My Civ4 exp so far
..
Here is my system
2.8ghz
1gb of ram
HD - 7200rpm drive
DVD Writer
DVD ROM
X800 Pro - 5.10 Cat Drivers
Audigy Gamer latest drivers .forget number
XP Pro SP2 Have all the updates from M$.
Firewall:
Software: Norton 2005
Hardware: Netgear Router
Bought game at EB. ($49.99)
Come home install. Choose custom install and install it for my admin account only and I UNCHECK make rule for Firewall.
Install game from my DVD writer. 1st Disk installs fine. 2nd disk wont install on my DVD writer. Install 2nd disk with DVD reader without issue.
I guess this has to do the the copy protection. So my curious mind does some simple searches and find out how to copy the game. They shouldnt have invested money in the protection It was broken WAY to easy.
Honestly this is for a backup. Constantly switching CDs out leaves more room to scratch them etc etc. I could have got the game for free through a file sharing service. I could have downloaded it during lunch.
Anyway .Fire the game up ..go to the options set the rez to 1600x1200. No issue.
Fire the game up and play single player. No Issue.
Go to Multiplayer and create an account. No Issue.
Log into game and talking with ppl in the lobby. No Issue.
Try to connect to a buddy. ISSUE. Could not connect.
So I disable Norton. No help. Still couldnt connect.
Diable Norton ..Take Router out of the picture. ( Did this to test... Wouldnt go w/o Firewalls for long.)
Try a direct connect both ways and without any firewalls. Same Result.
All other games, internet and apps like voice-over-ip are working with hardware and software firewall up. This points me back to the game software only. Im talking to buddies as they are playing the game . 
I uninstall using the Uninstall method in the Contol Panel. (Reboot for good measure. Its Windows.  )
Install the game once more using Express Install and leaving all checkboxes checked. Basic install .no changes. Next Next Next Finsh. No Issue. Game Installs w/o error.
Fire up Mutliplayer with all firewalls disabled. Game Works.
Add Civ4 Exe to Nortons rule. Game Works.
Change Wires. I add the Netgear Router in. Game Works.
Sweet!
So connection issues are fixed. I can only assume not checking that box makes more changes that I assumed or understand.
So 2 other friends meet up in lobby and create a game. 7 players. 3 of us humans on 1 team. 4 AI on different teams. (We are new to Civ so ..going slow is a must for now.)
We are going along and then my 1 buddy keeps dropping. We vote to wait. He joins and plays for awhile and then drops 2 more times. He gives up logs out of the voice-over-ip app never to return. (Mad)
Me and my buddy keep on playing for another 30 minutes or so and BAM.
CTD Crash to desktop. Around 12:15am EST (Oct27 early morning). No warning no errors. Boom just dropped.
We are talking in the voice-over-ip app and it happened to both of us and the exact same time.
Game over. Will try again tonight.
Im writing this so others with the same problems can see that there are many bugs with the software and they arent chucking their PCs out the window thinking its some kind of user error.
Milkski
Here is my system
2.8ghz
1gb of ram
HD - 7200rpm drive
DVD Writer
DVD ROM
X800 Pro - 5.10 Cat Drivers
Audigy Gamer latest drivers .forget number
XP Pro SP2 Have all the updates from M$.
Firewall:
Software: Norton 2005
Hardware: Netgear Router
Bought game at EB. ($49.99)
Come home install. Choose custom install and install it for my admin account only and I UNCHECK make rule for Firewall.
Install game from my DVD writer. 1st Disk installs fine. 2nd disk wont install on my DVD writer. Install 2nd disk with DVD reader without issue.
I guess this has to do the the copy protection. So my curious mind does some simple searches and find out how to copy the game. They shouldnt have invested money in the protection It was broken WAY to easy.
Honestly this is for a backup. Constantly switching CDs out leaves more room to scratch them etc etc. I could have got the game for free through a file sharing service. I could have downloaded it during lunch.
Anyway .Fire the game up ..go to the options set the rez to 1600x1200. No issue.
Fire the game up and play single player. No Issue.
Go to Multiplayer and create an account. No Issue.
Log into game and talking with ppl in the lobby. No Issue.
Try to connect to a buddy. ISSUE. Could not connect.
So I disable Norton. No help. Still couldnt connect.
Diable Norton ..Take Router out of the picture. ( Did this to test... Wouldnt go w/o Firewalls for long.)
Try a direct connect both ways and without any firewalls. Same Result.
All other games, internet and apps like voice-over-ip are working with hardware and software firewall up. This points me back to the game software only. Im talking to buddies as they are playing the game . 
I uninstall using the Uninstall method in the Contol Panel. (Reboot for good measure. Its Windows.  )
Install the game once more using Express Install and leaving all checkboxes checked. Basic install .no changes. Next Next Next Finsh. No Issue. Game Installs w/o error.
Fire up Mutliplayer with all firewalls disabled. Game Works.
Add Civ4 Exe to Nortons rule. Game Works.
Change Wires. I add the Netgear Router in. Game Works.
Sweet!
So connection issues are fixed. I can only assume not checking that box makes more changes that I assumed or understand.
So 2 other friends meet up in lobby and create a game. 7 players. 3 of us humans on 1 team. 4 AI on different teams. (We are new to Civ so ..going slow is a must for now.)
We are going along and then my 1 buddy keeps dropping. We vote to wait. He joins and plays for awhile and then drops 2 more times. He gives up logs out of the voice-over-ip app never to return. (Mad)
Me and my buddy keep on playing for another 30 minutes or so and BAM.
CTD Crash to desktop. Around 12:15am EST (Oct27 early morning). No warning no errors. Boom just dropped.
We are talking in the voice-over-ip app and it happened to both of us and the exact same time.
Game over. Will try again tonight.
Im writing this so others with the same problems can see that there are many bugs with the software and they arent chucking their PCs out the window thinking its some kind of user error.
Milkski
