Multiplayer after GameSpy - Lobby and NatNeg

[Cheater Hater]

This article says Macs have a hosts file in "/etc", so presumably that's where you put the necessary voodoo.

I also seem to remember us having some problems if the server and a player were on the same computer, though that was a long time ago and I don't remember if there was a better solution than "don't do that".

[Ramkhamhaeng]

I just setup a new 18 player PB game, and found my way to this thread after we discovered multiple players can't be logged in at the same time.

Hello ajvitaly,

it's nice to hear from other Pitboss users/hosters

To get complete clarification, each player must modify their host file and be running on the steam beta version (or the modified .exe), correct?

Yes,

I try to comment the effects of each change:

• [1.] Using the 'steam beta version':
  
  • It re-enable the Direct IP mode from the DvD version.
    
  • It did not fixes the connection issues for multiple players.
    
  
  [2.] Edit the hosts file.
  • Remap requests from the gamespy server to its replacement server.
    
  
  [3.] Usage of the modified executable.
  • Combines effect of 1. and 2. (Well, it's an other approach for 2., but as side effect it's also fulfill 1.)
    

The third variant also allows to use the steam and non-steam-version parallel, because the executable is the only affected file by the patch. (+some Steam releated dll's I assume.)

I have edited my hosts file, had another user edit their hosts file, but we still cannot connect at the same time. We both tried the alternative .exe and it did not work either. 

Did the other player also allowed the traffic on UDP-Port 2056-2107 in his router?
(here are a few screenshot of a router menu, if required.

I also seem to remember us having some problems if the server and a player were on the same computer, though that was a long time ago and I don't remember if there was a better solution than "don't do that".

If client and host are on the same machine behind a router they can not use the same port. Normally the first started instance gets port 2056 and the next 2057. In this case, I would give the server (in it's own CivilizationIV.ini given by the ini= or /ALTROOT argument.) a fixed port number and open this port in the router menu, too.

[ajvitaly]

I just setup a new 18 player PB game, and found my way to this thread after we discovered multiple players can't be logged in at the same time.

Hello ajvitaly,

it's nice to hear from other Pitboss users/hosters

To get complete clarification, each player must modify their host file and be running on the steam beta version (or the modified .exe), correct?

Yes,

I try to comment the effects of each change:

• [1.] Using the 'steam beta version':  
  • It re-enable the Direct IP mode from the DvD version.
     
    
  • It did not fixes the connection issues for multiple players.
     
    
  [2.] Edit the hosts file.
  • Remap requests from the gamespy server to its replacement server.
    
  [3.] Usage of the modified executable.
  • Combines effect of 1. and 2. (Well, it's an other approach for 2., but as side effect it's also fulfill 1.)
    

The third variant also allows to use the steam and non-steam-version parallel, because the executable is the only affected file by the patch. (+some Steam releated dll's I assume.)

I have edited my hosts file, had another user edit their hosts file, but we still cannot connect at the same time. We both tried the alternative .exe and it did not work either. 

Did the other player also allowed the traffic on UDP-Port 2056-2107 in his router?
(here are a few screenshot of a router menu, if required.

I also seem to remember us having some problems if the server and a player were on the same computer, though that was a long time ago and I don't remember if there was a better solution than "don't do that".

If client and host are on the same machine behind a router they can not use the same port. Normally the first started instance gets port 2056 and the next 2057. In this case, I would give the server (in it's own CivilizationIV.ini given by the ini= or /ALTROOT argument.) a fixed port number and open this port in the router menu, too.

Thank you so much for replying! Since my first inquiry here, we've been able to get people to connect simultaneously with one another doing the fixes in the first post. My success with connecting while others are in game, though, has still been sporadic at best. I am logging into the game from behind the same router as the host machine, but on a different machine from the host. Could that be why I'm having issues connecting simultaneously with some other users?

[Ramkhamhaeng]

Thank you so much for replying! Since my first inquiry here, we've been able to get people to connect simultaneously with one another doing the fixes in the first post. My success with connecting while others are in game, though, has still been sporadic at best. I am logging into the game from behind the same router as the host machine, but on a different machine from the host. Could that be why I'm having issues connecting simultaneously with some other users?

Yes, because the NAT-Module does not know that '50% of the packets with the target port 2056' are for your client, but not the server.
Open the CivilizationIV.ini of your client and set the port value to an other range, i.e. 22056, and then add a new NAT-Rule in the router which links no the client pc.

If it sometimes works: There exists a slight difference between the case
A is logged in and B try to connect and
B is logged in and A try to connect

If the first variant works, but the second not, then B's router setting should be the problematic one (I'm not 100% sure.)


An other PB-Question: Is there a big delay/timeout if you try to load a save in the Pitboss GUI?

[ajvitaly]

Thank you so much for replying! Since my first inquiry here, we've been able to get people to connect simultaneously with one another doing the fixes in the first post. My success with connecting while others are in game, though, has still been sporadic at best. I am logging into the game from behind the same router as the host machine, but on a different machine from the host. Could that be why I'm having issues connecting simultaneously with some other users?

Yes, because the NAT-Module does not know that '50% of the packets with the target port 2056' are for your client, but not the server.
Open the CivilizationIV.ini of your client and set the port value to an other range, i.e. 22056, and then add a new NAT-Rule in the router which links no the client pc.

If it sometimes works: There exists a slight difference between the case
A is logged in and B try to connect and
B is logged in and A try to connect

If the first variant works, but the second not, then B's router setting should be the problematic one (I'm not 100% sure.)


An other PB-Question: Is there a big delay/timeout if you try to load a save in the Pitboss GUI?

There is no timeout or delay when loading a saved file from the pitboss GUI.

To clarify what you're suggesting for a solution: change the default port value for Civilization in the .ini file with the host machine (from 2056 to something else) and then open up that new port in my router?

[Ramkhamhaeng]

Yes.

Change the port on the host OR your client. If you just host one PB game I would prefer the second variant. If the host uses 2056, all player can omit entering the ':[port]' part during the login.

[ajvitaly]

Yes.

Change the port on the host OR your client. If you just host one PB game I would prefer the second variant. If the host uses 2056, all player can omit entering the ':[port]' part during the login.

 I'm only hosting one 18-player game, so per your instructions I'm going to edit civilizationIV.ini file, change the netcom port from 2056 to 22056, and then open up that port on my router for my gaming machine. I'm leaving the host/server machine on 2056. Thank you so much for the advice! Sorry for repeating the instructions back so many times and asking for clarity. I have never done much work with networking and I am trying to make sure I get it right.

[ajvitaly]

My game is working great! We are 20 turns in and my empire is poised to dominate! Thanks so much for the help! It's amazing to be playing an 18 player pitboss game again!

[Ramkhamhaeng]

Due the Intel-Bug patches, the NATNET-Server and PBSpy web interface server will be rebooted. Thus, both will be down for a small amount of time.

Edit: Done

[Mulder84]

Is the server down?  My friends and I are having trouble connecting to each other tonight.  Before it has not been an issue.