Online games vs. Friends

[omahavan]

Is anyone else having problems playing games against friends via invites? I played during the first week against kwizzy and we were able to play, but since then I haven't been able to play against another user unless it is through quick match (which quite honestly I haven't tried in a while). Just had my first user v. user game in our OD last night and we weren't able to connect to each other. Basically one of us had to put to autopilot and let the other one play. I have a connection, all of my stories immediately get published in OD, able to do everything but play against a person on my friends list. Just wondering if this is just my issue or if it is universal.

[morsdraconis]

From what I've seen, almost everyone is having this issue.

Not good stuff at all...

[cdj]

I haven't had luck connecting to friends since the first week after launch either. On 09 & 10, it seemed like even if you couldn't connect in lobbies, you could connect to all foes in Online Dynasty. Something has changed this year where that isn't the case anymore.

[cdj]

I'm beginning to wonder if something happened where if you are NAT 3/Strict, you have no chance of connecting whereas in year's past you could still get connected more often than not. I've been working to get my PS3/360 to NAT 2/Moderate for a long time to no avail. Only seems to be a major issue in EA SPORTS games, namely NCAA & Tiger.

[omahavan]

I have mine to NAT2 and have it set up with a static IP address, but I'm still having the problem.

[cdj]

On 360, xRomo9 and I tried for three days to get our game in and were able to get it working last night. We each realized we were considered on a Strict NAT and I was able to change that after setting it to an auto IP instead of manual. He made some changes on his connection (I think he opened some ports) and was able to get off of being Strict and we were finally able to connect.

On PS3, I have never been able to get away from NAT 3 no matter if I tried on my internet or at my parents place. DMZ, static IP, ports opened, automatic connection, nothing. I suppose the only thing left is to try and direct connect to the modem, but you'd think I could find a way to get to NAT 2 like I did on 360.

[omahavan]

Yea I have my static IP through DMZ, I haven't looked into ports yet, but kwizzy told me what to try...I just haven't done it yet.

If you hook straight up to the modem, it should put you at NAT1, which I know a friend of mine did and was able to play....but honestly that should not be necessary...wireless connection is half the draw to this and I honestly don't know many people that would be able to do it with out a 20 foot ethernet cable.

I'm sure that by now EA has to be aware of this, I just wonder what is preventing it. It is almost as if EA has some firewall against certain NAT types...I don't get why they would care about that though.

[cdj]

Yea I have my static IP through DMZ, I haven't looked into ports yet, but kwizzy told me what to try...I just haven't done it yet.

If you hook straight up to the modem, it should put you at NAT1, which I know a friend of mine did and was able to play....but honestly that should not be necessary...wireless connection is half the draw to this and I honestly don't know many people that would be able to do it with out a 20 foot ethernet cable.

I'm sure that by now EA has to be aware of this, I just wonder what is preventing it. It is almost as if EA has some firewall against certain NAT types...I don't get why they would care about that though.

I've always had a tougher time with EA SPORTS titles on PS3 compared to other games. When I first got a PS3, I could play in a 32-man room in Resistance with no problem, but couldn't routinely get into a 1-on-1 game of NCAA 08. I'll give direct connect a try and see what kind of NAT it gives me. You're right though in that it shouldn't be necessary, but I'm lucky with my current set-up in that I can give it a try.

[omahavan]

I have played every Call of Duty since PS3 came out, and I have never had a problem with connection or lag. That was with an automatic set up of my connection before I messed with anything.

I just recently tried the DMZ for a static IP after a friend and I couldn't connect with NCAA, but I want to go back and try COD to make sure that I am still able to play that with no issues to make sure that it isn't just me. I told my friend to do it too...but he has eventually just gone to plugging straight in and he was able to play an OD game.

It is not going to be a good thing for EA, I wouldn't think, if this drags out and that (plugging straight in) is what everyone has to end up doing. I would hope that they are very aware and are trying to get a patch out for this (if that is what it takes), because this really could ruin online play and online dynasties, which if I recall in one of those podcasts, is what the majority of users are looking for.

[cdj]

I have no clue how this stuff works on their end, but I've always guessed it was something on their side in terms of server set-up and connection that was too strict. They have said that during games you aren't connected to their servers, they link up the two consoles after the invite is accepted and you then reconnect to their server in post-game. I suppose that would mean to them an issue with one of the users, but I think the issue rests mainly on their end.

[JBHuskers]

I have mine to NAT2 and have it set up with a static IP address, but I'm still having the problem.

Same here.

[morsdraconis]

Anytime there are connection issues, the first thing I always suggest with EASports games is forgo the wireless connection and hook directly to your internet source with nothing inbetween. Solves the issue every time. It's annoying for people, but it's the only way to do it, unfortunately.

[JBHuskers]

Anytime there are connection issues, the first thing I always suggest with EASports games is forgo the wireless connection and hook directly to your internet source with nothing inbetween. Solves the issue every time. It's annoying for people, but it's the only way to do it, unfortunately.

Mines hardwired.

[morsdraconis]

Mines hardwired.

Then it's the person you're connecting to.

Hardwired, there's absolutely no reason for you not to be able to connect/host a game.

[cdj]

Then it's the person you're connecting to.

Hardwired, there's absolutely no reason for you not to be able to connect/host a game.

I was hardwired on my 360 and unable to until I changed some settings last night. On PS3 (also hardwired) I have no clue how to improve NAT settings. With my set-up at least, the 360 seems to handle connectivity better than the PS3, but I'm basing that off of one game in NCAA 11. I really think something on EAs side is worse from last year, especially as it relates to connecting in Online Dynasties. It doesn't seem able to match up players as well as it did in 09 & 10.

[JBHuskers]

I was hardwired on my 360 and unable to until I changed some settings last night. On PS3 (also hardwired) I have no clue how to improve NAT settings. With my set-up at least, the 360 seems to handle connectivity better than the PS3, but I'm basing that off of one game in NCAA 11. I really think something on EAs side is worse from last year, especially as it relates to connecting in Online Dynasties. It doesn't seem able to match up players as well as it did in 09 & 10.

Same is going for connecting on Online Franchises too.

[CLW]

LOL you guys and your computer knowledge. I know my connection is always NAT 2 but I've never known what that even means. In the past when I've had problems connecting people would tell me to "DMZ" your router and that usually helped as well.

[omahavan]

They have said that during games you aren't connected to their servers, they link up the two consoles after the invite is accepted and you then reconnect to their server in post-game.

This quote alone makes me say that it is on them. As I alluded to before, I am able to connect to the internet, not only with my ps3 but also all other computers in the house through our wireless router. I have it set up with WPA security and have set a static IP through DMZ for the ps3. When I do a connection test it tells me that I have NAT2 connectivity. I am able to connect to all friends via message, get online with my ps3, play Call of Duty online, play in our OD and publish stories instantly, get OD e-mail updates, etc. The problem comes when I am pre-game with a friend via invites. If it is their servers that link up the two consolses after the invite, that is where it is going awry.

Here is what happens in my case:

If I send the invite, while waiting at the ready screen, I will hear a click and the logo of the other side will move slightly, making it appear like it is going to work and like they got into the game (and this is when the opponent DOES get into the game), but after that, on my end it will still say waiting for opponent, and will continue to say so forever until I leave the game. They can change teams and all of that and it will still show on my end the default team that it had me playing against before they came in, hence nothing happens after this little click.

If I receive an invite, it will take me to the ready screen and it will show me who I'm playing, team, user name, disconnect percentage, etc. but this time, that person will never get 'ready' (and they are still seeing waiting for opponent as I described above). I can do all of my stuff, change teams, change uniform, etc. and get ready and then it will just show me ready forever until the person realizes that it is not working (or more typically, I'm on the phone with them and we are talking about what we see) and leaves the game. They can once again change teams and all of that and it won't show me, it will still be on their default team and still show me their name and all of that, but will never get ready and nothing will change until it pops up with a message saying that they left the game.

The only way that this is possible, especially with all of my other connectivity, is if EA is failing to connect the two of us, which likely has to do with them not liking our NAT2 (or NAT3 in some peoples cases) connections. It only takes one NAT2/NAT3 to make it fail apparently and is extremely frustrating. They need to loosen their standards a little bit to allow wireless users to play. Although from the sounds of it even some of you NAT1 guys are having issues as well.

Is this what is happening to all of you guys through the invites or is it doing other things? I, as an engineer, realize that there are a lot of small things and attention to detail and something small (in the grand scheme) can get overlooked. This is why, I think that the best way to let EA know is to have this thing detailed out and to see if we are all having similar issues. If this is the case, it will probably help to key them in to what was overlooked and will hopefully expedite the process in fixing it before all OD's go to crap.

[cdj]

I set my PS3 to Automatic connection last night and tried to get into a game online today....and it worked. I'll try a couple more this evening and see what happens, but something went right. My NAT is still listed at NAT3, but I was able to get connected.

[omahavan]

Were you able to play against a friend? Or was that in quick play?