Multiplayer issues

Is anyone else having alot of mp issues.
First of all, i tried joining a friend of mine through TCP/IP, that didnt work, then he tried joining me and that didnt work.

Then we tried to get a game set up through gamespy, however, it wouldnt let me create a game. When i click create game it pauses for about 20 seconds, then the lobby is refreshed like nothing happened. My 3 other friends who bought it yesterday as i did are having the same problems.

I only managed to get into one game with randomers, but i couldnt connect to 2 of the players so i quit. It doesnt help that everyone is on 1.35 and steam users are on 1.36 either, but theres already a thread discussing this so ill not go into it.

My internet connections fairly decent (7meg connection) so i doubt thats not a problem considering the game is ancient now.

I asked for help in the lobby and one user mentioned opening ports. I did this with instructions from portforward.com and the problem still persists.

Can we expect a patch for this or is there a workaround anyone knows about apart from opening ports

[ManOwaR]

Looks like a NAT/Firewall issue. What kind of connection do you have? What is your local IP address?

Connection is 850kb/s, Local ip is 192.168.1.1.


I realised i was in the wrong section when i was trying to open my ports, my port section is under "virtual servers".
I followed this tutorial :
http://portforward.com/english/route...2/Cossacks.htm

But when i try to set ports 2300-2400 to open i get an error saying port 2300-8000 is reserved for system usage as seen in this picture at the bottom

http://portforward.com/english/route.../DR814Qv23.jpg

Im still not sure if opening ports will even fix the issue, im just going by what a player said in the lobby. One of my friends is just after doing this and he still has the same problem

[ManOwaR]

Originally Posted by DarthenRahl

Local ip is 192.168.1.1.

This is a key. Your IP is from local range. The game uses peer-to-peer (not client-server) communication model. So in order to work properly, every player should have a real (routable) Internet address. It is possible to play with a private address, if all other players (the one who host the game is compulsory) have a real address, but this behavior greatly depends on the firewall hardware/software.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPv4#Private_networks

I'm having same problem here, cant create a game in GameSpy and my friend cannot connect to me using Direct IP.

I'm using normal internet, my friends uses a router like a LAN, but he is trying with the right IP.

And this IP thing does not have to do with the GameSpy, once that is served by GameSpy itself.

Anyone had this too???
I bought the game just to play with my friends...

[gossamer]

Originally Posted by Kaligus

I'm having same problem here, cant create a game in GameSpy and my friend cannot connect to me using Direct IP.

I'm using normal internet, my friends uses a router like a LAN, but he is trying with the right IP.

And this IP thing does not have to do with the GameSpy, once that is served by GameSpy itself.

Anyone had this too???
I bought the game just to play with my friends...

Follow guides here to port forward: http://portforward.com/

Find your external IP here: http://www.ipchicken.com

[JFrosty]

Opening ports and stuff is getting highly annoying now that pretty much everyone is on a network.

Isn't there some way to fix that? Never had problems with more recent games.

EDIT:

Got the multiplayer working. See first post on second page.

[ManOwaR]

Originally Posted by miteq

The multiplayer portion of this game simply does not work.

Well, here is a screenshot of a current Cossacks Internet Shell
http://img42.imageshack.us/img42/7786/screen0i.jpg

As you can see, there are 30 games and 49 players, so the multiplayer actually does work.
I have 6 computers before me, with different hardware and operating systems (XP Home, XP Professional, Vista Home Premium, 7 Starter, 7 Home Basic 32bit, 7 Home Premium 64bit) and Cossacks works fine on every system without any special preparations.

Cossacks is very old game, almost 10 years, obviously it uses a deprecated network protocols, like DirectPlay and GameSpy, which require a range of ports to be opened. Cossacks recognizes standard Windows Firewall and automatically registers itself there. If you use 3rd party firewall software, you should open ports manually.
Ports required for Microsoft DirectPlay are listed here:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/240429
For GameSpy:
http://www.gamespyarcade.com/support/firewalls.shtml
Also Cossacks use a range of 34000-34005 TCP and UDP

Because of a peer-to-peer nature, the game does require a valid routable Internet Address (IP). If you have local IP, like 192.168.xx.xx , 10.xx.xx.xx or 172.16.xx.xx you will be unable to host the game, but in a rare cases you can join the game.

Alright, I managed to get it working after some serious raging. All those ports in the link ManOwaR posted need to be opened. I'm editing my previous negative comment.

Still, doing these things just for playing a multiplayer match is a pain in the ♥♥♥.

Also, this topic should be stickied.

I got it working yesterday too, at night, but only in GameSpy service, my friend could not connect to me only using Direct IP.

What I did: I disabled my whole router and WiFi connections, I let only my DSL web service connected direct in my PC. I tried this out and it worked. But I agree its really a pain in the *** (lol) to make this game running, and even with this, my friend cannot connect to me using Direct IP (he uses router, etc). This is a little frustating.

I'm not going to let all my ports open only because of this.

[Cossacking]

Originally Posted by ManOwaR

Well, here is a screenshot of a current Cossacks Internet Shell
http://img42.imageshack.us/img42/7786/screen0i.jpg

As you can see, there are 30 games and 49 players, so the multiplayer actually does work.
I have 6 computers before me, with different hardware and operating systems (XP Home, XP Professional, Vista Home Premium, 7 Starter, 7 Home Basic 32bit, 7 Home Premium 64bit) and Cossacks works fine on every system without any special preparations.

Cossacks is very old game, almost 10 years, obviously it uses a deprecated network protocols, like DirectPlay and GameSpy, which require a range of ports to be opened. Cossacks recognizes standard Windows Firewall and automatically registers itself there. If you use 3rd party firewall software, you should open ports manually.
Ports required for Microsoft DirectPlay are listed here:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/240429
For GameSpy:
http://www.gamespyarcade.com/support/firewalls.shtml
Also Cossacks use a range of 34000-34005 TCP and UDP

Because of a peer-to-peer nature, the game does require a valid routable Internet Address (IP). If you have local IP, like 192.168.xx.xx , 10.xx.xx.xx or 172.16.xx.xx you will be unable to host the game, but in a rare cases you can join the game.

Retail version of BtW allows me to host games (LAN, Direct, GameSpy).
Steam's version fails at GameSpy, LAN/Direct game is not shown (just an empty list) for those who try to connect.

The only firewall I am using is Windows (7) firewall. Thanks to csbtw.exe I do not even get the window asking whether to unblock the application (after which retail version allowed hosting games). Firewall shows both Cossacks: Back To War and DirectPlaySvr as enabled/allowed. Turning firewall off (both Private and Public) doesn't change a thing.

Plus, if you are wondering why I bought the game on Steam...
Retail version:
Must have CD.
Is in Russian.
Steam version:
A newer version.
No CD.
Is in English.

[Cossacking]

Sorry for double posting, but the apparent solution to my problem was to
1. Remove related rules in Windows Firewall
2. Rename/remove FirewallInstallHelper.dll
3. Launch the game
4. Try to create a multiplayer game
5. Alt tab, unblock (allow) the application
6. Alt tab, wait until the failure message is shown
7. Click 'Create game' and successfully host a game.

Also, it is enough to open these ports:
47624 (TCP) - DirectPlay init
2300-2400 (TCP and UDP) - DirectPlay game server

[hayesj89]

well it does work because i have played it fine. try taking wireless off and going wired if poss to see if it works that way.

[JFrosty]

I'm wired and had to open ports and play around in my router's options for quite some time before getting it to work. Now I'm trying to help my friend, but he's unable to make it work. He's wireless, but having to go wired just to play Cossacks would be ridiculous.

I'm just disappointed they're re-releasing a game on Steam without making adjustments so that it works properly in 2010, like any other game out there. We loved playing the game back then, and I'd surely love to play it again, without having to reconfigure my (or his) whole network all over again. And that's just the two of us. Thank God we didn't ask more friends yet, it would be hell to try and play.