Trouble getting online

**BSM_Skkzarg** · 08-20-2001, 10:35

Qapla Erado, and everyone else.

My issue is this. I am playing Shogun on my game machine. However, I run an internal LAN that my machine sits on. I am using a router w/ACL and port forwarding. Currently, I have 4 rules set along with a default generic (catch-all) passthru going to this machine - which in theory should allow me to logon to EA-Play. However, it appears that whatever ports are required to be opened for EAplay logon are not allowing data back in. I can't think of anything keeping it from going out- so the "logging on" screen seems to be waiting for incoming packets that never arrive. If anyone can tell me the ports I need to open specifically and set port forwarding on - I should be set.

Also - its odd - but the original Shogun worked fine under this same setup...

Looking for Ideas here guys.
Thanx!

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BSM_Skkzarg
"A mind is a terrible thing to taste."

**Khan7** · 08-20-2001, 12:10

Well, personally I think that making us all fax in that bullshiznik is a load.. why should we do all that work? If they don't take some real action on this, I'm gonna go with Kukri's class action (if he's serious), though I usually disdain suing at the drop of a hat.

This is a load!! Come, we shall march on Redwood City, and if they will not meet with us, we will burn their city to the ground and slaughter the inhabitants, and then see if they'll talk! And..

Whoo, this Mongol spirit with the ex-pack is contagious.

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Khan7

**Asakura Lord** · 08-20-2001, 19:35

I have the exact same problem. I have a cable modem which I think is at fault. I am not using a hub or router, just the cable modem with a software firewall. When I try to logon it just sits there like yours. I haven't even been able to plat the old Shogun without the expansion pack. The game uses TCP Port 8793, I believe. I have sent an email to the techsupport for my service to see if they can tell me if that port is being blocked because I can't logon, and I am also having problems playing other games online as well.

**Jaguar** · 08-20-2001, 21:51

NOLA, photcopy the front of the actual CD or the Jewel Case?

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Honour to Clan Shades!

**DarthGuru** · 08-21-2001, 00:47

so what happened did they send you a new cd or cdkey?

**BSM_Skkzarg** · 08-21-2001, 05:18

Asakura,

With a software firewall, you often have ports closed that you may need open. Since data leaving out does not USUALLY violate a firewall rule - the connection is allowed. However, as is in my case - it is likely that the port used for INCOMING data is different, which is why you can't log in. Since your using a software firewall, try turning it off completely or disabling it long enough to attempt a logon. If it succeeds - you know its a firewall tweak that needs to be added. If not, then its another issue that can be narrowed down. Feel free to let me know what you come up with. I will test that port you listed and see if it is a fix for me.

Qapla and good hunting!

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BSM_Skkzarg
"A mind is a terrible thing to taste."

**BSM_Skkzarg** · 08-21-2001, 07:18

Port 8793 opened, but no joy.... there must be another port involved.
Thanks for the try tho.
Qapla!

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BSM_Skkzarg
"A mind is a terrible thing to taste."

**Algesan** · 08-21-2001, 08:41

Bump the photocopying. They need to get off (or maybe on) their bums and type the invalid CD keys into their database every time they get a complaint on it. Yep, will cost them more work, but no more than having to reissue a valid CD key and then making sure that CD key doesn't go out to another customer. It also means that I don't have to spend any extra money on fixing their problem.

**Algesan** · 08-21-2001, 09:11

Ok, I just got the "send us a copy" song and dance. Here is my reply, including the typo on the second line:

"Excuse me, but why should I have to waste my time and effort providing you with with photocopies of your product to correct a mistake you made? A more correct solution would be for you to input the CD keys you neglected to enter into your database prior to releasing the product, giving immediate priority to customers that notify you that they are in possession of one of your mistakes.

Before you start on a song and dance about possible pirated copies, well, guess what, you made the mistake, deal with it. Also, there is NO charge for using the EA server for STW, so you won't lose any money on the deal.

If I am going to get into the habit of mailing things back, I will box up my original copy of STW, the MI expansion and return them to the EA store for a FULL refund. At that point I will decide if I wish to purchase a copy of the full Warlord edition and continue playing this game. The recent decisions by EA/CA/DT to cease supporting the product as posted by the official rep, Richie Skinner, here: http://pub24.ezboard.com/fshoguntota...ID=2841.topic;

calls into serious question whether or not I will repurchase the game under the current restraints placed on multiplayer mode by EA. TCP/IP play independent of the publisher's server is considered standard in non pay-to-play games and to date, this option has been refused for this game.

I will await your response.

Thank you,
Larry"

I love this game, but I don't love it that much, so I'm more than willing to ship it all back to them and go buy something else. SP is fun, but pretty much a joke for long term and I'm not going to play in their dog and pony show just to get to play online. It will be a pity since they do have an innovative design, but it will give me more time for my other pursuits.

**KukriKhan** · 08-21-2001, 09:41

Evening m8's. We didn't get a case number assigned today, as I'd hoped. The local (San Diego) FTC Rep says that, by law we have to give the product provider (EA) 90 days to fix the problem, unless life and limb are endangered. So we wait.

On a separate note, I see that EradoSan is patiently allowing this thread to exist, but isn't participating, presumeably because at this point, it isn't a problem he has power to solve. I, for one, appreciate his benign neglect, but out of respect for his function here (and the help he's provided me; not to mention the.Org's bandwidth), I will post to this thread only once more: to provide a link to a website I'll build tomorrow, proving updates on the legal case.

That way, you can find out what's going on legally, without eating up the.org's resources, and distracting Eradosan's attention from tech prob's.

Any prob's with that? E-mail me at jim@jimcee.com.

Peace, except on the battlefield
Kukri

**REDEATH** · 08-21-2001, 11:37

FYI Fellas YES After bitching alot it appears that they are pointing the finger at the fabricator/distribution people saying that the CD KEYS ONLY for the expansion pack were never inputed and if you call the warranty # 1-650-628-8468 they will indeed send you a WARLORD EDITION CD KEY that works if you send them a photocopy of the Actual Game CD and back of the Jewel case showing the original CD KEY....the mix-up was supposedly due to the fact that Expansion pack is only sold in Europe as a packaged product and the CDs set aside for the EA order for USA customers were not accounted for when they inputed CD KEYS.

**NOLA_Jay** · 08-21-2001, 18:26

The said a photo copy of the CD so when I made the photcopy I just uponed up the case an copyied it, the copy I made did show the opened portion of the CD. I also sent them a letter like tech support said, plus a copy of my purchase information that came with the CD, and a copy of the letter from tech support. Sent it via snail mail faxing all of that, would have costed me like over $5.
But I personally think they ought to issue a recall of the Mongol CDs do to the problem, plus one thing that I haven't mentioned is that getting a CD Key is costing us aside from time money. Having to call there phone tech support or Warenty department is going to run you most likely a long distance phone bill, and from past experience that could cost you the price of the CD or more depending on how long they keep you on.
Doing it via snail mail or fax is going to cost to, but not as much. And if you send the CD back for a replacement or refrund rember that you have to pay for the shipping and envelope.
Now what they should do is replace everyone who bought the Mongol CD with a copy of the Warlord Edition. I would have originally bought the Warlord Edition if I would have know about this and about the Warlord Edition using less Hard Drive memory, 500 MB may not seem like much but if your drive isn't that big and getting allmost full it would be.
Is it just me but it seems that they didn't say much about the diffrences between the Mongol version Compared to the Warlord. I rember not being able to find out if there was going to be a diffrence between the Mongol Expansion and the Warlorld one. While I don't want to mention anything legal like do to my job, I'm a paralegal. Has any one looked into false or deceptive advertising by EA on the Mongol/ Warlod issue. Cause I've had courses in advertising and this could be considered it. Hmmm just waiting for that class action law suit against EA.

**Asakura Lord** · 08-21-2001, 19:45

I've tried shutting off the firewall, and pretty much everything else without any luck. On the Shogun website on EA they have a link for game support and on the FAQ page someone asks what port it uses, but none of the links work, and I can't find an email for the webmaster to report it.

**DarthGuru** · 08-22-2001, 00:48

This really sucks,
I refuse to go through all that work. I want to just sit and wait and actually see how long it will take for them to fix the problem for any normal customer who has been jacked by this problem. I hope that the class action suit goes through, oh please...

**NOLA_Jay** · 08-22-2001, 04:21

I might have missed this but is the Invalid CD Key Limited to just the Mongol Invasion pack and not the Warlord Edition.

**Khan7** · 08-22-2001, 06:25

Okay, here's the deal-- just do what they say, photocopy *the back* of the jewel case (the whole point is so that they can see the serial number), along with your receipt if you have it and a note telling them the situation and to e-mail the new number to you. I know that's a load of bull, but it isn't THAT much work, you just gotta copy and fax, and if you fax it and then get them to e-mail it to you, it would probably be a lot quicker and easier than waiting for the court case. I would say it's probably better just to roll with this one, it's not worth a lenghty, costly battle.

As far as letting them now we're not pleased though, there is no reason to stop that!

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Khan7

**DarthGuru** · 08-22-2001, 06:56

Well,
Mainly I want to know if it worked. Did they send you a new cd-key or cd after you faxed it?? If they did I will go through the process and fax them my info. If this is another one of their run-around schemes to keep us busy, then I'm not gonna... :P

**KukriKhan** · 08-22-2001, 07:49

Darth, you are a most patient man

I e-mailed my scanned CD + jewelcase image Thursday, 16 August....they sent my new Key number 45 minutes ago (and it works). So they fixed it in 4 working days.

For me it was a 2-step process.

1) send in an EAsy report

2) when they respond, respond to them with a scanned image of the CD face and jewelcase cover, showing the CD serial #.

3) wait...and fret...and threaten to sue

Step 3 not really necessary, except the "wait" part.

08-23-2001, 06:52

all you guys, while you are waiting for your valid cd_keys, you can still play MI online- just go read the following:

http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/Forum1/HTML/001910.html

you're welcome

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I'm a man... I can change... If I have to...
...I guess...

**NOLA_Jay** · 08-24-2001, 05:31

They just emailed me a replacement CD Key. It is in the 1300 series. Didn't take them as long as I thought it would considering I used regular snail mail to send out the information there Warenty Department wanted, and that it went in the post office mail box Monday morning.

**DarthGuru** · 08-24-2001, 07:10

well I sent mine yesterday, and I'm still waiting for a reply. I hope they could read my messy writing

Since I didnt have a reciept and lost my order form, I just gave them my order number of EA.com. I hope that will be sufficient...

**hach** · 08-25-2001, 04:55

Guess what guys

Bought MI today and have Invalid CD code message.

Bollox

Hach

**hach** · 08-25-2001, 04:56

Exactly who are you contacting for these new cd keys??

Via phone or E mail?

Hach

**Algesan** · 08-25-2001, 05:25

Send an email using the EASy program. I got mine from the EAStore so it was possible for me to stomp my feet and pout like I did above. They can confirm my purchase and emailed me a new CD key yesterday.

You might want to try to shortcut to here:

Phone: 650-628-1900
Fax: 650-628-5900
Email: warranty@ea.com

**hach** · 08-25-2001, 05:54

Guess what again guys!!!
Mines sorted itself!!!!

Did what Jaydee suggested and changed the number in the internet file to 8793.

Still told me i had an invalid CD key.
(I never clicked at the time'but the CD key line was blank and i just filled it in)
So i decided to enter my old key and it worked and took me back to the old lobby.
I then changed the number back to 8794 and once again it told me i had invalid CD key.
So i typed in the new CD key and i logged in no problem to the new server.

My theory is

Even though you enter your CD key when you install the game it does'nt memorise it.So we are all getting Invalid CD keys'because you have no key to be checked.It has to be manually typed in again once you try to join MP.Anyway i may be wrong'but the CD key line was definately blank when i first typed on it.Could be as simple as that.

Anyway mines ok now and no tech support reuired.

Hach

**DarthGuru** · 08-25-2001, 06:58

Hey guys,
Well I got my new Cdkey today, so in total it took 3 working days. Not Bad. Anyways I saw a post on the main forum from the developers, that they supposedly fixed the problems for the invalid cd-key owners as well. not sure if they really did but maybe thats what fixed your problem. http://pub24.ezboard.com/fshoguntota...cID=2898.topic

**KukriKhan** · 08-25-2001, 08:18

So to sum up what I've learned:
1) we began discussing this issue 11 August - final resolution 24 August = two weeks total.
2) EA is a labyrith of hired developers, coders, marketers, cust svc folks, tech help guys, and others, many of whom don't communicate with each other until they must. They seem verrrrrry slow compared to internet time - but they DO respond.
3) The EAsy tech rept system works well. Congrats to whoever designed it, and to the guys who work it.
4) The breadth and depth of knowledge in this forum (and the .com site) is astounding. In two weeks, volunteers, working part-time figured out a variety of fixes, workarounds, and solutions. Good work m8s!! I'm proud to be a member of such a group.

BTW, I faxed the San Diego FTC, advising them that the manufacturer fixed its product. I expect to receive a formal "end of investigation" notice next week. That's up to them, but they'll probably be happy to redirect the investigating agent to a more fruitful pursuit.

Thanks m8s! And thanks to EradoSan for his patience and bandwidth. And (never thought I'd type this

) thanks to EA for taking us seriously, and fixing our problem. (Now I have to go wash my hands

).

**Jaguar** · 08-25-2001, 09:35

End of investigation? I've contacted many times, tried what hach said, everything. No replies, nothing worked. What's going on? Did they fix it or what. I was the first to report this problme and apparently the last to get a SOLUTION!

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Honour to Clan Shades!