One hosts.
Friends join.
Start with two players, matching versions and a backup of both players' saves.
Experimental beta: selected scenes have been tested, but a complete two-player campaign and independent-PC internet play remain unverified. Keep a separate backup of your saves.
Your first session
- Install the same co-op release on both PCs and launch KOTOR.
- The host selects Co-op → Host on the main menu. For a new game, reach the first autosave before starting the shared session.
- The other player opens Co-op → Connect and selects the host. For an explicit address, choose Connect to an address….
- On a first join, create your own character. That character is kept for later joins.
Either player can lead an area change or choose a planet. The host chooses companions. The co-op helper starts with the game; leave it running.
On the same network or over the internet
On the same home network, look for the host in the server list. If the host is missing, choose Connection help from the Co-op browser. Check that both players installed the same release and the host left the firewall option enabled during setup.
For a friend on another network, the host chooses Copy connection address and sends the address privately. The friend chooses Connect to an address… and pastes it. Finding an address does not prove it is reachable: if joining fails, use Connection help. Some connections still need router port forwarding or a tunnel; there is no built-in relay. Do not post connection addresses or passwords in public issues.
Steam and GOG players use the same direct connection steps. Steam friends-list invitations need an optional component that is not supplied with the release; enabling an option alone does not make invitations available.
How the shared world works
- Your character and inventory: backpacks and credits are personal by default. Quest items are shared so progression can continue.
- Conversations: one at a time. Whoever starts chooses the replies. Other players select the same character to watch; story-driven scenes can include both automatically.
- Party and travel: the host selects companions and leads departures. Let the host handle major recruitment and story decisions during early testing.
- Combat: players fight shared enemies. Wider player counts and uncommon story fights need more testing.
- Minigames: one player takes the active seat; the other waits.
Save, leave and return
- Save before ending your session. While connected, use the save named Co-op to reload the shared session.
- To leave, press F9 → Leave co-op, then quit the game.
- Next time, the host starts hosting and loads the saved campaign. The friend selects the host again, or opens Connect to an address… to use the remembered address. Retry last connection is for retries while the same helper is still running.
Your previous single-player autosave is kept as Autosave before co-op. Keep ordinary named single-player saves and your independent backup separate. A crash can lose progress since the last usable checkpoint.
If the connection drops, wait briefly for automatic rejoining. If it stalls, the host opens F9 → Start/resume hosting; the friend chooses Retry last connection. These actions reconnect the session; they cannot restore unsaved progress.
When something goes wrong
Choose Create support report in the Co-op browser (or press F9 in game). If the game cannot start, double-click KotorCoop.CollectLogs.cmd in the game folder. The ZIP contains a readable READ-ME-FIRST.txt with its contents and privacy summary. Recognized addresses, paths and credentials are removed automatically; chat and other players' names may remain. Review the report before attaching it. Nothing is uploaded automatically. Describe what happened, who was hosting, your game mods and whether you were on the same network. For a connection problem, collect reports from both players.