Does Anyone Have WoV Multiplaying (Online)?

[+Geary 1,889]

I've managed to get Wings over Vietnam multiplaying on my LAN.

 

The manual says we need Hyperlobby to  play over the internet.

 

Posts on Hyperlobby's site suggest we need to play on Hamachi cause Hyperlobby doesn't work well.

 

The Third Wire form instructions get lengthy and complicated ie, opening router ports, etc.

 

So, before I devote the time, effort and brain cells to attempting this, just wondering if anyone has their WoV, or any SF1 game, up and running on the internet and how you did it.

 

 

TIA,

 

Geary

[MigBuster 2,884]

Going back many years I used Hyperlobby - other more regulars tended to use Hamachi though - Streakeagle might be the best to speak to

[TurtleHawk 6]

I'm guessing you already read this: http://combatace.com/topic/8452-multiplayer-guidelines/

Just trying to help.

[+Geary 1,889]

MigBuster,

 

  I probably need to do a bit more research.  Just hoping someone who does this regularly can steer me in a more focused direction.

 

 

TurtleHawk,

 

   Yeah, I read that.  That's what caused me to post this.  Wading through that tired me out.  Think I fell asleep half way through it.

 

 

Thanks guys,

[+streakeagle 871]

SFP1 based games use the Microsoft DirectPlay API.

DirectPlay was never designed with internet routing in mind.

It works best when all computers are physically connected to the same LAN.

Problems caused by the internet and routers can be difficult to isolate and solve.

Hyperlobby is also subject to being blocked or degraded by routers.

If you or other people playing SFP1 online are behind routers, you have to follow the complicated configuration directions for each person hiding behind a router.

Furthermore, your internet provider may interfere in ways similar to home routers, which you cannot control.

 

The best/easiest solution has been for everyone to have a Hamachi account, and for everyone to join the same Hamachi "room".

This setup "tricks" all the associated PCs into behaving as if they were connected directly together on a LAN rather than hiding behind routers.

 

However, Hamachi doesn't allow you to find new players.

Hamachi only tries to solve the networking issues caused by routers.

In my years of hosting SFP1 online servers, I found Hyperlobby to be the perfect way to communicate/find players, but too problematic for actually hosting/playing online.

So, I used a combination of Hyperlobby and Hamachi.

I opened my server on Hyperlobby while having an active Hamchi network.

All of the regulars would meet via Hyperlobby, but connect via Hamachi.

Newbies would come to Hyperlobby and see an active server.

If they could join via Hyperlobby without any problems, great!

If there were problems, but a veteran was able to notice the presence of the newbie, they would be helped as much as possible.

[+Geary 1,889]

Gadzooks!

 

Streakeagle, thanks for the low down.

 

I think I'll put this off until I can concentrate on setting it up and if I find someone willing to go incur the same headache to play online.

[+streakeagle 871]

There are a handful still dedicated to flying SFP1/WoX online when they can find others to play.

Look for "doghouse" on hyperlobby... he is there quite frequently flying any online combat flight sim his PC and phone modem can still support (likely IL-2 since that is almost exclusively what the majority fly in Hyperlobby).

He is a multiplayer addict and loves to fly this series with anyone he can find.

Any others out there pretty much fly with him, so if you find him, you have found the "handful".

He can also provide some great setup guidance via Hyperlobby chat to get your install and PC working in Hyperlobby and/or Hamachi, though he is going to favor Hamachi since it works so well.

 

Also, I forgot to mention firewalls and antivirus.

From WinXP SP2 and on, PC firewalls caused even more havoc with SFP1/WoX setups.

If you are going to leave them enabled, you are going to have to get the firewall permissions set up correctly as well.

If you use a popular/common firewall like Microsoft Windows' built in software, someone can help you set that up correctly.

Personally, I just turned all that stuff off when flying online.

[+streakeagle 871]

By the way, SFP1/WoX was way more fun flying with/against real people.

The AI fails to expose the subtle and not-so-subtle differences between all of the aircraft.

An ace like doghouse and his friends can punish just about anyone no matter what the aircraft matchup by using energy/angles fighting to the limits.

But they will also back off and coach you into being a better pilot, as they would rather have an ineffective novice that needs lots of training than have no one to fly with at all.

 

The game really works best with the free-for-all infinite spawning single player deathmatch, as players can come and go as they please and respawn at will in any aircraft allowed by the server's date/time setting.

But they also play team/co-op.

But once you start a co-op mission, no one else can join and once you die you are dead until the mission is over, so its not too fun unless the pilots are good enough to survive the whole mission or finish it quickly to avoid the dead people getting bored/quitting.

As long as you only care about air-to-air (that would be me), single player can even support teams with groups of player forming up for flight vs flight combat.

But given the limited number of people flying SFP1/WoX online, you will be lucky just to get in some good 1 v 1, much less 2 v 2.

While the lag caused by the directplay interface and internet latency makes it hard, simple formation flying can be fun and lead to some cool screenshots.

 

Good luck on eventually getting multiplayer working online over the internet.

[saisran 84]

are there still people flying?

[+streakeagle 871]

Hang out at Hyperlobby and look for "doghouse". If anyone is still flying, he will be.

[saisran 84]

I need to find the disc and product key for my WinXP. haha.