Multiplayer setup screen problem

[Doc Savage]

In setting up a Hot seat game and I'm having a problem with the multiplayer setup screen. I am unable to make any changes to the game settings and game rules. None of the drop down boxes work (there is no down arrow and clicking on the box where the down arrow should be does nothing). The only thing I can change is the first player name in player setup.

Has anyone seen this before? I've searched the forums and done a few googles but came up empty. I've attached a screen shot. Anyone know what the problem might be or what setting I may not have right?

 

[Doc Savage]

Forgot to add my PC specs:

Windows XP SP2
Civ III Patch 129f
PTW Patch 127f

On the three PCs I've installed PTW on I only see this on two of the three. The two with the problem had PTW patched with only 127f. The third was patched incrementally with 114, 121 then 127. I going to try to uninstall/reinstall then apply the three patches on one of the problem PCs.

 

[Doc Savage]

Installing the three patches didn't solve the problem, not that I though it would. All three PCs have SP2. Also on one of the problem PCs I turned off my anti-virus and SP2 firewall and that had no effect.

 

[chipper_30]

Hi, a friend of mine has had the saùe problem. He is behind a router and I suspect some closed ports cause this problem... Anyway, if all you wanna do is play hotseat, just unplug your internet connection, we are playing a PBEM and every time he has to do that... A bit annoying but at least it works...
For a hotseat it shouldn't even be ennoying ;-)
btw, if you try and it works, could you tell me if you are aswell behing a router and if this fixed it?

 

[Ginger_Ale]

Wow, that's odd - looks like the graphics got screwed up or something. What are the specs of the three computers (and which one doesn't have a problem?) It may be you don't have enough virtual memory, but I doubt that... and what settings are different on the computer that works that may be different on these ones that caused the problem?

 

[chipper_30]

I beleive this is somehow caused by gamespy or maybe directx (I read somewhere it also needs some particular open ports). It tries to connect, and because it does (if you are connected to the internet), it supoosed that it works. But then it doesn't work properly because some ports are closed. If you are not connected to the internet, it doesn't suppose gamespy should work and you can play hotseat or PBEM at least... To solve it all you should open the proper ports (see the tech help post for that... my friend wasn't able to do it on his router).

 

[Verax]

I have this exact same problem. I'm under a router and would like to play with other local computers. So opening ports wont work for me, as I need 3 machines with access. It must be from a recent patch because we have played like this for a long time.

Verax

 

[manofmilk]

...but even more confusing - i have conquests installed on my desktop pc and it works fine in hotseat mode. But I just got a new laptop and i get this same problem on it (all the buttons are missing for multiplayer setup). Same o/s (xp home) and comparable specs on each computer. Also both connect to the internet and my home network via the same router, with the same settings! Unplugging from the router doesn't make a difference and it shouldn't anyway as i don't have to unplug the desktop. I can't work out what I have done differently from one to the other, if both pc's are setup the same then this might suggest a hardware problem.

EDIT: Although it maight not be hardware because the single player games works perfectly on the laptop.

 

[Doc Savage]

Sorry for the delay in replying guys. For the record here are my PC specs. Let me know if I'm leaving out something:

Router: Linksys WRT54G
New Home built PC with non-functioning multiplayer:

Windows XP SP2
512 MB memory
110GB SATA HD
Norton AntiVirus 2003 (Updated)
Mobile Athlon XP 2500+ (overclocked)
Plextor 712-A DVD +RW
Tried PTW 1.27 and C3C 1.22

Laptop with non-functioning multiplayer

Dell Inspiron 8600
256MB memory
40GB HD
Windows XP SP2
Intel Pentium M 1.8 (Newer 745 I believe)
eTrudt EZ AntiVirus 6.3.0.9
DVD+RW
Tried PTW 1.27 and C3C 1.22

PC with functioning multiplayer:

MicronPC Millennia RS2100 (I Know, I know don't abuse me...)
512MB memory
30GB HD
Windows XP SP2
Celeron 700mhz
Norton AntiVirus 2004 (Updated)
CD-RW
PTW 1.29

The kicker is on my homebuilt it DID work originally (connected to a router) and then a few weeks later the problem showed up. I'm don't think it's related to SP2 since it works on the Micron but I could be wrong. There might be a DLL or something that loaded on the homebuilt that isn't on the Micron from SP2.

Chipper_30: I am behind a router so the first thing I tried was unplugging my ethernet cable and TADA the problem went away. Big thanks to you my friend! Just so everyone is aware the Micron IS connected to the router but PTW works fine in multiplayer so it may be a combination of ports, software and router.

Ginger_Ale: I did some troubleshooting in comparing the different services that were running between the Micron and the homebuilt. I shut off every service I could on the homebuilt but the problem remained. Tried turning off AV and turning off the SP2 firewall and nothing worked.

I solved the problem on my laptop by disabling the wireless connection to my router.

I don't play over the internet but if I did my next step would be to look through the ports as chipper_30 suggested.

I reported this problem to Atari tech support and of course they were less than useless (Uninstall/reinstall was there solution). But I do recommend everyone seeing this issue submit it either by phone or email. We should at least get a patch to take care of this!

 

[Turner]

Ah! Might be the Linksys router. Another list I'm on, a guy is posting this problem. Except he's trying to do a lan game.

Try releasing your IP, see if that works. This sounds remarkably simular to the other problem. 1.22 patch level, SP2, and the linksys router.

 

[DavidDCC]

I'm having this same issue, has anyone had any luck getting it to work again? It worked prior to a reinstall but not I get exactly the screenshot above.

-David

 

[MrOpinion]

Finally, I found an answer to the issue that I've been having. I too unplugged my router (A Linksys WRT54G) and I could do the hot seat gaming...Infogrames didn't help at all either. Thanks to this board though, I know that I need to get a new router.

 

[madviking]

Same here...
Geez, whats wrong!?!

 

[tonybalony4]

I'm having issues with this too! Has anyone found a solution??? I've tried disabling UPnP, upgrading DirectX, reinstalling the game, etc. Someone offer something PLEASE!

 

[tonybalony4]

I couldn't figure this out for the longest time but I had the same problem and it was actually DirectPlay that was giving me issues. I ran DXDIAG from Start Menu/Run and under the Network tab it gave me four DirectPlay8 errors. I have DirectX 9.0c installed so I couldn't update DirectX. All I had to do was type this into the Run box:

regsvr32 dpnet.dll

It solved everything!!

The Microsoft Kowledgebase article can be found here:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;829151

I hope this helps!!

 

[CAgirlnKS]

Using tonybalony4's solution did fix our LAN gaming abilities for two nights. Last night we went in (there are 3 of us) and got the same screen. I've found another solution!!

Go into the Windows XP firewall settings and delete all references to Civ3 and Conquests under the exceptions list. Now choose "Add Program" in the exception list and scroll down to the botton of the list. You will see a program called "Play Conquests". Add this to the exceptions list. If it is already listed on the exceptions delete it then re-add it. This worked for us!!

 

[ahman]

All I had to do was type this into the Run box:

regsvr32 dpnet.dll

It solved everything!!

Many Thanks