Multiplayer issues - Internet & LAN

[Pugglewuggle]

Hi, I have Civ 3 Gold (Original and PTW) and I can't get multiplayer to work NO MATTER WHAT!!! I love this game and want to play with my gf!

I don't understand. Maybe I just don't know how to use it. I have Windows Firewall set to let the game through as well as the direct play 8 thing and it still doesn't show any games or want to work (even when one is already hosted. Chat sometimes works on internet, but never on LAN.

I've never seen a game where multiplayer mode just DOES NOT work!

I'm a computer/networking guy (Cisco, MSCP) so I *think* I should be able to get this working. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated though!

Please help!

 

[agreen]

Have you tried to disable Windows firewall?





________________________________________________________
LAN chat software team

 

[Pugglewuggle]

I have Windows Firewall set to let the game through as well as the direct play 8...

I'm a computer/networking guy (Cisco, MSCP) so I *think* I should be able to get this working.

I sure have. Any other suggestions? Can ANYBODY get this to work?

Work, Civ III, WORK!!!

 

[flyingkitty]

3 points:
1) You probably need the 1.22 patch or whatever patch the other player is using anyway.
2) If you have a modem router, you'll be as screwed as I am for multiplayer games (no idea how to sort this!)
3) Try play by email!!! Might sound dorky, but I love it! Is especially good for later in the game when you take 15+ minute turns!

 

[Pugglewuggle]

We both have Civ 3 Gold which includes PTW. Both of us have patch 1.27f, the version the game is shipped with.

As far as the router goes, I opened all ports relating to the game, both incoming and outgoing (it is a Cisco as I am a network guy! )

Wouldn't PBEM take FOREVER?

 

[flyingkitty]

People actually play PBEM!! I guess it depends on what you mean by "forever" and how many turns each player plays per day. If you set it to accelerated production, that's 256 turns at most, so assuming you did only 8 turns per day with say 196 turns, that would be 24.5 days! If you wanted normal production, that'd still be under 2 months.

I reckon at 30mins per turn, I could do at least 24 turns PBEM turns per day! Am just about to start my 3rd current pbem game because the player in the most active game is only posting 1 turn a day on average.

An advantage to PBEM is that you can still play the game for up to 30mins or so even if the other player is sleeping, at work etc! You can just go to it when you have time I guess the disadvantage is if there are several players, *then* it can take longer and it's not so easy to do so many turns per day.

 

[Pugglewuggle]

Geez!!! That is forever! Lol!

 

[rysingsun]

ports can be blocked through windows and through your provider (phone company). What you both should consider trying is calling your provider's technical support and tell them what you are trying to do and ask them if they can open the relevant ports. This solved my own problem.

Check out http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=41540

 

[flyingkitty]

Note to Puggle: I just started a 2-player PBEM game (on Accelerated Production, No Regicide, 1 settler+1 worker start) yesterday evening, and played the first 41 turns! I'm now on turn 50 in the 2nd day!

 

[Pugglewuggle]

Hi Rysing sun,

I am well educated in networking and the only port the home ISP blocks is incoming 110 (POP3 email).

I really appreciate the advice though.

I just have one question to EVERYONE who reads this:

Can ANYONE get Civ 3 Multiplayer over internet or LAN (NOT PBEM) working?

 

[againsttheflow]

As I remember that was one of the main reasons ptw got such terrible reviews. MP just didn't work right. I know it's gonna be a dissapointment but if you want to do MP the you're probably going to have to get Conquests. Buying it was some of the best money I've ever spent.

 

[Pugglewuggle]

Hi againstheflow,

So you're saying that Conquests DOES make Civ3 multiplayer work? Is conquests an expansion? Please explain.

Merry Christmas!

 

[againsttheflow]

Yup, I've actually never tried it as the only kind of multiplayer I've played is hotseat but I know for a fact that ptw definately has issues and I've never heard of any problems w/ conquests.

Conquests is the second expansion and got very good reviews (almost 100% of the more frequent users on this site have it.) Ptw was actually such a poor expansion that they included it in Conquests. I believe one of the things they advertised was a revamped MP. It only costs like ten bucks now that CIV is out.

A politically incorrect Merry Christmas to you too.

 

[Pugglewuggle]

Thanks man! Me and the GF are gonna go buy it and try it out!

 

[Xerxes5]

i hate to ruin the excitement, but i have conquests and i cant get MP to work either... lol

 

[againsttheflow]

Maybe you should ask Pugglewuggle for help, he's the networking guy.

 

[Xerxes5]

i think i'll just have to live with hotseat...