scheuerman: I have posted a question on their support forums (which don't seem to be getting much attention, btw) about this topic. The decision to go with "internet required" LAN play is a decision designed to get money. The rational that you will here is that it is to prevent piracy, but it never does that. While I am sure some folks have fooled themselves into thinking this is the case, in my experience it puts a time limit of sorts on the game life cycle. You can see this in EA games rather bluntly.

The scenario goes like this: Company puts out product A and requires internet connections for multiplayer. Oddly, the servers required for multiplayer get turned off around the time that product B is launching or on the market.

It is just a method to force obsolesce and get you to move to the next product.

The question I posted on their forum was direct but fair. They have stated that no more expansion packs will be made so the two we have is the two we get. That implies one of two things is happening; either they are working on AOW4 or they have shelved the product line (perhaps only for an extended period of time and not forever). In either event, I do not expect the multiplayer servers to be online more then a year or two (if we're SUPER LUCKY!).

In the post I pointed out that since no more expansions are in the works, we can safely conclude that the online servers are on their last legs. So are they planning to release a patch to allow local LAN play without an internet connection.

They have painted themselves into a corner though with this move. Maintaining servers costs money and as such has a built-in limitation. No company can rationally keep servers going for longer then it is profitable.

My question to GOG is if Triumph fails their customers (as I expect) and refuses to provide an official patch that enables local LAN without an internet connection, will you also follow suit and abandon the players, or will you provide an official patch that enables it?

I have done a simple search and it seems (haven't validated) that the pirate community already has this ability but that doesn't shock me. In one of the posts (on the Triumph forum) from the Triumph folks they claimed it wasn't possible due to the protocol they are using which is an amazing claim. Given that they are sending information over the internet we already know they are using the standard TCP/IP protocol stack. So their statement is just a blunt lie that is meant to change the discussion.

At this point I am just waiting for a response from Triumph (which I can guess what it will be) and I am waiting to hear GOGs response. If GOG does not fix this, I don't really blame them because I don't know what terms are in their contract with Triumph. But when Triumph responds and that response is "no" as I expect, then I simply won't buy anymore of their products and they get to join EA and other studios on my ban list.

Apologies for the random post.