How to direct-connect via TCP/IP

[MadJeff 3]

Just found this at the SimHQ forum and thought I would post it. I haven't tested it myself yet. 195th_Vang get's the credit.

 

Ok, I've deciphered the command line (mostly) so you can direct connect. Here's the command lines for hosting and joining:

Joining a multiplayer game:

---------------------------

-join:0.0.0.0 "-n:<player_name>" -gamespy

 

Hosting a dogfight

-------------------

-host "-n:<player_name>" -g:0 -m:8 "-s:<game_name>"-gamespy

 

Hosting a coop

---------------

-host "-n:<player_name>" -g:1 -m:8 "-s:<game_name>"-gamespy

 

Notes:

------

- Replace 0.0.0.0 with the IP address of the game to join.

- Replace <player_name> with your name

- Replace <game_name> with the name of the game

- The -g:x option is either 0 (zero) for dogfight, or (1) for coop

- The -m:x option is 1 through 16, number of players in the game

- There is a -gamespy option, but I have no idea what it does

 

Issues:

No matter what, when you host it will still show up in Gamespy. I haven't figured out how to turn this off with the command line, there is the -gamespy option, but even if you don't specify it the game still shows up. My guess is that you should make the game private with no password (or with a password and that might work). I'll post more as I find out later.

 

I'm also going to write a quickie launcher to automate the command line stuff above.

 

More later...

[+Fates 63]

<C> 195-Vang

 

I was there when you said you were gonna investigate....honestly didn't think you'd find the answer so fast.

 

Thanks for posting this info MadJeff....I'm sure there are plenty of squads that are just dying to here this and more. The question isn't "If TCP/IP will happen direct....it's "When"

 

I just hope many squads and pilots understand that this is still in its infancy and there will be many changes in the near future and eventually a good solid game with MP will grace our computers.

 

<C>

Fates

[195th_Vang 0]

It's the beauty of a command line catcher :) Still working on what the -gamespy switch does.

 

Also working on a launcher, will post info when done (or MaddJeff will).

[+TK_ThirdWire 0]

195th_Vang,

 

Wow, great job figureing this out so quickly! ;) That -gamespy is supposed to turn off the gamespy heartbeat, if its not, then that would be a bug :)

 

There is also additional swich not being passed in by the GameSpy (due to their interface limitation), and that is

 

-c:n where n is 0-15 for the player color (if not specified, the last color you used is used)

 

Also, in theory, the host should just be able to launch LAN session normally and not through command line, and others can still join in using command line.

 

Anyway, all this is documented a little in the readme.txt for the upcoming patch. :)

 

TK

--

[195th_Vang 0]

Thanks for the reply TK, I've actually written a launcher that automates the Host and Join procedures.

 

Things I've found:

- the -gamespy option apparantly doesn't do anything. With it specified or not specified on the command line, the game always shows in GameSpy.

- GameSpy always passes the -gamespy command line option, regardless of whether you specify a game password or not.

- If a user hosts from within the game, and specifies Private, with no password, you can join from the command line.

- If a user hosts from within the game, and specifies Private, and specifies a password, you can join from the command line without having to specify a password.

- Games hosted from the command line seem to ignore the [Multiplayer] settings in the options.ini file. I tried changing the SessionType= and password= entries in the INI file, but they were ignored.

 

So, for now, people can go ahead and host from within the game, and use my launcher to join.

 

I'll check out the player color settings. BTW, is that how teams work? If we're all the same color, does that mean that we're the same team? (for targeting and padlocking and whatnot)

[195th_Vang 0]

I've finished the first BETA version of the launcher. You can find the file here: http://www.vfa105.com/dambusters/files/sfp...ncher-beta1.zip.

 

The latest version of this program will always be found on our squad resources page at: http://www.killerb.com/dambusters/index.js...p?page=dbfsrsrc

 

I'll monitor the simhq.com forum and here periodically if anyone is having any trouble. Note that the host password and game stuff is currently disabled as I haven't been able to get that to work yet.

[MadJeff 3]

Thanks Vang! I'll get a link posted on the front page. Great work!

[195th_Vang 0]

Thanks MadJeff! I'll post more as I find anything else out.

[Ghostrider 0]

I wanted to come on and say thanks. I'm not a Gamespy supporter so you have made my day and night. :)

 

Just wanted to pass on my appreciation.

<S>

[MadJeff 3]

Also if you didn't notice the story on the front page, HyperLobby just released a version today that supports SF, so we should be covered on the multiplayer front now... :)

[N42-Hollywood 0]

We're not FULLY covered until we can host this game on a dedicated server...

 

I want to put up a 24/7 Strike Fighters server on a static IP soooooooooo bad!!! 8)