Latest update killed direct IP connection

A

Aweather

Chieftain
Joined
Jul 13, 2013
Messages
15
The direct IP connection option is missing after the lastest update. Does anyone know how to fix this? Any suggestions would be highly appreciated!
 
It seems the most likely answer to why Direct IP was removed from the Steam version (not the CD version) is that there was some kind of legal agreement to give Steam control over all multiplayer functionality. Yes, it's nonsense.

I've written this email to 2K.

The recent Steam multiplayer update for Civilization IV - specifically the removal of "Direct IP" - has broken the Pitboss functionality of the game for Steam users. There is a small but enthusiastic community of several hundred people who still play active Civilization IV Pitboss games daily (see e.g. http://www.civstats.com/allgames.php for one of several sites tracking these games).

As of today, Direct IP functionality was removed for Steam users, which means only users with the CD version of the game can continue playing Pitboss games. As a result, a significant number of Pitboss players are unable to continue to play in games they have invested - in many cases - months of their time into.

Pitboss games are hosted locally by individuals on a private server to which other players can connect via Direct IP, with each game typically running for 6-12 months. Pitboss games are not, and have never been, connected through Gamespy or any third party. There is no practical reason why Pitboss games need be affected by the end of Gamespy services. I can only imagine legal reasons (e.g. attempting to make all multiplayer exclusive to Steam).

I would like to urge any parties responsible to reconsider the removal of "Direct IP" from Steam version of Civilization IV. The hundreds of Pitboss enthusiasts are a small fraction of the total multiplayer audience, but they too are paying customers. It does not seem right to remove functionality from their games which is entirely unrelated to Gamespy/Steam services, especially since CD users still maintain full access to Direct IP and Pitboss.

Please re-integrate Direct IP functionality into the Steam version to accommodate the hundreds of Pitboss enthusiasts! If you are unable to help, please forward this email to someone who can. Hundreds of paying customers are awaiting an answer.
Click to expand...
 
I have also written to the 2K support.

Do you know if the patch was forced also to the Steam Mac version of the game?
 
Aweather said:
Yeah, terrible decision... Now my PitBoss game is halted.

I realized I can put the game up on "Internet games", but I don't know how to create a password protection from a saved game...
Click to expand...
I am currently in a Civ 5 pitboss game and we log in by typing the IP address into the box at the bottom of the internet lobby of the Civ 5 pitboss screen.

I have no idea if a similar approach can work for BTS pitboss via steam, or whether disk players could link up that way.

dV
 
I have made a post in the official 2K forums about the removal of Direct IP from Steam versions of the game. Here it is:

http://forums.2k.com/showthread.php?563191-Steam-multiplayer-update-and-Civilization-IV-Pitboss

To everyone who plays in Direct IP games: Please take a minute to register an account, and make a short post in the thread linked above.

I suggest to write in your short message:

- Your username and which civ fansite(s) you hail from.
- Which version of the game you purchased (CD or Steam).
- Mention how this issue affects all players, because even CD users can't continue Direct IP games with Steam users. The removal of Direct IP from Steam divides an already small multiplayer community down the middle.
- End with a strong request that Direct IP be re-integrated into the Steam version of Civ4.

Feel free to use your own words. Be firm, but civil - profanity won't help the cause.

For example, in my case:

I am Lord Parkin from Civfanatics and Realms Beyond. I purchased the CD version of Civ4. I am deeply disappointed with the removal of Direct IP from Steam versions, because all of my friends with the Steam version can no longer play in our Pitboss games together. This issue has needlessly divided our community. Please re-integrate Direct IP into the Steam version of the Civ4.
Click to expand...

Please register an account and post your own quick message in the thread linked above now. It only takes a minute, and it could make a real difference! :)
 
I was able to restore DirectIp functionality in BtS for both the game and the PitBoss server following GermanJojo's post with some differences:

1) Turn off auto-updates for Civ4 on Steam (Library-> right click on Civ 4 BtS -> Properties -> Updates -> Do not automatically update this game).

2) Close Steam.

3) Replaced following files from a not up to date version:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Sid Meier's Civilization IV Beyond the Sword\Beyond the Sword\Civ4BeyondSword.exe
(MD5: 8e7bccc61849d684bfbba44e9c9bc647 - SHA1: 541f9b20da74d2a94dc1d9b49bb9dd8116e6c72e)

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Sid Meier's Civilization IV Beyond the Sword\Beyond the Sword\Civ4BeyondSword_PitBoss.exe
(MD5: 018697e7197ae214e7ca7da3093f58e5 - SHA1: af5805d237430e8891cd34b1d94985222f4dd7a2)

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Sid Meier's Civilization IV Beyond the Sword\Beyond the Sword\Assets\Python\PitBoss\PbWizard.py
(MD5: 0537702ddbbb4649914db16e166894e6 - SHA1: 628968016d4ce29c0b0cd969888e3b7026ec641f)

(It was not necessary to replace CvGameCoreDLL.dll.)

4) Restart Steam and load the game.

As reference my platform is Windows 7 x64.
Be careful to don't mix Vanilla/Warlords/BtS files while you replace them.
 
We are all converging on the same answer, with variations that differ by goal.

fdelbene, I am curious as to how you discovered which files to change. I found my list from the asset checker on the HOF site that helps trouble shoot the HOF and BUFFY mods. HOF asset checker is at http://hof.civfanatics.net/civ4/mod.php?show=assetschecker

(Those are used in HOF and GOTM to check for standardized versions and to assure locked modified assets ... and also contain a lot of great tools).

My goal was to achieve backward compatibility with pre-update HOF and GOTM games, which would also achieve allowing steam players and disk players to play the same saves with HOF or BUFFY mods.

For that, in BTS, (and also for vanilla), there were eight (or four) file swaps that made the fix, as listed below.

Details in these posts:

http://forums.civfanatics.com/showpo...0&postcount=69

http://forums.civfanatics.com/showpo...3&postcount=70

I suppose short of a folder-wide replacement, what one needs to swap will depend on what goal (what level of backward compatibility) you are trying to get.

Eventually, we might end up with one larger master Rollback list of swaps, that fixes all important functionality.

dV
 
I started replacing the two exes as in GermanJojo's post.
Unfortunately, even if the game was working, the PitBoss setup wizard was not showing the DirectIp option. Browsing the folders I noticed the file PbWizard.py with last modified date of two days ago and tried to replace it. :)

I'm not sure about stability, but I was able to load my previous game (no mod) in PitBoss and log in by DirectIp from the game.
 
I understand it's possible to tinker with the game to get Direct IP working again, but it would still be far preferable if 2K can restore the functionality to Steam users by default. Not all players are willing or able to fiddle with their game files to re-enable Direct IP, and some Pitboss games have already lost players as a result. Hopefully we'll see a positive outcome from 2K at some point. :)
 
Lord Parkin said:
I understand it's possible to tinker with the game to get Direct IP working again, but it would still be far preferable if 2K can restore the functionality to Steam users by default.
Click to expand...

I wholeheartedly agree with you.
I got this reply from 2K support:
We can look into returning the Direct IP feature of the game but for tight now, with the shift to the Steamworks system, we cannot. If we have any updates on changes to the multiplayer, we will post about it on the 2K blog or the article below.
http://support.2k.com/hc/en-us/articles/201967707-2K-Online-Server-Migration-from-GameSpy-Technology
Click to expand...

In the meanwhile having a workaround can mitigate the pain we feel.. ;)
My pitboss game has now run perfectly for three days, and both me and a friend of mine (who has the Steam Mac unpatched version) were able to play without problems. My friend got a warning when logging in, something about the host (me) having different files, but that's all.

I hope it can help.
 
fdelbene said:
I was able to restore DirectIp functionality in BtS for both the game and the PitBoss server following
Click to expand...

What about PBEM games? Can you suggest what to replace in order to run older PBEM games (requiring same files for everyone).
 
Unfortunately I never had a PBEM game.

If you send me a save game I can try... but cannot guarantee anything!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

H
Civilization IV and V on Windows II
Replies
5
Views
1K
coolhandluke11
C
E
C2C install crash
Replies
0
Views
191
Evil_Draugen94
E
jarcast2
Fix for bugged River City Connection trait
Replies
19
Views
582
Rekk
Rekk
S
Few multiplayer setup questions (two players, two machines)
Replies
0
Views
781
S100Headache
S
F
Shift key is not working on unit order queueing
Replies
8
Views
542
Felis catus
F
Top Bottom