very strange problem involving TCP/IP multiplayer.

freykin · #1 March 20th, 2005, 06:32 AM

Hi everyone, I'm having a very weird problem while trying to play a game of this using TCP/IP. When I follow the steps listed in the manual for hosting, and click on begin game, instead of taking me to the TCP/IP host screen, it generates the game and says it's now saved it to a .gam file which I should distribute to my players, and then closes out of Space Empires 4. I've gone over it multiple times, making sure I've selected simultaneous turns, different machines, and TCP/IP host, to no avail. I even tried reinstalling and running it again (I've been toying with a lot of mods, so thought maybe somehow one of those messed things up), but that didn't help either. Any ideas of what might be causing this problem?

Atrocities · #2 March 20th, 2005, 06:52 AM

I believe there might be a secton in the FAQ thread about how to set up a TCI/IP game. Also do a search for the topic as I recall there was once a locked thread about how to set up a TCI/IP game. Perhaps the answers your looking for are listed in one of these two places. Sorry I cannot be of more help, perhaps by tomorrow someone with a lot more knowledge about this will post some useful info.

Atrocities · #3 March 20th, 2005, 07:07 AM

I found this link, but no info in the FAQ.

But something is wrong with the LINK posting process so I will just send it to you via PM.

freykin · #4 March 20th, 2005, 07:51 AM

Thanks for the links, no luck though

. Did a search for TCP/IP and TCP/IP host, and no old posts mentioning the problem I'm having showed up. Has anyone else experienced this same problem? The friends I'm trying to play with tested it with their copies, and they're having the exact same problem.

Fyron · #5 March 20th, 2005, 06:45 PM

Check out the Newbie FAQs forum section. It has several helpful threads, one of which is devoted to TCP/IP mode in SE4.

The behavior you are experiencing is what is supposed to happen when you create a PBEM (play by email) game. What version of SE4 are you running?

freykin · #6 March 20th, 2005, 07:54 PM

That's the first place I looked when I was having problems, figuring that it would be something I was doing wrong.

I've tried running it straight off the install from the cd, at version 1.61, i think(don't recall which version it is on it), and patched to 1.91. In both cases, the same problem occurs.

geoschmo · #7 March 20th, 2005, 08:24 PM

If it's generating a turn instead of taking you to the TCP/IP Host screen, then you must not be not selecting "TCP/IP Host" under connection type on the Game Mechanics screen. Are you sure the steps you are following in the manual are for TCP/IP hosting?

Suicide Junkie · #8 March 20th, 2005, 09:19 PM

You may need to be looking at the screen with the TCP/IP option on it when you hit "start game" in order for the setting to kick in.

freykin · #9 March 21st, 2005, 05:39 AM

Geoschmo: Yes, I am following the steps in the manual for TCP/IP hosting, and I am choosing TCP/IP Host under connection type. We spent a good three hours last night trying to get it to work.

Suicide Junkie: *HEADDESK* You are my hero. That solved the problem. Every time we were going to mechanics first, making sure those were set right, and then going to set the game master password. Oh man.. I feel kinda stupid now

Thank you everyone who replied for helping me solve this. Now to find another night for a good all night spring break game