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BCM Multiplayer Patch Details


Supreme Cmdr
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The mp patch is WIP and has been for quite some time. There is no firm date for sending it out to the Beta testers, but when that happens, I will post about it.

The focus has been to get all issues in the game resolved and bug free before adding mp to the fray.

Also note that mp will have a lot of restrictions and certain sp features will either work differently or be disabled entirely (e.g. probe launches will be restricted to a certain degree).

Also, once the Beta testers have given it the once over, I will release it as an RC candidate so that everyone can get their hands on it, take it apart, stress test it etc (the same thing we have been doing with some critical BCM patches).

And yes, I am going to allow people to setup their own internet (and LAN) servers but the 3000AD run fleet servers will be for dev, beta testers, fleet leaders and their *invited* fleet members only.

Make NO mistake about it, you will NOT be able to run an mp server on anything short of the following MINIMUM specs :

    [*]Pentium III 1Ghz or AMD Athlon processor

    [*]WIN 2K/XP (with all service packs)

    [*]256 MB RAM

    [*]16MB DirectX 8 compliant 3D graphics card

    [*]16Bit DirectX 8 compliant sound card CD-ROM

    [*]500MB uncompressed hard drive disk space

    [*]Microsoft compatible mouse

    [*]Broadband (cable or xDSL) connection required for Internet servers

The server won't be doing ANY graphics processing, so a 16MB graphics card is just fine.

If you decide to play (as a client) on the same server you are running, well then, you need to ensure that your server can handle the load.

In fact, you can probably get away with a 256MB server also running a client. But as always, YMMV

And if you have the bandwidth, you can probably run several console servers on the same box.

Clients connecting to an Internet server require a 56K modem connection at the MINIMUM

[ 01-10-2002: Message edited by: Supreme Cmdr ]

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SC, are the minimum specs based on the server being fully populated, or is that based on a unpopulated server just running the game world with no users logged in?

Also, is it possible to save the current state of the world on the server incase it has to be shut down for some reason such as maintenance.

[ 01-10-2002: Message edited by: Roberto ]

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quote:


Originally posted by Roberto:

SC, are the minimum specs based on the server being fully populated, or is that based a unpopulated server just running the game world with no users logged in?

Please read my post again. I think it is quite clear as written.

quote:


Also, is it possible to save the current state of the world on the server incase it has to be shut down for some reason such as maintenance.


No. Its not BCO.

    [*]You log-off or drop, your stats are wiped out

    [*]The server logs-off or crashes, all stats are wiped out

    [*]All mp games will have a time limit (kinda like the ACM timer), once that limit is reached, that scenario will end and everyone dropped to the server lobby

And only the 3000AD hosted fleet servers will have the ability to save/restore the world state if the current RPG story being played, warrants it.

Further, fleet servers are NOT for free-for-all. They are specifically setup for role playing and nothing else. Any fleet player caught not playing in role, will be....

    [*]Kicked off the server

    [*]Banned from playing on any fleet servers

    [*]Kicked from the fleet (and the FC who let the idiot in the fleet, will also be demoted and/or kicked right off the fleet)

[ 01-10-2002: Message edited by: Supreme Cmdr ]

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Guest Hellbinder[CE]

Hopefully, SC, you and the fleet commanders can come up with some cool Multi Fleet and Fleet Scinarios. Maybe you could come up with and post a scedule of events. That way, say upon approval, players in a given storyline will meet at the perscribed time and play the scinario for 4 hours or whatever. The outcomes could be posted in a Fleet News page on the new Community site.

Another cool idea is to have progressive Scinarios where the outcome on one Scinario decides the begining of the next scinario. Sort of like a ladder Story mode. It could even cross Fleet servers.

Like this.

Say Bishamon Fleet is tasked to some infiltration or logistics gathering mission. In order to complete the mission the perscribed players have to make it across areas controled by other fleets. As the mission progreses each checkpoint in the mission is hosted on the oposing fleets home turf.

There are a lot of other cool Story based missions that could be done. This is going to indeed be amazing.

With the beginning of Multiplayer I can really see the need for a dedicated News page... hmmmm.

[ 01-10-2002: Message edited by: Hellbinder[CE] ]

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SC said:

quote:


And only the 3000AD hosted fleet servers will have the ability to save/restore the world state if the current RPG story being played, warrants it.

This will be very interesting. I'm personally looking forward to this!

Hellbinder said:

quote:


Say Bishamon Fleet is tasked to some infiltration or logistics gathering mission. In order to complete the mission the perscribed players have to make it across areas controled by other fleets. As the mission progreses each checkpoint in the mission is hosted on the oposing fleets home turf.

There are a lot of other cool Story based missions that could be done. This is going to indeed be amazing.


Where have you been? Yes...Commander Hellbinder this will be cool! I can see that you and I will have to plan some good ideas for scenarios for the fleet and see what Gallion can whip up for us!

BTW, Hellbinder, please read this.

[ 01-10-2002: Message edited by: ShoHashi ]

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Originally posted by Epsilon 5:

Didn't you say before that a few servers would be there specifically for free-for-all?


It depends on if you are playing in character or not. If you are playing as a raider, though you probably don't belong to a fleet, you won't be playing according to the fleet RPG...since raiders are lawless to begin with. So, in a sense, thats a free-for-all.

If I was going to host servers and pay for bandwidth, why would I do it without a reason? That reason is: it is for fleets. Because those gamers will eventually shape BCO since BCM mp is essentially the BCO mp test bed in a lot of ways.

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quote:


Originally posted by Hellbinder[CE]:

Hopefully, SC, you and the fleet commanders can come up with some cool Multi Fleet and Fleet Scinarios. Maybe you could come up with and post a scedule of events. That way, say upon approval, players in a given storyline will meet at the perscribed time and play the scinario for 4 hours or whatever. The outcomes could be posted in a Fleet News page on the new Community site.


You're late to the party. I'm way ahead of this and have several posts about this on the site. But I don't plan on publishing the mp plans at this point.

Tip: There are commercial castes in the BC world

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Simple question: Why will the public MP servers only be able to run 16 player time-limited games?

Reason I ask this is because I know there are people out there with the high-end connections and high-end systems that could easily run a 64 player persistant server, and it would give people for whom fleets arent their style a chance to play a 'big game' outside of the 3000AD servers.

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quote:


Originally posted by Salnas:

Simple question: Why will the public MP servers only be able to run 16 player time-limited games?


Because that is the limit I am going to impose. I don't care about anyone's high-end connection and the notion is irrelevant to me. The mp patch will only support 16 players. Period. End of story.

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Originally posted by Cmdr Jeffery Eu:

Any chances for other independent castes?

[ 01-16-2002: Message edited by: Cmdr Jeffery Eu ]


No. There are enough castes in the game already. There may be new ones in BCO - but definitely not in BCM or any of the XP add-ons.

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Guest Fox__Trot

Is there anyway for me *A mandorian player* to get into a fleet server or will I have to play on player run servers? Although as I type that question and read it.. it sounds stupid to ask but I would like to know.

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quote:

Originally posted by Fox__Trot:

Is there anyway for me *A mandorian player* to get into a fleet server or will I have to play on player run servers? Although as I type that question and read it.. it sounds stupid to ask but I would like to know.

IIRC, anyone in the Fleet DB should be in. This may have changed, so I'll let SC verify this.

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quote:


Originally posted by Cmdr Nova:

IIRC, anyone in the Fleet DB should be in. This may have changed, so I'll let SC verify this.


Thats not true and never has been the case. Being in the fleet DB doesn't guarantee that you'd be invited to play on our official fleet servers. That will be up to me and the respective FCs. My official fleet servers are for role-playing (didn't I already say this?) and/or the occassional free-for-all skirmish.

Of course, since anyone can setup their own servers, anyone can join those (unless they are also password protected by the server op).

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So, uhh, the Gammulan FC will decide whether or not I can play on a Fleet Server? It's THAT simple? So as long as I take a few missiles for the FC in multi-player, be a punching bag for his enemies, etc, I will probably be able to play? (starts sending bribes and monetary gifts to his FC)

You're finally starting to catch on and get the hang of this Dredd

TTFN

[ 01-21-2002: Message edited by: Dredd ]

[ 01-22-2002: Message edited by: Gallion ]

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