Hi all,

Thanks to GOG, I'm in the process of trying to get Darkstone working in co-op mode so my wife, my daughter and I can play this gem of a game.

TCP/IP seems not to work. We're all using My machine is sitting on 192.168.0.102. I set up a game hosting at that IP address, start it, but when they try to log on, there is no game displayed on the screen after the one where they input my IP address. I've also tried using the homegroup name of the computer (we are all connected to the same homegroup BTW).

Gameranger does work - sort of. Once we're all in the same room, the host launches the game, dragging the other two players in. Here 's where it gets interesting: the only person that can see all three players is the host. On the guest machine, the user can only see their character model and the host's - but not the other player . The host can see both players and him/herself. That wasn't a problem until we actually started trying to do quests. The host HAS TO start all quests and, if there are quest items and, if there are quest items, share the quest items with the other players in order for all three of us to complete them.

I was hoping that playing TCP/IP would rectify this issue, but cannot get it working. I tried using an IPX wrapper, but all that happens then is that if I try to create the game (IPX is clickable once I run the wrapper), I get dumped back to the select game type screen when I try to launch the multiplayer game.

I looked into port-forwarding, but couldn't find a specific port to forward. I also put my computer into the DMZ. Also did not work.

Any help would be much appreciated - I found Darkstone then, and now, to be a much more rewarding experience than any of the Diablo games. It was harder and required real strategy.

Thanks!
Steve

On Windows XP all is fine if you do the following...

1.) Setup port forwarding on your router. I used port 4247.
2.) If multiplayer still doesn't work, close the game. Then hopefully you'll see a Windows firewall message asking if you want to unblock.
3.) Open the game again and multiplayer should be working fine now.

Now if you're on a Windows OS greater then XP, I can't be of any help but you may look into your firewall settings and see if the game is being blocked or not.

*Rise from your grave, old post!*

I was using your post as a guide trying to get my WinXP laptop to communicate with my Windows 10 desktop for a Darkstone playthrough.

The only solution for me was IPX.

You can get the IPX wrappers here: http://www.solemnwarning.net/ipxwrapper/

They work for Win XP, Vista, 7, 8 and 10.

Connecting via IPX made everything work like magic.

i know this post is super old but i feel the need to add some things to the topic.
I too downloaded darkstone in order to play co-op with a buddy of mine.
There was a a lot going in before getting it to work properly and unfortunately the solution that i came up with was nowhere to be found on the internet or this forum.
Fortunately i managed to make it work with both tcp/ip and ipx(ipxwrapper) on local network and through
We play it in two windows 10 laptops with gog version of the game installed on both.

So in order to make it work you have to :
1. Install the game
2.enable/install directplay from the control panel> programs and features<turn windows features on or off<legacy
components and check directplay
3. Then you have to go your firewall ( i use windows firewall{ control panel < windows firewall< allow an app or feature through Windows Firewall < change settings})) and allow the program to pass through it ( unblock it)
THIS IS IMPORTANT!!!!! YOU HAVE TO ALLOW BOTH THE GAME (ALL INSTANCES OF IT ) AND THE MICROSOFT DIRECTPLAYHELPER (AGAIN ALL INSTANCES OF IT ) ON THE PUBLIC OR PRIVATE NETWORK (WHICHEVER YOU USE)

4 If you want to play with ipx you download it from the link that has already been given by :Tallima (Thank you for that )
and follow the readme!!

I hope that revives this post once again and helps others play this old game and have fun

Good Smashing!
J4nk5

IPX Wrapper! In 2020 first time in DarkStone multiplayer with my crush. Thanx for help guys. ;)

Trying to get this to work for my kids... tougher then I thought lol