Originally posted by ksev
I invite anyone who is looking for the chance to try and play IP-online game to join a game.
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Well, some general hints:
1) most IP games are arranged "just in time" by ICQ. An ICQ list of active SMAC(X) player you may (downloadable) find at
http://alpha-centauri-stuff.cjb.net/
2) To get a fast IP game, it's not only necessary that you have a BROADBAND connecton. This is worthless if there one of the player has a bad connection or there is an overloaded hub between.
Such you may check by TRACERT (in windows directory the tracert.exe) which lists you all serer and their pings which are between you and the destination.
3) as the slowest player slows also all other, it's recommendet that you switch off all voice transmits between the players in the game.
4) Before you start an IP, the player who is the host should check the ping of all other. If there is one with more than ~ 140 ms you may expect a slow game. If there is one with more than ~ 250 ms, you can forget it.
5) We already had (often) *very* good IP games where also player had joined who had only 56k modem. On the other hand we had bad IP games as one of those having broadband connection just made a longer download of a music file in background.
6) It also depends, how many join an IP and if you set "simultan" or not:
If you set "simultan", it works fine up to 3 player having a fast connection/transfer. With 3-5 players it works fine without setting "simultan". In fact, "simultan" does NOT speed up the game. As all unit moves are updated at once for all players, the game slows down the more the game will continue, as you then have very much upkeep in every turn. Furthermore, without setting" simultan" it is more stabile. So most of the more experienced players don't like to play simultan if they play with more than 3.
IPs with more than 5 players very often freeze.
7) It makes no sense to start an IP with a huge map. Recommended is the standard map size or the large (but then all should have much time). A normal game with 4 players and a standard map needs ~ 10 - 14 hrs to come to a victory (~180 - 220 turns you have to calculate).
So it's recommended to start Friday or Saturday early evening and plan to continue it next day.
8) It's easy possible to continue a long time running IP by PBEM and later switch back to IP. However, it should be the same player as host.
9) Changing host also is possible, but with a trick only: the sav file is to load by the new host without that an other player has joined already. The he waits until the automatic unit moves are done for all factions. Then he saves the game (without doing anything else!), exits SMAC(X) and reloads, and now the other player may join.
10) All have to start the same game version with same patch installed. I.e. if the host starts with SMACX patch 2, all other also have to start the terranX.exe with patch 2 installed.
11) You can't join or host an SMAC(X) IP if you're behind a firewall. Most firewall installations doesn't work with SMAC(X)
... how about can do any other day (how about next weekend?)
