Multiplayer

[Matt_Y]

Hi everyone, first post here! Been playing TT since mid-nineties and happy to find OpenTTD today. Have downloaded version 101 this evening and been trying to play my friend via multiplayer...

I've read the FAQ etc and I'm sure I've avoided all te n00b pitfalls (e.g. remembered to advertise, enter a name etc). Even after we set up games and try to find with our IP addresses we can't see each others' servers. After adding my friend's IP it goes onto the server list and say it's offline. Does the fact that it's on the list mean that the game can see my friend or is it erroneous?

Any advice appreciated as I can't really find much help on the forums on this subject. It looks easy but it's frustrating that it won't work for me!

[deamonhunter11]

Have you made sure that you forwarded the ports first?

[Matt_Y]

Have you made sure that you forwarded the ports first?

Don't think so. I recall some slightly confusing stuff about 3979/3978 on the FAQ but didn't think I needed to do it. How exactly do I do this?

Thanks.

[Alberth]

You may want to reconsider your statement "I'm sure I've avoided all te n00b pitfalls"

a client must be able to connect to the openttd server program. For the server machine, that means it must allow the outside world to make a connection to 3979 both UDP and TCP. (and 3978 for advertising iirc, but I never tried that).


Usually that implies 2 things:

1. Somebody at the outside often enters your part of the network through a ADSL modem or router or whatever box you have between the network connection, and the physical computer system that runs the openttd server program. That box must a) allow the outside access, and b) forward the requests to your server machine.

This is commonly known as port forwarding.
Every modem/router has his own way of doing that.

2. Your server machine usually runs some firewall program. That program must allow the outside to make a connection through the ports.

[Matt_Y]

Right, ok. Still finding the concept a bit inpenetrable but bear with me!

I'm running XP and my Firewall exceptions include OpenTTD, which the game must have put there itself. I've added a TCP and UDP for port number 3979. Is there anything else I need to do for my friend to join a game on my server?

Just so we're clear on this, I want to be able to have my game advertised on OpenTTD's standard multiplayer listing, not my own dedicated server. I'd also add that I have been able to join other peoples' games so it's clearly just an issue with creating my own server.