LAN on one copy?

[TheSwampCelt]

Hello, Civ Fanatics!

Without hotseat (and LAN is better anyways, simu-turns, yay!) me and my brother have no way to play with each other than to buy another entire copy. When we both try LAN in offline mode we get "Acquiring Host Information" indefinitely, and I assume this is because we have the same name in-game because of steam, or because we have the same game key.

It'd be cool if I could get confirmation though that the only way is to buy another copy, before I dump a bunch of money into it. I assume I'd have to buy expansions for both as well... ala Starcraft 2.

Thanks!

And yeah, I registered just to ask this... that's how I roll.

 

[hardcore_gamer]

You cannot play a LAN game without buying 2 copies. That's how STEAM works.

I would not buy another copy right away however until it is confirmed if Civ 5 will have a hotseat option or not. They might decide to add it later.

 

[DanX2007]

I decided to test this out with my computers, and I too got the "waiting for host" indefinitely (or at least for the 15 minutes I left it "connecting") with both steams in offline mode. Looks like you may be out of luck here. I personally would follow hardcore_gamer's advice: wait until hotseat is confirmed. For example, I bought Empire: Total war expecting a multiplayer campaign, and it has yet to be released a year later.

 

[thFrgttn]

For example, I bought Empire: Total war expecting a multiplayer campaign, and it has yet to be released a year later.

Off Topic I know but Empire: Total War multiplayer is available, you need to register here http://www.totalwar.com/empire/beta/

 

[Kaezin]

You can get it working, I've been playing LAN the last day or two with just a single steam account. All I had to do was rename my steam account profile name while the other machine was already in offline mode:

1. Sign in on computer A. Enter offline mode on computer A.
2. Sign in on computer B. Change your username to something different. Optionally enter offline mode - I didn't have enter offline mode on computer B in order to get it working.
3. Start Civ on both computers and enjoy LAN.

If that doesn't work, check your firewall settings and make sure Civ 5 isn't blocked. For some reason it was blocked on one of my machines; I'm assuming my girlfriend accidently hit "Block" when the firewall popup appeared but she didn't realize it.

 

[Maniacal]

By doing the above you might get it working, it doesn't always (either that or people keep doing it wrong, I haven't tried myself). I know Simon has done it (and left his girlfriend on the one logged into the internet... which leads to hilarious results).

 

[DanX2007]

Off Topic I know but Empire: Total War multiplayer is available, you need to register here http://www.totalwar.com/empire/beta/

Wow, it's beta but it's better than nothing. You are a gentleman and a scholar, thank you.

(My apologies for the derailment)

 

[Ignorant Teacher]

I didn't have enter offline mode on computer B in order to get it working.

You'd have to if you wanted to add a third computer.

I find your work-around legit.