Civ2 Multiplayer over null modem cable

[AustralianJeremy]

Now that the wondrous simultaneous turn system's been reinstated, can someone help me link up a laptop and desktop PC with Civ2 MGE running? There's no "null modem" option, so how do I do it? (Running Win95) Thanks...

[Crustacian]

I play using the null modem cable anytime instead of hotseat. But it has been awhile and can not direct you exactly. You do select "network" game then I forget which of the next two options you choose. But I got help from tech support at Microprose for the particulars. It is very easy once you do it once and a TOTAL improvement over hot seat.

[Chaos Warrior]

why not purchase LAN cards? you don#t need new up-to-date cards, old and crappy ones will work fine for civ2. you have the same options as in internet game and/or null modem game, and it's not half as hard to manage as that null modem stuff is

you'll have trouble with IP and detecting and stuff as a LAN beginner though

[MacUser]

<center><table width=80%><tr><td><font color=000080 face="Verdana" size=2><font size="1">quote:
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</font><font size=1>Originally posted by Chaos Warrior on 12-24-2000 03:12 PM</font>
why not purchase LAN cards?
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I assume that you mean an Ethernet card. You can buy a PCI 10/100Base-TX Ethernet card for less than $20 or an older 10Base-T card for $14, plus a "cross-over ethernet cable for around $10 from MicroWarehouse or any computer store (you could even make an cross-over cable). Once you have those, you can setup a Local-Area Network (LAN) in about a half hour (that includes cracking a couple o' beers during the card installations).

<center><table width=80%><tr><td><font color=000080 face="Verdana" size=2><font size="1">quote:
<img src="/images/blue1.gif" width=100% height=1>
</font><font size=1>you'll have trouble with IP and detecting and stuff as a LAN beginner though
<img src="/images/blue1.gif" width=100% height=1></font></td></tr></table></center>

Nah, it's not that hard (well, at least on a Mac.... )! Seriously, if you can set up an ISP account for internet connection, you can setup a LAN . On my Mac, and I assume on a PC as well, it's just a matter of entering some info into the PC equivalent of your TCP/IP control panel and away you go! I know that Mac specific instructions for this procedure are available on the web, so I assume that you could find PC detailed instructions as well. Check out sites dedicated to PC magazines like FamilyPC; they may have published directions in a magazine issue. If all else fails, I'll sure someone around the Forums could write-up a short PC instruction list.

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Be what you is and not what you is not. Folks who do that are the happiest lot!
- Mr. Wizard the Lizard,

[AustralianJeremy]

I have a LAN card in my desktop, but the laptop's a friend's, and I can't put a LAN card in it. I'm not buying him one, anyway. I'm just sure there's a way of doing it over null modem, and since I have one of those already I'd like to figure out how to set it up - I'm pretty sure there's a way, but I can't remember what it is.

[Rasputin]

just join a interntet game isntead much easier *LOL*

[AustralianJeremy]

Hi Crustacian - don't suppose you still have any records of that advice from Microprose do you?

I spent yesterday with my friend Rich trying to get the damn thing working with the cable - tried DCC and tried installing null-modem drivers, but nothing worked. Couldn't get the two computers connected except using laplink to copy the game across.

Driving me mad. Anyone know how to do it? DCC is weird and temperamental and cuts out all the time. Someone must have written a program that does it better, since old games like CivNet were no problem.

(I don't want to buy a LAN card because it's his parents' laptop and anyway it should work over the serial cable)

[markusf]

The guy that has the card should hardcode a ip address run laplink and turn on internet shareing in laplink. Then start a internet game and the second computer *should* be able to connect to that ip.

[Crustacian]

Jeremy,
Here is what I can remember. If I had two pc's here I could do it then describe what I did. It is VERY easy, I just can't remember. But an email to microprose, since you are in Australia a phone cal to them might be too expensive.

But by going to "programs", "accesssories", then "direct cable connection" you get instructions from windows on that part of it between the two pc's. You need to know which one is the host computer.
Then with your game loaded you select "network" game then I forget which of the next two options you choose. Sorry, but tho I can DO it in only a few seconds, I just can not say how to, since it has been awhile.
If there is any trouble with this, just call your local tech support.

Anyway, all you need is the
enexpensive cable,
knowing what the port you connect to on each pc is called,
Getting straight which pc is the "host".
Going into the windows direct cable connection program and connect the two pc's,
Load the game choosing network, then either tcp/ip or the other one, but I think it is tcp/ip.

This is VERY easy, quick, and fun, but you may need to ask someone else for the details.

[AustralianJeremy]

The weird thing is that we could get DCC to connect them for about half a minute, then it would give up and die on us. And it would only sometimes work (without anything changing). So we're very confused.