Multiplayer - does it work ?

[Tutankhamun]

This may be an incredibly dumb question, but I finally decided to try to play online with a friend who is now hooked on the game. I have been messing around with it all night and can't seem to get into a lobby. It is like there is no lobby at all. Then the thing freezes on me and I have to ctrl alt del to get free. Does one just need to be patient ? Does this feature work at all ?

Thanks

[Locutus]

Apparently it's not such a dumb questsion as noone is answering. I'll give it a shot though. Do you have a good servers.dat file? The default one on the CD is no good anymore, you need to have a new one, see Q23 of the FAQ.

[faded glory]

Yes you need a server.dat

Unless your problem could be your connection. You said no lobbys? Were you connected to the internet. Ussually the default .dat on the disk works fine at first.

Or are you using LAN, TCP/IP or IPX option?

More info,
thanks

Faded Glory

[Dinner]

This is a fairly common problem and, I believe, the solution is in the FAQ.

[DeanToth]

the FAQ fix isn't reliable

I've gotten the new servers.dat as outlined in the FAQ. It made the improvement that now I am seeing three servers instead of none:

nl.alink.gamepoint.net
california12.activision.com
games.igateway.net

However, the games.igateway server keeps saying "connection lost" as it tries to enter a lobby.

The california12 server just sits there "entering lobby" forever and ever.

Only with the nl.alink server can i ever enter the lobby, and even then it doesn't work every time.

Whenever there are already players in a lobby I seem to have no problems entering. What is going on? Is there a way for an end user like me to set up my own lobby or server?

Looking forward to multiplay
-Dean
(PS CivIII is a big big disappointment)

[DeanToth]

Something has just happened. Now there are two extra servers in the list:

alink.nucleardays.com
gamesrv.activision.com

The nucleardays server gives me no trouble (SO FAR) in joining the lobby. Haven't tried the other yet.

My question is why are these servers suddenly appearing? Where were they before? I didn't change anything. In fact, I didn't even leave the game; simply backed up to the server chooser and there they were!!

[Dinner]

The servers will periodically be down. It is one of the down sides to playing on a free network; you get what you pay for...

[DeanToth]

Hi Oerdin, hope you are well.

Yes, I suppose you are right about the free-ness of it all....

Yet it is strange that I simply hit the "back" button to the server screen and suddenly TWO extra servers are back online at once....

Oh well... I won't complain so long as my human oponents can also get to the same lobby as I.

-Later!