Multiplayer - some network questions

[mapfi]

some answers

Ok, so I bothered to ask Activision. Boah, I tell you, they must hate those persisting support searching customers. Furthermore, some of those answering just seem to have no idea of the game at all. It comes down to the fact that they just don't want to provide any support if envolves work.

But after all - I was able to at least answer one question, the mp-server:
To provide a MP-server on the internet available for everybody you need to run Anet / Activlink a program by Activision which is actually the MP-server program for many games. The source code has surprisingly been released. You'll find it at http://www.kegel.com/anet/ There even used to be a page explaining how to do the setup for ctp2, but it is not there anymore. I was able to retrieve it from the google-archive though and so I am attaching the text here.

[Martin Gühmann]

That explains the function of the anet.inf.

-Martin

[ETB]

That’s some pretty sharp detective work there mapfi! So we can make our own servers? I’m going to have to try this out…

[mapfi]

yes we can - you just need a otherwise unused computer to be set up as a linux server and a highspeed connection...

[Iroquois]

Terrible discavery

Damn!!!! All my favourite SLIC don't work in LAN game, because in this case AI can't recognise who is HUMAN!!!
This is true as I stand here. FRENZY and many other nice SLICs don't work properly via LAN game.
Can anybody correct this?

[child of Thor]

Does anyone know how you can actually tell if the SLIC files work when playing over LAN, apart from seeing with your eyes what the AI does?
The reason being when i play Craddle over LAN i see the AI behaving differently compared to the vanilla game. And when i play MedMod i get all the special units etc. So it appears to me that SLIC works when MP over LAN??? true or false?

EDIT:

As to the network stuff - well running win98SE over a LAN network of 22 pc's i've never had a problem getting CTP2 to run on any selection of them(upto 4max - i'm not crazy!).
All the pc's are visable in 'neighbourhood network' , and it works either with static IP's or with it on Autoselect from the DHP server. I think it is more stable with static IP's, but i have got it to work with either.
Using TCP/IP protocol when players join in the game it seems to auto recognise the network(and the IP's of the computers taking part) so i've never had a problem with people not being 'seen' in the lobby before launching a game.
The bits in the FAQ are important to getting MP to run as smoothly as possible.
PC power might well be an issue - always use the most powerfull pc as the host.
XP seems to be another matter? And as i don't have access to that version i can't comment.

[ETB]

Originally posted by child of Thor
XP seems to be another matter? And as i don't have access to that version i can't comment.

Yes, I experienced some problems when playing in the MP tournament with Maquiladora and mapfi. It started out well and stable, but the host (Maq. using Win98SE) would crash during human to human combat. Another problem was mapfi and I (both on XP machines) could never join a game if either one of us hosted. Mapfi turned off his firewall (XP defaults to include a firewall on all dial up connections) and that appeared to resolve some of the crash problems. XP can also run a program in 9x compatibility mode – I haven’t yet confirmed that it resolves all remaining problems we had, but it appears to be helpful to run CtP2 in Windows 98SE compatibility mode for MP games.

[J Bytheway]

Originally posted by child of Thor
Does anyone know how you can actually tell if the SLIC files work when playing over LAN, apart from seeing with your eyes what the AI does?
The reason being when i play Craddle over LAN i see the AI behaving differently compared to the vanilla game. And when i play MedMod i get all the special units etc. So it appears to me that SLIC works when MP over LAN??? true or false?

All the SLIC certainly should work in MP. It might not work in exactly the same way, because the programmer might have assumed there was only one human player, and there are usually big problems with messagebox-related code (like the citycapture code) - they cause resyncs (They should work fine in hotseat/PBEM though).

[Iroquois]

All the SLIC certainly should work in MP. It might not work in exactly the same way, because the programmer might have assumed there was only one human player, and there are usually big problems with messagebox-related code (like the citycapture code) - they cause resyncs (They should work fine in hotseat/PBEM though).

Nope! Some SLICs doesn't work via LAN. Really. Recently I played versus 2 my friends and 4 AI opponents via LAN. Total 7 players. In that case Updater.SLC worked only for HOST player. Indeed. The rest 2 human player can't upgrade anything.

Another thing: AI doesn't have ARMY more than 3-4 units per STACK. Although when we copied saved file from MP to Games folder and try to play as single-player then AI quickly groupped 2 stacks per 11 units and destroyed human defence. That is Frenzy.slc work properly only for single-player games. Too bad.

That is any functions like "IsHumanPlayer(player[0])" doesn't work in MP game.

[Tominator]

Still doesn't work: Andy (using XP) disabled his firewall and ran CTP2 in Win98SE-compatibility mode, but still neither of us can join any game (at least any of the games we tried). Message is "Connecting...", after about a minute "Could not connect". The host can see the other one trying to join, then he disappears from the Player list (when message "could not connect" appears).
We tried dynamic participation, everything -> No Go!
Any more ideas? p.s. Both patched versions (.1, not .11).
Please help!

[Agakhan]

A friend of mine and me, we have the same problem, running win 2k pro though.

Serching for servers: 2 servers found

games.igateway.net -> connection refused
nl.alink.gamepoint.net
->
Joining the lobby - works
creating a game - works
joining a game - FAILS

I wonder if its still this servers.dat thing. The one I tried (found on the Apolyton Directory) is dated 19-09-2001, hence maybe its outdated ?

[Maquiladora]

AFAIK the servers.dat file only controls what lobbies are available, besides other non-win2K people can join games.

Did you both have Win2k?

[Agakhan]

Originally posted by Maquiladora
AFAIK the servers.dat file only controls what lobbies are available, besides other non-win2K people can join games.

About a year ago we managed to get a few games going. At the time, we both used win95. Then my friend changed to win Me and it didn't work anymore (At the time my friend wasn't even able to join a lobby). Meanwhile we're both on win 2k.
We can both join the lobby but we can't join games (neither ours nor others).
There are only 2 lobbies available. I can recall there being about 5 or 6 a year ago. Are there only 2 left?

[mapfi]

Actually it's only one - the other one is for CtP IIRC. Read further up the thread on how to set up a new one gotta have some money and time...

[mkalthoff]

windows version

Hi,

we had some problems since I have a new pc with windows xp. Here are some experience:

Scooters system: win200k
conquerer: win98
Mattas (me): win xp (running ctp2 in compatibily mode)

I create a game:
scooter can not join
conquerer can join

scooter creates a game:
I can not join
I could join in earlier times, using win98

conquerer creates a game:
scooter can join
I can join
---> fine game

Did anyone ever enter a mp-game created by non-win98 using non-win98?

Does anyone now, which ports are needed to connect? I guess, the host needs some ports open for incoming connections or so.

thanx in advance

Mattas