We lost the Master Server and game server listings for NWN about 2 years ago. Old news (first mention made here http://www.avlis.org/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=127846). GameSpy going down entirely was mentioned by Darkfire here earlier this year http://www.avlis.org/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=130163, and was supposed to have happened May 31st, but I guess some stuff was delayed a bit. You folks can Google and post all the fun facts about that, since I've spent too much time on this already tonight.
If you get that error, you can still hit cancel, then use your history or favorites, same as always (those are just things in an .ini file on your machine), and direct connect will still work. It adds something like 30 seconds of wait when hitting the multiplayer button and quitting the game though, but there is a fix below. You can also use NWNCX to load NWN if you hate editing stuff (No need to do the full patch mentioned there, just use the loader). It gets back the server list tab and it removes the delays, so there is no need to edit your HOSTS file below if you use it instead (also unlocks the camera for better viewing angles).
Rather than type it all again, I'll quote the same fix below from when the Master Server died (and we had timeout problems with it), and you simply need to add peerchat.gamespy.com as the address on a new line, along with the old nwn.master.gamespy.com and nwmaster.bioware.com one from before (order doesn't matter). Before that, I'll also mention something S_N added only for *nix (Linux/Unix...) users, to use 0.0.0.1 instead of 0.0.0.0 as the number. His reasons are later in the first topic, and in the second quote below.
Short version, add:
- If you use Windows:
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0.0.0.0 nwmaster.bioware.com
0.0.0.0 nwn.master.gamespy.com
0.0.0.0 peerchat.gamespy.com
- If you use *nix (Linux/Unix etc.):
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0.0.0.1 nwmaster.bioware.com
0.0.0.1 nwn.master.gamespy.com
0.0.0.1 peerchat.gamespy.com
..to your HOSTS file, or remap it another way. That tells your computer that those are invalid addresses, and it doesn't waste time checking them.
*Note* I, and others, use shortcut links to connect directly to the servers, instead of dealing with the front end, and have for over a decade. They also let you skip DNS checks if you use IP numbers. Creating Windows shortcuts for Avlis has more details for basic ones. If you use the NWNCX loader (mentioned above), just replace nwmain.exe in the shortcuts with NWNCX_Loader.exe.
Original bypass post (missing some addresses that became invalid later):
Subject: Handy master server bypass
Ashan wrote:Heres a simply way to avoid the master server delay that someone showed me!!!
Firstly, just to be safe; Ensure NWN's is closed down before you make this change. You should find like I have that after you make this change, you don't hang on the connecting stage and is instead instantaneous.
Okay the first step is to find your hosts file. (So you know where it is)
Step 1. Navigate from your root directory like C drive:
windows > system32 > drivers > etc > hosts (no extension)
If you're using Vista or Windows 7:
Open notepad up alone as an administrator. (Right click notepad and "open as administrator")
And then go File > Open: And navigate again through Step 1. to the 'hosts' file.
Everyone else (XP): Simply open hosts with notepad after you've located it (No need for running as administrator).
What you're faced with should look something like this:
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# Copyright (c) 1993-2009 Microsoft Corp.
#
# This is a sample HOSTS file used by Microsoft TCP/IP for Windows.
#
# This file contains the mappings of IP addresses to host names. Each
# entry should be kept on an individual line. The IP address should
# be placed in the first column followed by the corresponding host name.
# The IP address and the host name should be separated by at least one
# space.
#
# Additionally, comments (such as these) may be inserted on individual
# lines or following the machine name denoted by a '#' symbol.
#
# For example:
#
# 102.54.94.97 rhino.acme.com # source server
# 38.25.63.10 x.acme.com # x client host
# localhost name resolution is handled within DNS itself.
# 127.0.0.1 localhost
# ::1 localhost
It's as simple as adding this line at the bottom of it:
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0.0.0.0 nwmaster.bioware.com
Then click save without changing the name or extension in any way.
Yay no more waiting for the server to connect to a non exstiant server!
Subject: Installing NWN on Linux
S_N wrote:For instant master server timeouts, add this line to your /etc/hostsThe tip was originally for windows, setting it to 0.0.0.0, but that is a valid address on *nix (and guessing MacOS X too)
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0.0.0.1 nwmaster.bioware.com
(a suitable iptables rule works too)