Wyz_sub10

For all of you who play NWN, there is an inherent problem playing multiplayer on Dell machines running Windows ME.

Bioware knows this, but has no clue how to fis it. There have been posts on the Dell site too, but I haven't seen anyonw reply on behalf of Dell.

Here's the bug:

When you select multiplayer, your info (username/password) *won't* acutally be sent to Bioware, so when you try to being a game you get the message "unable to translate address."

This seems to be a big issue with a lot of people at the NWN site.

Anybody here encounter that problem? Anybody come up with a solution?

Wyz_sub10

*bump*


Nobody has any ideas?

You all suck.

Ab_Normal

I'm afraid my only suggestion would be to fdisk and install a different OS. Some folks here have claimed that Win2K is a good gaming platform. I don't know enough to make a recommendation.

Do I still suck?

Corwin

Win2k has problems with some games, but NWN seems to work fine with it.

ME on the other hand... is a lovely, wonderful OS. If you're fond of the color blue. (As in 'screen of death.')

It's garbage. Grab 2000. All the stability and security of NT with Directx. If you aren't going with a UNIX option, (and until WINE starts supporting DX8 most of us can't...) it's the best thing out there.

Solsticin

No, get a copy of Win98 Second Edition (best gaming platform ever). If you aren't into 98, then get Windows XP Home (or better yet, Pro).

Windows ME is just absolute junk. I worked for MS still when that product shipped and I was deeply ashamed Luckily it wasn't my group shipping it hehe.

Scotty

The easiest thing would be to switch O/S's.

But, I can think of a few things.
Firewall options stopping specific ports.
Get drivers for the hardware from the manufacturer (if Dell did not make the item, open up the machine and find out if you have parts from other manufacturers or just from Dell). If they are 3rd party, find the newest (or even an older) driver for the network card and try that.
Or, you might buy a $20 network card install that and give it a try instead (this is assuming you are broadband and not using a modem or a USB network connection or something similar), this might get you past the problem.
If it is a modem, then buy a $20 or less modem (maybe external) and try that too.

The real issue I have with Dell's is when they use all of their own equipment. If you have a UNIX box, I would make a firewall and then tcpdump (snoop on Solaris) and see if the packet is even going out at all, or if it just never gets off of the machine.
It could be sending data out, but not excepting data _back_ from the server and thus stopping the connection, you won't be able to tell unless you can watch the packet traffic.
Possibly the NWN people can watch to see if the machine tries to make a connection but doesn't finish the transaction.

Anyway, I haven't played NWN on-line though, so I don't know any specifics.

Good luck!

-Scott

Wyz_sub10

Thank you for all your comments. It seems that the general consensus is to turf ME. I know it's crap, but I've heard WinXP has problems with some older games (not that I'll likely play many).

Solsticin and Corwin, if I'm a big gamer, will I have any problem with XP Pro? (Is there a difference, like between the old 95 and NT?)

Ab_Normal, "A" for responding first. You officially don't suck.

Scotty, I'm using a Cable Modem to connect. You are right - the packet never gets off the machine.

The problem is, when you "send" your username and password, it doesn't really send it. So when you get to the connection stage, it won't connect.

I'll take a look on Solaris.

Thanks for your feedback everyone.

Looks like I'm getting a new OS.