Jamdoggy
01.03.14, 23:42
There are often bugs reported which are not game bugs, but a problem with the player's computer, browser or internet connection. There are a few steps you can follow which may cure many problems.
Refresh your game window/tab
A simple refresh can fix many 'bugs', but to make sure, try using Ctrl-F5 to refresh. This forces your browser to bypass it's own cache, thus loading a fresh copy of the game.
Clear you browser cache - follow the steps below, depending on the browser you use
NOTE: Close your game window/tab first!
Chrome/Canary Click the 'three bars' icon at the top-right (below the red cross to close the window)
Select 'Settings' from the menu
At the bottom of the settings page, click "Show Advanced Settings..."
Click on the 'Clear Browsing Data...' button
Ensure 'Cached Images and Files' is selected - you may choose other option too if you wish
Click on the 'Clear Browsing Data' button - this may take a couple of minutes to complete.
Internet Explorer Press Ctrl-Shift-Delete to open cache clearing options
Ensure that 'Preserve Favourites Website Data' is not ticked
Ensure that 'Temporary Internet Files and Website Files' is ticked
You may choose other options if you wish
Click the 'Delete' buttonOpera Press Ctrl-F12 to open the Setting menu
Select the 'Advanced' tab
Choose 'History' on the left side
Click the 'Empty Now' button
Choose 'Storage' on the left side
Click the 'Clear All' buttonFirefox/Nightly Click the 'three bars' icon at the top-right (below the red cross to close the window)
Select 'Options' from the menu
Choose the 'Advanced' icon along the top
Select the 'Network' tab
Click the 'Clear Now' button
Flush the 'DNS cache'
There is a third cache called the DNS cache which, when flushed, can help ensure that all of the files are being downloaded properly from the correct location, and that connections are being resolved over the appropriate channels.
Free up your computer
Many players will have other stuff running, which can drain your computer's resources, leading to problems with your game connecting to the server. Here's a few things you can do to help: Shut down non-essential programs - these can drain CPU and memory.
When playing, keep your game tab in front.
Do you have stuff downloading/uploading? These sap your bandwidth, and can cause connection problems. Stop your download and upload while playing.
Ensure your browser is up-to-date
The Settlers Online may not work correctly if your browser isn't the latest version.
Check your version, and availability of updates, by typing chrome://chrome in your address barFirefox/Nightly
Like Chrome, it should auto-update, but you can force a check/update:
Open the 'Firefox' menu (3-bars icon, top-right)
Click on Help (blue question-mark at the bottom)
Choose 'About Firefox...' (or 'About Nightly...')
If an update is available, you should see it downloading now. Click 'Restart to Update' when it's done.
Internet Explorer
By default, this will also auto-update, but check it hasn't been disabled: Click the 'Cog' icon (top-right)
Choose 'About Internet Explorer'
Ensure the box 'Install new version automatically' is ticked
Opera Click the 'Opera' button (top-left)
Go to the 'Help' submenu at the bottom
Click 'Check for Updates'
Reboot your computer
Often a last resort for many people, and yes, it means sitting for a couple of minutes, waiting, but this is still one of the best known ways to cure some bugs, and won't do any harm...
It's also a good time to go make yourself a coffee - when you get back, reload your browser, and try the game again. Hopefully, by the time you get here, all your problems have mysteriously vanished
Log out of the game
When you quit the game, it doesn't actually boot you from the servers. In theory, your account stays loaded on the server for 15 minutes after your disconnect. This is in case you have had a powercut or your dog pulled the router plug out or something - you can just reconnect where you were.
If you fully log-out of the game, and wait for long enough, your account will get unloaded, and when you log back in, it has to load your details from the server's file all over again.
Of course, a fresh login can cure certain bugs, but reports vary on how long you actually need to log out for. 24 hours should be plenty, or following a maintenance, yet a half-hour wait should be enough to check whether a full logout has worked - if not, try it for longer...
Check your internet connection
If you frequently have connection problems on various websites, your internet connection could be the problem.
There are several sites where you can check your internet connection speed, the most commonly used is probably this one (http://speedtest.net/).
If you use a router, try rebooting it (remove power lead, wait 15 secs, re-insert). It should take less than 2 mins for your router to restart itself.
Upgrade your computer
It's surprising how many problems can be cured by a simple and minor computer upgrade. Memory is relatively cheap these days, and if you are not comfortable installing them yourself, most people will know someone who can do it - it only takes a minute or two.
This one worked for me. I was using a Windows 7 computer with 768Mb RAM, which is below the minimum recommended amount. The Settlers Online would cause my PC to slow to a crawl. I upgraded to 4Gb, and now can play the game on three servers at once without it causing any problems.
Of course, if you already have over 2Gb RAM, and at least a 1.5GHz or Dual-core processor (or better), then you shouldn't have any problems anyway, and don't need to upgrade...
Now, if you have done all of the above, and you still have problems, then report your bug on the forum...
Refresh your game window/tab
A simple refresh can fix many 'bugs', but to make sure, try using Ctrl-F5 to refresh. This forces your browser to bypass it's own cache, thus loading a fresh copy of the game.
Clear you browser cache - follow the steps below, depending on the browser you use
NOTE: Close your game window/tab first!
Chrome/Canary Click the 'three bars' icon at the top-right (below the red cross to close the window)
Select 'Settings' from the menu
At the bottom of the settings page, click "Show Advanced Settings..."
Click on the 'Clear Browsing Data...' button
Ensure 'Cached Images and Files' is selected - you may choose other option too if you wish
Click on the 'Clear Browsing Data' button - this may take a couple of minutes to complete.
Internet Explorer Press Ctrl-Shift-Delete to open cache clearing options
Ensure that 'Preserve Favourites Website Data' is not ticked
Ensure that 'Temporary Internet Files and Website Files' is ticked
You may choose other options if you wish
Click the 'Delete' buttonOpera Press Ctrl-F12 to open the Setting menu
Select the 'Advanced' tab
Choose 'History' on the left side
Click the 'Empty Now' button
Choose 'Storage' on the left side
Click the 'Clear All' buttonFirefox/Nightly Click the 'three bars' icon at the top-right (below the red cross to close the window)
Select 'Options' from the menu
Choose the 'Advanced' icon along the top
Select the 'Network' tab
Click the 'Clear Now' button
Flush the 'DNS cache'
There is a third cache called the DNS cache which, when flushed, can help ensure that all of the files are being downloaded properly from the correct location, and that connections are being resolved over the appropriate channels.
Free up your computer
Many players will have other stuff running, which can drain your computer's resources, leading to problems with your game connecting to the server. Here's a few things you can do to help: Shut down non-essential programs - these can drain CPU and memory.
When playing, keep your game tab in front.
Do you have stuff downloading/uploading? These sap your bandwidth, and can cause connection problems. Stop your download and upload while playing.
Ensure your browser is up-to-date
The Settlers Online may not work correctly if your browser isn't the latest version.
Check your version, and availability of updates, by typing chrome://chrome in your address barFirefox/Nightly
Like Chrome, it should auto-update, but you can force a check/update:
Open the 'Firefox' menu (3-bars icon, top-right)
Click on Help (blue question-mark at the bottom)
Choose 'About Firefox...' (or 'About Nightly...')
If an update is available, you should see it downloading now. Click 'Restart to Update' when it's done.
Internet Explorer
By default, this will also auto-update, but check it hasn't been disabled: Click the 'Cog' icon (top-right)
Choose 'About Internet Explorer'
Ensure the box 'Install new version automatically' is ticked
Opera Click the 'Opera' button (top-left)
Go to the 'Help' submenu at the bottom
Click 'Check for Updates'
Reboot your computer
Often a last resort for many people, and yes, it means sitting for a couple of minutes, waiting, but this is still one of the best known ways to cure some bugs, and won't do any harm...
It's also a good time to go make yourself a coffee - when you get back, reload your browser, and try the game again. Hopefully, by the time you get here, all your problems have mysteriously vanished
Log out of the game
When you quit the game, it doesn't actually boot you from the servers. In theory, your account stays loaded on the server for 15 minutes after your disconnect. This is in case you have had a powercut or your dog pulled the router plug out or something - you can just reconnect where you were.
If you fully log-out of the game, and wait for long enough, your account will get unloaded, and when you log back in, it has to load your details from the server's file all over again.
Of course, a fresh login can cure certain bugs, but reports vary on how long you actually need to log out for. 24 hours should be plenty, or following a maintenance, yet a half-hour wait should be enough to check whether a full logout has worked - if not, try it for longer...
Check your internet connection
If you frequently have connection problems on various websites, your internet connection could be the problem.
There are several sites where you can check your internet connection speed, the most commonly used is probably this one (http://speedtest.net/).
If you use a router, try rebooting it (remove power lead, wait 15 secs, re-insert). It should take less than 2 mins for your router to restart itself.
Upgrade your computer
It's surprising how many problems can be cured by a simple and minor computer upgrade. Memory is relatively cheap these days, and if you are not comfortable installing them yourself, most people will know someone who can do it - it only takes a minute or two.
This one worked for me. I was using a Windows 7 computer with 768Mb RAM, which is below the minimum recommended amount. The Settlers Online would cause my PC to slow to a crawl. I upgraded to 4Gb, and now can play the game on three servers at once without it causing any problems.
Of course, if you already have over 2Gb RAM, and at least a 1.5GHz or Dual-core processor (or better), then you shouldn't have any problems anyway, and don't need to upgrade...
Now, if you have done all of the above, and you still have problems, then report your bug on the forum...