CiV won't launch...
- Thread starter Walter R
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Archon_Wing
Vote for me or die
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Periodically, you have to be online for the DRM check. It shouldn't be a problem after you successfully launch the game through steam once (and get any associated updates, though I don't think that would be a problem.) But I'd imagine something is trying to update or perhaps the servers are acting funny.
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Lost Soul 1
Chieftain
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Join the club.
This happened (as of June 15th) for many offline-only players (doesn't seem to affect online play of Civ5 or other games that other people have reported are equally disturbed -- like Borderlands, XCOM, Civ BE). I -- along with several/many others -- have already put in a report to Steam about the problem, since from other forum reading/posts, I've concluded that the problem is with Steam (and probably DRM date elapsing-related). But no fix has been generated and distributed...yet.
One (short-term) workaround that I've read works -- but only on a one- or two-time basis: Set your computer clock/date back to June 13th or June 12th and you should be able to play offline for awhile. (I'm not sure how far back in time is guaranteed to work -- before the June 15th loading issue "effectivity" date, that is -- but others have reported that going back too far in the computer date calendar doesn't seem to fix anything.) Haven't tried it, since I'm really hoping (expecting) Steam to permanently fix this for Civ5 and other affected games.
BTW, the usual "symptoms" of this offline game loading/bootup issue are: (1) launch Civ5 as usual (in offline mode, of course -- online play doesn't see to experience this glitch); (2) select which DX version you want to play the game with; (3) a "Preparing to launch..." pop up appears (along with moving periods/dots at the end of the pop-up message) -- which is odd, since this never appeared before in my 2+ years of continual offline Civ5 gaming; (4) [after a while, usually 30 to 60 seconds] an error message pop-up occurs informing you that the "Steam servers are too busy to handle..." along with an "error code (3)" tag.
IMO, this is really a crappy thing that Steam has imposed through its platform on some (now) out-of-date games. No amount (yet) of uninstalling/re-installing or "verify game contents" options seems to fix this anomaly. Ugh!
glider1
Deity
I tried the "clock" fix but but now it will not even run in online either. It keeps "preparing to launch" in an endless loop.
phillipwyllie
Wannabe Deity
Works for me.
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I can't play Civ 5 in offline mode either. Only online mode. "Steam servers are too busy to handle your request...Error code 3"
Is there a fix?
Is there a fix?
glider1
Deity
Set the computer date to any date before 14th-June-17 start the game then put your clock back to normal.
This steam bug is a wake up call that we cannot necessarily play any Steam game even offline unless Steam authorises it each and every time.
Lost Soul 1
Chieftain
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An alternative (that I learned from the Steam Community "Civilization V" Discussion forum):
Apply the latest Steam beta update (6/21 release?) via your Steam account and the computer you want to play offline Civ5 on. There are more precise instructions (e.g., need to turn on ability to download/install beta Steam updates, need to apply the update while connected to online) on the Steam Community discussion (shouldn't be able to miss the topic since it has 8+ pages of responses/comments).
Apply the beta Steam Update worked for both of my computers on which I regularly (and once again) play Civ5 offline.
glider1
Deity
Thanks for the info.
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Hmmmm. Seems to be working okay "offline" now. I didn't fix anything!
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