Playing with no internet - Page 2

sdazzle · 04-16-2013, 07:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by old timer

So you're saying you can play when you're online, but if you're offline you're asked to activate?! Interesting problem that I've never encountered before. The fact that you can't deactivate suggests that something is up with the licensing system, but I'm not sure yet. I can ask esellerate for help on this, but you need to come to tech support for further help.

Just submitted a ticket. But that's my problem. Which I thought was weird because I've always played the game offline in the past. Thanks for your help.

old timer · 04-16-2013, 07:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sdazzle

Just submitted a ticket. But that's my problem. Which I thought was weird because I've always played the game offline in the past. Thanks for your help.

Thanks! I've already emailed Andreas about this, but it's too late in Germany right now for him to see it. I'll update you in the ticket.

sdazzle · 04-16-2013, 07:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by old timer

Can you tell me if this happened only with Macs or only with certain systems? I didn't hear about this problem before. I'll ask Andreas to look into this.

I'm only having the issue on my MacBook Pro. It's a mid year 2012, so pretty new machine. Running latest version of Mountain Lion.

olivertheorem · 04-16-2013, 07:49 PM

I remember a few people having this problem last year. Something about the game not always "remembering" the key had been entered already, as I recall.

mking55 · 04-17-2013, 10:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by old timer

Can you tell me if this happened only with Macs or only with certain systems? I didn't hear about this problem before. I'll ask Andreas to look into this.

Excellent question and I don't know. But I will tell you that I play on a MAC so that just might be it. A problem only happening on a MAC and that's why there hasn't been more said about this.

sdazzle · 04-17-2013, 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mking55

Excellent question and I don't know. But I will tell you that I play on a MAC so that just might be it. A problem only happening on a MAC and that's why there hasn't been more said about this.

You can't play offline either? I've completely uninstalled the game (including hidden files, removed the key and put in new key, gone into the contents of the app to see if there was anything and I'm having zero luck. Can't play offline at all. It's a game, so it's not the end of the world. Though I want to be able to play offline and I didn't realize how often I'm not connected to the internet until now. I have confidence in the OOTP team. They'll figure it out.
Even more frustrating is that I can't even look at the support website. I've tried three different browsers and they are all doing the same thing. I go to log in and with Safari and Firefox, the page goes white. With chrome, it says the server is offline. So while I have created a ticket, I can't do any checking on the support site.
Though Oldtimer has been fantastic with PMing me with updates.

xnickx5757 · 04-17-2013, 04:41 PM

there's a easy solution for this but I don't think the OOTP team would approve

just give them a little bit to work it out

boshk · 04-17-2013, 06:09 PM

glad to hear it is just a bug. i wont ever buy a game that has always online DRM.

Déjà Bru · 04-17-2013, 08:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boshk

glad to hear it is just a bug. i wont ever buy a game that has always online DRM.

My sentiments as well. I agree with the "need to check in once in a while" idea, as it helps preserve the game's viability. However, there are times when people (like me) take their laptops out of wi-fi range and still want to get their OOTPB game time in!

sdazzle · 04-17-2013, 10:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Déjà Bru

My sentiments as well. I agree with the "need to check in once in a while" idea, as it helps preserve the game's viability. However, there are times when people (like me) take their laptops out of wi-fi range and still want to get their OOTPB game time in!

Yup, that's how I found the problem. I was not a happy camper when I fired up my game and found that I couldn't play for an hour and half at my son's baseball practice.

old timer · 04-18-2013, 01:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sdazzle

Yup, that's how I found the problem. I was not a happy camper when I fired up my game and found that I couldn't play for an hour and half at my son's baseball practice.

Hi again,

I just wanted you to know that I didn't forget about you. I'm really perplexed that you can't get on our support site. Anyhow, I've emailed Andreas (one of the developers) what you told me and I'll let you know what he said. Mostly, I'll update you through PM, but since this thread is still going, I thought I'd check in here.

mking55 · 04-18-2013, 03:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sdazzle

You can't play offline either? I've completely uninstalled the game (including hidden files, removed the key and put in new key, gone into the contents of the app to see if there was anything and I'm having zero luck. Can't play offline at all. It's a game, so it's not the end of the world. Though I want to be able to play offline and I didn't realize how often I'm not connected to the internet until now. I have confidence in the OOTP team. They'll figure it out.
Even more frustrating is that I can't even look at the support website. I've tried three different browsers and they are all doing the same thing. I go to log in and with Safari and Firefox, the page goes white. With chrome, it says the server is offline. So while I have created a ticket, I can't do any checking on the support site.
Though Oldtimer has been fantastic with PMing me with updates.

I was intrigued by your question as to whether I could play offline or not. I don't know why I didn't try it to confirm your problem, it's just that since I had the same problem with OOTP13, I assumed (stupid me) that it was the same thing.

I turned my Internet off and could play the game without a problem on my MAC. I'm sorry that it seems to be something unique to you. Andreas is a pretty clever guy and once he sinks his teeth into the problem, I think a solution will be found quickly. The only problem is him having enough time. When I picture him, his head is always spinning like a top.

But he's a very nice guy so hopefully he will look after you quickly.

sdazzle · 04-20-2013, 12:22 PM

Is there a way to activate game offline? I want to see if this will make a difference with my playing offline issue.
I'm also going to see if OOTP 13 still plays offline to make sure it's not an issue on my end. I know it used to, so I can't see it being a problem.

RchW · 04-20-2013, 01:00 PM

It's certainly not a universal bug. I play regularly off-line and just opened and used v14 and v13 on two computers off-line. AFAIK Andreas mentioned that the game needs to be on-line about every 5th time it starts.

HH20xx convert · 04-20-2013, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RchW

It's certainly not a universal bug. I play regularly off-line and just opened and used v14 and v13 on two computers off-line. AFAIK Andreas mentioned that the game needs to be on-line about every 5th time it starts.

If your memory is correct re Andreas' comment I would assume that only applies to those who opt to give OOTP feedback on how they are using the game (I forget the exact term they use, but there is an opt in/opt out choice in 13 for this). Otherwise this would have popped up long before now unless something has changed in 14--planned or a bug.

sdazzle · 04-20-2013, 02:11 PM

I actually said no thanks to that option on my 2nd or third reinstall because I thought that might be causing my issue.
So here is what I've done. I installed the game on why wife's macbook pro. It's actually the basic version. I have the top end. So, her game wouldn't activate when I installed the game. I have a feeling it has to do with the fact that my license won't release on this machine. But when I took my key.cfg file from my mac and put in on her machine, I could go offline with the game.
So I'm thinking I'd take her library file and app file, airdrop to my machine, uninstall my game and reinstall all her files. This was also after I uninstalled my McAfee internet suite and HandsOff! I thought those might be the culprits.
Nope, didn't work. Still can't take the game offline.
I might go really drastic, but I don't want to and nuke my machine and reinstall everything from scratch. But I think that's a bit over the top.
Oh, I also reinstalled OOTP 13 to see if there was a larger issue, but OOTP 13 worked offline. I installed the last build for that and based on what I read, that version was actually patched for the exact same problem. Though it seemed that it was a bit more widespread.
I honestly think it has something to do with my license because I can't even deactivate which I could on my wife's machine. So my question is, Is there a way to deactivate my license web-based? I doubt it will be that easy, but who knows?

RchW · 04-20-2013, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HH20xx convert

If your memory is correct re Andreas' comment I would assume that only applies to those who opt to give OOTP feedback on how they are using the game (I forget the exact term they use, but there is an opt in/opt out choice in 13 for this). Otherwise this would have popped up long before now unless something has changed in 14--planned or a bug.

I'm very sure that the anonymous feedback opt-in has zero connection to any offline game use. Why am I so sure? Because it's just not the way OOTPD works in my experience and the two items are completely unrelated.

The online requirement is a license check, not a feedback pipeline.

sdazzle · 04-20-2013, 09:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RchW

I'm very sure that the anonymous feedback opt-in has zero connection to any offline game use. Why am I so sure? Because it's just not the way OOTPD works in my experience and the two items are completely unrelated.

The online requirement is a license check, not a feedback pipeline.

I don't think that's my problem anyway. I'm almost sure it has something to do with the licensing. It just seems weird that I can't reauthorize my license and also need an internet connection to play. Just seems way too connected.

RchW · 04-20-2013, 09:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sdazzle

I don't think that's my problem anyway. I'm almost sure it has something to do with the licensing. It just seems weird that I can't reauthorize my license and also need an internet connection to play. Just seems way too connected.

I completely agree and can guarantee you that if even 1% of players had this problem there would be many posts on it.

HH20xx convert · 04-21-2013, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RchW

I'm very sure that the anonymous feedback opt-in has zero connection to any offline game use. Why am I so sure? Because it's just not the way OOTPD works in my experience and the two items are completely unrelated.

The online requirement is a license check, not a feedback pipeline.

I play 13 (and prior versions) on a computer never connected to the internet and have never had any issues. I used the offline license activation process to get started in 13 and added patches/updates with an external hard drive. So, this is a new feature in 14, or a bug, or has nothing to do with license verification.

If it was a license verification in 13 and prior, the issue would have filled the boards in prior years, methinks.

04-20-2013, 01:00 PM	#34
RchW Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: The big smoke Posts: 15,628	It's certainly not a universal bug. I play regularly off-line and just opened and used v14 and v13 on two computers off-line. AFAIK Andreas mentioned that the game needs to be on-line about every 5th time it starts. __________________ Cheers RichW If you’re looking for a good cause to donate money to please consider a Donation to Parkinson’s Canada. It may help me have a better future and if not me, someone else. Thanks. “Conservatism consists of exactly one proposition …There must be in-groups whom the law protects but does not bind, alongside out-groups whom the law binds but does not protect.” Frank Wilhoit

04-16-2013, 07:49 PM	#24
olivertheorem All Star Starter Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 1,919	I remember a few people having this problem last year. Something about the game not always "remembering" the key had been entered already, as I recall.

04-17-2013, 04:41 PM	#27
xnickx5757 Minors (Single A) Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 65	there's a easy solution for this but I don't think the OOTP team would approve just give them a little bit to work it out

04-17-2013, 06:09 PM	#28
boshk All Star Reserve Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 531	glad to hear it is just a bug. i wont ever buy a game that has always online DRM.

04-20-2013, 12:22 PM	#33
sdazzle Minors (Rookie Ball) Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 24	Is there a way to activate game offline? I want to see if this will make a difference with my playing offline issue. I'm also going to see if OOTP 13 still plays offline to make sure it's not an issue on my end. I know it used to, so I can't see it being a problem.

04-20-2013, 02:11 PM	#36
sdazzle Minors (Rookie Ball) Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 24	I actually said no thanks to that option on my 2nd or third reinstall because I thought that might be causing my issue. So here is what I've done. I installed the game on why wife's macbook pro. It's actually the basic version. I have the top end. So, her game wouldn't activate when I installed the game. I have a feeling it has to do with the fact that my license won't release on this machine. But when I took my key.cfg file from my mac and put in on her machine, I could go offline with the game. So I'm thinking I'd take her library file and app file, airdrop to my machine, uninstall my game and reinstall all her files. This was also after I uninstalled my McAfee internet suite and HandsOff! I thought those might be the culprits. Nope, didn't work. Still can't take the game offline. I might go really drastic, but I don't want to and nuke my machine and reinstall everything from scratch. But I think that's a bit over the top. Oh, I also reinstalled OOTP 13 to see if there was a larger issue, but OOTP 13 worked offline. I installed the last build for that and based on what I read, that version was actually patched for the exact same problem. Though it seemed that it was a bit more widespread. I honestly think it has something to do with my license because I can't even deactivate which I could on my wife's machine. So my question is, Is there a way to deactivate my license web-based? I doubt it will be that easy, but who knows?