The underrated replay feature

Replays are in the game now. Did you know that? I don't think I've seen any threads talking about it. When I read the patch notes saying it was added, I almost let out an audible "meh". I've never really been one to care about replays in the past so I didn't think this feature was a big deal.

Boy was I wrong.

After playing a match where I got stomped, I tried to watch what my opponent did with the chronocam after I died. For some reason I kept getting a black screen so I just quit out, frustrated. Once I got to the main menu I saw the replay button and decided to try it out. I was presented with a list of all the most recent replays. (Did you know like 90% of the games are against the AI??) I typed in the first 3 letters of my username into the search bar and up popped the match I had just played, super fast, very nice. I don't know why, but it seems like replays are MUCH more smooth and less buggy than the chronocam.

Then I realized, this feature has much more potential. You can look up the games of ANY player to see their strategies and tactics. Want to learn the current meta? Just look up a few recent matches of some of the top players.

Also, with all the balance discussion going on right now, you can actually show other people matches you thought were imbalanced, instead of having to describe it through text (and it removes any bias). Did somebody rush a nuke in 10 minutes despite your heavy harass? Just post the lobbyID here so people can look up the replay! Or even better, if you think you've found a potentially overpowered strategy, you can prove that it works by showing several replays where you've used it. All without any recording/streaming software or fiddling with youtube.

I think a lot of balance discussion could be greatly enhanced by using replays as examples instead of relying on theorycrafting and guesswork to prove your point. I know there have been a lot of streaming and youtube videos in the past, but now literally anybody can demonstrate what they're talking about by just linking the replay ID.

As I said, if you haven't tried out the replay feature yet, you should!

awesome!!!

Yeah I've played a few matches where I've played against a good opponent and pulled off a risky snipe to win or I got sniper myself. Now I can save the replay for bragging rights or see the enemie's strategies.

I tried it but the game didn't load so I assumed it didn't work yet. This is real cool. Think imma start a good game thread.

lol, we've been hyping over this feature for so long here on the forums! welcome to the club!

So, are replays not saved forever? I went looking for the games I played last night and I can't find them now...

This sounds particularly useful for balancing, going forward.

They kind of are.
You have to search for names not on the list, the list only cover the 50 (or so) most recent matches.

PA Stats will link replays. Soon(TM)

I loved watching the Replay Channel in Super Street Fighter 4 Arcade Edition. Followed "Genanigans". He kicked *** with gen juggles. Loved how fun it is to watch a gen player.

That will be Zaphod soon.

Ah, so when I switched from "recent games" to "my games" I was able to find some of my old replays, but how would other people search for them? If I type in "Krakanu" without switching to "my games", they don't show up.

Hi folks! Glad some of you are trying out the new replay feature!

Regarding the "recent games" limitations vs "my games" and whatnot; this is mostly a temporary UI thing, and we're working on better replay UI right now. What's up there right now is very placeholder.

Don't worry, your replay files are still there, even if they fall off the recent games list. We do still have some long-term replay versioning issues to work out (see my post over here: https://forums.uberent.com/threads/the-vanguard-newsletter-issue-4.58804/page-2#post-915077 ), but that's not the immediate concern; right now it's just that the current UI is constrained in what it can display.

We have to limit the number of recent games we display in order to not hammer our servers, however the "my games" list is custom per user and has no time limitations. But we do intend to allow "direct linking" to replays by lobby ID soon if you know the ID (plus using the friends list to navigate to friends' replays), so keep those lobby IDs handy if you have favorites!

And until we roll out this new replay browsing UI, there's nothing preventing an intrepid modder from modding the replay browser page to support direct linking. A temporary measure sure, but it's an option.

I wonder if linking replays would be useful for bug/glitch reproduction in the tracker.

The replay feature is seriously cool. I went through and spent an hour taking screenshots of one engagement between Boylobster and another player. There's a moment in that match where they pretty much recreate this poster from Empire of the Sun


Twas wicked.

Will we be able to search for replays by user?

Of course they are. It's a strategy game. Strategy games seem to attract "singleplayer" players.

lol, whagada-whaaaaa??? Don't tease me (or stalk me ); what in the procedurally-generated world are you talking about? If I did something awesome, I must know! Especially if there's a record!

...because it doesn't happen often.

You played some player, he went advanced air, you went bots, you moved a bunch of Doxen and stingers next to his air factory, and sniped his commander with a catapult.

It was the only 1v1 game played between humans on the list I've taken some screenshots, they are on my steam.

Oh yeahhhh, that poor guy! He was about to die of natural causes (read, T2 tanks) even if the catapult hadn't gotten him. It was just a poor match-up. What are your screenshots, though, and how the hell could they look like Empire of the Sun? Who even remembers that movie? What was this thread about, anyway?!?

Sorry for jacking your thread. It's just, y'know... people be talkin'.

Sorry they haven't uploaded to steam. Ill upload them here later, in this post. I'll send you a like notification when I've done that.


It's these two that are kind of similar to EotS. It's the poster in reverse.





These 3 are just bonuses

Haha, looking forward to it! I'm actually really curious; I can't believe anyone would want to watch one of my games. I would blush, but, y'know... the carapace.

I am wondering what peoples thoughts are on all replays currently being public? Is this expected to change?

I was expecting there to be an option to define whether you wanted to make replays of your games public, friends only or private. Of course, this would need some consideration of how you handle multiplayer games where participants have different settings, but I would imagine that as a competitive scene develops, games between training partners, within clans or just practice vs the AI would want to be kept private so as not to give away new strategies that people are trying out.