Settlers 7 - Empire Queue System | Forums

[Jellyscream]

I have recently started playing empire matches which I really enjoy. But what really shocks me is the bizarre queue systems. You merely click empire and wait. With no indication of expected wait time, whether you are actually in a queue or not in the first place. I fully appreciate that the amount of people playing this game compared to Call of Duty or World of Warcraft for example is staggeringly different. Though that doesn't explain the complete lack of information for online queuing.

I would like to know if I am in a queue, and thus by waiting longer I am actually more likely to get a game.
I would like to know how long I am expected to wait, based on the average wait time of the most recent players to be put in a game.
Or perhaps even the number of people playing empire games.
Perhaps even the ability to spectate games, in the manner that League of Legends does, (3minute in the past).
Just more than a simple and arguably irrelavant changing message on how many other players it's found. Including the grand moment it counts down from 4 to 3 to include yourself.

I'm not sure if these forums are suggestion forums, but at the moment I shall use them to vent. I am thoroughly disappointed at the empire game service. Which ironically does make the moment of being given a game more epic and miraculous.

[sings_in_tune]

I share your feelings.

To get an idea how many Empire games occur, watch the weekly leaderboard. On Friday mornings, there won't be many people because the week starts on Thursday night (my time). Then check it a few hours later.

Everyone does not have the same success when searching. I know because some people play so many games; I could not play half that many if I searched 24 hours a day. I search for an hour sometimes and get nothing. Average time when I do get a game I would say 30 minutes. But I got a game once in 5 minutes. And once I got a game after 4 hours of searching and it hung in windows after about 20 minutes.

I can only guess it depends on your internet connection, location and who knows what else. Atmospheric conditions?

Today I searched for 2 hours 7 minutes. But it was a great game!

[sings_in_tune]

I find this fascinating so:
Last night (thursday) about midnight I checked weekly leaderboard. My memory is so bad, but there were either 4 or 8 players, 1 match each so 1 or 2 games.

Today about noon, 97 players and I counted 138 matches - which is impossible, has to be a multiple of 4 so use 140 matches = 35 games. So over a 12 hour period (720 minutes):

140 matches/4 matches per game = 35 games
720 minutes/35 games => a game every 20 minutes

Since most players are German, these 12 hours would be from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm for majority of players. Germany is 6 hours ahead of me.

Still I searched from (my times) 7:50 am to 8:45 am and from 9:10 am to 11:15 am and did not find a game. 3 hours of searching. May be later today I will get lucky. I keep hoping something will change.

Another stat: 138 matches/97 players = 1.4 matches per player. At least 1 player played 5 matches, a few played 4 matches...

Another stat: If 38,153 people bought the game and played at least one Empire game (from allover leaderboard), and I rather arbitrarily define the number of players on monthly board (1483) to be the number of active players, then roughly 4 people out of 100 who buy the game are active players.

Does anyone else find this interesting, or do you want to fix my arithmetic?

[sings_in_tune]

I would like to know if I am in a queue, and thus by waiting longer I am actually more likely to get a game.

More than once I have stopped my searching to restart my machine after an hour of searching. Then upon restart, a game starts within minutes. So I am convinced that it is not like being in a queue where you will lose your place if you interrupt your search. Other times after a restart I continue to search for another hour.

I would like to know how long I am expected to wait, based on the average wait time of the most recent players to be put in a game.

I don't know how long other players wait. I don't think many people would play if they had to wait as long as I do. My average wait time (for my last 51 games) is 58 minutes. I have not includde the times I searched but quit without playing a game.

[pogle63]

Hello Jellyscream as far as I understand it you are not so much in a queue as waiting for the server to find you 3 other players to play with and since the game has long since been abandoned by its developers and publishers the player base has also dwindled away. I used to play regularly but have not done so for many many months as there is nothing new to do. This was and is a very good game but sadly it has been side lined in favour of a money making on line travesty of a game which I personally don`t like or support - tried it - hated it. Empire games are frustrating as usually the moment somebody gets the upper hand people just bang out of them and do not complete the game sad really people seldom go all the way. I don`t hold out much for leader boards etc I don`t have the time to take them seriously (I have a life) but I do like playing with friends and family - sadly though the lack of anything new has even seen this pleasure slip into obscurity purely because we have played the game out and there is little left to offer new challenges. Calls for new content from this community not just myself have so far fallen on deaf ears and been largely ignored, sad to say little reward for years of loyal support and investment.

[sings_in_tune]

.... since the game has long since been abandoned by its developers and publishers the player base has also dwindled away.

I don't think this is true, Pogle. I think the player base is quite constant. I keep track.

On Feb 17, 2012 - 1388 players on the monthly board.
On March 9, 2012 - 1140 players on the monthly board.
On Nov. 12, 2012 - 1202 players on the monthly board.