The following is a statement directly from Firaxis. I hope this helps:
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Thank you for writing about your concerns with the Civilization III:
Play the World product.
Unfortunately, we too have discovered that the released product, for some users on some setups, does not successfully deliver the expected multiplayer gaming experience. These users may encounter sudden crashes or unplayable delays while playing in an Internet multiplayer game. We understand your frustration and want you to understand that we are determined and committed to create a high quality gaming experience worthy of the Civilization name.
Fortunately, we have discovered the problems causing many of these issues. We are working to create a software update that will fully address the most commonly reported problems with Internet play, including unusual lags and crashes. To demonstrate our commitment to quality and to prevent further frustrations, we will not release this update until our quality assurance has fully and completely tested it. Please monitor the Civ3.com page for more information as to the availability of this software update.
The planned software update will not address other problems that you may experience that are not related to the software, such as:
- playing from behind a firewall. Please see
http://www.gamespyarcade.com/support/firewalls.shtml
for troubleshooting information on firewall setups.
- playing from a slow Internet connection. If you or players in your game have unusually high ping rates, the communication between players and the pace of the game may slow to an unplayable level. This behavior is a common problem for all Internet-based multiplayer games.
- playing with a pirated copy of the game. "Cracked" or "warez"
versions of the product, whether in your hands or in the hands of a player connected to your game, can cause unpredictable behavior.
In the meantime, if you are still unable to host or join an online
multiplayer game, we ask that you continue to enjoy the additional single player content and scenario editor contained in the expansion pack, and to be patient while we continue work on delivering you the opportunity to truly Play the World.
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