How to Multiplayer?

[Noesis]

I want to play my friend a game of SMAC but we cant seem to find a way to play across the internet outside of a lan. We are currently trying to mess with this program called "kali" to emulate a lan setting in order to get the game to work with little success. Every time on launch my friends game quits to desktop...

Has anyone had any luck using this program? What other methods do you guys use to play your friends across the internet?

Much thanks

EDIT: oh ya, I also might add that while using kali we are trying to start the game using the TCP/IP direct connect option. Trying to use the IPX option only gives us a direct x upgrade notification that doesnt actually install anything. Even though I have like Direct X 9.

[Noesis]

so know one knows a good way to play multiplayer?

the only other way I see is playing by e-mail but I really dont see how that is viable. Unless you mail in some kind of file that lists out your moves and the host does the same back to you?

[vyeh]

There is a multiplayer/PBEM option. You make your move and the game makes a file. You email that file, the next person does the same. There is a whole forum on Apolyton where players indicate in the turn tracking threads that they've emailed the turn to the next player, so that all players in that game knows who has the turn.

[Noesis]

nice!

Where is the file located?

so im assuming the host is the one that manages all the e-mails. Once they recieve an e-mail from the person who's turn it is, the host uploads the file and the computer executes their turn?

Could someone please provide a step by step process? That would help out alot.

[inglonias]

That is one inefficient way to play man....
Do't games take, like, months that way?

[Noesis]

Originally posted by inglonias
That is one inefficient way to play man....
Do't games take, like, months that way?

Ya, but it seems like that is the only way to do it...

I mean I have tried everything else with no success.

Kind of why I was hoping other people had success with different methods.

[vyeh]

Assume there are four human players, Tom, Dick, Harry, and Tim and three AI's.

The game is set up as a multiplayer game. For the sake of balance, usually a CMN (e.g. Flubber is setting up one for a group of new players on the Multiplayer forum) will set up the game so the starting locations are balanced. Often there will be some type of accelerated start (more than one colony pods, a terraformer). After the game is set up, the CMN emails the passwords for each human. Assume the turn order is Tom, AI 1, Dick, Harry, Ai 2, Tim, AI 3.

The CMN emails the saved game file to Tom. Tom puts the saved game file into his "Saves" folder in his SMAX file. In the initial SMAX screen, he chooses "Multiplayer." In the next screen, he chooses "Load Game" and selects the file that was sent to him. The game will ask for his password. He plays the game the same as he would for a single player game. When he is finished, he hits "End Turn". The game will play the AI 1 turn, then prompt for Dick's password. At this point, Tom saves the game. He emails the saved game file to Dick.

When Dick receives the saved game, he puts that file in his "Saves" folder of SMAX. He goes through the same steps as Tom. When the game prompts for Harry's password, he saves the game and emails the file to Harry. Harry and Tim repeat the process, with Tim emailing the game, which has now advanced one turn to Tom.

Look at this thread to see how some new players are in the process of starting a PBEM.

http://www.apolyton.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=164780

[vyeh]

Originally posted by inglonias
That is one inefficient way to play man....
Do't games take, like, months that way?

Games can take over a year. Players choose PBEM because they want a challenge the AI does not provide. It is similar to chess by mail. Players have the chance to think about their moves.

[vyeh]

Noesis.

You might try posting your original question re kali/TCP/IP in the following forum:

http://www.apolyton.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=101

It is the Apolyton multiplayer forum. There may be someone there with experience with the TCP/IP multiplayer mode.

[Hydro]

The biggest problem with MPs with 3+ human players is that one player can drop, which throws the game up in the air. Devoting a half year or so to a MP is a big commitment. I’ve had some bad luck in MPs with 3+ players, and it is disappointing when they die. This is especially true since in my MP games each player writes up their turn as part of an ongoing story, so when someone drops and the game goes belly up it is a real loss.

Hydro

[Marid Audran]

That marathon commitment is why I don't MP in SMAC. It just moved too damn slow to maintain interest, especially those early years when very little was happening. The lone occassion I took one up was a full compliment of humans, one who would go on vacation for a week and stall the game, upon returning someone *else* promptly went on vacation and prolonged the stall, etc. That sort of thing happened often. There was no role-playing in that particular game either, ala Hydro, to alleviate the boredom.

The only circumstance I'd consider playing again was in a time-warp game 60 or 80 turns in the future with a maximum of three other human players.

[Noesis]

christ that sounds like a alot of work to just play the dame game. Why doesnt join by IP just work like it should ...

-_-

[Xian]

When the TCP/IP works, its extremely fun.

I wish I had advice to give, but in my case its been mostly trial and error/luck

[Noesis]

well the trouble is that it works fine so long as the other computer is on the same network. It just doenst work across the internet.

-_-

[Main_Brain]

Perhaps you can try to emulate a Lan via hamachi?
(never tried)