Game stuck at "Starting Local Server" Forever.

Vilcus

Here is a link to my techsupport.zip
https://mega.co.nz/#!FohykCTL!bMe4IwiJowDofa-GIjPcnVbggTcwVHR9puEgqUgmtmM

I started trying to play when the free weekend had started, but have not been able to even finish the initial optimization. The game is forever stuck on the loading screen with the message in the title and the command log states that the map has loaded but it won't let me in. Also no matter how long I wait the game does not give me an error message, nor does it crash, so I'm at a loss.

As far as I can tell I appear to be unable to open a certain file, specifically biodome_glass_01.material, and no shader is specified as well (from what I've gathered looking at the command log) I won't pretend to know what this means, I only hope that it might help in solving the problem.

I've tried reinstalling, verifying the integrity of the game cache on steam, deleting the files in Appdata/Roaming, and multiple other things suggested on this forum. I didn't want to bother anybody with this, and had hoped to solve this myself, but here I sit out of ideas and options hoping someone knows how to fix this.

I apologize in advance for my replies being far apart, I work a night shift so I'm mostly unavailable during the day, please let me know if there is anything else I should add to my post, I wish to provide as much information as possible.

IronHorse

That biodome glass error is typical and everyone gets it. (The mapper forgot a file!)
Exit ns2 and then run that techsupport.exe again (so it doesnt contain that large minidump file) just so i can see your dxdiag quickly before forwarding the useful minidump you made to the devs.
Who knows maybe theres a glaring issue i can see in the log file first.

Vilcus

Ok, I attached the new techsupport.zip while outside of ns2. Hope this helps, and thank you so much for your help in advance.

SamusDroid

This happens when you have another NS2 open on a server at the same time, or something like a firewall is blocking you from playing, not from material files, or shader files.

Ghosthree3

Yeah, it's probably happening because the port is blocked or something, any chance you have a dedicated server running at the same time on the default port? Or like @SamusDroid said, two copies of NS2 open (is that even possible with steam).

EDIT: If you don't I still would bet money it's a port issue, and that something is blocking it. Maybe some other server you have is using the port.

Vilcus

Just checking back in before I head off to work.

As far as I know I don't have a second version of NS2 running (checked task manager, and looked through applications and processes, found no duplicates). I also have ports 20715 and 20716 already opened on my firewall, and router as suggested elsewhere in these forums so I don't see how that could be it. I can't really think of anything else that could be blocking those ports from being used, any ideas on what I could look for or if there are other ports that should be opened would be very much appreciated.

Ghosthree3

I'm not saying the ports are blocked, I'm saying some other application is already using them. Some other server you might have running.

I know there's a way to find out which ports are being used in windows, will try find and post how.

SamusDroid

What is this tutorial mod error in the log?

Ghosthree3

Ok, in command prompt, type,

netstat -a -n -o | find "27015"

as well as,

netstat -a -n -o | find "27016"

you can highlight copy and right click paste this into cmd if you want.

Also take note of how the the port numbers are 2701# not 2071# like you said previously.

If no results come up, the port is not in use and this isn't your issue, if results come up, see the number on the far right, this is the process ID.
Open the task manager and go to the processes tab, click view->select columns at the top and tick the top box (PID (Process Identifier)). Sort the list by the PID and find the number that cmd said was using the port, read across, see what process that ID is, this process is using that port. If you know what it is, turn it off or change the port it's using, if you don't, it could be malicious (not sure how likely that is) google the exe name and kill the process.

Make sure to check both ports.

Vilcus

Ghosthree3: Yea, those were just two slip ups I made for the ports when posting, I used the correct port numbers when opening them and making exceptions in my firewall. Also using those commands gives no results, so the ports being in use already don't seem to be my issue (also used the command while in NS2 trying to load a server and that is the only time the ports showed up as in use as, ex. 0.0.0.0:27015 *: * 1948 (tried for 27016 as well and got the same result)).

SamusDroid: I have no clue what that error means, saw it myself just after getting home today. Confused me greatly that much is certain.

Thank you guys so much for your help so far, and if you need any more information I'll try my best to relay it to you in a useful and timely manner.

Vilcus

Update: Ok so after trying a whole bunch of things I'm finally able to enter games other people start. However I am unable to start my own games (which I'm more or less ok with). This sadly means that I can't play the tutorial which is unfortunate, but at least I can try the game now. Thank you guys for your help I appreciate it greatly.