Can someone explain how this works exactly?

The email address for each player is self explanatory. But what about the SMTP? With this filled in, will Civ 4 actually use the CURRENT player's smtp server to send the file to the NEXT player? Doesnt it need the person's ISP username/password to do that?

If your smpt is entered and the next players email is entered, the game will use your smtp to mail the game to the next player. No, you don't need to sign into email to do this, it's all handled by the game.

The automatic sent to the next player does not seem to work for players with free email accounts like hotmail. Im in a game and the person before me has to manualy send me the file each turn. Anyone know if there is a way to fix this other then getting a different email provider?

I think that some of the free mail services have ways of accessing them via smtp. You would just have to do a little more research with those providers. Most isp's will actually supply you with up to 10 email addresses. If a free one won't work, then just use what you are given.

Might be a little difficult finding free email service providing smtp outgoing mail w/out authorization.

Have tried yahoo, bluebottle so far but a no go....

I can't even get my earthlink account to work. I know I have the settings right because I have to use an SMTP account in my outlook express (I have an earthlink account but earthlink is no longer my ISP). I can send emails out fine using:

incoming: mail.earthlink.net
outgoing: smtpauth.earthlink.net
smtp log and pass = my earthlink account information

I tried putting all this into Civ 4... nada. Very frustrating. Does anyone have PBEM working using SMTP?

Alright, to partially answer my own question since I posted it: My current ISP is comcast. I never used any of my email addresses through them. I maintain an earthlink email address. I was trying to use my earthlink email address, using their smtp authorization server, just as I do in outlook express. This did NOT work.

So if you are in that same situation, just get one of your free accounts from your current ISP as I did, and use that information. Note that, once set up, I didn't have to use a login or pass for my comcast smtp email server, and it now works.

Thanks for the replies. I see now how it SHOULD work, but have yet to achive it.

I'm on Rogers here in Canada and their SMTP does require authentication. Although I give Civ4 my user name and pass, it just comes back with a "username and/or password not accepted by smtp.broadband.rogers.com".

Any thoughts....?

Did you try just doing it without the login and pass? Comcast told me that it would require authentication, but it doesn't. Try just sending it without filling anything in for the login or pass for your smtp.

I got the same error you're getting when I tried to enter login and pass info for my smtp connection. When I took them out, it worked fine.

Also note that, if you have Norton Auto-Protect on, and you have the outgoing email scan enabled, it takes FOREVER to scan the outgoing Civ4 email. I just turned off outgoing email scanning, and left on incoming email scanning, and it all works well now.

I just tried the in game smtp feature to see if civ uses SSL/TLS or nor (it doesn't btw which means I won't be using this feature) and found something strange. It seems like the game doesn't use the pass you supply but instead uses only the password hinding symbol * for the password :crazyeye:

I just tried the in game smtp feature to see if civ uses SSL/TLS or nor (it doesn't btw which means I won't be using this feature)

Can you explain that. Is it your contention that using the feature compromises security of the PC or something?

When you want to send an e-mail over a server that requires authentication you have to supply it with your username and password.
There are several ways of doing so, one is called "AUTH PLAIN" and that is what Civ4 does.

"The mechanism consists of a single message from the client to the server. The client sends the authorization identity (identity to login as), followed by a US-ASCII NULL character, followed by the authentication identity (identity whose password will be used), followed by a US-ASCII NULL character, followed by the clear-text password. The client may leave the authorization identity empty to indicate that it is the same as the authentication identity."

That means everyone who can capture your network traffic is able to read you password. Most (I would hope all) e-mail providers support TLS/SSL where client and server establish an encrypted channel before the client supplys its password.
If you want to check it yourself get ethereal (http://www.ethereal.com/) and take a look (but only at your data, not your spouse/silbling/roommate's data ;))