Multiplayer

[KDog35 0]

I was reading a thread earlier and there some mentioning of multiplayer. Is this networking computers together and playing other people, or is an online thing? If I'm able to play people online, please tell me exactly how I can do this. And what website to go to and if I need to register. I want to sign up immediately!!!! I've played online with flight sim games and I'm sure you can do it with Flashpoint.

Please reply quickly!! Thanks! KDog

[LauryThorn 0]

I would like to know if it's possible to play the MP missions

alone, with no connections( no LAN, no internet.. )

[KDog35 0]

funny . . . . thanks.

[Tex -USMC- 0]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (KDog35 @ April 09 2002,07:55)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">I was reading a thread earlier and there some mentioning of multiplayer. Is this networking computers together and playing other people, or is an online thing? If I'm able to play people online, please tell me exactly how I can do this. And what website to go to and if I need to register. I want to sign up immediately!!!! I've played online with flight sim games and I'm sure you can do it with Flashpoint.<span id='postcolor'>

First off, let me be the first to welcome you back to the internet! I know things have changed alot since you were stranded in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, but we will get you up to speed shortly...

lol, sorry 'bout that.

anyhow... seriously:

You can play OFP over either a LAN or through the Internet. No, you do NOT have to register or anything to be able to play online. You can find servers to play on through either connecting directly to the servers IP, Gamespy or The All-Seeing Eye (the last being the best choice). One thing you should know: you NEED to have a broadband connection (cable, dsl, whatever) to enjoy OFP Multiplayer at all. OFP is a bandwidth HOG. If all you have is ISDN or a 56k, call up your local broadband providers and get yourself hooked up! In this day and age there is no excuse for you to not have a high speed connection. I have a feeling this thread will be moved to the Multiplayer section, btw.

[Espectro (DayZ) 0]

Not quite true.

Players with 56k or isdn can easily play mps if the maps have little or none vehicles.

Anyway, as tex said... use the allseeing eye, its the best choise, (cant remember the url now)

[Sith 0]

Moving to Multiplayer

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">you NEED to have a broadband connection (cable, dsl, whatever) to enjoy OFP Multiplayer at all.<span id='postcolor'>

Not true. I know alot of people that play the game online on a daily basis using a 56k modem. You will however, need to find a relatively close server (good ping) to keep things 'playable'.

Laury: Yes you can. Just create a new server and play against the AI

[Tex -USMC- 0]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Sith @ April 09 2002,08:29)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE"></span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">you NEED to have a broadband connection (cable, dsl, whatever) to enjoy OFP Multiplayer at all.<span id='postcolor'>

Not true. I know alot of people that play the game online on a daily basis using a 56k modem. You will however, need to find a relatively close server (good ping) to keep things 'playable'.<span id='postcolor'>

I misspoke slightly. What I meant to say instead of "to enjoy OFP Multiplayer at all.", was "to truly enjoy OFP Multiplayer."

Also, the only 56kers I have seen ingame have pinged at about the 700-1500 ms range, and this is on the Setup screen; no vehicles to screw them up. I suppose that if you could convince the operator of your favorite server to set up shop in your closet you would ping fine...

And I guess any other questions you might have about OFP Multiplayer would be readily answered somewhere in the sacred OFP scriptures that are AvonLady's FAQ. Its so good, apparently even Codemasters and Bohemia Interactive are referring people to it lol

[BigQEd 0]

Actually believe it or not I have seen 56Kers ping 135-200. However they were connected to an Independant ISP that has an awesome Network. Forget using AOL/Earthlink, MSN or any other National ISP because all they try to do is get mass customers and do not emphasize speed and/or network optimization.

Truly... 56Kers can play OFP fine. (Note: Mission downloads are somewhat slower)

As far as ISDN... I can say that I used to have ISDN before I installed a T1 to my home. I can atest to the fact that ISDN (with a good ISP) can consistantly get pings below 100... and in 'some' cases outperform 'Cable'... especially Cable that is going Bankrupt or getting bought out. (@Home went bankrupt... AT&T sold out to Comcast and now Adelphia has filed Bankruptcy)

[Rage_Frost 0]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (LauryThorn @ April 09 2002,07:00)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">I would like to know if it's possible to play the MP missions

alone, with no connections( no LAN, no internet.. )<span id='postcolor'>

yes just open multiplayer and select New then pick the island you want and mission on that island and hit cadet or veteran and ok.

Then place yourself on the TOP spot of one of the sides or side. hit start ect ect.

[ufo_hk 1]

Just to add to what has been said about using 56K modems, it is possible to have good games without broad band connections here are a number of things all players can look at to improve or get the best MP performance in OFP here are some:

1/ Make sure your PC setup is not part of the bottleneck. Optimise it as much as possible ie defrag / best performance drivers for the hardware (specifically video cards). As much memory as possible ie 512 for win98se.

2/ Kill as many background programs as possible to ensure as much resource as possible is available for the game.

3/ Optimise your network connection - look into MTU settings etc that are appropraite for your setup. (search for optimise internet connection - and you'll find heaps to look at)

4/ In OFP use remote IP connect to someone you know is hosting rather than gamespy or ASE, GS and ASE shouldn't add overhead once game is established (but they do !!! - why.....who knows??)

5/ Join someone who is hosting on a broad band service, preferably a dedicated server. (and as BigEd point make sure hoster is using a reasonable setup themselves for the server)

6/ Ensure hoster is using missions with limited number of players. 4 (if only 56Kers) or 6. 8 max (if host on broad band 128K +).

7/ Join players who use the same ISP to reduce the number of hops.

8/ Ensure hoster is using missions with limited complexity ie few vehicles, objectives or AI, Death match (usually less game variables)vs co-op.

9/ Ping is only one measure of network performance and can even change during a session as the packets find new or different network routes. So don't dispair if high eg 150 + as it can improve often simply dropping your connection to your ISP and reconnecting will often change things.

10/ Make sure you have good performance in single player mode first ie adjust graphics options etc so you're getting good frame / performance before moving to multiplayer, thereby separating yours comms performance from PC performance.

[BigQEd 0]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (ufo_hk @ April 10 2002,19:49)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">

5/ Join someone who is hosting on a board band service, preferably a dedicated server.

6/ Ensure hoster is using missions with limited number of players. 4 (if only 56Kers) or 6. 8 max (if host on broad band 128K +).

<span id='postcolor'>

5) Dedicated Server (i.e. T1 or above)... not Cable or DSL.

6) Ensure hoster is running a competent system. Speed of connector really has little to do with it in my experience. We see 56Kers playing along side others with little problem as long as they have a good ISP.

[KDog35 0]

Thanks All for your help. I've only owned a computer for a short time now and it's all new to me. Ping 135-200? Whatever that is!!! lol.

I will print this topic out and try and follow those instructions you laid out BigQ.