Cannot connect to PBEM

[fyrebird68]

(realized I originally posted in wrong forum - this is a re-post.)

BA has stopped connecting for online play. Worked fine up to last week. I now get the message "playing offline" when starting the game, and if I try to connect I get the message "MISSING_IDS_CONNECTION_FAILED".

I am able to access the internet for other things (I connected to here from the game menu.) Furthermore, I am able to connect from my other computer at another location.

Need some advice!

[pipfromslitherine]

What platform are you playing on?

Cheers

Pip

[fyrebird68]

Windows XP on desktop. (My other computer is running Win7)

[pipfromslitherine]

Check that your firewall or other security program doesn't need you to re-authorise the game EXE.

Cheers

Pip

[fyrebird68]

The game plays fine - just can't get to PBEM.

Out of my depth there. Can you give me a hint what I'm looking for and where?

[pipfromslitherine]

If you have a firewall running and have updated the game then you may need to tell the firewall that the game is safe (some firewalls treat a changed EXE as being potentially harmful). It should be warning you though of these things. This could be Windows Firewall or other security packages such as Norton.

If the launcher is not showing you the normal Husky details etc then it is something on your system deliberately blocking BA from accessing the internet.

Cheers

Pip

[fyrebird68]

Would downloading a scenario cause this to change?

[pipfromslitherine]

I don't think so. Although some security packages use a heuristic approach, so it is a distant possibility.

Cheers

Pip

[fyrebird68]

I checked my firewall settings.
"C:\Program Files\Slitherine\Battle Academy\BA.exe" is listed in the allowed exceptions. There is also a checked box that should give me a message if a program is blocked. I have not seen any such message.

I rebooted the computer and the DSL modem. No difference. I'm stuck!

[pipfromslitherine]

Do you have any other security software running, such as Norton etc?

Cheers

Pip

[fyrebird68]

I use AVG. I have been using it for about a year. I added BA.exe to the list of exceptions but it didn't make any difference. The firewall portion of the software is not in use.

I tried temporarily disabling the AVG software (it has a function to do that, I presume just for this type of activity.) No change.

[pipfromslitherine]

Hmmmm. I don't know what to suggest really. The launcher panel and the PBEM server are not just different servers, but are in fact hosted by different companies. So it's not even some strange ISP issue I don't think. Something on your system is preventing the game from talking to the internet. Have you tried removing and re-adding the BA EXE to your firewall?

Cheers

Pip

[fyrebird68]

No. I will try that and get back to you.

Would uninstalling and reinstalling the game be a possible fix? Since I bought it as a download, I would need your help in locating the install authorization code. Let me know

[pipfromslitherine]

I don't know whether a reinstall would help. Probably not, although perhaps as a last resort. If you cannot find your serial, it is in the BBCBA.TXT file in the install folder.

Try the firewall fixes first for sure.

Cheers

Pip

[fyrebird68]

I removed the exceptions for BA from both my firewall and from my virus protection. Rebooted and now it works! I did not re-insert the exceptions. I have no idea what the problem was nor how it is working at the moment - BA should be prohibited.

Oh, well, I'll be using it regularly, so I'll pop back here if it turns up again.

Thanks,
Bob T.

[pipfromslitherine]

Glad you found a solution!

Cheers

Pip