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How to play on the CN Server for SC2

Forum Index > Tech Support
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1 2 Next All
BreAKerTV
Profile Blog Joined November 2011
Taiwan1658 Posts
Last Edited: 2012-04-16 10:54:22
February 06 2012 00:38 GMT
#1
Hi guys... I didn't directly think about where to post this thread but I do remember making a brief google search that was semi-relevant to what I was looking for here on TL.net. I figured this could help members who want to play on the CN server or are going to China and don't want to deal with excessive lag (my case).

Before we get started, it would be fair for me to first state this as a disclaimer: You may be possibly breaking Chinese law. Then again, you may very well not be breaking the law. Chinese law is underdeveloped and constantly changing. It is illegal for a person to use multiple ID numbers in China, but for starters you may not be in China. Secondly, you are -more than likely- a foreigner if you are in China and reading this guide, thus you don't even have a single ID number to begin with, cohence you are arguably doing nothing illegal.

First and foremost: I am a foreigner to China, I'm American born, I have no Chinese passport or identification, but I am mildly literate in Chinese (I speak it well enough to study in a Chinese university). Earlier today, I successfully managed to create a CN account.

You will need:
A Chinese Phone number (although I'm not sure why, I received absolutely no text messages after providing my own earlier today). If you have a friend with a Chinese phone number, that would be better than nothing.
A shen fen zheng number (Chinese ID number, which is easy to obtain (to be explained below)).
and be able to get to https://www.battlenet.com.cn/account/download/ (this is NOT a scam website, I know it is not battle.net.cn, the URL had to be changed so the PRC government could keep an iron grip on internet activity).

I have seen a few misleading posts here on TL.net stating that you need to have a Chinese social security number. This is not quite true, and the word social security number is not quite so accurate. What we are talking about is called a "Shen Fen Zheng", more significantly it's just an ID number. And this ID number is only needed to make sure that a player starting an account is, in fact, over the age of 18. It is a number that is composed of 17 digits: the country you live in, the province you reside in, the city, and your date of birth. The lattermost detail is bold because you need to be able to verify that you are over 18. However, you yourself can have your own shen fen zheng number.

This is where you must pay *excrutiatingly careful* attention because I imagine most of you are not literate in Simplified or Traditional Script (the Chinese writing systems). I am searching for the tool that I used earlier today to make my own account, please stand by...

http://www.tool7001.com/ - you can obtain a Chinese ID Number here
The First Line designates what city and province your number would be registered to. By default this is set to Beijing (and as far as I can tell, in playing Starcraft 2, it will have no effect on your installation or play).
The second line is your date of birth (I think, don't quote me on this.) Just make sure you have the last value in that line set to 1994 or earlier.
The third line is your Gender. The left value is male, the right value is female.
I have absolutely no clue what the fourth line represents, but I left the default value (10) unchanged and I was able to register my account successfully.

Now it's time to create a battle.net account on the CN server: https://www.battlenet.com.cn/account/creation/tos.html

Here's a screenshot to help you figure out how to fill in the blanks from here: http://i629.photobucket.com/albums/uu13/expatriate_portraits/Accountinfo_translated.png

How to add SC2 time:
If you are in China, typically you could go to 7/11 or a typical newspaper stand and buy battle.net subby cards or battle.net point cards and punch them in manually. At this point, I am having no luck finding a way to continue a subscription from outside of Mainland China, however I know someone in my clan who plays on the CN server regularly (from the U.S.) and maybe he will be able to help me with posting that info here. The way I did it however, was a little... "Atypical". I'm in a very small city (and I'm the only foreigner here to the best of my knowledge). I went to a China Unicom store here in China and bought 80 yuan of credit with which I went through a third party website to buy my subbies.

Well, unfortunately all of the info I've provided is enough to get you a Chinese starter account if you are NOT in China, and enough to get you on your feet if you ever decide to go to China. However, the most difficult part of this process, in my opinion, is getting the account started with a Chinese ID continuing your subscription from outside of China.

I hope I was of help to you guys.

Update - I was able to find Chinese SC2 subscription cards from this website, it is a reliable source and is roughly the equivalent of Chinese Ebay.

Edit (April 16, 2012 18:54): Find a way to buy what is equal to 90-100¥ (Chinese yuan, 元) of Battle.net points, and then you can buy a permanent SC2 account without any trouble to speak of.

Retired caster / streamer "BingeHD". Digital Nomad.
Chanyman
Profile Blog Joined December 2010
Australia142 Posts
February 06 2012 05:42 GMT
#2
I live in Hong Kong, and I think they sell time at 7/11 for the CN server but I couldnt be sure, it maybe the TW server. Regardless great guide, and I can confirm the 2nd one is your birthday, I took chinese in school for 8 years.
Twitter: @chanyman | TwitchTv: thechanyman
BreAKerTV
Profile Blog Joined November 2011
Taiwan1658 Posts
February 06 2012 08:28 GMT
#3
On February 06 2012 14:42 Chanyman wrote:
I live in Hong Kong, and I think they sell time at 7/11 for the CN server but I couldnt be sure, it maybe the TW server. Regardless great guide, and I can confirm the 2nd one is your birthday, I took chinese in school for 8 years.


Do you know of methods to continue a subscription to the CN server without actually being in China? I like the server, and I think this would be a cheaper alternative than actually shelling out money for a full copy of SC2 for the Korea/TW server. Like is there a way to use your bank card to pay for a subscription?

If you can help, I will post it here in the OP.
Retired caster / streamer "BingeHD". Digital Nomad.
AiurOG
Profile Joined March 2011
United States98 Posts
February 06 2012 10:13 GMT
#4
There are subscription fees to play on the Chinese SC2 servers? Who is collecting these and is China the only country that applies to?
forgehammer
Profile Joined August 2011
United States79 Posts
February 06 2012 11:32 GMT
#5
I love you, I've been wondering how to get a number to play Chinese games online (like DotA) ever since I got here in August. The level of happiness you have brought to my day (after the Pats got beat same day too, woohoo) is quite incredible.
BreAKerTV
Profile Blog Joined November 2011
Taiwan1658 Posts
February 06 2012 12:05 GMT
#6
On February 06 2012 19:13 day[J] wrote:
There are subscription fees to play on the Chinese SC2 servers? Who is collecting these and is China the only country that applies to?

Eventually the money gets to Blizzard's hands, but I imagine a good cut of it goes to Chinese companies as well.

This is basically an anti-piracy measure, because of socioeconomic problems (the average Chinese person probably makes 1000-2000 yuan a month). If Blizzard sold copies outright to people in China at the American price ($50 = 300 Yuan +/-), You could imagine many Chinese people would think the price is outrageous (costing 1/3rd of their monthly salary), thus many people would turn to piracy. Eventually people would find a way to make a key generator or "crack" the game.

Adding to the above paragraph, when I was in China back in 2008, I was able to play Brood War almost completely free. The only fee I had to pay was using a computer at pretty much any internet cafe.
Retired caster / streamer "BingeHD". Digital Nomad.
haduken
Profile Blog Joined April 2003
Australia8267 Posts
February 06 2012 13:18 GMT
#7
AFAIK you can buy Chinese subscription cards on ebay and taobao... you pay and they sent the activation code to you.

I never tried it even though I can speak/read Chinese because I don't like to play with lag.

When BW and Warcraft 3 was released it was like 50 yuan which is fuck all for anyone but people still pirated like crazy lol...

Every decent game in China has a subscription, no one around it that's the only business model over there.
Rillanon.au
ulan-bat
Profile Blog Joined August 2011
China403 Posts
Last Edited: 2012-02-08 10:48:56
February 08 2012 10:35 GMT
#8
Thanks for this!

On February 06 2012 09:38 eXelEnders wrote:
I have absolutely no clue what the fourth line represents, but I left the default value (10) unchanged and I was able to register my account successfully.

It's how many id get generated.

[edit]
Well I did create an account using the ID generator but I'm not sure it's gonna last too long after seeing this:
Your name and identity card has submitted verification. Verification may take up to 24 hours to complete. During the account will be subject to the anti-addiction system (CAIS) limit.

I will report back (and use a real ID if necessary then).
"Short games, shorts, summer weather, those things bring the heat!" - EG.iNcontroL
BreAKerTV
Profile Blog Joined November 2011
Taiwan1658 Posts
February 09 2012 00:37 GMT
#9
On February 08 2012 19:35 ulan-bat wrote:
[edit]
Well I did create an account using the ID generator but I'm not sure it's gonna last too long after seeing this:
Show nested quote +
Your name and identity card has submitted verification. Verification may take up to 24 hours to complete. During the account will be subject to the anti-addiction system (CAIS) limit.

I will report back (and use a real ID if necessary then).

That shouldn't be a problem. I hear that there are games that players have a time limit to play on Chinese servers (back in the day, Planetside used to have a 5 hour limit, but so many players were getting around their time limits using the method I just taught you guys that they shut down the planetside server in China). Hard core Chinese planetside fans got around this by simply creating a U.S. account where they still play to this day.
Retired caster / streamer "BingeHD". Digital Nomad.
ulan-bat
Profile Blog Joined August 2011
China403 Posts
Last Edited: 2012-02-09 14:37:56
February 09 2012 14:33 GMT
#10
Ok now it says:
ID verification: greater than 18 years of age

I guess I either generated a real ID and they didn't check the name with the card, or they don't care altogether.

Thanks again then!
"Short games, shorts, summer weather, those things bring the heat!" - EG.iNcontroL
RTSDealer
Profile Joined December 2011
286 Posts
February 12 2012 05:11 GMT
#11
Is there an option to purchase a FULL CN Starcraft 2 account?

Or is it limited to the 80 yuan monthly option?
rtsdealer.com - I love Dota 2 and Starcraft 2
Thr33
Profile Joined February 2012
Sweden20 Posts
February 12 2012 05:34 GMT
#12
I currently live in Beijing and this mainly applies if you live in a larger city because otherwise you might not be able to find it, I decided to skip the CN server thing and just go with a Taiwan copy and play on the korean servers. The kr server is alot of fun and I'd recommend it, for me I just bought the TW copy and added the cdkey to my battle.net account, logged on and I were able to play. It cost me like 450 yuan and I know you can find it cheaper. Just that I really couldn't be arsed searching when I eventually found it. I spent a day or so going around in stores in Beijing. If you have any other questions about the TW account then feel free.

I know this might not relate to the topic but if you are really interested in the actual CN account, but I felt the trouble of getting a CN account just so you can play whilst in China can easily be avoided.
"You guys are so noob that if they some day gave cakes to people who are noobs then you guys would get two cakes."
BreAKerTV
Profile Blog Joined November 2011
Taiwan1658 Posts
Last Edited: 2012-02-13 00:58:15
February 12 2012 13:42 GMT
#13
On February 12 2012 14:11 RTSDealer wrote:
Is there an option to purchase a FULL CN Starcraft 2 account?

Or is it limited to the 80 yuan monthly option?

The full version of SC2 will cost players roughly 14 USD and will be released on the 23rd of February 2012 (Rather quaintly convenient because I just used nearly the same amount of money to purchase four months of sc2 time just a few days before Blizzard of China announced this).

I will purchase the full version of SC2 When I head back to the Chinese mainland this summer. I'm in Taiwan studying abroad for the time being.

I'm having trouble downloading the Chinese SC2 Client because I'm in Taiwan right now, and when I was in China, my hotel internet connection was too crappy to download the client -_-. So I played at internet cafes in China.

If anyone has any methods to help me download the mainland Chinese client from Taiwan, I would be more than grateful...
Retired caster / streamer "BingeHD". Digital Nomad.
zhurai
Profile Blog Joined September 2010
United States5660 Posts
Last Edited: 2012-02-15 23:06:35
February 15 2012 23:06 GMT
#14
hmm....

somehow the chinese SC2 thinks I'm inputting the wrong password (cause it sends me with a button to the "get a new password/forgot password" page....), but I'm inputting the same password into the actual site and logging in fine...

--- also if you say "you might be mistyping it in sc2" <-- except the fact that I'm using keepass to remember the passwords and just copying the password.

[image loading]

I don't get it~
also the fact that I don't know written Chinese doesn't help either
Twitter: @zhurai | Site: http://zhurai.com
ulan-bat
Profile Blog Joined August 2011
China403 Posts
Last Edited: 2012-02-17 06:47:52
February 17 2012 01:31 GMT
#15
Did it ever work for you?
What about not using keepass (whatever it is)?

The left button is about getting help, the right one just "continue".
"Short games, shorts, summer weather, those things bring the heat!" - EG.iNcontroL
zhurai
Profile Blog Joined September 2010
United States5660 Posts
February 17 2012 02:32 GMT
#16
On February 17 2012 10:31 ulan-bat wrote:
Did it ever work for you?
What about not using keepass (whatever it is)?

The left button is about guetting help, the right one just "continue".

No, I just installed it
I tried typing in myself and didn't work (same problem error screen)

oO getting help -> pass reset, continue just makes you apparently try to relog

==
Twitter: @zhurai | Site: http://zhurai.com
Mobius_1
Profile Blog Joined April 2011
United Kingdom2763 Posts
February 17 2012 06:41 GMT
#17
On February 17 2012 11:32 zhurai wrote:
Show nested quote +
On February 17 2012 10:31 ulan-bat wrote:
Did it ever work for you?
What about not using keepass (whatever it is)?

The left button is about guetting help, the right one just "continue".

No, I just installed it
I tried typing in myself and didn't work (same problem error screen)

oO getting help -> pass reset, continue just makes you apparently try to relog

==

Is your account ID verified? Like confirmed to be "Over 18"? It could be an issue.

In China and used the CN server for some stuff on the Starter Edition and I always had no problems logging in.
Starleague Forever. RIP KT Violet~
ulan-bat
Profile Blog Joined August 2011
China403 Posts
February 17 2012 06:55 GMT
#18
It would be weird but it could be that the site doesn't enforce the exact same password restrictions as the game itself, and your password contains something funky.
Other than that, to answer Mobius's question check this:
[image loading]
"Short games, shorts, summer weather, those things bring the heat!" - EG.iNcontroL
BreAKerTV
Profile Blog Joined November 2011
Taiwan1658 Posts
February 20 2012 16:43 GMT
#19
Ok, it looks as though I'm turning to my own thread readers for help. I may or may not need a Chinese Native Speaker here to help me. I don't know. I am only mildly literate in Chinese. For some strange reason, SC2 is NOT downloading for me at all.

Some things worth noting:
* Right now I am studying at a University in Taiwan.
* Possible networking conflicts since I'm in Taiwan and Mainland China may not want Taiwanese people downloading it?

I need some help with downloading the client for my laptop. Before, I would play SC2 at internet cafes in China. Screenshot:
[image loading]

Retired caster / streamer "BingeHD". Digital Nomad.
ulan-bat
Profile Blog Joined August 2011
China403 Posts
Last Edited: 2012-02-21 03:37:57
February 21 2012 03:04 GMT
#20
The line after the green dot says everything is fine. You should check the info window (in the second menu, first entry) and report back.

[edit] oh btw, the blizzard downloader is a peer to peer client with an official blizzard peer on top. the info window will help you find out whether you can't connect to other peers and/or to the blizzard peer.
"Short games, shorts, summer weather, those things bring the heat!" - EG.iNcontroL
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