Need help with getting multiplayer to work...

[Patrick Light Bearer]

Alright, i guess i should start by stating the problem;
I and my brother want to play Robot Arena Two on multiplayer through our home network/LAN here offline. But every time i try to get it to work, it simply never loads or freezes all together. It will also tell me that it's "Connecting to server: ##", it counts down from 10. When it hits zero nothing happens. The connecting to server part doesn't happen every time, usually it just never loads or freezes. I really need some helpful ideas as to what's going on, as i've had this game for roughly almost 4 years now. And my brother's FINALLY taking interest in it. He wants to play with me on a game that's fun, and i know that once we get passed this issue he'll really enjoy the game.

I have two versions of Robot Arena Two on my desktop and his laptop that i wanna get to run for multiplayer:
The first: Robot Arena Two V1.4; DSL Total Conversion V2.1.
The second: Robot Arena Two V1.4. Stock without any other modifications other then the patches.

Both have been modified from the original CD version of the game, as i have it's original vanilla CD-Rom.

Other information that might be useful might be what computers are running and a list of hardware we're using, so here you go:
My computer: Windows 8.1 Acer desktop.(And the most powerful computer i have ever owned. Last desktop i used was 10 years old and died. Lol.)
My brother's computer: Windows 8.1 HP laptop, AMD based processor.(Second most powerful computer i have ever owned. And i gave it to my brother for reasons to long to put down here.)
A Belkin G54/N150 Wi-Fi N router, and the proper cables(All works.) to hook everything up.

I've already checked to make sure it's on the LAN setting before attempting to run the multiplayer. AND checked the RA2 configuration file(Thanks to Craaig and 090901 for the suggestions that those may be the issue. It may not have resolved it but at least it ruled them out as the issue, which is useful. ^_^)and neither worked.

Well that's all the information i have on this topic. I hope someone here who reads this can help me out with this. As me and my brother really wanna fight each other's bots against each other over multiplayer on our own rigs conveniently.

Have a nice day and thank you in advance if you decide to help.

[090901]

Can you take some screenshots of what is going on in RA2? (You can take screenshots in RA2 by pressing F11).

If you can't get it working over LAN you could always try using gameranger.
If you need help setting up RA2 over gameranger just ask me.

[Reier]

whats with the massive text

[Naryar]

don't play stock vs DSL. play stock vs stock or dsl vs dsl.

your bots will not be able to load on a stock version of RA2.

whats with the massive text

^^

[Squirrel_Monkey]

Make sure you're both selecting local not internet when trying to play multiplayer. Then one person needs to host a game and then the other can join in theory.

[HereticBlue]

I'm surprised no-one has mentioned that the multiplayer sever engine is now deceased.

[cephalopod]

Try what the other guys have said. Honestly the most reliable thing to do would be to connect a LAN cable between the computers and forget the wireless - it'd remove some of the (at times very bad) lag too.
I fixed your text too, please don't go for the massive/fonted writing unless necessary :)

Also HB, the multiplayer server is only for the internet hosted games, you can still host/join local multiplayer matches.

[Patrick Light Bearer]

Thanks 090901 for the suggestion, but there's no error message that shows up anywhere on the screen. Would it still be a good idea to take the screen shot if there's no apparent information in it? I'm willing to if it'll help, just wanting to know if there not being an error message would be what you wish to see. Also, thanks for telling me that. I didn't know there was a screenshot function throughout the entire time i have had this game, that'll come in handy. :) I don't want to use Gameranger because the web security software i have is telling me that it's high risk and i don't wanna take that sort of risk on corrupting my or my brother's PC with a virus or some other form of damaging software. Do you have it on your system? If so, what's it been like for you and those you know who are using it? If it'll allow us to connect and play i guess it may be our only option, but i would really rather be able to play it straight up locally, no internet connection required because i want it to work regardless of whether our internet's on the frits or not. You know how frustrating that is.

We don't plan to play Stock VS DSL Naryar, i just want both to work for each other so we can choose which types of RA2 we wish to play, allowing for more variety. But thanks for the heads up. I figured that was the case though. XD

Me and my brother have tried several times and have made sure that we're both on Local and not the internet setting Squirrel_Monkey. But thanks for the advice. ^_^

Unfortunately Craaig that's a no go, my brother wants the ability to play it while sitting comfortably on the couch in the living room connected a wireless manner. But that's a good suggestion, i might try that if i run out of ideas. Can i keep using the font though? I really love using this font, which is why i use it most of the time.
By the way, what causes the lag? Do you know? Just out of curiosity. In case i have to deal with it when we finally DO get this to work.

Anyways thanks to all of you for the replies, i'll reply back to you all again when i can. Have a nice day. ^_^

[cephalopod]

Gameranger is completely safe and the best way of playing online (non-LAN). I maintain that if the wifi isn't working, using a LAN cable is the number 1 best choice - the lag is just from RA2 in general, the multiplayer is horribly optimized, so even with our best non-LAN options like Gameranger, it's pretty bad for everyone but the host.

Font wise it's really really annoying to read for me personally so I'd really prefer you just stuck with the default but it's your choice I guess. Put it this way, you're not gaining style points or whatever for using a fancy font :P

[090901]

Gameranger won't really lag if they are in the same room, I mean I can play with MassimoV with No lag at all and we live like 50+ miles apart.

[Reier]

you can play lan on the same network in RA2 and it wont lag

[090901]

you can play lan on the same network in RA2 and it wont lag

he's been trying that and it doesn't work.

[G.K.]

Could it be some kind of firewall issue?

[Patrick Light Bearer]

Alright Craaig, thanks for the help. I just hope i can figure it all out so we can play. I'll get Gameranger if it's really safe. Hope you're right on this. XD I'll be using the original font since you have difficulty reading the replies. ^_^ I can understand given it's so freaking tiny. I wasn't doing it to feel fancy though, mainly just cause i liked the way the font looked. XD That and Franklin Gothic Medium. Lol.

I tried to play through LAN Reier but it gave issues and wouldn't work properly, either the game freezes, or the thing just stays dead locked and never even tries to load. It's really irritating. I've tried everything i know in lines of getting it to work, but it's still not working. No matter how i configure it. :\

That was one of the first things i thought G.K, so i checked and made sure the game was on the exceptions list for the firewall so our computers can communicate freely with each other. But that still did nothing. It's really irritating.

All in all thanks for you all trying to help us, i'll get Gameranger for now. Hopefully we can get it sorted out soon. :\ Still needing help on getting it to run on LAN settings. If any of you have any other ideas on what the issue may be let me know. I'll get back to you to say whether it worked or not as soon as i possibly can.

You all have a nice day. ^_^

[Squirrel_Monkey]

Well, I decided to try it out myself and when it launched it windows prompted me to install DirectPlay first. This is a windows legacy feature that older games might require.
Might be worth checking it's installed and enabled.

[Patrick Light Bearer]

Alright, thanks Squirrel Monkey. How do i install and get it to work for me and my brother so we can play RA2 together in a LAN game session? I did some research and found out it's far more difficult than i originally thought. So i figure since it seems you have already installed it and have it working. That i would ask you how before actually doing it.

I'll be checking back as soon as i can to see your reply. Have a nice day. ^_^

[Squirrel_Monkey]

It should be installed so you'll just need to activate it:

[Patrick Light Bearer]

UPDATE: Thanks to all who have helped me to the best of there abilities in the time this forum was up. I have appreciated your input and advice deeply and think you're all pretty good for trying to help me.

As for the issue, GameRanger solved it for the most part. But i still hope to get the game to do it on it's own if possible at some point in the future. My brother has since this post was put up fallen out of interest in playing the game with me. So now it's not a real issue given he was the only one i planned to play with over multiplayer on this game. Again thanks for helping. And i apologize for the late reply, i simply forgot to make a reply until recently. Figured i would put up this notice so that way you all and anyone who comes here knows it's over.

Anyways, have a nice day.
 

[Gauche Suede]

Hey no problem 

And why don't you drop in and share your bots with us sometime ?