"LAN" Multiplayer Mode - Why?

[Realms×Myths]

LAN is Local Area Network…
Okay… Uhm… Does it do anything? I mean, it asks for an I.P. address… But why?
• My other games list the games running on computers connected the same router (modem?) as the computer I'm on when I choose LAN.
• The multiplayer modes are 'Friends‑only', which shows you to all your friends who are on the join game screen, under the LAN invite code options - selecting LAN would be redundant.; 'Invite‑only', which requires those joining to enter an invite code using the invite code option - selecting LAN would be pointless; and 'Offline', kicks everyone currently in the game, except the host, and preventing people from joining - selecting LAN would be completely useless.

Additionally, there's the 'Allow I.P. connections' option… but… if your farmhand is connecting via LAN… you're in the same building. You probably know them well enough to just tell them the invite code…

The 'Join a LAN multiplayer' makes no sense to me, since the only time you'd need it, you can just ask the person running the game for the invite code… the invite code is much easier to get than the I.P., since you don't have to go to a website, or ran a second program to find it…

Can one of the developers explain why the 'Allow IP connections' and 'Join LAN game' options exist to me?

[Brian]

Perhaps when steam is offline.

[Sorelegs]

Isn't LAN an option for those who wish to play together without internet?

[Jonathan J. O'Neill]

Maybe for people who want to use Evolve or Tuungle or Hamachi.

[MRSBrohook]

I actually would like to learn how to set up a lan game. My husband and I are going to be getting rid of the internet soon and would like to still be able to play together if its possible. Does anyone know to set one up?

[Greymane]

Whoever is going to host the game needs to know their IP number. To get that follow these instructions from: https://lifehacker.com/5833108/how-to-find-your-local-and-external-ip-address (Appropriate part pasted below):

Click on the Start menu and type cmd. When you see the cmd applications in Start menu panel, click it or just press enter.
A command line window will open. Type ipconfig and press enter.
You'll see a bunch of information, but the line you want to look for is "IPv4 Address." The number across from that text is your local IP address

Then have them start the host game. Coop->Host

The joining person clicks on coop Join and puts in the IP address of the other computer once it is up and running.

Even if you get rid of internet, make sure you are still running both computers into a router. If you have done any fancy setttings on the router, I can't help you with that...but odds are it should just work.

Hope that helps.

[Realms×Myths]

Originally posted by Jonathan J. O'Neill:

Maybe for people who want to use Evolve or Tuungle or Hamachi.

Again, to what point? Since 'Friends‑only' makes your game show up on friend's join list automatically, and 'invite‑only' means they need to use the invite code anyway, it seems rather pointless to use those for this game…

Originally posted by MRSBrohook CAPT Of Fuzz:

I actually would like to learn how to set up a lan game. My husband and I are going to be getting rid of the internet soon and would like to still be able to play together if its possible. Does anyone know to set one up?

Originally posted by Greymane:

Whoever is going to host the game needs to know their IP number. To get that follow these instructions from: https://lifehacker.com/5833108/how-to-find-your-local-and-external-ip-address (Appropriate part pasted below):

Click on the Start menu and type cmd. When you see the cmd applications in Start menu panel, click it or just press enter.
A command line window will open. Type ipconfig and press enter.
You'll see a bunch of information, but the line you want to look for is "IPv4 Address." The number across from that text is your local IP address

Then have them start the host game. Coop->Host

The joining person clicks on coop Join and puts in the IP address of the other computer once it is up and running.

Even if you get rid of internet, make sure you are still running both computers into a router. If you have done any fancy setttings on the router, I can't help you with that...but odds are it should just work.

Hope that helps.

Again, if they are on your friend list, and you have it set to 'Friends‑Only', the farm should show up on their available 'Join Farm' list.

[Tsi Aileron]

To play with people who don't own the game on Steam I imagine.

[MysticTempest]

As others have mentioned, LAN is for offline play.

This official post from when the Beta released has you covered and explains the reasons for each option: https://stardewvalley.net/stardew-valley-v1-3-beta/

[Realms×Myths]

Offline play…? Then why do you need an I.P. at all?
I'm very confused.

I'll check out the link when I'm not about to fall asleep.

[Jonathan J. O'Neill]

Originally posted by that girl:

Offline play…? Then why do you need an I.P. at all?
I'm very confused.

I'll check out the link when I'm not about to fall asleep.

Because even offline, your network has an IP. Generally, your router will assign you a network such as 192.168.1.x depending on the brand. If you just link up to a modem, it'll probably be 192.168.254.x

You're thinking of an ISP IP address, which is online.

[Realms×Myths]

Ohh, okay. Thank you.

[Lordofriva]

Maybe you should inform yourself how networking works.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OSI_model

The thing here is, is that you got it the wrong way around.

The internet is based on this, basically you simply utilise the same method on much larger scale.