If they want MP to be a thing they need to fix the ridiculous load times

[sepoquro]

I liked playing multiplayer in EU4 but the load times are unbearable. I'm not talking about the first time you start up the multiplayer with a 1444 date; what I mean is when you save a game and then try to load it to continue playing. I don't know how they programmed it but it really shouldn't take as long as it does considering the save files are usually only a few megabytes at maximum, which with a modern internet connection like mine should take less than 10 seconds. Instead, what we have are load times that average at something like 7-10 minutes PER PLAYER. The longest I waited for a save to load for multiplayer was around 30 minutes, just for me and one friend to play some multiplayer.

Also, I noticed that the autosaves are usually something like 6 times the size of the normal saves. This is a ridiculous size in and of itself, but when coupled with the slow multiplayer loading breaks the game. And now, because of the new update, you need to restart EU4 every time you leave a game, making the loading even longer.

They really need to fix their save/load algorithms because currently, it is farcical. It seems like they have put a lot of work into the multiplayer in HOI4 and I look forward to it greatly so it would be a shame if no one plays it because of absurd problems like this. And don't even get me started on the multiplayer desyncing.

 

[Caesar15]

I've never noticed any sort of problem in this regard. Save load times are annoying and auto save times are also annoying but they don't push me away from multiplayer, as it is merely a simple annoyance. Perhaps your problem is exaggerated? As I have no such qualms about the problems you describe. For example, I have never had to wait 7 minutes for a save to load.

 

[dav77-b]

I liked playing multiplayer in EU4 but the load times are farcical. I don't know how they programmed it but it really shouldn't take as long as it does considering the save files are usually only a few megabytes at maximum, which with a modern internet connection like mine should take less than 10 seconds. Instead, what we have are load times that average at something like 7-10 minutes PER PLAYER. The longest I waited for a save to load for multiplayer was around 30 minutes, just for me and one friend to play some multiplayer.

Also, I noticed that the autosaves are usually something like 6 times the size of the normal saves. This is a ridiculous size in and of itself, but when coupled with the slow multiplayer loading breaks the game. And now, because of the new update, you need to restart EU4 every time you leave a game, making the loading even longer.

They really need to fix their save/load algorithms because currently, it is unbearable. It seems like they have put a lot of work into the multiplayer in HOI4 and I look forward to it greatly so it would be a shame if no one plays it because of absurd problems like this.

Load times were never a problem for me.
But on the other hand, multiplayer never worked anyway. We never managed to play EU4 multiplayer because of OOS.

HOI4 looks actually fast. WWW3 on speed 5 was fast. ( Military AI being off could have been the reason for that though ).

 

[Sharp163]

I agree with the other two posters, sorry OP but I've never had to wait more than a few minutes for a save to load on multiplayer

 

[inteljoe]

I've seen based on the WW W from the last couple of weeks that the auto save feature is really quick. But we don't really get to see the loading, so it is hard to tell if there's really any loading difference. Although I know with previous games to save game may only be 10 or so megabytes The file itself can contain thousands upon thousands of pages of text describing every detail of your and every nation on the map. This also includes armies maybes provinces resources every single detail that is possible is saved in the save game. But seeing from the last couple of WWW so it's possible that they reduced what saved or maybe came up with a compression system that allows for faster saving. I always found that the auto say function became a hindrance specially with EU4 and H OI3 in there earlier iterations. Not to mention corruption and other sorts of things. Overall I'm impressed but we will all be coming late and upon release.

 

[Damiani]

Maybe you just have an old computer?

 

[SirJoJo]

Multiplayer in EUIV have from the start been a rly rly bad experiance especially the loading time when uising a auto save, they changed it these days so the save are compressed and dont take that much space anymore and that have made it alot better, and OOS are also pretty much gone now, but i expect all those errors wont be there in HOIV as they have now dealt whit them in EUIV

back in the days me and my buddy actually set up hamachi so we could grab the save games from eachothers Hardrives cause zipping it and grapping it that way made everything go 10 times faster, but OP have a good point, HOIIV needs to be miles better then EUIV when it comes to the MP experince

and he got a point about EUIV need to restart everytime also.

 

[semaphore]

I don't know how they programmed it but it really shouldn't take as long as it does considering the save files are usually only a few megabytes at maximum, which with a modern internet connection like mine should take less than 10 seconds.

Download, yes. Uploads are typically much slower. In many parts of the world, it is not uncommon to have download speeds of however many mb/s, but only 15kb/s for uploading. Unfortunately, this means that a savefile of 10mb will take over 10 minutes to upload.

That said,

Instead, what we have are load times that average at something like 7-10 minutes PER PLAYER. The longest I waited for a save to load for multiplayer was around 30 minutes, just for me and one friend to play some multiplayer.

30 minutes is ridiculously long and is indicative of something very wrong with the internet connection, or at least the uploading speed, of your host. Remember, just because you can download really fast doesn't necessarily mean uploads are fast too.

Also, I noticed that the autosaves are usually something like 6 times the size of the normal saves.

One is compressed, the other isn't. Ultimately, Paradox games are usually very complex with many variables to store in save files. There is only so much compression that can be done; although this can probably still be improved somewhat, it will always suck for multiplayers if your internet upload speeds are low.

The alternative is to reduce the complexity of information that needs to be saved, which (outside of special cases like pruning dead characters in CK2) is not really possible without negatively affecting the game.

They really need to fix their save/load algorithms because currently, it is farcical.

If there is something wrong with loading save games, it should also take very long in single player too. Since you specifically complain about multiplayer, it sounds like it doesn't. This indicates the problem is with internet connection, not the loading function per se.

 

[SirJoJo]

the fact you try to put it all on bad internet or computer, EUIV is known for its horrendus MP experince its alot better these days ofc paradox did do alot to make it better, but the op have a point since at some times MP in EUIV have been completly imposible, because of error such as OOS, combine that whit it could take several minuttes to load a new game, i cant tell you what was wrong and not, but i know enough about computers and networks to tell that it taking 5-10 min to load a save game between ppl having 100/100mbit internet is just wrong, i know ppl try to claim it to be bad computers or internet, idk when they played EUIV but i have played it for a long time, and between alot of diferent patches, and it have been rly rly bad,

and loading a Multiplayer game a single player game is not the same at all, its the transfer of the save that takes time in MP if its bad peer to peer networking or bad server performance, but 1 thing i know for a fact was not the problem was internet connection and bad computers, ofc som ppl playing on 3g internet and such will feel it alot worse, but i do epect ppl to have decent internet before complaining about network issues and such

 

[Torran]

I play EU4 multiplayer with 15+ Players on a host with 100mbit upload quite often and we had no problem with long loading times so far. So i would think the problem is not the game but your internet.

 

[semaphore]

the fact you try to put it all on bad internet or computer, EUIV is known for its horrendus MP experince its alot better these days ofc paradox did do alot to make it better, but the op have a point since at some times MP in EUIV have been completly imposible, because of error such as OOS, combine that whit it could take several minuttes to load a new game, i cant tell you what was wrong and not, but i know enough about computers and networks to tell that it taking 5-10 min to load a save game between ppl having 100/100mbit internet is just wrong, i know ppl try to claim it to be bad computers or internet, idk when they played EUIV but i have played it for a long time, and between alot of diferent patches, and it have been rly rly bad,

and loading a Multiplayer game a single player game is not the same at all, its the transfer of the save that takes time in MP if its bad peer to peer networking or bad server performance, but 1 thing i know for a fact was not the problem was internet connection and bad computers, ofc som ppl playing on 3g internet and such will feel it alot worse, but i do epect ppl to have decent internet before complaining about network issues and such

Put it all what? All I said was that multiplayer load speeds have a hard physical limit for people with low uploading speeds. The OP never claimed to have "100/100mbit internet", which isn't exactly common either, so it is quite asinine for you act as though internet speeds are not a factor.

and loading a Multiplayer game a single player game is not the same at all, its the transfer of the save that takes time in MP if its bad peer to peer networking or bad server performance

Okay, so you obliviously didn't bother reading what I wrote. Of course they are not the same. My whole point was that it isn't loading that is slow, it is the transferring of save files, in other words, the internet connection dependent part that is holding things up.

Anyway, thanks for responding. But now that I understand our disagreement I won't try to decipher your posts further.

 

[ringhloth]

I've never had issues with multiplayer, though I usually only play with 3 people total. Yeah, we might get one OOS in every other 3 or 4 hour session, but restarting really doesn't take that long.

 

[Raptor83]

Download, yes. Uploads are typically much slower. In many parts of the world, it is not uncommon to have download speeds of however many mb/s, but only 15kb/s for uploading. Unfortunately, this means that a savefile of 10mb will take over 10 minutes to upload.
.....

Thats exageration - upload is usually 4-16 times slower, than download, so 10mbps downlink will have 1-2mbps upload.

 

[Manscher]

Transferring saves have never been an issue for me and my mates when we play, these days it takes less than 15s. Then again we also sit 100/100.

 

[SirJoJo]

@rmdsc
and you did not read what i said or did not understand it which is ok since my written english is lackluster. the 100/100 was and example. i have tried very slow transfer/load times whit ppl whit very good internet.(you wouldnet expect slow transfers on a 100mbit line yet we did experiance it alot) i have also tried very good transfer load times after it was fixed. thats also why i said in my first post i would expect it not to be a issue in HOIIV. that said i acknowlegde ops post, because i have experinced it myself, especially in the early days of EUIV,

and the internet depending part is not ONLY internet dependant, and clearly paradox have done somethng to make it better, and i know for a fact they did not give me and my friends better internet so i agree whit the OP again, that they might have to look at the peer to peer coding or whatever it is. but again, its alot better these days, so i dont expect it to be a problem in HOIIV. but i also know for a fact it have been a problem in the past whit EUIV and thats why i give my humble support to the OP and dont agree whit ppl blaiming ppl internet and computer, its just to easy to point fingers that way.

 

[wright1331]

I liked playing multiplayer in EU4 but the load times are unbearable. I'm not talking about the first time you start up the multiplayer with a 1444 date; what I mean is when you save a game and then try to load it to continue playing. I don't know how they programmed it but it really shouldn't take as long as it does considering the save files are usually only a few megabytes at maximum, which with a modern internet connection like mine should take less than 10 seconds. Instead, what we have are load times that average at something like 7-10 minutes PER PLAYER. The longest I waited for a save to load for multiplayer was around 30 minutes, just for me and one friend to play some multiplayer.

Also, I noticed that the autosaves are usually something like 6 times the size of the normal saves. This is a ridiculous size in and of itself, but when coupled with the slow multiplayer loading breaks the game. And now, because of the new update, you need to restart EU4 every time you leave a game, making the loading even longer.

They really need to fix their save/load algorithms because currently, it is farcical. It seems like they have put a lot of work into the multiplayer in HOI4 and I look forward to it greatly so it would be a shame if no one plays it because of absurd problems like this. And don't even get me started on the multiplayer desyncing.

7-8 minutes WTF??
Do you have a really bad connection or a very slow hdd? (fyi my connection is 3mb down and 1 up, so nothing super fast)
With our group of 5 people it takes about 40-60 seconds to transfer the save (with random new world it use to be about 15 seconds longer, but that is no longer an issue)
Then 5-8 seconds when the game starts till everyone loads in. When my buddy had a very slow laptop (5 years old) it took him about 20 seconds to load in.

if you're is 7mins plus there is something very wrong

 

[Fulmen]

Save transferring speed has more to do with connection speed and geographical distance than anything else.

I've hosted hundreds of hours of MP, and when there's 10 Europeans or Americans in the lobby with at least decent DL speed, they all get the save within 1-2 minutes. But we often have an Australian with us who always takes several minutes to DL, mostly because he is on the other side of the planet.

 

[SirJoJo]

A simple google search will show ppl there definatly have been issues whit loading time in the past whit euIV but as said severel times earlier i dont expect it to be a problem in HOIIV as thye are mostly fixed and not a issue anymore, but claiming there never was a issue is just not true

 

[sepoquro]

Save transferring speed has more to do with connection speed and geographical distance than anything else.

I've hosted hundreds of hours of MP, and when there's 10 Europeans or Americans in the lobby with at least decent DL speed, they all get the save within 1-2 minutes. But we often have an Australian with us who always takes several minutes to DL, mostly because he is on the other side of the planet.

I do believe it has to do partially with geographical location. The longest loading times seem to be when I play with my friend in Australia. That said, it still shouldn't take that long. There has to be something wrong in the game, because I'm sure my friend can upload the save somewhere else and I can download it in less than a minute but in the game it can take up to 30 minutes, like I said.

Also, both my upload and download speeds are above 10mb/s so the problem is not that. The problem is not with my computer either since I just bought it this year and it can run the newest games like the Witcher 3 and GTA 5 without any problems either in SP or MP.

And like Sirjojo said I searched on Google and I'm definitely not the only one with these problems: https://www.google.com/search?q=eu4+slow+loading+multiplayer

 

[semaphore]

Thats exageration - upload is usually 4-16 times slower, than download, so 10mbps downlink will have 1-2mbps upload.

How is it an exaggeration to give an example of slow upload connection? I don't claim to know what everyone's internet speed everywhere in the world "usually" is. I'm only pointing out that such slow upload speeds exist even if download is reasonable.

Mine, in fact - 1mb/s down and 15kb/s up.