I still haven't beaten four computer players on ingenious mode (well, not without cheating), so needless to say, you don't have to have a network to enjoy Spaceward Ho! Nevertheless, there's something so much more enjoyable about bashing your best friend's head instead of a computer's. To play on a network, someone must create a new game and place it on a fileserver, TOPS network, or FolderShare (for those System 7.0 beta folks). Each person playing must then open up the shared game from the server. The game file is where turns are updated, status kept, etc. While this is a bit inconvenient right now, it will be a boon once System 7.0 and its FolderShare features are released.
One of the best features of the network play is the ability to set a time limit for moves. This means that you can set up a game with a 5 minute time limit and play all day at work with your co-workers. (I take no responsibility for this suggestion.) This is especially nice, since you can wait for John to go out to lunch, his turns will expire every five minutes, and you can attack without him mounting any defense. After all, all's fair in war. Other than that, network play is identical to playing versus the computer.