“Multiplayer Games” file, version 1.0, shareware version
This file is about multiplayer games of Descent, in which two to eight players compete (or cooperate) while playing on separate computers connected via modem, serial cable, LocalTalk network, or Ethernet network. This file contains a list of additional features and rules in multiplayer play; notes on multiplayer modem games; and notes on multiplayer games on a network.
System Requirements For Multiplayer Games
If you plan to play any sort of multiplayer game -- modem, serial, or network -- then Descent will need about 8000K of memory to run properly (as opposed to the 7000K minimum requirement to play solo games).
In general, if you play netgames with a large number of players and you encounter speed problems, we recommend you use MacIPX instead of AppleTalk for your netgames.
For instructions on how to set up network hardware and software, see the "Setting Up A Network Game" file.
Shareware Vs. Commercial Versions
The shareware and commercial versions of Descent cannot play against each other in network or modem games. All players must have the same version of Descent in order to play against each other.
Multiplayer Features And Rules
>> NOTE: ONLY ANARCHY MODE IS AVAILABLE IN THE SHAREWARE VERSION. <<
>> SEE THE "ORDERFORM" FILE TO RECEIVE THE FULL DESCENT EXPERIENCE! <<
There are several features available to players of Multiplayer Descent not used in normal single player games. Here is the rundown:
Multiplayer Keys
CHECKERED FLAG AFTER 15 KILLS ELAPSE (Command-T): Causes your Mac to send a message to all players when someone has achieved 15 kills after you hit Command-T. If you would like to play a game until the first 15 kills, be sure that only one player on the network presses Command T, at the very beginning of the game before any kills occur. Note that during net games, messages come fast and furious, and the Tournament Win message may scroll off the screen before you notice it.
TEAMMATE ID DISPLAY (F6): Available in Network Team games only. If enabled, this will show a teammate's name if he is in your sights. Hitting F6 will turn this on/off.
KILL LIST DISPLAY (F7): This toggles the Multiplayer Kill List on/off. In Network Team games, this alternates the display between Player Kills, Team Kills, and no kill display.
SEND MESSAGE (F8): Lets you type a message to other player(s). Addressing the message to specific player(s) can be done by using a colon. For example, sending the message "ST:YOUR TIME IS NEAR!" will send the message "YOUR TIME IS NEAR!" to any players with "ST" as their name or first characters. This would include the players STEVE or STACY. If there is no address, the message will be sent to everyone. If there is an address but no match, it will not be sent.
TAUNT MACROS (F9-F12): This works the same as above, but lets you send one of four predefined messages with one keypress. By using SHIFT, you can define or re-define what F9-F12 will send. For example, hitting SHIFT-F10 will let you change what F10 will send when you hit it by itself. Message addressing using ":" is available in macros as well (see above). Taunt Macros are stored in your pilot file for future games.
Multiplayer Rules
Some special rules apply to Multiplayer Descent Games. Here is the rundown:
• When players are killed, they drop their weapons and powerups! This also means that if there is only one Spreadfire Cannon placed in a level, only one player can have it at a time. If you want a certain weapon, you may have to beat it out of someone!
• When you fire secondary weapons in a multiplayer game, a new powerup of that type is created randomly somewhere in the mine. This keeps the number of weapons in the game constant. If you see a weapon suddenly appear in front of your ship, consider yourself lucky! Cloak/Invulnerability replacements are created when these effects wear off of a player. Concussion Missiles do not replace themselves.
• Bringing up a dialog screen (such as by hitting the F2 key) in Multiplayer Descent does NOT stop the action. Your ship is still vulnerable to attack. If you need to spend time on a dialog screen, find a place to hide. If you're attacked while viewing a dialog screen, the game will automatically return you to the game so you can defend yourself. It will also return you from dialog screens if the reactor is about to explode.
• After finishing a level in Multiplayer Descent, there may be a waiting period while other players escape the mine. Everyone will then enter the new mine together. The waiting delay may be up to 60 seconds. If you wish, you can exit the game entirely by hitting <ESC> at this screen.
Multiplayer Network Games
Descent supports a network of two to eight Power Macs connected through an Ethernet network, or up to three Power Macs connected through a Localtalk network.
Descent can also connect to other Power Macs using Novell's MacIPX® or play against PCs across an IPX network by using MacIPX. To play a MacIPX game, make sure the MacIPX control panel is enabled and that the appropriate MacIPX extensions were installed at the time of launch. (You can install MacIPX via the Descent installer.)
LocalTalk Note: If you are going to start to play Descent between two players on a LocalTalk network, and there are idle machines on the network, they should either be disconnected from the network entirely or switched off. Otherwise, a number of network packets may be lost, which will seriously affect game play.
Setting Up A Network Game
First of all, before you run Descent, be sure you have configured your network software correctly using the "Network" or "AppleTalk" Control Panel. (You need to tell your Mac whether to use LocalTalk cabling or Ethernet cabling.) See the "How To Set Up A Network" file for more details. After you're sure the Macs are able to communicate, then everybody can launch Descent.
When starting a network game, one player acts as the "host" and chooses one of the "Start a game" options. After the host has configured all the game settings, all the other players can then choose one of the "Join a game" options to join in.
Descent supports up to 4 simultaneous network games on a single network zone. To prepare for network play, the host selects "Multiplayer" from Descent's main dialog screen.
Then the host must select "Start An IPX Game" or "Start An AppleTalk Game" from the Multiplayer screen in order to choose the parameters for the game. If an AppleTalk game is chosen, the host must choose between three network types:
"LocalTalk": Playing over a LocalTalk network
"EtherTalk": Playing over an Ethernet network
"Other": Trying to play with some other type of network, like ARA or Token Ring
Then the host gets to decide the settings of the multiplayer game:
"Description": The description is the name that other people will see in their "Join A Network Game" menu.
"Level": This can be any valid level for the mission you have loaded. Play will begin on the level selected and can continue to the other levels as play progresses.
"Mode": Mode determines what type of game will be played. In the shareware version of Descent, only "Anarchy" is enabled.
• "Anarchy" is a player-only battle to the death, where the goal is to accumulate the most kills by killing up to 7 other players through MacIPX or EtherTalk, or 2 other players through LocalTalk.
• Commercial version only: "Team Anarchy" is the same as Anarchy, but in teams. The next screen you see is the Team Selection screen. Team names can be modified in the text boxes. To move a player to the other team, highlight his or her name and then press return. Team 1 ships are blue while Team 2 ships are red. Press <ESC> to accept the teams and start the game. This can be played with a maximum of 7 other players (that's eight total) through MacIPX, EtherTalk or 2 other players through LocalTalk.
• Commercial version only: "Anarchy With Robots" is the same as Anarchy, only there will be robots in the game trying to kill any player they find. The goal is still to score kills by killing your fellow players. This can be played with a maximum of 4 players through MacIPX or EtherTalk and 2 players through LocalTalk.
• Commercial version only: "Cooperative Mode" lets you team up with the other players to destroy all the robots in the mine and complete the level. The goal is to get the highest score by killing robots, rescuing the hostages and escaping the mine after destroying the level Reactor. This can be played with a maximum of 4 players through MacIPX or EtherTalk and 2 players through LocalTalk.
"Closed Game": This determines whether or not other players will be allowed into your game after it begins. If the Option box is checked, only players that were chosen for play at the start of the game are allowed in. Note: In a closed game, the starting players are still allowed to leave Descent and rejoin at any time.
"Difficulty": This determines several factors, from robot awareness and deadliness, to time for mine destruction countdowns. The farther the slider is to the right, the tougher the game will be.
Once these settings are chosen, the "host" player presses return. This brings up a screen where the person who started the game can select the players. As each network player selects your game from the Join A Network Game screen, their names appear in the list. If a player selects your game but you don't want him to play, you can deselect him by using the space bar to clear the check box next to his or her name. Once you’ve selected the players you want for the game, press return to start the action.
Joining a Netgame
To join a netgame, select Multiplayer from the Descent Main menu and then select “Join Appletalk” or “Join IPX”, whichever you have all decided to use. This brings up a menu of currently active network games on that socket. Below each game is listed the current level number of the game, the number of people playing, and game status. Game status can be one of the following:
• Forming - The person starting the game is still at the player selection screen. There is still time to join in before the game starts.
• Open - The game is in progress but you can still join in because either the game is not closed, or you were previously connected to the game and can rejoin.
• Closed - The game was either started as a closed game so you can’t join, or else there is already the maximum number of players in the game.
• Between Levels - The players in this game are rushing for the escape tunnel. You cannot join a game that is between levels. If the game is between levels, you can wait at the "Join A Network Game" menu until the game mode changes to "open".
If you leave a netgame for whatever reason, you can usually join in later and resume your game. Although you lose accumulated items, you will retain your ship color and kill count unless you have been gone long enough for someone new to have taken your spot. Make sure you rejoin from the same computer and use the same pilot name so the game can identify you as an existing player.
The "host" player is also free to leave and rejoin the game at will; there are no special restrictions for this person other than setting the initial parameters for the game.
Multiplayer Modem And Serial Games
Descent lets you play against a long-distance opponent via a modem connection. Descent uses Apple's "Communication Toolbox" software for its modem games -- specifically, the Apple Modem Tool. You can also use the same interface via the Serial Tool to play against another Mac in the same room if you've hooked them together with a serial cable.
You will need to obtain the Apple Modem Tool and/or the Serial Tool separately if you downloaded this Descent package from an online source. (MacPlay isn't allowed to distribute Apple's system software electronically.) You can get this system software from your favorite user group, or see the end of the "Troubleshooting Descent" file for pointers to Apple's online sources of the software.
Serial Tool Note: If you have two Macs hooked up via a serial cable and you are considering playing Descent by means of the Serial Tool, you may get better performance if you instead hook up the cable to the two Macs' printer ports to form a LocalTalk network, and play across this LocalTalk network instead of using the Serial Tool.
ARA Note: Instead of using Descent's modem interface to play a modem game, you may be able to establish an ARA (Apple Remote Access) connection and play using Descent's network interface. However, we haven't tested this, didn't really design Descent to be played like this, and have no idea how well it'll work. (Let us know if you find out.)
Starting A Modem Or Serial Game
All of the serial/modem options are available by selecting Multiplayer from Descent’s main dialog screen, and then selecting the "Modem/Serial Game" option.
Serial Game Play
To begin a serial Descent game between two Macs via a serial data link, first make sure that the Apple Modem Tool and the Serial Tool extensions loaded when you started your Mac.
Next, make sure that the serial cable has been plugged into one of your Mac's serial ports. (NOTE: If you are connected to a LocalTalk Network, use the Modem port for your serial connection and turn AppleTalk off from within the Chooser desk accessory.)
Launch Descent and now proceed to the "Multiplayer" screen to start or join a Serial-based game. Here you can confirm or reset the serial settings that you and your opponent have agreed upon. The connection method must be set to the Serial Tool and the Current Port setting must be set to the correct port. (For most configurations, the standard default should be sufficient and you should be able to just hit return to play.)
On the following screen, select ‘Initiate Connection’ to host a game or select ‘Listen for Connection’ to join a serial game. Once selected, the next screen will indicate that a link has been established. Here, you can begin a game or send your opponent a brief message.
Modem Game Play
Tip: Use the fastest modem available. A 28.8K modem is recommended.
To begin a modem-based Descent game, first make sure that the Apple Modem Tool and Serial Tool extensions loaded when you started your Mac. (As noted above, you'll need to acquire these tools from other sources, such as your favorite user group or an Apple-maintained online site.)
Next, make sure that an appropriate speed modem has been connected to one of the two serial ports on your Macintosh.
Launch Descent and proceed to the Multiplayer sub-menu to start or join a Modem game. Here you can confirm or reset the modem settings that you and your opponent have agreed upon. Enter the phone number of your opponent and select the method of connection by means of the Apple Modem Tool. Confirm the current port and the port settings. You should be sure to set the "Baud Rate" as high as your modem can stand.
On the following screen, select ‘Initiate Connection’ to host a game or select ‘Listen for Connection’ to join a modem game. Once selected, the next screen will indicate that a link has been established. Here, you can select to begin a game or send your opponent a brief message.
That's it! Go nuts, blast your opponents, and have fun. Please see the "Troubleshooting Descent" file for troubleshooting and tech support info.
