Game Error. Connection Failed:

[Elkazar65]

I've searched the forums. NOTHING matches, within that last 6 months.


EVERY single time after logging on, and choosing my server...I get the Medusa screen, pops to next screen, then closes, and this message appears

"Game Error
Connection Failed: There was an error with this connection."

I've opened windows firewall to dndclient, turbinelauncher, turbineinvoker, DDO online...even shut it down to see if I could connect. Have started the game with each of listed apps. Same message each time.

Repaired game, installed over, uninstalled, regedit all files related to DDO/Turbine, re-installed. No change.

Updated Avast, Spybot, and Ad-ware...ran all three. No change.

Is there any fix to this problem? Or am I not going to be able to play?

[Dulcimerist]

Are you on wired or wireless internet?

You might want to unplug your router and cable modem, wait 15 seconds, and then plug them back in. Doing that has a good chance at fixing your problem.

If that doesn't work, and you happen to be on a wireless connection, try connecting straight into your cable modem with a LAN cable and see if wired allows you to connect. Ask a neighbor if you can connect to their wireless connection, and see if you can get into DDO through that connection. Doing these things will help to isolate where the connection problems are. If you end up isolating the problem to your wireless router, you might need a firmware update to it.

What kind of network/wireless card do you have in your computer?

Any additional information you can list about your computer system could be very helpful in finding a solution.

[Elkazar65]

In the last 2 days of installing/uninstalling, patching/repairing, reg-editing, Avast/ad-ware/spybot'ing, adding/removing from windows firewall, and everything else I've tried. I've restarted my machine over a dozen times, and not once have I lost the ability to check my email(IE), OR surf the web/search this site/forums(Firefox)...so disconnecting my machine from the net and reconnecting it? LOL! Doubt that's going to fix it.
Did you not read that I can 'launch' the game, log in, and choose a server, but it stops after the first(Medusa) screen? I haven't even made a character yet, because it doesn't get that far?


More info on my system:
AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core 4600
2g memory
Vista Home 32
Nvidia 9400GT
On-board 10/100 wired connection.
Comcast broadband

[Dulcimerist]

It isn't about disconnecting your system from the internet. It's all about cycling the power on your external router and cable modem. Sometimes the external router and cable modem can block a single application for some odd reason, since they often have firewall technology built into them. It sounds like the Turbine Launcher application is being allowed, but the DnD Client is being blocked. What can it hurt to unplug the router and cable internet box for 15 lousy seconds, plugging them back in, and seeing what happens? If you aren't willing to even try people's advice, nobody on here will bother to try and help you.

If the router and cable modem check out fine, it could likely be a DirectX or other graphics problem. What have you done in that deprartment so far? Try switching over to using DX9, and see if that helps. If you haven't done so already, update your nVidia drivers and DirectX software.

[Elkazar65]

Unplugged cable from power and coaxial, unplugged router from power, shut off machine. Waited 5 minutes, reconnected cable, reconnected router, powered up machine. No change.

Updated graphics driver/direct X, restarted. No change.

Beginning to think that I'm not going to be playing.

Uninstalled(again), reinstalled(fourth time), made sure that all turbine launcher/clients have access to net. No change

[Dulcimerist]

I'm Googling your error message, in hopes of finding something...

Someone experiencing this problem in Turbine's LotR game had this error, and solved it by disabling the built-in Windows Firewall in Vista.

In the DDO forums, there's this:
http://forums.ddo.com/showthread.php?t=209421

It's got to be some sort of firewall issue.

[DevHead]

It does indeed sound like a Firewall issue. As a standard move, everyone with a Windows PC should disable the **** Windows Firewall; it causes more grief than good. I'd also check to make sure that your anti-virus isn't blocking the client; see if you can put it on some sort of "exception" list. Other than that, it could be a setting in your router.

[DevHead]

I just re-read your setup and noticed that you have Comcast for your ISP. If you can't figure out something on your computer or router/modem setup causing the problem, it could very well be them. They're notorious for blocking connections, especially torrents; they probably think the data stream by DDO is some sort of P2P sharing system. I hope that's not actually the problem, because you'd have a helluva time dealing with them.

[Elkazar65]

I really don't think it's a firewall problem, if so, then I wouldn't even be able to log on, and choose a server. From my understanding, of the firewall, it would block all access to the game launcher too. Have tried shutting down Windows Firewall, no change.
Not running Norton(deleted it when I got this machine), or CA(no idea what this is).
Using Avast/Ad-ware/Spybot...all are up to date, ran them, no problems. No change.
As far as I can find, Avast doesn't allow exceptions.

For the money I pay Comcast, they'd better NOT be blocking anything, because they didn't ask/tell me they were. Bad enough the price they charge, but now they're effecting my gaming? Going to try everything possible before going this route.

[Dulcimerist]

DDO uses about four different applications. It sounds as though the firewall is allowing the first couple applications to access the internet, but is blocking the final application, as stated in an earlier post.

[Adarro]

Sorry I don't have any real advice, it's a neat game but it seems like either you're one in ten thousand that have this error, or the rest of the word sadistically enjoys watching you suffer. Just showing ya where the logic of the fellow posters is going. However, it's most likely a tech will need to see some more specific logs and perhaps a stack trace / dump instead of just the error you received, which I believe is a 'generic "friendly error"' that doesn't include / display the actual error.

I really don't think it's a firewall problem, if so, then I wouldn't even be able to log on, and choose a server. From my understanding, of the firewall, it would block all access to the game launcher too. Have tried shutting down Windows Firewall, no change.
Not running Norton(deleted it when I got this machine), or CA(no idea what this is).
Using Avast/Ad-ware/Spybot...all are up to date, ran them, no problems. No change.
As far as I can find, Avast doesn't allow exceptions.

Although you see the DDO Game client as one application, the network / firewall etc does not. Although the casual user may not realize it, the DDO 'client' is really a small group of applications that uses multiple web sites and protocols to run. I.e. there is one server that handles logins and another that actually sends game data. One program to launch the client / check for updates (turbineinvoker.exe, dndlauncher.exe) and the actual game client itself (dndclient.exe). Some calls do no more than send / read data from a web page while others might be more like sending Chat / IM data and still others write / update files on your PC. If any of these things are blocked or prevented, then parts or all of the game may function incorrectly or behave unexpectedly.

That is not to say it 'has' to be a firewall issue, it's just the most likely culprit.
I've never ran Vista, but where Vista is concerned, 99% of problems are either the firewall or permissions.

For the money I pay Comcast, they'd better NOT be blocking anything, because they didn't ask/tell me they were. Bad enough the price they charge, but now they're effecting my gaming? Going to try everything possible before going this route.

FWIW, I used to live on the east coast, and Comcast did indeed have some suspicious behavior at times. (VoIP, Streaming, Downloading 'too many' .ISO's)

<activist_plug>Please take 30 seconds to glance over Net Neutrality and why large communication companies can do just that to its paying customers. </activist_plug>

[Elkazar65]

I've opened windows firewall to dndclient, turbinelauncher, turbineinvoker, DDO online...even shut it down to see if I could connect. Have started the game with each of listed apps. Same message each time.

You state 4 different applications, if any of these are not them, please list them, so I may find them and add them to the firewall exception list. What is the 'final' application, listed in what earlier post?

[Adarro]

For the money I pay Comcast, they'd better NOT be blocking anything, because they didn't ask/tell me they were.

ISP's don't always "block" things, they're a lot more careful, especially after some of the lawsuits. However, they can throttle the heck outta something to the point that its useless, because that's not 'blocking'.

Sort of like saying we can't lock the door, that would be wrong. We just decided that right next to and directly in front of the door the non-business account 'kids' use is a perfect place for our wall to wall bookcase. Just make sure we leave an inch for circulation.

[Adarro]

You state 4 different applications, if any of these are not them, please list them, so I may find them and add them to the firewall exception list. What is the 'final' application, listed in what earlier post?

The four exe's in the game folder are

• TurbineInvoker.exe
• TurbineLauncher.exe
• dndlauncher.exe
• dndclient.exe

I don't believe any of the other exe's access anything the firewall might care about, but I'm not on Turbines payroll and haven't really needed to figure it out, so I could be mistaken.

[Elkazar65]

Uninstall/reinstall, ran without telling windows firewall what to allow, one program was asked for exception. No change.

Added the four exceptions listed in windows firewall. No change.

I'm just going to have to get used to the idea of not playing.

[Dulcimerist]

Windows Firewall is notorious for being too strict about blocking things. You'd be better off completely disabling it and getting a decent third-party firewall application.