Why is this game such a chore...

[Sparky]

I don't experience AoE lag.

You might not but many people do, its more of mild latency issues but it is enough to get you killed in things like weight of the land, landslides, etc. I play on a NA server using on a not-so-great ISP connection in Japan run by an American company (military), and some days I'll have great speeds/latency and can dodge like a pro... other days, I cant get out of an aoe to save my life. It has nothing to do with my play style since on my screen I'll be on the edge of the arena but a weight of the land in the center somehow kills me even though I obviously ran out of it and am miles away :P

Well there is the problem I would imagine. Not really the game's fault that you're stuck with a patchy internet service.

[XiXiQ]

Well there is the problem I would imagine. Not really the game's fault that you're stuck with a patchy internet service.

When the game has their hand out for money from people from the southern hemishpere, and have no servers anywhere near them, then yes, it's the game's fault. Latency is dictated by distance from server. (lag/rubber-banding, etc is typically due to packet loss and distance has little affect)

No-one is expecting a full rewrite so checks are made client-side - but there has to be other options they should consider, like adjusting the cast times presented to the client taking pings into consideration. Or just add the extra .5 second people need in those situations and be done with it.

[Sparky]

When the game has their hand out for money from people from the southern hemishpere, and have no servers anywhere near them, then yes, it's the game's fault. Latency is dictated by distance from server. (lag/rubber-banding, etc is typically due to packet loss and distance has little affect)

The poster I replied to plays on a NA server which is located in NA yet they are playing from JP using a poor quality ISP. You propose that SE implement changes that affect the majority to satisfy the minority? Do you even realize how ridiculous that sounds? That's like me complaining that the game is too hard if I was playing on a patchy 3G connection. It's not the game that is at fault it's that the player is ill-equipped to play it at 100% effectiveness, albeit through no fault of their own.

I can picture a racing driver crying "waaahwaaahwahh make the other drivers slower because my car can't drive as fast!". No. It doesn't work like that. You either have to accept you are an also-ran until you join a better team, or else stop racing.

[XiXiQ]

You propose that SE implement changes that affect the majority to satisfy the minority?

Everyone playing should be afforded the EXACT SAME reaction time, regardless of their location. At the moment, this isn't the case.

Frankly, I cannot see how such considerations would even affect the "majority" who happen to have decent ping times. If anything, it would enhance their experience - if one person in the party is at a disadvantage through no fault of their own, the entire party suffers in the end - and it's unnecessary.