Ryan

Just checked XWIS tonight 2310 GMT and found 11 players playing 3 games so getting a game is still possible. Almost felt sorry for the two RA2 players :P

I don't know why it ever worked ??? (1st time only on XWIS and always on Ords server) because I've had to re-install Emperor to get it work properly. It now connects to WOL, XWIS and (probably) Ords servers. Last year I had moved the Westwood folder from C to D and while Emperor worked stand-alone it may have nobbled online play. Also my nics_<computername>.ini only listed the loopback address (127.0.0.1) and now lists all my IP addresses. So I can finally play online and learn what little I actually know. <mental note>Facs first</mental note> ;D [Edit] I didn't know whether I should have started a new thread but... What ports do I have to open on my personal firewall (Agnitum Outpost) to allow online play. EBFD seems to request lots of ports and Outpost displays a popup on the desktop for each. And I can't see the desktop within Emperor.

Yes. I think you suggested I post the problem here. Didn't realise that you lived close enough fix it for me.

I purchased EBFD (from new) over a year ago and had the usual problems that were solved with +w. Until a few days ago I was relegated to the information B-road (56K). I now have working a 512/256 ADSL from Pipex via a Alcatel Speedtouch 330. It's USB but it works. I'm not using ICS or any other Internet sharing method. My laptop meets the EBFD spec (PIII 866 512mb) and runs W2K sp4. My AV is McAfee. As i'm a big fan of Dune/DuneII/EBFD I now want to play EBFD online. I installed the Westwood Shared Internet Components from the EBFD CD and registered via the 'Emperor Essentials' suggested URL (http://www.dune2k.com/forum/index.php/topic,10549.0.html). I even confirmed my account using the URL emailed to me by EA. I have not been able to connect to WOL. In fact complains about an "invalid" serial after displaying "Downloading channels" for ages. I have never shared this serial and it should be valid. I found Olafs server via Google and downloaded the latest XWIS tool before sucessfully connecting to 62.93.200.61. As soon as Leo1990 and agreed to play me my laptop BSOD. Since then I can't connect to XWIS (despite http://62.93.200.61:4005/ showing ative EBFD/RA2 etc players). EBFD connects to Olafs server and offers Quick or Custom. Clicking Custom displays a large menu with navigation buttons on th RHS. After 20 seconds EBFD displays "Error: Westwood online disconnected" before dumping me at the logon screen. I have been able to use the XWIS tool to connect directly to Ords server (62.131.170.215) but there weren't any players on it I have unsucessfully tried connecting to WOL and XWIS both from home and work with and without my Agnitum Outlook firewall. Re-installing Westwood Shared Internet Components hasn't helped. I don't own any other Westwood games so I can't test them against WOL/XWIS. I only tried different nicks after things stopped working. Can anyone help?

Erin et al. I've started a new thread in the Tech Support forum http://www.dune2k.com/forum/index.php/topic,14850.0.html

I had already registered with WOL using the Essentials suggested URL http://www.dune2k.com/forum/index.php/topic,10549.0.html and confirmed my account using the URL emailed to me by EA. Still nothing. I d/l the latest xwis from http://xwis.net/ within the last two days - no joy. I'm not even running Norton AV 2003 (McAfee instead)

Could be Windows File Protection caching system files. You can tune it to protect less therefore speeding startup. You could do as I do with my Thinkpad t23 - hibernate rather than shutdown as this speeds 'boot up'. Be aware that laptop harddrives are slower than desktops (5400rpm vs 7200/10,000rpm) and the transfer rate may be less.

I'm seeing the same problems as Zergis and Erin. WOL has never let me in and complains about an "invalid" serial after displaying "Downloading channels" for ages. I am the only owner of this serial and it should be valid. XWIS let me log in yesterday (Wednesday 16/6) and I tried playing Leo but my laptop blue screened twice and since then i've not been able to logon to XWIS. I now get "Error: Westwood online disconnected" after clicking Custom game. I can see EBFD players via http://62.93.200.61:4005/ and I have been able to use the XWIS tool to connect directly to Ords 62.131.170.215 but there weren't any players on it I have unsucessfully tried connecting to WOL and XWIS both from home and work with and without my Agnitum Outlook firewall. I only tried different nicks after things stopped working. Can anyone help? PS Re-installing Shared Internet Components hasn't helped.

I have checked for updated video/bios/sound drivers. I'll reapply SP3 and confirm. Do not reply to this thread until then </suggestion>.

I used to be able to play Emperor 1.09 on my Windows 2000 machine (using the -w option). I have applied SP3 and some hotfixes since I last ran Emperor. I now find i'm unable to play Emperor unless I un-install SP3, revert to SP2 and re-install Emperor. The symtoms are that the three developer logos are displayed and the then the game freezes (black screen) without displaying the game menu. Below is a list of the Hotfixes installed. Windows 2000 Hotfix (Pre-SP3) [see Q279491 for more information] Windows 2000 Hotfix (Pre-SP3) [see Q311967 for more information] Windows 2000 Hotfix (Pre-SP3) [see Q313450 for more information] Windows 2000 Hotfix (Pre-SP3) [see Q313829 for more information] Windows 2000 Hotfix (Pre-SP3) [see Q314147 for more information] Windows 2000 Hotfix (Pre-SP3) [see Q318138 for more information] Windows 2000 Hotfix (Pre-SP3) [see Q319733 for more information] Windows 2000 Hotfix (Pre-SP4) [see Q320206 for more information] Windows 2000 Hotfix (Pre-SP4) [see Q321599 for more information] Windows 2000 Hotfix (Pre-SP4) [see Q324096 for more information] Windows 2000 Hotfix (Pre-SP4) [see Q324380 for more information] Windows 2000 Hotfix (Pre-SP4) [see Q326830 for more information] Windows 2000 Hotfix (Pre-SP4) [see Q326886 for more information] Windows 2000 Hotfix (Pre-SP4) [see Q327696 for more information] Windows 2000 Hotfix (Pre-SP4) [see Q329834 for more information] Windows 2000 Hotfix (Pre-SP4) [see q323172 for more information] Windows 2000 Security Rollup Package [see Q311401 for more information] Spec of PC follows IBM Thinkpad T23 Pentium III Mobile 866MHz S3 SuperSavage 16MB (bios 5.2e.51.24, driver 6.13.10.1277-12.90.77) Windows 2000 Pro SP3 Windows desktop is 1024x768 16bit colour Direct X8.1 (4.08.01.0881)

Skirmish mode - if I can't play a campaign then I would not play the game (money's worth and all that) Full list of options - My copy of Emperor came in a DVD style case; I think it may be a cut-down re-release. Therefore the manual appears lacking (certainly lacks pictures). How long before it crashes - I don't think its time related. I think it is related to the time it takes to build up a big enough battle group. It crashes when I manage several large-ish groups. (about 40 mins) I spoke with EA and they indicated that my 16meg video card may lack enough memory. I've tuned down all the graphics options and i've not crashed for some time. (I also restarted the game as HK rather than AT and it's much easier; except my Mentat is a bit slow to realise that my Telaxui allies are fighting for my enemies).

The weird things you see are problems with DXDIAG as you can clearly see the current mode was <i>1024 x 768 (32 bit) (60Hz)</i> My machine is a laptop and it's natural resolution is 1024x768 - anything else has to be emulated and the aliasing is terrible. Actually, I only discovered you could change the ingame resolution AFTER Emporer kept crashing at 800x600. I'll try the detail and shadows tip. S3 drivers: got them already Skirmish mode: hmmm - i'm assuming that either a) skirmish doesn't crash but campaign does or b) skirmish crashes just like campaign Both outcomes don't help me play campaign mode. I've been to xs4all...it's very 98/me-centric and just says 'download latest video drivers'. It would be helpful if I could find a list of program modifiers like +w My biggest gripe is that it takes so long before the machine crashes. Makes it very difficult reproduce a crash situation.

I'll also attach my dxdiag report. Oh forgot to say... I'm running with +w (disable CDROM caching), and 1024x768. Windows desktop 1024x768 true colour (32bit)

Platform: Windows 2000 sp 2 Hardware: IBM Thinkpad T23 2647-6JG PIII 866MHz 512MB Game: Emperor Problems: Two types of crashes. 1: Campaign locks up if i've gotten involved! (40 mins) 2: Occasionaly exits to the desktop I get really involved in a campaign then BAM frozen screen, music plays, but the caps lock doesn't respond (my ultimate test before rebooting). I do not have this level of difficultly running Unreal Torney!