Online Multiplayer Guide

This guide was contributed by Daidalos. Thanks!

Index over the sections on this page:

• Requirements
• Determining your connection type: LAN / Internet games
• Setting up a new LAN or Internet game
• Playing LAN or Internet games
• Resuming a LAN or Internet Game
• How to find online games and players?
• F.A.Q. (Frequently Asked Questions)

Requirements

• Age of Wonders II
• Internet (TCP) or LAN (Local area network) connection, at least 56Kbps is recommended.

Note! AoW II can not be played via a direct modem-to-modem connection between two (or more) computers.

Determining your connection type

First you have to know what connection type you have - Internet (TCP) or LAN (Local area network) connection.

Ensure that you are connected and start AoW II. When the Main Menu appears, click on the "SCENARIO" button. Click on the "LAN" button if you are using a local area network, or click on "INTERNET" button if you are connected to the Internet.

LAN games

Click on the button labeled "LAN". A new menu (LAN game) shows up. In that menu there are following options:
Your name - Enter your name here.
Available games - shows what games are available for you to join.
Session Name - Available sessions.
#Players - Shows how many players are in these sessions, what are available.
Host New - Click here to host a new game (The host should be the player who has the fastest computer).
Join Game - Click here if you've previously selected a Session that you wish to Join.
Cancel - exits this screen.

Enter your name in the "Your name" box. It is recommended that the player who has the fastest computer should host the game. If you are hosting, click on the "Host New" button, or if you are the player who wants to join the game, click on the button "Join Game". Otherwise, if you want to exit this menu press "Cancel".

Now read section Setting up a new LAN or Internet game

Internet games

Click on the button labeled "INTERNET" . A new menu (Host or join an Internet game) shows up. In that menu are the following options:
Your name - Enter your name here
Your IP address - Shows you IP address
Host New - Click here to host a new game (The host sould be the player who has the fastest computer).
Search at IP address - Enter the host's IP address here, if you are not the host.
Find Games - Click here if you`ve previously entered an host's IP address in the box "Search at IP address", in order to join a new Internet game.
Cancel - exits this screen.

Enter your name in the "Your name" box. It is recommended that the player who has the fastest computer should host the game. If you are hosting, click on the "Host New" button. Be sure to tell other players your IP address (by sending them an E-mail or using Instant message programs like ICQ, MSN etc.). If you are the player who wants to join a new Internet game, enter the host's IP address in the box "Search at IP address" and click on "Find Games". Otherwise, if you want to exit this menu press "Cancel".

Setting up a new LAN or Internet game

Either you`ve selected LAN or INTERNET game to play, determined who is the host and who is/are the player(s) who is/are joining the new game, a new screen "Select custom scenario" appear. From here you can choose the scenario that you want to play. When you are done click "Select".

Now you should see almost same screen, that you can see,when you are playing a new single player custom scenario. But there are some differences:
Well, the biggest difference is the "chat box" (a large EMPTY rectangle in the lower left of the screen). To send a message to another player(s), type it into the thin empty rectangle in the extreme lower left of the screen, just below the chat box.

The medium-size rectangle in the lower middle of the screen is divided into three parts:

1. shows the player(s)' ping time (lower = a better connection)
2. shows what players have joined this game (the host is also shown here)
3. shows the colors that the players have selected.

As soon as all players are connected, they can use the chat box to decide what Wizard each player wants. Currently all Wizards are set to "Free". The host is the only one who can change it. Other player(s) can use the chat box to tell the host who they want be.

Allow tactical combat button in the middle right of the screen allows you to:
-Never - tactical combat is never available
-Between Humans - tactical combat is ONLY shown available if it is between human players.
-Always - Tactical combat is always available.

Just below is another button "Preferred color". From here you can choose your color and it'll appear next to your name in the lower middle of the screen.

Other options (Turns, Time Limit etc.) work just like in the single player custom scenario.

Note! It is HIGHLY recommended that you complete the tutorial mission ([Main menu] - [Campaign] - [Tutorial]), before playing Online Multi-Player games.

All players connected? All the options are set? All the Wizards assigned? Then press "Start".

Playing LAN or Internet games

Playing LAN or Internet games is easy! It's almost like playing against computer AI in the single player custom scenario. You can use the "TAB" key on your keyboard to send messages to other the player(s).

Resuming a LAN or Internet Game

When an LAN or Internet game is interrupted for any reason, the following process allows you to continue your game where you left off:

Enter the Age of Wonders 2 LAN or Internet Scenario Setup Screen as you would if you were starting a new Multi-Player game. When prompted to choose a Scenario to play, find the save game you wish to continue playing Multi-Player, select it, and reassign the players to their wizards.

If the game ended without being saved, players can use the "Autosave.asg" file to recover the game, as long as players haven't played another game in the interim. Save games are stored by the game in the ...\Save\ directory.

How to find online games and players?

The best way to find Online games is to use the GameSpy. Download GameSpy from here - www.gamespyarcade.com. You will find the instructions there.

F.A.Q. (Frequently Asked Questions)

Q1. What are the requirements to play via LAN or Internet? What do I need?
A. You need AoW II and LAN or INTERNET connection at least 56 Kbps.

Q2. Do all players have to have the custom map downloaded, or is it enough that the one who sets the game up has it?
A. It's enough that the one who sets up the game has the map.

Q3. How many players can be in one game?
A. There can be up to 2-8 players, if the map supports that many.

Q4. How long does a typical game last?
A. A typical game is completed in 4-8 hours, depending on the map size, nr. of players... etc.

Q5. Is there a popular map that everyone plays?
A. No special map, every map has its good and bad aspects.

Q6. What ports need to be opened to play AoW2 behind a firewall?
A. Windows XP's internal firewall does not require any ports to be opened. Other Firewalls need ports 6073 and 2302. Note that AoW2 may not work reliably on a shared Internet connection.

Good Luck and have fun!

Daidalos