Any europeans want to play a diplo game this afternoon?

[Harovan]

Ok, we tested and DirectIP works. Gamespy probably too, we didn't check this. Somebody should explain Gamespy for their firewall troubleshooting, what TCP is and what UDP. Oh well, it's hard to get professionals, I guess.

DirectIP would be what I aim for.

[notyoueither]

Sir Ralph, you can play GameSpy games without registering for GameSpy.

1. In the MP lobby of PTW itself you can see games listed? Select one and click 'Join.' No registration required. Let's call this GameSpy Light.

2. Register for GameSpy Arcade and host or join from there. The only advantage this has is a better chat room. You see a list of everyone who is around and the chat window is more than 3 or 5 lines. Oh, you can also see people's pings without being in a game with them.

In short, there are 2 ways to use GameSpy. One of them requires no registration. If you register and use Arcade, you get some minor benefits.

btw, sorry if i was a little slow in responding during our test. I was viewing other windows while you tested ports and with my setup I have to switch between computers for play and chat. Happy civ'in.

[Harovan]

Are we going to play?

[Harovan]

Just for the records. We miserably failed to get a game with 3 participants running. Random 2 of us could join the setup screen, the 3rd failed. Both Direct IP and GameSpy matchmaking didn't work in the same manner.

Thanks to my fellow participants for patience, many thanks to Firaxis for the lesson, and when I have to waste another hour of my Sunday afternoon spare time, I will try PTW MP again.

[Franses]

To elaborate a bit on Sir Ralph's report:

We all used 1.14f.

In the readme it says that if one of the players is not UPnP compliant this player has to connect first. We are all on Win XP as far as I know thus that can not be the problem, can it?

Two of us were able to host a game. But, as said by sir Ralph, only one could join. No matter what join order we used.

In gamespy we managed to get all three into the first screen of the game (the one you select game mode and type) but after launch one of us was kicked out.

In DirectIP only one could join.

Does anyone recognize this problem?

[Crousto]

Originally posted by Franses
In the readme it says that if one of the players is not UPnP compliant this player has to connect first. We are all on Win XP as far as I know thus that can not be the problem, can it?

According to the readme, the ISP's router has to be UPnP compliant too. This may have been the problem. I've emailed my ISP about this, maybe I'll get some news tomorrow...

[Harovan]

That UPnP stuff matters only for home networks, as far as I understand. Your ISP won't use it, he probably doesn't even use Windows at all. It seems to be something like "firewall and NAT handling for dummies". Who is directly connected to the internet (without router), doesn't need it.

[Franses]

If you are able to host a game does that mean that your connection will do for every kind of game?

The reason I bring this up is that I am still a bit "worried" about me using Internet Connection Sharing.

[Crousto]

If you are on the computer directly connected to Internet, ICS shouldn't be a problem. If you are not, some port forwarding may be needed...

[Franses]

OK, I thought so too but started to doubt. I am on the computer directly connected to the Internet so that can not have been the problem.

[Franses]

Originally posted by Crousto

According to the readme, the ISP's router has to be UPnP compliant too. This may have been the problem. I've emailed my ISP about this, maybe I'll get some news tomorrow...

Did you not mention you hosted a three player game before? So, this can not have been the problem either, I think.

[Crousto]

Yes, I've hosted games with at least 3 players before. But it may depend on which order other players join the game. Usually, I wait for 4 players in the first screen, but one of them drop when reaching the setup screen.

[Crousto]

Originally posted by Sir Ralph
That UPnP stuff matters only for home networks, as far as I understand. Your ISP won't use it, he probably doesn't even use Windows at all. It seems to be something like "firewall and NAT handling for dummies". Who is directly connected to the internet (without router), doesn't need it.

Indeed, they answered that their routers don't use UPnP. Let's wait for the next patch then...