Dev's Please Read.

[Shamrock66]

I believe I have figured out what is causing the lock up problems in Worms. The same exact thing happens in Hardwood Spades and HardWood Hearts which are other XBLA titles.

In those games, matches are designed for only 4 people (like worms). People enter the game and take a seat. The game locks up when 4 people are seated in the room and another person try's to join the game at the moment the host starts the game. The game immediately locks up the host and everyone else is D/C form the server.

Since what's happening in worms is almost identical to the problems in Spades/Hearts is it possible that there are 4 people in the room for Worms, but at the time the host is starting the match their are people who still show the server as 2/4 or 3/4 in their server list and are still trying to join the game? Thus the game doesn't know how to react to 5 people in the server (4 in the room and 1 trying to join a full room) and locks up the host?

Also when searching for games in the player match custom search I've noticed a few servers that said 5/4. Also is a very good reason why people have no problem launching private matches (because other people can't try to join the full room).


Edit: UPDATE 10 Matches Hosted, zero lockups.

Basically every time a person joins the server you will hear a little beep sound. You will notice that after the server is full you still hear that beep sound. That is players trying to join the server even after its full. That is bad as the game will lock up if you try to launch while players are trying to join your full server. In order to prevent locking up you need to wait until you do not hear any beeping sounds. This typically takes 20-30 seconds after your lobby is full with 4 people.

So to sum up. Once you have 4 in your lobby wait until you do not not hear any beep sounds before launching the game.

[ToNiC]

This could be something interesting for the dev's to read indeed. I do not have the games youmention so did not know.. Post this in the correct topic also maybe (topic mentioned in a sticky by a mod on top of the forum)

[Shamrock66]

This could be something interesting for the dev's to read indeed. I do not have the games youmention so did not know.. Post this in the correct topic also maybe (topic mentioned in a sticky by a mod on top of the forum)

Ya my bad. Didn't see the sticky and wanted to ensure this was read. I'm pretty sure this is the problem because as I've said its the same exact issue in Spades/Hearts. Host locks up but no else. The other players just lose connection to server. It only happens when there are 4 people in the server and another person/s is trying to join a full room at the same time the host is launching.


Anyway just trying to help. If this is the problem like I suspect at least their is a workaround until its patched. After the lobby is full you just need to give people time to refresh their servers so your game is not showing up on the search as not being full. I'm at work now, but when I get home I'll try hosting and waiting about 45 seconds to a minute after the room fills up before launching. See if that helps.

[Sectus]

I'd like to note that in the server browser there's been numerous times I've seen a server with 5/4 or 6/4 players. So that might be a confirmation of the bug you described.

[Shamrock66]

I'd like to note that in the server browser there's been numerous times I've seen a server with 5/4 or 6/4 players. So that might be a confirmation of the bug you described.

Yep this pretty much confirms it for me. Like I said the same thing happens in Spades. This worry's me because in Spades they haven't fixed this yet and it's been months. I'm not sure if they haven't fixed it because the dev's for spades are lazy and don't care, or because the fix is not a easy solution. I hope team 17 can figure it out.

[Lebowski]

There seems to be a few host/client problems that somehow slipped throught the test and certification stage. We are looking into them and hopefully we will be allowed to produce a patch, (sorry Technical Update) for Worms.

[Shamrock66]

There seems to be a few host/client problems that somehow slipped throught the test and certification stage. We are looking into them and hopefully we will be allowed to produce a patch, (sorry Technical Update) for Worms.

Ok had time to test my theory. Hosted 3 games now and havent locked up once while waiting 30 seconds after the room fills up with 4. Also noticed that every time a player joined the server there was a little beep noise. What was interesting was I continued to hear that beep noise after the server was full. Could that beep noise signal players trying to join even after the server is full? Anyway waited 30 seconds, waited until I didn't hear anymore beeps and when doing so I haven't locked up once while hosting. Thats a fry car from yestersday when I was locking up while hosting 90% of the time.

[Luther]

Nice work Shamrock66. Thanks for your efforts. They're much appreciated.

[Shamrock66]

Nice work Shamrock66. Thanks for your efforts. They're much appreciated.


No problem. Like I said I love the game and just needed a workaround. Anyway hosted 2 more games with no lockup. Still hearing the beeps after the room is full and I'm pretty positive now that those beeps are players still trying to join the server after its full. Now its pretty much easy to figure out. Just wait until the beeps stop before launching the server. Only takes 20-30 seconds before you stop hearing them after you have 4 in the server.

[Spadge]

It'd make sense. In the past we've had problems similar to this - and they all tend to be thrown up as soon as the server is stress-tested (i.e. lots of users). I'll try this myself (i've been having 3 player games easily enough just until I know what it is!).

[Sinistar]

I've noticed the same thing happend in Quick Match as well. Although on that you dont see how many people join or whatever, the match just starts. And also it doesnt say what scheme you are playing, it just starts the game and you have to guess.

[CStubing]

I concur -- It looks like worms is allowing more than 4 people to join a game and then locking up. For example, if 2 people search for a game simultaneously and both see a game with 3/4 people, there doesn't appear to be any synchronisation that would prevent them from both joining. The first person to join will get in OK, but the second person will be stuck connecting until he times out. If the host starts the game before that 5th person times out, the host freezes and everyone else drops from the game.

If this is true, it shouldn't be so hard to recreate -- just go try hosting on live and you'll see it. Also, if you wait for a long enough time so that anyone beyond the 4 people in the game times out, you won't freeze. Finally, I've seen search results that say 5/4 and sometimes even 6/4, which further substatiates this theory.

[Spadge]

This is fixed in the patch, that came out of test today! It's got to go through cert yet, but we are hopeful that shouldn't be too long.

[CStubing]

Great news, Spadge!!! Hopefully MS isn't too boorish about it.