›

Game not starting when your site is down.

tdracztdracz
edited June 2011 in Shopping or Activation Support
When your site is down and I start the game, it just displays 'Loading...' message forever and does not allow playing. I tried disabling network adapter, starting executable directly - to no avail. I use Windows 7 x64. How can I workaround that? It's pretty annoying not being able to play when your site is down, which – I must admit - happens very often. Should I reactivate the game using a code? I activated the game using account login.

Comments

  • Amy LukimaAmy Lukima
    edited March 2011
    tdracz wrote: »
    When your site is down and I start the game, it just displays 'Loading...' message forever and does not allow playing. I tried disabling network adapter, starting executable directly - to no avail. I use Windows 7 x64. How can I workaround that? It's pretty annoying not being able to play when your site is down, which – I must admit - happens very often. Should I reactivate the game using a code? I activated the game using account login.

    The site has not been down recently. When was the last time this happened?
  • tdracztdracz
    edited March 2011
    Well, it constantly happened with BTTF episode 1 & 2. Also I remember the similar problems constantly happening when I had earlier played Wallace & Gromit. In the latter case it helped just disabling the network adapter though. I finished playing Episode 2 long time ago, so I haven't check for a while. I'm in GMT+1 zone, maybe it happens often during my day hours.

    I would like to manually re-activate to avoid all the hassle with the forthcoming BTTF episode 3.
  • tdracztdracz
    edited March 2011
    So it happened again today as soon as I installed Episode 3 and try to start BTTF.
  • Amy LukimaAmy Lukima
    edited March 2011
    tdracz wrote: »
    So it happened again today as soon as I installed Episode 3 and try to start BTTF.

    Did you get my email about removing the user name?
  • tdracztdracz
    edited March 2011
    Yes, I have received your email - thanks. I have already replied by email. Just in case, here is the reply:

    It turned out to be actually SHIFT instead of ALT, but I don't have any request code button. I only have Log In, Support and Forgot Your Password buttons. The last two just open a web page.
  • tdracztdracz
    edited March 2011
    It already happened today at least twice (and your site was down pretty long today), so how do I get into the manual activation from the login screen if I don't see any relevant button?
  • Amy LukimaAmy Lukima
    edited March 2011
    tdracz wrote: »
    It already happened today at least twice (and your site was down pretty long today), so how do I get into the manual activation from the login screen if I don't see any relevant button?

    Sorry, I was going to reply to you by email/pm but the wait there is pretty long. Do you know about how many hours ago you had an issue with the site being down?

    Also, you might try disconnecting from the internet to get the manual unlock request screen.
  • tdracztdracz
    edited March 2011
    Don't quite remember, but it may have been between 2 and 4 hours ago I tried the last time.

    I tried disabling the adapter some time ago, but I just got Loading... screen again, tried now and... tada - just sent you the request code. Thanks.
  • fleskflesk
    edited March 2011
    The site is usually down for about 15 minutes to half an hour every day at around 10 am CET. Sometimes it's less than that, but I've also experienced way longer down-times. I figure it's probably due to some nightly maintenance and it doesn't bother me much personally, since I'm usually at work then, which means I just won't be able to read the blog or the forums.
  • tdracztdracz
    edited March 2011
    So it happened again - the site down today for about 2h - started the game (previously activated for offline playing) and it hangs forever on the initial screen just displaying Loading.... What's the purpose of the offline activation when it needs your web site being up? I disabled Network adapter and the game started, but the user experience really sucks this way. Is there anything you can do to improve it?
  • Amy LukimaAmy Lukima
    edited March 2011
    Here's the thing, 10am CET is about 1 am here. In order to do our work all of here have to use the site. We all have varying schedules. Some people work typical business hours, but I personally work at night all the time. When you reported this before I was up and working on the site.

    This is why I was hesitant about about the offline unlock codes. Those only truly work when the game wrapper can't access the site at all. If they can access the site you have to login.

    To be honest you're the only one who has complained about this, especially the site being down. A majority of our users are in the same area as you so it isn't a time zone issue.

    Are you on a public network? Are you using any security programs
  • tdracztdracz
    edited March 2011
    Note, I really don't care about the site being down. As you can see I'm not an active forums participant, but what I do mind is that my game doesn't start then.

    When your site is down (about 5-9pm here, GMT+1) all other web sites, mails, etc. are working just fine for me. It's just your site. But it is happening exactly during hours in which I have some time to play. I've been checking your site sometimes during my regular working hours and it's never been down in that time so far, but obviously that's no good for me.

    I hope you can understand my point of view when I get to the game to relax a bit and pretty often I just need to give up on the idea. I would understand it happening once or twice, but in the past it's been happening sometimes every day or every second day. I haven't had the time to play BTTF 3 yet, but I tried to start it up a few times after work and within 3 days it already hasn't started twice.

    I really hope that you can tweak the game wrappers so that once it is offline activated it doesn't try to keep pinging your site. This behavior doesn't make any logical sense to me and seems to be the root of all problems here. I understand that you want to protect yourself against piracy, but as you can verify, I have legitimately purchased the game and have more troubles with it that if I just cracked it (which I haven't, but I'm tempted to).

    No public network, just regular DSL Internet access and Microsoft Essentials.
  • stevecom2stevecom2
    edited June 2011
    I would like to also point out that this has happened to me a few times as well (and yes, it is very disappointing when it does, as I am pretty limited as to when I have some time to play; I think I had finished episode 2 last time). I haven't complained or mentioned it until now, but just found this thread after searching for a solution.

    The latest occurrence was earlier today, and http://www.telltalegames.com was not responding (but pinging telltalegames.com worked).

    I didn't try pulling the internet cable, but if that works at least I will be able to play if it happens again.

    Thank you for creating this game (BTTF).
    Take care.
  • gulbaekgulbaek
    edited June 2011
    Just to let you know, for that last 30 min, telltalegames.com where offline to me (Timeout) and when I tried to play Back to the future episode 5, it just shows a loading text.

    It appears to work now though.
This discussion has been closed.