Anyone interested in an SFP1/WoX series dogfight server?

[+streakeagle 864]

A long, long time ago, before Wings Over Vietnam was released, I used to host an Strike Fighters Project 1 multiplayer/online server on Hyperlobby. I left it in dogfight mode to support being unattended most of the time. Every night, I would check in and play for a few hours whenever anyone else was around and reboot as necessary. When others wanted to, I would take down the dogfight arena and host co-op/team vs team missions while I was available, then restore it back to the free-for-all dogfight host when I went to bed. 

As Wings Over Vietnam, Wings Over Europe, and finally Wings Over Israel were released, I continued to host as time permitted. I also would spread the word on how to join my server using Hamachi to overcome some of the routing issues encountered using the Hyperlobby room to join/play. 

Strike Fighters 2 progressed to DirectX10 which did not support the DirectPlay library used to implement SFP1/WoX multiplayer, which encouraged me to give up multiplayer for the SF2 improvements in single player. 

Would anyone appreciate a Hyperlobby server running one of the games? I think the best way to maximize connectivity is to run stock installs at either the 083006 (August 30, 2006) patch level or the final October 2008 patch level. The older 083006 patch runs faster but needs an ini file tweak to turn off the water shader to avoid CTDs when exiting with Vista/Win7. The final patch offers more aggressive, but somewhat suicidal AI and better modeling of radar missile limitations near the ground. Neither one is perfect, but the speed/stability/popularity of 083006 probably make it the better patch revision unless playing WOI, which requires running at the 2008 patch level. 

I need to get my server PC set up and do some hosting tests routing across the internet. However, that shouldn't take but an hour or less depending on whether I run into any problems.

Edited October 4, 2016 by streakeagle

[+Geary 1,877]

I'm very interested, but unfortunately also very busy for at least a few more weeks if not a couple of months.

 

I wouldn't have the time to devote to this until things get settled here and slow down.

[yubba 70]

I'll bite,, I fly IL-2 wings of valor,, not so much lately,, I'm free 6pm eastern till ??? I don't have team speak,, it would have to be WOV I'm patched with wov 84,, leave a message in hyperlobby {yubba} see what happens

[yubba 70]

Tried to get on over at hyperlobby earlier it didn't like my set up,,, I guess I can put a seperate install please tell specs if we are going to do this,,, any way to make it sorta like a campaign with ground take off.

[+streakeagle 864]

Hyperlobby is just a tool for meeting players and sharing the IP. If I get a server up and running correctly, I can post the IP or send it by email and people can try to join directly. However the DirectPlay multiplayer code used by SFP1/WoX is very finicky. It wasn't designed with routing/network address translation in mind, so a much more reliable way to play is on virtual LANs that trick the game into thinking everyone is hardwired to the same switch with the same IP subnet and mask. Hamachi was the old free tool used in the past for SFP1/WoX. Hamachi has changed a lot. I don't think the free version is as useful as it once was.

 

I am in the process of trying to set up an old PC to be a server and see if a laptop from and outside network can properly join/fly on this server. I have to make sure my router is set up correctly, too. Clients don't usually have too many issues as long as they can form a good two-way connection with the host. The host server is the one that has to make sure nothing is firewalled preventing clients from joining/playing.

[+streakeagle 864]

For those not familiar with the quirks of SFP1/WoX multiplayer, it performs an anti-cheating file check prior when someone tries to join. Some files are not even monitored, so there is some leeway for local clients to have mods without causing problems. However, the safest way to get started is for everyone to have clean installs all patched to the same version. For the purposes of everyone getting started, we need to agree on a game and install version (apparently WoV? but it could be WoI, WoE). WoE merged with WoV is the most flexible with two terrains and a wide array of aircraft to choose.

 

What is WoV patch 84? The only two versions I would consider hosting are 083006 or Sep 2008. 083006 runs smoother, but Sep 2008 looks better.

[yubba 70]

I miss spoke on wov 84 sorry about the confusion,,but,I did get green hell 3.2 of strike fighters 2 to work in 1,

[+streakeagle 864]

I have encountered my first stumbling block: I have two PCs at home physically connected to the same switch yet they cannot see each other using either the local network or TCP/IP modes of hosting. Both PCs can ping each other, but DirectPlay does not find the local host, so the client cannot join. I have done this before with Win 7. The firewalls on both PCs are disabled (verified by the fact that they can ping each other). I am stumped. So far, I cannot find answers for this symptom on the internet.

[+streakeagle 864]

Another update: Hamachi no longer exists. The company that superceded it, LogMeIn wasn't making money providing such excellent service for free and when it went payware, it failed and went away. It appears that the replacement is a dedicated gaming overlay called Evolve. I will look into how it works and test it after I try some Hyperlobby experiments to see if I am still unable to see servers from clients using Win 7 64-bit.

[+streakeagle 864]

I have considered the alternatives on the game/version. If I can get 083006 to work in multiplayer with the water shader set to false, it is the way to go. It runs much faster. Pegged at 60 fps with max display settings on my gpu and in-game settings on my current PC and 40 fps on my old single-core Athlon 64 PC. Now if I can just successfully link two pcs over the internet despite my failure to do so over the LAN.

[+streakeagle 864]

I was wrong, I have seen this type of behavior before: if UPnP is enabled on a linksys router, WoV multiplayer no worky! I have now joined the server via internet/Hyperlobby and locally on my home LAN. It is cool to see it working again after so long!

[+streakeagle 864]

So, if you go to Hyperlobby, you will see my WOV server is up and running in up to 16 players (counting the server) with a clean install of 083006 except:

 

You will need to change the file extension to from "txt" to  "INI" put the attached file in your VietnamSEA terrain folder or you will get an error for not having the same terrain files as my installation. This only has one small edit, setting the use water shader to FALSE, which eliminates the CTD when exiting the mission.

VIETNAMSEA_DATA.txt

Edited October 5, 2016 by streakeagle

[yubba 70]

 How about computer to computer at home with WOV-1,what would be the set up for that, I usely have 2 of every thing with game boxes I been trying for years to set up a flight sim parlor,, I'm just a stones throw away from the space center ,, I did have a few interested,, but it was me doing all the leg work..and now the IL-2 community is dwindling and most of the stuff flies like crap online.

[+streakeagle 864]

 How about computer to computer at home with WOV-1,what would be the set up for that, I usely have 2 of every thing with game boxes I been trying for years to set up a flight sim parlor,, I'm just a stones throw away from the space center ,, I did have a few interested,, but it was me doing all the leg work..and now the IL-2 community is dwindling and most of the stuff flies like crap online.

The setup at home is essentially the same, except easier. Most of the problems with DirectPlay connectivity are caused by routing over the internet: camouflaged ip addresses hiding behind routers and network latency/drop outs. On a home LAN, all of the computers should be able to easily see each other (notwithstanding the problem I had last night due to a router setting that somehow broke my home LAN). Of course, with a router set up properly, you can do it the way I do: all of my home PCs can join locally while simultaneously being available to Hyperlobby and/or other means to allow clients to join via the internet.

[+streakeagle 864]

Tried to get on over at hyperlobby earlier it didn't like my set up,,, I guess I can put a seperate install please tell specs if we are going to do this,,, any way to make it sorta like a campaign with ground take off.

The install needs to be a clean install patched to the 083006 level and have the VietnamSEAData.INI file attached in a post above installed in the VietnamSEA terrain folder.

 

The SFP1/WoX multiplayer support is very limited. The only way I can leave an unattended server is to host the dogfight mode. The co-op/team-vs-team mode requires and active host to set up the mission, start the mission, and start another mission after the everyone is finished/dead. There is no way to start on the ground, re-arm, refuel, or repair. The only way to manage a campaign would be to take screenshots of the co-op/team mission results and tabulate them into a spreadsheet. The spreadsheet could ostensibly be programmed to use that data to generate future mission parameters, which would then have to be fed into the host's mission generator screen by hand.

 

While co-op/team missions are generally the most interesting and fun, experience has taught me that dogfight mode is the best way to go. People can come and go from a dogfight server as needed. To start a co-op/team mission, everybody needs to be joined before starting the mission as you cannot join in the middle of a mission. When someone dies, they cannot respawn and must wait for everyone else to finish/die before they can try to join the next mission. A mission might last 15 to 30 minutes or more depending on the proficiency of the players. If someone dies in the first minutes, it is a long boring wait.

 

Dogfight servers allow nearly immediate respawning after dying. You can choose another aircraft. With fuel set to easy (unlimited?) and gun ammo set to easy (unlimited?), the inability to re-arm and refuel is partially bypassed. If you have more than two people, you can agree to split up into teams and play just llike co-op/team mission... with the l limitation that the mission must be air-to-air. Besides air-to-air combat, as long as you don't run out of fuel, you can land, take-off, do formation flying, etc. 

 

Limitations aside, I had many great nights playing online with SFP1 and WoV/WoE/WoI. But the limitations have always ensured that there was never too large a crowd looking to play, and that those who played frequently tended to eventually get bored and move on to a flight sim that supports squads and mutliplayer much better.

[creature 0]

Great to see Streak!!!!!!  Count me in!!

 

c

[+Crusader 2,050]

yea, we are the usual suspects...

 

btw, my brothers still play S:W:I:N:E MP with Hamachi, ive got it to work since that game also used to work via DirectPlay ..

couldnt get it to work with another game, some Western Shooter ...

There is another hamachi-type program around, cant recall the name atm...

[+Crusader 2,050]

Tunngle .. thats the other prog.

I havent used it yet..

[+Crusader 2,050]

uha.. that tunngle thing looks much worse than hamachi....

[+streakeagle 864]

Evolve (with the last e backwards) looks like the best option for gamers. It looks like they want the to be the modern go-to place like gamespy once was.

 

https://www.evolvehq.com/welcome

 

a vlan room is a "party" :)

Edited October 7, 2016 by streakeagle

[fallenphoenix1986 603]

I'd be interested though I'm in an akward timezone and short of time. Reallly would have been cool if the Thirdwire series had been developed aling Warthunder lines... MP could have been so much more had TK wentjust a little further.

[+streakeagle 864]

OK, apparently while I was taking a short nap today, creature joined my WoV server. I woke up to find the server crashed and Crusader/Moonjumper/Supercharger was hanging out by himself waiting for me to pop in.

 

Based on our Hyperlobby conversation, I am going to change my host to Wings Over Vietnam Oct2008b patch to match his saved install.

If the three of us can get together (possibly with a few others from the past eventually showing up), maybe we can come up with some modded installs to be shared by everyone that wants to fly SFP1/WoX online.

I would favor a merged WoE/WoV install with all the best cockpit mods for the stock AI-only planes at a minimum.

[+sony tuckson 12]

HI

 

Here again...

 

would love to rock n roll...

 

But I tried to run WOE patched Oct 08 under windows 10....

 

Totally unplayable...runs like 4 fps...sometimes 6, most of the time 3.....

 

Any idea what should be modified?

 

I already set it in compatibility mode (latest XP iteration)

[+streakeagle 864]

It has been quite a few years and things have changed. SFP1/WoX 2008b patch runs on Windows 10 with a little help and I have successfully used multiplayer on my home LAN between a pair of Windows 10 PCs. If anyone is interested, I am willing to try hosting a dogfight server and if that works ok, then I will host some co-op missions if anyone wants to try that. This is a capability that SF2 lost. It has a lot of limitations compared to multiplayer in other combat flight sims. But if you enjoy flying SFP1/WoX era aircraft and would like to try flying with other people, it can work and when it does, it can be a whole lot of fun.