Linux, I also have to find a way to cross-compile it for Windows, which doesn't seem to be easy.

Offline Lugia3

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Why Do You Not Play Op2 Mulitplayer On XMPP?
« Reply #16 on: August 05, 2012, 09:37:58 AM »
Sounds great, TH300. Will it just be a chat or will it be able to sustain OP2 games like Hamachi as well?

Offline TH300

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Why Do You Not Play Op2 Mulitplayer On XMPP?
« Reply #17 on: August 06, 2012, 11:21:16 AM »
Just chat.

A Hamachi clone would be far too difficult if at all possible or even desirable. If we decide to integrate chat and playing, the best way to do it, would imo be to integrate xmpp chat directly into the game, probably in the NetFix window. But I'm not planning to create something like that.

Offline CK9

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Why Do You Not Play Op2 Mulitplayer On XMPP?
« Reply #18 on: August 08, 2012, 09:30:48 AM »
TH, if you coded it in C/+/++ then you can just have someone on a windows machine compile it to get windows compatibility, can't you?
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Offline TH300

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Why Do You Not Play Op2 Mulitplayer On XMPP?
« Reply #19 on: August 09, 2012, 11:43:44 AM »
If someone would be willing to do that, that would be great. But before that I have to finish the thing. I'm not even sure if everyone will like it. Its a bit minimalistic...

Once the time has come, I'll post a separate topic for it. No need to get more off topic here.