Is it possible

[Ex.plode]

To play CIV5 using two computers without an internet connection?

Reason is playing hotseat on my current computer lags alot, and I won't have internet for a couple days, but still wanted to play with my bro. (We aren't going to be far at all, staying at the same place)


If there is an obvious answer I am sorry, I'm not the best guy when it comes to stuff like this

 

[vexing]

multiplayer -> local network
steam will cause problems anyway unless you're able to launch it beforehand.

 

[anandus]

Yeah, put Steam in offline-mode and play over the local network. No problem.

Mind you, the game is probably as fast as the weakest link, so if a hotseat game lags, a multiplayer LAN-game might also lag.

 

[Ex.plode]

So if I set it to offline it will roll over if I shut it down?

And can anyone explain how this works, LAN doesn't require an internet connection of any kind?

And the hotseat game lag's 'cuz of my RAM I think, I can play fine solo but hotseat is to much apparently

 

[anandus]

So if I set it to offline it will roll over if I shut it down?

Yeah, as long as you have set Steam to remember your password it should be allright.
When there's no internet connection Steam detects that and will ask you if it should start in offline mode. I do that with my laptop all the time.
Mind you, sometimes (one in fifty times or so), it has a bad day and wants to connect (often after an update to Steam). And then it's really annoying. But most of the times you're allright.
If you want to be on the save side putSteam in offline mode right now (in Steam go to Steam menu in top-left corner and choose 'go offline') and never turn off your computer

And can anyone explain how this works, LAN doesn't require an internet connection of any kind?

That's correct. As the name implies, Local Area Network, it's a local thing. Also a Civ 5 LAN-game is seperate from Steam (as far as I know), so it doesn't care if Steam is on- or offline.

 

[Ex.plode]

Yeah, as long as you have set Steam to remember your password it should be allright.
When there's no internet connection Steam detects that and will ask you if it should start in offline mode. I do that with my laptop all the time.
Mind you, sometimes (one in fifty times or so), it has a bad day and wants to connect (often after an update to Steam). And then it's really annoying. But most of the times you're allright.
If you want to be on the save side putSteam in offline mode right now (in Steam go to Steam menu in top-left corner and choose 'go offline') and never turn off your computer
That's correct. As the name implies, Local Area Network, it's a local thing. Also a Civ 5 LAN-game is seperate from Steam (as far as I know), so it doesn't care if Steam is on- or offline.

Excellent.

Let me get this straight, a LAN lobby doesn't have to have a router/connection, it's an over-the-air kind of deal?

 

[anandus]

Well you need to have at least two computer connected in one way or another, of course

 

[Ex.plode]

Well you need to have at least two computer connected in one way or another, of course

I'm not sure if your joking or not


If you aren't, does the connection need to be physical?

 

[anandus]

I'm not sure if your joking or not

If you aren't, does the connection need to be physical?

I meant that there needs to be a rudimentary network of sorts.

Either physical (cable) or through wifi and one can connect two computers either directly or with a switch/hub/router in between.

 

[Louis XXIV]

You also need two copies of the game if you haven't figured that out.

 

[Ex.plode]

You need two copies to play LAN?


And how would I need to connect the two computers physically, through an ethernet cable or something?

 

[vexing]

http://www.lmgtfy.com/?q=network+two+computers+without+a+router

 

[anandus]

Yes, an ethernet cable will do. Make sure you have the right one (straight, not crossed, if I'm correct).
I'd suggest having a look on Google for a basic network setup (the cable, ip addresses, workgroup if applicable, etc.).
There are probably some helpful sites out there to get your network going.

And make sure the network works (the computers 'see' eachother) before trying civ.

 

[Louis XXIV]

You need two copies to play LAN?

Someone will correct me if I'm wrong. I'm pretty sure, once you have it on two computers, that it would be considered the equivalent of online multiplayer.

However, since you're playing "offline," it might not do the internet check and will allow you to play on two computers with the same copy. Just make sure you validate it online with each computer at least once.

 

[Ex.plode]

Someone will correct me if I'm wrong. I'm pretty sure, once you have it on two computers, that it would be considered the equivalent of online multiplayer.

However, since you're playing "offline," it might not do the internet check and will allow you to play on two computers with the same copy. Just make sure you validate it online with each computer at least once.

Found out I can't double install


I have a spare ethernet cable though, and we both have the appropriate ports for them, so I'll see what happens and post results, or if i need more help

 

[Louis XXIV]

You can install or more than one computer. You have to sign into the same Steam account, though (share the password). If you play offline mode only, you can both play at once, best I can tell.

You will not be able to play a LAN game where it's only installed on one computer. I can tell you that right now.

 

[ViterboKnight]

My experience is that you CAN install on multiple computers.

However, if you try to launch it, even with Steam in offline mode, if an internet connection is available it will still try to connect and check for concurrency (the same CIV copy running on several computers), blocking every instance but the first.

The only way I found was to disable the network device on one computer (simply putting steam online was not enough). However, in this way, no LAN multiplayer is possible (of course!).

 

[Louis XXIV]

I think that's right.

 

[jtb1127]

multiplayer -> local network
steam will cause problems anyway unless you're able to launch it beforehand.

This explains it.

 

[fleitner]

The only way I found was to disable the network device on one computer (simply putting steam online was not enough). However, in this way, no LAN multiplayer is possible (of course!).

If you're using Windows 7 (dunno about Vista) you can also block steam from accessing the internet in the Windows firewall (advanced settings, outbound rule). That way steam can not call home and is forced to offline mode (and will stay in offline mode until I decide otherwise).

I use this so my wife can play Civ5 while I play another Steam based game, but it also works for Civ5 LAN multi player (as Civ5 can access the network). We tried it once to find out if we like the multiplayer (I don't).

The only problem that I encountered is that the Civ5 games could not join into one multiplayer game as the steam account nick was identical. The solution to this is to change the nick before putting steam offline, then changing it back for the other PC (which can stay connected to steam).