Matrix Games Forums

During my very first turn of my very first PBEM game, I encountered the following server communication error. I continued and it seems like it completed the turn, but I'm not certain if there is an issue or whether I've screwed up something as a user, somehow. Anyone else get this error. (I am using v1.10.03 beta).

Thanks for any thoughts,
-Mark R.

A bit more info.
(1) I can connect and start a PBEM game on the server
(2) I can connect and join a PBEM game started by my partner on the server.
(3) My opponent can connect, start or join, and successfully end his turn on the server.
If I join his finished-turn game, I see his completed turn. If I then execute and end a turn I get the communication error again.

To summarize:
It seems everything is working except that I, and only I, can't end a turn.

-Mark R.

So.... now I'm completely at a loss - I've uninstalled and installed a pristine v1.10.03 beta and still get the error.

Next is probably dropping back to the last official release v1.10

-Mark R.

My opponent and I have dropped back to a pristine v1.10 install - no mods what-so-ever - and still I'm getting the communication error.

I'm out of ideas to try - can't imagine what is going wrong - could my ISP (comcast) be blocking something? Do I need to set up some WiFi/internet port number? I'm feeling like the basic connection is good because I can see other challenges (see figure below), my opponent accepted my challenge, it seems to saves the game to the server properly (at least as nearly as I can tell) - it just won't end the turn without the connection error -5.

The issue appears to be ONLY related to me (not my opponent) finishing a turn.

-Mark R.

(P.S. I'm using Windows 10 on a Surface Pro with docking station and two monitors.)

Okay - more info.
I installed on a different computer (an Alien desktop - a Dell product) running Windows 10 and get the same connection error -5 when ending a turn.

-Mark R.

Finally, on the off chance I somehow had corrupted install files, I uninstalled again, downloaded new install files from the Matrix member site and reinstalled pristine. Still same connection error.

I was looking forward to playing this game PBEM, but I guess it's just not to be.

-Mark R.

At a guess, it may be some sort of setting with your ISN, or between you and your ISN. I'm guessing based on the fact that it isn't working across different computers

ORIGINAL: Taxman66

At a guess, it may be some sort of setting with your ISN, or between you and your ISN.

Yeah, that's where my thinking keeps going - but were that really the issue I'd expect more severe problems than just not being able to terminate a turn. Besides ending a term, I seem otherwise connected fine - for example. I can see other game offers, I can save a game, or load a game from my opponent (including one he has completed a turn).

Really weird. Maybe the anti net-neutrality giants are targeting the multi-billion dollar war-gaming industry first.... [:D]

-Mark R.

Hi mroyer, sorry to hear about the trouble and it is a strange one indeed... let me look into it further but this will be difficult to trace as this is the first and only report of its kind that I know of where you can consistently not be able to end your turn via PBEM++.

Thanks for looking into it Hubert.

Give me some clues what a -5 communication error is related to so I can try to think through whether I'm causing it somehow.

-Mark R.

Hi Mark,

The -5 error is related to an HTTP POST command, essentially when the game is attempting to send the latest turn update to the PBEM++ server. However what is odd is that you've mentioned you can save your PBEM++ turn in progress, yet it fails when you complete your turn and the game is then automatically sending the turn to the server.

Hubert

Okay, I'll think about that and hunt around my router/cable modem settings for anything odd in that arena.

It is true, and VERY repeatable (like 100% of the time) that I can save a file, but not finish a turn. I too find that very peculiar. I wonder what's different about finishing a turn.

-Mark R.

I cannot get around this error no matter what I try. I've tried turning off my firewall, shutting down WiFi to use hardwired LAN, rebooting router and cable modem, changing security settings in the router and so on - yet the issue persists.

Next, I need to find some sort of hotspot outside my home so I can eliminate my ISP and access point altogether.

-Mark R.

Do both computers you tried on have the same antivirus software? Have you tried disabling it?

That's a good thought taxman - I'm not sure - I'll dig into that next.
-Mark R.

Dorked around with Windows Defender settings/on/off without success.

I wonder if the PBEM files on the server got corrupted early on somehow and that's causing a problem that I keep running into...

-Mark Royer

Today I created a new account at Matrix and purchased the SC3 game again under the new name, royerma. I installed on a separate computer and was able to play PBEM between my two pseudonyms, mroyer and royerma, without problem.

So, does that suggest my earlier connection error -5 is on my opponent's side?

-Mark R.

I just started my first PBEM game with a friend and got the same -5 error while saving the game. We are both using the latest official patch.
When I shutdown KAspersky, I got the same error message.

Hanno

ORIGINAL: Hanno Meier
got the same -5 error while saving the game.

I'm not alone!!!

Hanno, Lets try to play a couple dummy turns against each other - I posted a vanilla 1939 Storm over Europe challenge with password "Hanno".

-Mark R.