Drakan multiplayer servers

[Liuna]

Hello there, I found this forum days ago
I've played Drakan a lot of years ago and recently I got interested in the multiplayer. When I created server (on a P4 computer with Win XP), my sister was able to join succesfully. I also tried the Gamespy Arcade and to my surprise I found a Dutch server, which wasn't online when I found it, so I will try when it's online, at least there's a red X on the left and the players number is 00/06.
If I add that Dutch server's IP to the game or certain other IPs, it crashes when opening Join Game until I don't clear the IP and the port from servers.txt. (I also deleted the mplayer adress from the cfg file, only the gamespy adress is there). It happened on both computers.
So far I have the game installed and the 10th anniversary too. I have windows 7, so I didn't install the 445 patch as it was said at the downloads install only if there's Windows 2000 or XP. When I tried 445 SP1, it said wrong version or patch already installed (maybe due to the 10th anniversary mod).
So I can play with my sister but can't find nonGamespy servers and the only GameSpy server wasn't really started up so far.
If only major changes would help, I may try to apply them only on the WinXP Pentium 4 computer, which doesn't accept the 10th anniversary though since I got it with an older VGA card for now :/

Edit: I tried without 10th anniversary, Join Game still crashes when there are certain or some IPs added to the list and Restored and recracked with 445 SP1 also, no change... In the menu it says Build 375/445. So I'm guessing that Dutch server might be running in some other mode. Maybe it crashes the simple server list part due to that?

[Arokhs Twin]

Hi there welcome to the forum! I don't think the gamespy server works anymore or has some issues with it plus you have to edit your game configuration files - see this page http://www.arokhslair.net/tech.php#online it's a bit outdated as gamespy changed after IGN took it over several years ago but it should point you in the right direction.

If you can't join a server because of network configuration error, this is mostly due to firewall configuration including the firewall built in to the router. Make sure ports 27045, 27046 and 27900 are open. Most modern routers and games use uPNP to set these automatically but for Drakan you may have to open these in your router's firewall.

Most servers are running standard 445 patch so you will need this. If the game has been modified with 3rd party mods you may not be able to join some servers unless you update your game to the same version of the server.

I had the same game crashing issue and it turned out to be my router causing the problem. On my old internet connection and router the game was fine and always worked but since upgrading to fibre broadband Drakan no longer worked. I have to disable the router's firewall when playing Drakan online. Note: Don't disable it permanently as it will leave your computer open to attack.

[Liuna]

Thank you for the reply
Okay, I will install the 445 patch.
Well, since then I noticed the Dutch server didn't seem to be online.
I added the sky mods, but shall I change the master server adress? I has the gamespy adress there only at the moment.
I checked the router, it didn't have firewall settings (it's a d-link) and in Kaspersky I putted Engine.exe to Trusted (it was in low restriction). When I tried to start the Dutch server I started it via the Gamespy Arcade client. So I will check the router again, but carefully. In simple game playing (on the Pentium 4, when just I hosted game and my sister clicked join game) it worked fine among my and my sister's computer, I guess that was a different way of connecting which wasn't blocked by the router.
Are there servers open frequently recently?

Update: I tried the hosting lnk (all levls) which worked on the P4 computer but here it doesn't.

[Liuna]

One quick question (I found where to set ports - advanced port forwarding rules). The question is what application I should select (says stuff like http, ftp, pop3, lan and so on.) Once I saw a similiar router firewall setup screenshot somewhere on this page.
Now it doesn't let me save it. it seems to limit the settings to lan subnet as it says... (The computer list enlists only the computers at home even though I wrote in that Dutch server's IP with the 27900 port number.) Maybe I will just set up the normal server with the game's Host Game and invite 1-2 people or at least I will continue setting on the older computer only. When it's on, it's called Liuna.
But thank you for the help anyway

[Arokhs Twin]

The sky mods will be fine and if you just have the gamespy master server in your config file then that is fine too. My old router was a d-link which worked fine with Drakan but I did have to open the abforementioned ports. These on d-link routers are typically under the menu 'application rules' & 'port forwarding' you need to have both TCP and UDP open (any)

You might find the interactive d-link configuration page useful http://support.dlink.com/emulators/wbr2310/adv_appl.htm

The drop down box on mine had a setting 'user defined' but on the above it does not. Try leaving this and just type drakan1, drakan2 in the box so you know what the rules are for later.

If you need to enable port forwarding the IP address is the IP address of your PC (type ipconfig from a command prompt to find this out)

[Liuna]

The sky mods will be fine and if you just have the gamespy master server in your config file then that is fine too. My old router was a d-link which worked fine with Drakan but I did have to open the abforementioned ports. These on d-link routers are typically under the menu 'application rules' & 'port forwarding' you need to have both TCP and UDP open (any)

You might find the interactive d-link configuration page useful http://support.dlink.com/emulators/wbr2310/adv_appl.htm

The drop down box on mine had a setting 'user defined' but on the above it does not. Try leaving this and just type drakan1, drakan2 in the box so you know what the rules are for later.

Well I tried since then, please read back my latest post (sorry, I overlooked the Quote button at first).
Does it have to do something with that the IP changes soemtimes? (When seen from outside).

[Arokhs Twin]

Now it doesn't let me save it. it seems to limit the settings to lan subnet as it says... (The computer list enlists only the computers at home even though I wrote in that Dutch server's IP with the 27900 port number.) Maybe I will just set up the normal server with the game's Host Game and invite 1-2 people or at least I will continue setting on the older computer only. When it's on, it's called Liuna.
But thank you for the help anyway

Ah yes, we were both posting at the same time... I have edited my post.

The IP address you need to enter on the port forwarding page is the IP address of your computer not the game server for example 192.168.1.3 The error about the subnet is because you are entering a public IP address not a local address which is everything connected to your router.
What this does is when a remote (drakan server) is trying to communicate with your computer your router will normally drop the packet and prevent it from reaching your PC. The port forwarding rule tells the router to forward the network packet to a specific local IP address instead which would be your PC.

Application rules tells the router firewall to let packets through that use the specified ports. Sometimes this works on it's own but sometimes you need to tell the router where to send it as in port forwarding. You may have to experiment a bit.

Without knowing what your router's config page looks like I can't say what you need to type into the boxes to get it to work but here is some screenshots of my router's config (including my new zyxel) that may help:-

http://www.arokhslair.net/forum/viewtop ... f=2&t=3363

Try configuring port forwarding first and if still no joy try application rules as well. Turning off the firewall is NOT a good idea as this will let everything through not just Drakan and leave your network vunerable.

[Liuna]

Now it doesn't let me save it. it seems to limit the settings to lan subnet as it says... (The computer list enlists only the computers at home even though I wrote in that Dutch server's IP with the 27900 port number.) Maybe I will just set up the normal server with the game's Host Game and invite 1-2 people or at least I will continue setting on the older computer only. When it's on, it's called Liuna.
But thank you for the help anyway

Ah yes, we were both posting at the same time... I have edited my post.

The IP address you need to enter on the port forwarding page is the IP address of your computer not the game server for example 192.168.1.3 The error about the subnet is because you are entering a public IP address not a local address which is everything connected to your router.
What this does is when a remote (drakan server) is trying to communicate with your computer your router will normally drop the packet and prevent it from reaching your PC. The port forwarding rule tells the router to forward the network packet to a specific local IP address instead which would be your PC.

Application rules tells the router firewall to let packets through that use the specified ports. Sometimes this works on it's own but sometimes you need to tell the router where to send it as in port forwarding. You may have to experiment a bit.

Without knowing what your router's config page looks like I can't say what you need to type into the boxes to get it to work but here is some screenshots of my router's config (including my new zyxel) that may help:-

http://www.arokhslair.net/forum/viewtop ... f=2&t=3363

Try configuring port forwarding first and if still no joy try application rules as well. Turning off the firewall is NOT a good idea as this will let everything through not just Drakan and leave your network vunerable.

No-no, I most certainly won't turn the firewall off. Beside vulnerability, my family would panic...
Anyway, now I wrote in the original IP's of the above mentioned 2 computers plus the 27405 port number (that's the port number of that Dutch server on Gamespy) and now it says invalid port number for some reason. If nothing will work then I just give this way of trying up and I may open a server properly in the game by the Host Game option, as said, it worked fine between me and my sister, although none of us had the 445 patch back then and when only I had the patch she couldn't come on, I guess it isn't a coicidence.

[Liuna]

By the way, you could try to come up in the game maybe, just in the join game, it should say Liuna's server. I wonder if it would work for anyone abroad. I have the 445 patch on. Quote me when you can come on.
It lets me create server on the other computer, so I will try there. The interesting is both computers are on the same router so it must be something at the laptop but I will use the other computer for the gaming more often anyway, so I leave off the router setting I think.

[Arokhs Twin]

OK, guess I was being a bit too technical.

Note that if you are hosting a game for others in the world to play on then your firewall will need to work properly.

What I would do is go to your router's application rules page and enable ports 27045,27046 and 27900 first. Does not matter about IP addresses. Leave the drop down box with preset application rules as-is and enter the numbers manually. On the drop down box that says TCP/UDP/Any set this to Any. I'm assuming your router's set up is the same as the example here.

If this does not work then try port forwarding which is a little more complicated. Be aware not to confuse local IP addresses (start with 192.168.x.x or 10.10.x.x) with global / public IP addresses (everything else) which I think you may be doing. You are not telling your firewall to let a particular game server to access; instead simply opening the ports Drakan uses for multiplayer and forwarding data to your computer.

[Liuna]

OK, guess I was being a bit too technical.

Note that if you are hosting a game for others in the world to play on then your firewall will need to work properly.

What I would do is go to your router's application rules page and enable ports 27045,27046 and 27900 first. Does not matter about IP addresses. Leave the drop down box with preset application rules as-is and enter the numbers manually. On the drop down box that says TCP/UDP/Any set this to Any. I'm assuming your router's set up is the same as the example here.

If this does not work then try port forwarding which is a little more complicated. Be aware not to confuse local IP addresses (start with 192.168.x.x or 10.10.x.x) with global / public IP addresses (everything else) which I think you may be doing. You are not telling your firewall to let a particular game server to access; instead simply opening the ports Drakan uses for multiplayer and forwarding data to your computer.

Yeah but it turned out it must be something at the laptop only since here at the P4 I can host while on the laptop I can't and as mentioned, my sister was able to connect me, from the same router though.
In final case I may try that application rules. In my antivirus firewall I have put Drakan to fully trusted category so it should be no problem.
Actually I don't know what the public IP is, I think that's the one which is changing from time to time...
Now I hosted the server (with 445 patch only), try to come up in the join server option if you'd like, I wonder if it works between us even though I didn't open those ports for now (it wants restart and I may try that other time and maybe there will be no need for it since I kept trying from the laptop now , where, as mentioned, I couldn't even host a server while I can do the same at the P4 computer).
Edit: I opened the Host (Air Only) Dedicated server.lnk, it works fine and I found my own server on the join game list and succesfully connected to it aven't done that way before.

[Arokhs Twin]

If you can play games okay on the same network / router then it is a firewall issue. Players outside your network (i.e the internet) won't be able to play on it but you and your sister will.

Use ipconfig at the command prompt to find your computer's local IP address. But for now try opening the ports under application rules and this may work so you can join other servers and players can play on your hosted server. You don't need your public IP address as this will change as you stated. You are mereley allowing everyone on the internet to access your PC on those specific ports.

I'd have a look at the router's manual for more info and d-link tech support - they are very helpful.

[Liuna]

If you can play games okay on the same network / router then it is a firewall issue. Players outside your network (i.e the internet) won't be able to play on it but you and your sister will.

Use ipconfig at the command prompt to find your computer's local IP address. But for now try opening the ports under application rules and this may work so you can join other servers and players can play on your hosted server. You don't need your public IP address as this will change as you stated. You are mereley allowing everyone on the internet to access your PC on those specific ports.

I'd have a look at the router's manual for more info and d-link tech support - they are very helpful.

Okay, I may try but I'm afraid it won't be simple as my family may fear somehting might happen after opening the ports (we haven't done anything like that before so we are careful), but I will try if it will be possible. I already know the local adress. So I may not open those if it won't be permitted unfortunately, but still, thank you for all the help and infos.