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- -----------------------------------------
- Microsoft Urban Assault Multiplayer Notes
- July 1998
- -----------------------------------------
-
- (c) Copyright Microsoft Corporation, 1998
-
- --------
- CONTENTS
- --------
-
- 1. COMPACT DISC REQUIREMENTS
- 2. SELECTING A MULTIPLAYER CONNECTION
- 2.1 IPX LAN (Up to Four Players)
- 2.2 TCP/IP LAN (Up to Four Players)
- 2.3 Microsoft Internet Gaming Zone (Two Players)
- 2.4 TCP/IP Internet Service Provider (Two Players)
- 2.5 Modem (Two Players)
- 2.6 Serial (Two Players)
- 3. CREATING AND JOINING MULTIPLAYER GAME SESSIONS
- 3.1 Creating a Multiplayer Game Session
- 3.2 Joining a Multiplayer Game Session
- 4. UNIT LIMITS
- 5. KNOWN MULTIPLAYER ISSUES
- 6. MISCELLANEOUS
-
- WARNING: Task-switching -- for example, pressing ALT+TAB -- may cause
- instability, including crashing, in some multiplayer games. Please do
- not press ALT+TAB or perform any other task-switching function while
- playing a multiplayer game.
-
- ----------------------------
- 1. COMPACT DISC REQUIREMENTS
- ----------------------------
-
- You need one compact disc for up to three players. You need at least two
- compact discs for four players. Anyone playing a multiplayer game without
- a compact disc, must have installed a Complete installation.
-
- -------------------------------------
- 2. SELECTING A MULTIPLAYER CONNECTION
- -------------------------------------
-
- 2.1 IPX LAN (Up to Four Players)
- ---------------------------------
-
- To start an IPX LAN game session, you need to be connected to a network.
- Be sure that all computers are on the same side of the router. If you are
- unable to make an IPX connection over a network, you may want to consider
- choosing the TCP/IP connection. If you are unsure of the configuration of
- your network, speak with your network administrator.
-
- >>>To start an IPX LAN game session
-
- 1. Be sure you are connected to a network and have the IPX protocol
- installed on your computer.
- 2. Start Urban Assault.
- 3. On the Main Menu, click Multiplayer.
- 4. On the Connection Type Selection screen, select IPX Connection For
- DirectPlay, and then click OK.
- 5. On the Enter Call Sign screen, enter your call sign, and then click OK.
- 6. Either create or join a game session, as outlined in Section 3,
- "Creating and Joining Multiplayer Game Sessions," later in this document.
-
-
- 2.2 TCP/IP LAN (Up to Four Players)
- ------------------------------------
-
- >>>To start a TCP/IP LAN game session
-
- 1. Be sure you are connected to a network and have the TCP/IP protocol
- installed on your computer.
- 2. Start Urban Assault.
- 3. On the Main Menu, click Multiplayer.
- 4. On the Connection Type Selection screen, select Internet TCP/IP
- Connection For DirectPlay, and then click OK.
- 5. In the Locate Session dialog box, enter the IP address of the computer
- you wish to call, and then click OK. (If you are the host, leave the text
- box blank, and then click OK. To find your IP address for the other players
- to enter, click Start on the taskbar, click Run, type WINIPCFG.EXE in the
- Open box, and then click OK. In the IP Configuration dialog box, find your
- IP address.)
- 6. On the Enter Call Sign screen, enter your call sign, and then click OK.
- 7. Either create or join a game session, as outlined in Section 3,
- "Creating and Joining Multiplayer Game Sessions," later in this document.
-
-
- 2.3 Microsoft Internet Gaming Zone (Two Players)
- -------------------------------------------------
-
- >>>To start a Microsoft Internet Gaming Zone session
-
- 1. Connect to your Internet service provider, and then connect to the
- Microsoft Internet Gaming Zone (http://www.zone.com).
- 2. Once you have logged in and have made it to the Urban Assault Lobby,
- host or join a game.
- 3. If you are the host, start Urban Assault by clicking the Launch button.
- If you are joining the game, wait for the host to start Urban Assault.
- 4. After Urban Assault has started, either create or join a game session,
- as outlined in Section 3, "Creating and Joining Multiplayer Game Sessions,"
- later in this document.
-
-
- 2.4 TCP/IP Internet Service Provider (Two Players)
- ---------------------------------------------------
-
- >>>To start a TCP/IP Internet service provider game session
-
- 1. Connect to your Internet service provider, and then start Urban
- Assault.
- 2. On the Main Menu, click Multiplayer.
- 3. On the Connection Type Selection screen, select Internet TCP/IP
- Connection For DirectPlay, and then click OK.
- 4. In the Locate Session dialog box, enter the IP address of the computer
- you wish to call, and then click OK. (If you are the host, leave the text
- box blank, and then click OK. To find your IP address for the other players
- to enter, click Start on the taskbar, click Run, type WINIPCFG.EXE in the
- Open box, and then click OK. In the IP Configuration dialog box, find your
- IP address.)
- 5. On the Enter Call Sign screen, enter your call sign, and then click OK.
- 6. Either create or join a game session, as outlined in Section 3,
- "Creating and Joining Multiplayer Game Sessions," later in this document.
-
-
- 2.5 Modem (Two Players)
- ------------------------
-
- >>>To start a modem game session
-
- 1. Start Urban Assault.
- 2. On the Main Menu, click Multiplayer.
- 3. On the Connection Type Selection screen, select Modem Connection For
- DirectPlay, and then click OK.
- 4. On the Enter Call Sign screen, enter your call sign, and then click OK.
- 5. Either create or dial into a game session, as outlined in the following
- two procedures.
-
- >>>To create a modem game session
-
- 1. After following the steps in "To Start a Modem Game Session," click
- Create Session.
- 2. On the Level Selection screen, select a level with a telephone icon next
- to it, and then click OK. (A telephone icon indicates that the level has
- been optimized for low-bandwidth play and will offer the highest performance
- for your modem game.)
- 3. In the Modem Connection dialog box, click Answer to accept a call. Once
- a call has been answered and the connection is made, the Start Game screen
- appears.
- 4. Select your faction, and then wait for the other player to join. (Players
- cannot play as the same faction.)
- 5. Once the other player has joined and is ready, click Start.
-
- You may notice a timer in the upper-left corner of the screen. If one
- player's computer is particularly slow, this timer keeps track of the time
- that player has left to join before he is dropped from the game. Once both
- players' computers are synchronized, the game will begin.
-
- >>>To dial into a modem game session
-
- 1. After following the steps in "To Start a Modem Game Session," click
- Connect.
- 2. In the Modem Connection dialog box, enter the phone number of the host,
- and then click Connect. Once your call has been answered and the connection
- is made, the Start Game screen appears.
- 3. Select your faction, and then click I'm Ready! (Players cannot play as
- the same faction.) Once you have clicked I'm Ready!, the host can start the
- game.
-
- You may notice a timer in the upper-left corner of the screen. If one
- player's computer is particularly slow, this timer keeps track of the time
- that player has left to join before he is dropped from the game. Once both
- players' computers are synchronized, the game will begin.
-
-
- 2.6 Serial (Two Players)
- -------------------------
-
- >>>To start a serial game session
-
- 1. Connect your COM port to the other player's computer.
- 2. Start Urban Assault.
- 3. On the Main Menu, click Multiplayer.
- 4. On the Connection Type Selection screen, select Serial Connection For
- DirectPlay, and then click OK.
- 5. In the Serial Connection dialog box, be sure that both computers' baud
- rates are the same, and then click OK.
- 6. On the Enter Call Sign screen, enter your call sign, and then click OK.
- 7. To update the Session list, press the SPACEBAR.
- 8. Either create or join a game session, as outlined in Section 3,
- "Creating and Joining Multiplayer Game Sessions," later in this document.
-
- -------------------------------------------------
- 3. CREATING AND JOINING MULTIPLAYER GAME SESSIONS
- -------------------------------------------------
-
- 3.1 Creating a Multiplayer Game Session
- ----------------------------------------
-
- >>>To create a multiplayer game session
-
- 1. Follow the procedure for the type of connection you want to make (see
- the procedures in Section 2 for specific connection types), and then click
- Create Session.
- 2. On the Level Selection screen, select a level, and then click OK. Be sure
- that the level you select has at least as many factions as the number of
- people playing. (Note that if you are playing over a modem, a serial
- connection, the Internet Gaming Zone, or the Internet, you should select a
- level with a telephone icon next to it. A telephone icon indicates that the
- level has been optimized for low-bandwidth play and will offer the highest
- performance for your type of connection.)
- 3. On the Start Game screen, select your faction, and then wait for the
- other players to join. (Players cannot play as the same faction.)
- 4. Once the other player has joined and is ready, click Start.
-
- You may notice a timer in the upper-left corner of the screen. If one
- player's computer is particularly slow, this timer keeps track of the time
- that player has left to join before he is dropped from the game. Once all
- players' computers are synchronized, the game will begin.
-
-
- 3.2 Joining a Multiplayer Game Session
- ---------------------------------------
-
- >>>To join a multiplayer game session
-
- 1. Follow the procedure for the type of connection you want to make (see
- the procedures in Section 2 for specific connection types).
- 2. On the Create or Join Session screen, select the game you want to join,
- and then click Join.
- 3. On the Start Game screen, select your faction, and then click I'm Ready!
- (Players cannot play as the same faction.) Once you have clicked I'm Ready!,
- the host can start the game.
-
- You may notice a timer in the upper-left corner of the screen. If one
- player's computer is particularly slow, this timer keeps track of the time
- that player has left to join before he is dropped from the game. Once all
- players' computers are synchronized, the game will begin.
-
- --------------
- 4. UNIT LIMITS
- --------------
-
- There are two types of unit limits that you will encounter in multiplayer
- games. One is the "hard" limit type, for low-bandwidth games (these levels
- are indicated by telephone icons on the Level Selection screen), and the
- other is the "soft" limit type, for high-bandwidth games.
-
-
- Hard Limit
-
- The hard limit is pretty basic. Once you reach the hard limit, you will no
- longer be able to create any additional units until those that have already
- been created are destroyed. The hard limit is used for low-bandwidth levels.
-
-
- Soft Limit
-
- The soft limit works on the idea that the more units you create the less
- efficient your energy absorption rate becomes (see your printed documentation
- and online Help for information on the Energy Manager and resource management).
- Once you reach the soft limit, every unit you create over the limit causes
- your energy efficiency to drop by 5% (you may not notice this if you have
- already had the good fortune to conquer numerous sectors). The way to return
- your energy efficiency back to 100% is to either conquer more sectors or
- destroy your other units.
-
- ---------------------------
- 5. KNOWN MULTIPLAYER ISSUES
- ---------------------------
-
- ISSUE: On the Connection Type Selection screen, there is not a connection type
- listed for the Microsoft Internet Gaming Zone.
-
- Suggestion: Connect to the Internet Gaming Zone first and enter the Urban
- Assault Lobby. Once all the players are in the correct room, have the host
- click Launch Urban Assault from the Zone Lobby.
-
- ISSUE: The Microsoft Internet Gaming Zone may not automatically start Urban
- Assault for some players.
-
- Suggestion: Be sure that players do not have Urban Assault running when the
- host tries to start a game from the Zone.
-
- ISSUE: If the host exits a game before a player has joined and the host then
- rejoins as a client, there will be no way to start the game, as both computers
- will be clients and the Start button will not be available to any player.
-
- Suggestion: The host should exit from the Start Game screen and then create a
- new multiplayer game. Once it has been created and the level has been selected,
- the client can then join.
-
- ISSUE: If you receive the message "System Error: [Opponent] has files that are
- different from yours," one or more files in your Urban Assault folder vary
- from those of your opponent. This can happen if files are edited or deleted
- from the Urban Assault folder on either computer. This message is in place to
- ensure that all players have the same files and to prevent cheating with edited
- files.
-
- Suggestion: When this message appears, all players should uninstall and then
- reinstall Urban Assault. Not doing so may prevent Urban Assault from running
- or may give one player a distinct advantage over other players.
-
- ISSUE: Higher resolutions my cause latency problems.
-
- Suggestion: Reduce your resolution in the Display Resolution box on the
- Options screen.
-
- ISSUE: When Dial-Up Networking times out, the game may crash if you click
- Reconnect in the Reestablish Connection dialog box while it attempts to retry
- your connection.
-
- Suggestion: Always exit Urban Assault before you attempt to retry a Dial-Up
- Networking connection.
-
- ISSUE: After a multiplayer game session, internal modems may stay on after the
- game has ended.
-
- Suggestion: Restart your computer to turn off the modem.
-
- ----------------
- 6. MISCELLANEOUS
- ----------------
-
- ** Enemy AI is not available in multiplayer games.
-
- ** A single player can create and play a multiplayer game. This is an excellent
- way to try out enemy vehicles and check out the terrain of the various
- multiplayer levels before you take on an actual enemy.
-
- ** On the Create or Join Session screen, levels with a telephone icon next to
- them are for low-bandwidth connections (Internet TCP/IP, Internet Gaming
- Zone, Modem, or Serial connections). Playing other levels with these types of
- connections will most likely result in poor gameplay performance and is not
- recommended.
-
- ** Pressing ALT+TAB may cause a loss of network connections to other players.
- Do not press ALT+TAB while playing multiplayer games.
-
-