Topic: Hello all, and an obscure question about OP

[Klepto]

Hi everyone!

I'm an SFC player from the game's hay-day. I played Klingon as KWP-Drasil on MPlayer US, even though I'm in Europe (doh). SFC was my first ever online game and the community set a high standard for the other gaming communities to live up to. I continued with SFC 2, though stopped shortly after it's release due to a number of factors (death of mplayer, patches that IMO imbalanced the game in favour of feds and plasma races, the desire to be rid of Windows). I recently came by a copy of OP and thought I'd see if it would run in Linux under the Windows emulator (I was successful in getting rid of Windows), and was delighted that it does indeed run pretty much flawlessly. This wonderful bit of nostalgia got me googling for SFC, which lead me here.

SFC is much more fun when played multiplayer, but I'm having some problems getting it networked through the emulator. It's probably solvable with some googling and tweaking but my question is this: does anyone still play OP/dynaverse2? Is it worth me spending the time making multiplayer work?

[Pestalence_XC]

Find the community member named Bonk.. he is doing extensive work on SFC and Linux.. he is the one to help ya.

Make sure you game is patched to v2.5.5.2 and you have the Directroy Server fix both installed.. then all you have to to is see which server is running and add the appropriate mad to get on.

As for D2, the AOTK 4 server is running and getting very interesting.

[marstone]

some of your problems getting online might just be you have to update with the new servers (they moved from way back then to here.  I would suggest you download the 5.x update from here, and try it after you patch the game with it.

If still not working, find Bonk as Pestalence said, I have played online with Bonk when he was on his linux box.  So he should be able to help you out.

[Bonk]

Yes update the directory server entries in MetaAssets/ServerProfiles/Multiplayer/WONServerSetup.gf like so

Code: [Select]

[WONDirectoryServer/Addresses]
0="client.sfc.dynaverse.net:15101"
1="client.dynaverse.net:15101"
2="sfc2.directory.stasis.ca:15101"
and check out this thread:
http://www.dynaverse.net/forum/index.php/topic,163377223.0.html

and these links:
http://wiki.winehq.org/DirectPlayGames
http://appdb.winehq.org/objectManager.php?sClass=version&iId=7029&iTestingId=10927

I managed to run a few multiplayer dynaverse missions, but the missions don't end properly, wine's directx/directplay needs work it seems, but it is always being patched - nearly weekly, so another try with the latest wine version might show improvement.

[Klepto]

Thanks all for the help, particularly Bonk for his work with OP on Linux, I assume from the speed of the replies that Dynaverse 2 is alive and well. I've followed the instructions pretty much to the letter and it still stalls when I try and log in, the buttons at the bottom of the screen don't light up and I have 4 messages about welcome, checking patches etc. It has valid gamespy arcade login details and I've left it on that screen for a long time. Even more frustrating is that the back button doesn't work so I can't even exit cleanly. I'm not sure this is an emulation issue, could it be because I'm behind a router? My router logs all packets it doesn't understand and I see nothing suspect there, I've forwarded ports 2300-2400 TCP/UDP and also the high TCP one, and I've enabled ICMP echo responses (ping, insecure). Outgoing packets are also permitted on these ports.

Initially I was playing on Cedega which has graphics acceleration, but it doesn't like DirectPlay either. There's a workaround, if I get it working I'll post here. I'm not confident about future Wine patches addressing problems with DirectPlay as it's been obselete for some time, hopefully I'm wrong.

[Klepto]

I just tried hosting an online game (just me and an AI) through gamespy and while it seemed to work it hung on exit with a message saying someone has disconnected. Is this the wierdness that happens after dynaverse missions? If I can find someone else on gamespy the I'll try with them hosting, see if it works any better. I'm beginning to think it would be easier just to install a win98 box and use that, at least to rule out router problems.

[Bonk]

I just tried hosting an online game (just me and an AI) through gamespy and while it seemed to work it hung on exit with a message saying someone has disconnected. Is this the wierdness that happens after dynaverse missions?

Exactly. Or at least very similar.

Since you are behind a router, and forwarding ports I assume your LAN is configured statically? (It must be for port forwarding to work). You could try the DMZ temporarily to test.

Have you run the directory server updater (or a full OP+4 install) under wine? Or at least manually edited the WONServerSetup.gf?

I'm beginning to think it would be easier just to install a win98 box and use that, at least to rule out router problems.

Probably, if you want stable dynaverse play, because I don't think anyone has successfully exited a mission yet when running under wine.

OP is really only stable for single player under wine on OP currently. Hopefully I'll get a chance to play with it again soon.

[marstone]

sounds like he has his directory server messed up still.

[Klepto]

Have you run the directory server updater (or a full OP+4 install) under wine? Or at least manually edited the WONServerSetup.gf?

Yes, in fact both, although it definetley seems to be a problem contacting the server. I ran the patch and then edited the file with the lines you posted (which seemed the same). I'll keep playing with it, I have a few ideas, and failing that I do have a whole bunch of old PCs that I can fling win98 on. My main concern is that I don't have a valid win98 licence, one of the reasons I moved to Linux was so I could stop having to rely on pirated s/w.

Thanks for your help everyone

[marstone]

If the server information is right, then it sounds like a port issue from the router (if you have one).  I had to much fun switching ports from one machine to another so now I run my machines directly without the router inbetween just put in a switch.

[Pestalence_XC]

Set your router to DMZ.. your internal and external IP have to match.