Slow Cantr (time to load pages) :-(

[psymann]

I've griped about this a couple of times, but I'm going to keep banging on about it for a bit...

This Game Is So So Slow!

And I mean time-to-load-pages, not time-to-farm-potatoes.

So often, I click on a page, wait five seconds or so, give up and go away and play war of empires for a while longer. Then I get engrossed in that for a while, come back, and daren't click on anything because I'd lose 30 minutes in one go even though I wasn't playing, so I log out and start again - and then the page gets stuck again - etc etc - the reason I'm in the forum and not in the game is because I'm waiting for my aminals page to load again... (Alt-tabs to it) aha - it loaded eventually - 33 seconds.

It not as slow as the impossible peak two weeks ago, but it's still the most annoying thing in this game for me at the moment... I dread to think what would happen if I try to log in on my parents' pay-as-you-go dial-up over Christmas if it's this speed on 8Meg broadband - in fact, I can imagine the pain already, so my characters are going to sleep for the next week...!

I'm holding off recommending Cantr to any friends until the speed improves to a level where I believe they'd bother to stick around... first impressions count... at the moment, one of the first impressions is "God, this is slow!" especially if you haven't got another game to play while you wait for this one to load.

I know there is a lot of database stuff going on, and I know I am unhelpfully moaning about the problem without being able to provide any ideas for a solution. But I thought it would be useful for the coding people to know that although it's not as bad as it was two weeks ago, this is still a source of annoyance for me.

psymann

[Drakulya]

I have yet to notice any thing wrong with the speed. There was one night, but since then I haven't noticed a thing. Here and there it takes about 5 seconds, but thats not killer cause I run FireFox and have 3-4 things going at once.

If your having issues, and are using IE, I suggest you pick up FireFox or Opera. I prefer FF cause its simpler and more user friendly. With these you can never really get bored if you use the tabs. Cantr taking a few seconds? Well, go check your email, already did that? Ohh, well go check something else eBay's a good filler too... just becareful, I'm NOT responsible for any sudden drop of fundings

[Joshuamonkey]

Is firefox really better? Becasue I use IE, even though I have both. I've been using IE for a ...long time.

I do other stuff if it takes a long time.

This specific computer won't let me use the back button on Cantr. Do you know how hard it is to play Cantr without the back button?

[the_antisocial_hermit]

I have more problems with slowness using IE (at work) than Firefox (at home). I've not had any regular problems like you're talking about with slowness between pages, other than that horrible slowness a little while ago.

IE makes me shudder, and I can't stand to use it, but I don't have a choice at work. I managed to set the interface to work for me, and I figure, hey, it's their generic pos computer that they're messing up more by using IE.

[psymann]

Two main issues:

1) I'm lazy. I can't be bothered to install FireFox just to improve Cantr, since everything else I use on the internet runs fine with IE.

1b) New players really won't think "Ooh, it's running slowly, let me install FireFox", they'll think "Ooh, it's running slowly, sod it, I'll try something else".

1c) Some new players might not even know how to install FireFox - I wouldn't have a problem doing it, but then I'm computer literate, which I expect not all players (or potential players) are.



2) I do indeed go and do other things while I wait for the pages to load. The main issue here is sometimes that other thing is so interesting that I forget to come back to Cantr for twenty minutes ore more. A prime example is WoE - if I go and "quickly log in to War of Empires" for a minute, by the time I've distracted myself destroying someone's army, and then messaging them to offer cookies to make them feel better, and chatting to a couple of clan members on IM and so on, then I forget about Cantr for a bit. You're actually encouraging me to have an affair with another game, which is not good for Cantr...

2b) Sometimes I'm off doing this other thing for so long that I have to start again and log in again because I know that clicking on a link will eat 30 mins or more of my 200 permitted minutes. That wastes yet more time.

2c) Some people might not have anything else they want to do on the computer - for them, the option might be "sod it, I'm off out *deletes account*.



It is actually running at a good speed just at the minute - so perhaps I'm just unlucky (or more impatient than most) with it. Be interesting to see if it's just me having an issue with it, or whether it's a common issue. *looks around the screen* Damn, can't add a poll to this to find out, might be interesting to see a poll on:

Do you think Cantr pages take too long to load?
- very frequently
- often
- sometimes
- never

Perhaps a moderator can add that if the forum allows?

psymann

[Joshuamonkey]

You're actually encouraging me to have an affair with another game, which is not good for Cantr...

Well, I only spend an hour or so every day with 15 characters and big computer nerds need more computer time than that. lol

[west]

Aside from a few hiccups, cantr's been performing quite nicely for me. If it isn't, I go do something else. Not a big deal.

I always connect with either Firefox or Opera, though, never using IE, so if that's your problem that's your problem, I guess.

And regarding cantr loading slowly, sugar, you've got NO idea. Be grateful it's as good as it is these days.

Remember when we used to run out of bandwidth round the 20th or so of every month and the game would shut down entirely?

[Joshuamonkey]

it doesn't do that anymore?

[Sho]

Not for that reason. It hasn't done that in years.

[deadboy]

Seriously

Why does everyone hate IE so much?

I absolutely love IE compared to any other browser because it is just so much more useful!

[Dee]

After using Firefox, I disagree.

[N-Aldwitch]

Seriously

Why does everyone hate IE so much?

I absolutely love IE compared to any other browser because it is just so much more useful!

I used to say that. I used to scream IE's name to my friends who were converting to firefox, I was like 'you bastards!!'..

then I tried firefox.

It is INFINITELY better.


Can I prove this to you deadboy?
It's SO Goooood that even IE had to copy firefox!!! that's how good it is. (With the tabing etc)

[N-Aldwitch]

OH~!!!

AND IF YOU PRESS THE BACK BUTTON~
AND FORWARD AGAIN
you don't lose anything you've written!

Unlike in IE Explorer, if you've typed a big post, and want to press the back button to check what someone said, you can't.

IN FIREFOX YOU CAN!!!

www.mozillafirefox.com GOGOGO


..
on another note..
the err.. poll.. is done.

[Kreed]

Occasionally the pages hangs on loading, I stop the page load and click again and up it pops!
I have no complaints about it, in fact I could wait a little longer for more content.

Firefox!!!

[Sho]

I highly doubt IE is causing anyone problems with Cantr. Cantr has nothing on the client side. If you can use Google on your browser, you should be able to use Cantr. Server lag is server lag, and changing your browser isn't going to fix it.

Tangential rant:

I'd rather that people promoted Firefox for substantial strengths, not the idiosyncrasies of other browsers or as a knee-jerk response. Sometimes IE's behavior for the Back button is more convenient. Standards compliance and security are two things that most informed people can agree are good. Fanboyism is bad.

And a corrected link: http://www.mozilla.com