So the gamecard mentions: How the hell do you play "over VPN" (which I also interpret as LAN)? I can find hotseat, and, of course, the not-for-me online-through-Triumph, but I can't find anywhere to create a LAN game.

Not code for LAN mode. :(

Damn. I guess it's sticking to hotseat play only. Stupid bullshit like this ruining an otherwise nearly perfect game. :/

The bandwidth usage is minimal though, so usually even at a LAN, playing via the online games is more than fine. We never experienced any issues with it.

Never played LAN, but I googled it and apparently you can disconnect from the internet after setting up the game and play on on the local network. Not ideal, but if bandwith is the issue this may be a workaround.

Yeah, but it's still server authentication to play multiplayer... Stupid crap. I'm not going to buy 9485734985734198573498 copies of the game, and that many of the DLC too, to be able to play the game on my LAN with my mates. We're just going to deal with inferior hotseat (which doesn't let you see enemy movements when it's not your turn, or play simultaneous turns).

Not to mention when they turn off their servers, multiplayer vanishes. Which is the even more grievous offense.

Created a stupid Triumph account and tried... Wouldn't let me, even with the (as it's named) "LAN/VPN" feature, from both computers, on same NATted Internet connection. "Account is already in use. Stupid BS. GOG needed to push them more on that crap.

You do realize that you're acting like the poster child for the brainwashed for why companies get away with everything because of lack of critical thinking?

Yes, of course, because I'm sure everyone's looking forward to the future when there's absolutely no non-hotseat multiplayer available for the game at all because the authentication servers are down. Nevermind that these are my own computers all on one IP in my own home. My friends were quite interested in the game, until they saw the hassle and decided they'd rather play a board game. So potentially excited new players, who may have gotten their own copies after a kick-ass LAN session, instead turned into "meh"s. That's exactly what restrictions do.

*sigh* It used to be that the multiplayer component was the freer part! Spawn copies, demos that did multiplayer...

They have (they claim, anyway) working LAN code in there... once you jump through all the ridiculous hoops of have an account/bind account/log in/authenticate/lobby-on-the-servers. Just enable without the lobby restrictions it so it can actually be played as a LAN game.

Critical thinking works both ways -- modern Multiplayer gaming does many things SO much better than the so-called "good old days". Pretending that you're some movie-star cool-guy who's better than everyone else because you're upset about the concessions you have to make doesn't help your point at all.

Your situation is unique (the fact that your friends don't have any computers of their own and are all using various machines all connected to one IP). If the day comes when they purchase their own machines, you'll find that on-line multiplayer can be executed with little hassle at all.

Concern that the authentication servers will one day disappear is not a real issue nowdays; firstly, the AoW series has always supported play-by-email support, and you can see on these very forums that even AoW 1, a game that is 16(!!) years old, still has a vibrant and active MP community. Also consider that with alternative MP services such as Hamachi, Game Ranger, and Tungle, players have numerous options to continue MP services long after official servers are disconnected.

You missed the part where NONE OF THOSE are viable with Triumph's solution they took in AOW3. Every non-hotseat form of multiplay has to authenticate to their servers, including PBEM and "LAN/VPN" (their terms).

Online multiplayer is worthless to me. Friends get together to play. We grill, play games together in the same room, and enjoy company.