Civ 3 complete multiplayer can't get started

[RoxEtani]

Alright, I know this is probably a 100 per cent noobish question, and its in the wrong forum or something, and I know I'm probably going to get a lot of yelling in caps lock and bashing, so I would just like to ask, maybe we could skip that part?

My cousin and I are trying to play Civ 3 multiplayer together. I've only played multiplayer once before, hot seat with my dad, so I'm a bit lost. We both have the complete edition through Steam, but we can't figure out how to make anything happen. We've both tried hosting, and eventually the game just shuts back to the main menu, and we tried direct IP connection, but it just kept counting off 20 seconds to connect for about an hour, and I guess we just don't know what to do.

I've been reading for the last few hours about ports, and firewalls, and lobbies and servers and my head is just spinning. I can't keep track of it all. So I was hoping somebody here could just tell me what to do, since you guys helped me awhile back with another question (I'm afraid I don't remember what it was,)

I'm running vista, if anyone needs to know, and like I said, I got the game through Steam (which may be the problem, but I don't want to admit it <.<) and my internet connection is super fast and stuff.

Anyway, thank you for any help you can give me. I completely appreciate it!!! ^0^

 

[web25]

having the exact same problem with a friend. we both have the game and play through a disc. we even opened all ports on our computer and router and still cant host. we can both join a game though so thats good.

 

[RoxEtani]

Both our computers asked us if we wanted to allow the program through the firewall and we both said yes--do you know if we need to open the ports manually?

 

[MasterBTB]

Yeah, I know this is a pretty big bump, but a couple of friends and I are having the same problem. My friend is trying to host, and it's worked before, but now it doesn't We all have the game through Steam. The thing is, it worked once, but now it doesn't. All of our firewalls are letting Civ 3 through.

 

[Cyc]

What does Steam say?

 

[Elite]

Use Hamachi, I never had any problems.