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First identify whether you are troubleshooting StarCraft II with SC2API or original StarCraft: Brood War with BWAPI. They use different bot interfaces and logs. In either case, separate a game client that never starts from a bot that cannot attach after the game is running; then check the matching connection path before investigating Battle.net or the wider network.

Identify the game and where startup fails

Record the game, bot framework and revision, operating system, exact error text, launch command and arguments, and the relevant client or bot logs. Note whether the game executable opens and whether a local match starts. These details distinguish a client launch failure from a bot connection failure and point to the correct integration path.

  • StarCraft II: bots commonly use Blizzard’s SC2API, whose local connection is a WebSocket carrying protobuf messages.
  • Brood War: BWAPI attaches a bot instance to a running StarCraft instance.

Do not use SC2API WebSocket settings to diagnose BWAPI, or treat a local API connection error as proof of a Battle.net outage.

Troubleshoot StarCraft II and SC2API

1. Confirm the game client started

Check that the intended StarCraft II process is running before investigating the bot’s socket. If the client never opens, troubleshoot the client launch separately; a bot cannot connect to a server process that is not listening.

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2. Match the WebSocket address, port, and endpoint

In SC2API, the game client acts as the server for a protobuf protocol carried over WebSockets. The client’s command line supplies its listening address and port, and the API endpoint path is /sc2api. Compare those values with the bot’s connection target. A failed connection may mean the client did not launch, the bot is targeting a different address or port, or the endpoint or protocol setup does not match. See Blizzard’s SC2 client protocol documentation.

3. Check the bot library against the installed client

Blizzard publishes the protocol definitions and a C++ wrapper, s2client-api. The wrapper supports Windows, Linux, and Mac, while the protocol overview describes retail Windows and Mac clients and provides Linux client packages. That does not establish that every client and library revision is compatible. Record the installed game build and the protocol or library revision, then check compatibility for that specific combination.

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4. Inspect coordinator launch failures

If you use the C++ coordinator, inspect its launch and connection errors and verify that it is starting the intended client. The repository includes coordinator-based examples, but there is no universal coordinator setting that fixes every launch or connection failure.

5. Separate local API access from Battle.net connectivity

A bot that cannot open its local WebSocket connection has a different problem from a client that cannot reach Blizzard services. Blizzard’s connection troubleshooting guidance addresses game-server connectivity; it does not by itself diagnose a local SC2API socket failure.

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Troubleshoot Brood War and BWAPI

1. Confirm the bot is attached to the intended game instance

Make sure the StarCraft instance is running and that the bot is connecting to that instance. BWAPI documents that each bot instance connects to one StarCraft instance. Its attachment model is not the SC2API WebSocket-and-protobuf connection.

2. Check BWAPI error logs

Look in Starcraft/Errors/ for logs. When reporting the problem, include the relevant logs, screenshots, BWAPI version or commit, operating system, and reproducible steps. See the BWAPI documentation for framework-specific guidance.

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If the game client itself will not launch or connect

Use Blizzard’s StarCraft support page and the current guidance for the specific error and game version. Its technical support categories include installation and patching, crashes, and connection problems.

Older forum reports should be treated as symptom-specific, not as general fixes. For example, a June 2023 Blizzard forum thread discussed a launch problem associated with OneDrive linking to Documents, as well as a separate login issue associated with old backups or discs. Use those details only if your symptoms match; they do not establish a current, broadly applicable remedy.

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When a connection problem needs network diagnosis

Write down the exact disconnect or error and what action triggers it. Blizzard’s network guidance identifies possible contributors including software conflicts, bandwidth use, game or UI data, and routing. If escalation calls for route evidence, Blizzard forum guidance recommends running WinMTR while the problem is actively occurring; a trace taken when the issue is absent may not capture the failure.

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Bestseller No. 2
Starcraft Gold - Includes Expansion Pack (PC CD)
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Build new units; construct Lurkers, Medics, Valkyries, Corsairs, Dark Archons and more; Explore new worlds
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Starcraft II: Legacy of the Void - Standard Edition
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Internet Connection Required; Battle.net registration and Battle.net Desktop Application required
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Choose the right troubleshooting path

What you observe Likely boundary to check first Relevant path
The game never opens Client launch, installation, or crash Use the current Blizzard support guidance for the specific game and error.
StarCraft II opens, but the bot cannot connect Local WebSocket target, listening address and port, /sc2api, or protocol compatibility Compare the client launch arguments with the bot’s connection target, then check the client and library revisions.
Brood War opens, but the bot does not attach BWAPI attachment to the intended StarCraft instance Check Starcraft/Errors/ and gather BWAPI-specific details.
The client opens but cannot reach Blizzard services Game-service connectivity or network conditions Use Blizzard’s connection guidance and collect the error and timing; run WinMTR during an active issue if requested.

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