Yes, LAN would be really nice for when my brother comes to visit so that we could play the game since we are both RTS fanatics. Especially since he lives in an area where internet connection is not so good and speed drops way down so its only possible to play when he is around.

Also devs don't forget that most of the world that doesn't live in big cities doesn't have good intenet connection.

Figured I might as well add one more voice to the request. Game preservation is my main cause when it comes to gaming. It's the primary reason that GOG is my preferred store. As such, LAN support in 8-Bit Armies would be a big deal to me. I appreciate you (the developer) being involved with the community like this and taking fan feedback into consideration. Keep up the great work!

I wish I could tell my nieces and nephews that this game existed. I really do. But if I did, I feel like I would be violating my no purchase until LAN mode policy.

I'm just sayin' that 75% of the games they own are things that I've introduced to them. Plus who know who they talk to at school about games.

I add my voice to ask for LAN support for several reasons. Here is the most important and obvious : if online multiplayer service is temporarily unavailable (or simply end), you can't play with someone else. At all. Same if you have a bad internet connection (or simply haven't always access to an internet connection).
This last part may doesn't seems important/usual, but a lot of people still don't have a stable and/or fast internet connection (or with unlimited data transferring).
Another thing is that LAN is a way to make discover the game to other people, and to enjoy it easily when family or friend come home.

Sooo... please give us an official update on this.

* Is there a chance?
* ETA?

I want to give you money.

Add me to the line of 'patiently waiting for LAN option'. And please, make it a real LAN option (that is, no internet connection needed). I know it might sound dumb to even suggest it, but in other games' forums I've seen once or twice devposts with 'what do you mean no LAN support? of course you can play over a LAN! (provided everyone in that LAN has internet access :D)'

I don't know why LAN multiplayer is consistently ignored by most developers these days. Surely it is a minority option, but there are still lots of people with poor internet connections or even no internet at all (at least not full-time). Is it so hard to develop, resource-wise?

Argh, don't get me started on that. Anyone remember Blizzard talking about a LAN alternative for Starcraft II and Diablo 3? Embarassing.

Actually, I imagine it's easier: the connection between the peers is usually more reliable, less latency, more bandwidth. So going from Internet to LAN should be far less hassle than the other way around.

But you do see the business incentive, right? Thats mostly it (-> blizzard).

Edit: Hang on, I just noticed I am being unfair. If you're developing something small and want it to have internet multiplayer it of course can make perfect sense to just focus on that without making a LAN option (which would appliy to this game but not to blizzard, to stay at that comparison).

If you're developing something small it makes LESS sense to not have LAN.
By having server based multiplayer, that means the company must support and maintain those servers for the next X years. There is a business sense for a company like Blizzard, since they can drop the servers for Warcarft4 when they start selling Warcaft5.

But I don't see 16Bit Armies coming out anytime soon.

What Is even more appalling with 8Bit armies is the Development team have created games that have endured decades. They have seen multiplayer servers go and with them the games they where linked to.

If this was a fresh team and this was their first game, then it could be considered an over sight (yet they're still putting a millstone around their necks in supporting server).

But for a team of this pedigree, working independently and not fueling a franchised cash cow, it is unforgivable.

Heck Even when they where working for EA's cash machine it was unforgivable. I've not forgiven them for making Emperor require internet to play Local Co-op.

As I've said. Did these guys think they were going to make a game that no-one would want to play in 5,10 or 20 years time?

I understand what you're getting at and fully support and agree to your opinion. I was however only making the point that if you develop a title with a small team which you want to have server/internet multiplayer it makes sense just to throw all resources at that.

I think we're all on the same page here. Let's just sit tight and see if they do the right thing. A poor internet connection is definitely one reason to have LAN, but my reason is that it is much easier to setup a game local LAN with a few friends in the same room together without having to worry about anything external. As all of you have said another good reason is preservation.

I see your point.

There's something that has always bugged me in games which have an online option, but no LAN option. I currently have satellite internet, and my ping rate is slow enough that I can tell when a game is running over the internet. My experience has always been, in various games, that if I connect through an online lobby to a friend that is on my LAN, that most games never lag. Which would suggest to me that that those game are already capable of running a fully functional local server, and the game makers are simply not allowing me an interface or button to make the connection, without going through their online lobby. If this is the case, It wouldn't seem to be that much work to add it in when you're 95% of the way already there.

I could be wrong, perhaps someone else has some kind of insight that I'm lacking, because I would rather understand than be cynical.

No LAN play, I won't pay.

I loved the command & conquer series; bought it all.
I came here specifically to find out if I could play with anouther computer on my shared network (shared networks seem to always have someone youtubing & someone torrenting so online is usually rubbish).
This is a forum so unless an expansion hits the front page advertising LAN connectivity I won't be giving your products a second thought.
That is all, goodbye.

Any progress on LAN support from the developer?

Please, I am really looking for a clean and fast RTS game for our company LAN parties. But I cannot introduce them to a game that does not support proper LAN.