I've Got A Friend... (Part 1)

       Multiplayer Games - an overview by James Judge

You've all heard about this multiplayer lark, haven't you? You
know - you get a wargame, sit around a single computer for hours
on end and shut your eyes when it's not your go. Well, that's what
it was like on the Spectrum and ST. Now, though, with the
explosion of PCs and the Internet multiplayer games have taken a
great turn for the better.

Now you each need to have a machine, but you now link the machine
up, having up to sixteen players at once over a LAN (Local Area
Network) for games such as Quake, and in graphical MUDs
(Multi-User Dungeons) over the Internet a huge number of people
can be playing at once.

There are a number of ways to link your PC to other PCs to play
games this way. The first two need a car (probably) and the
willingness to lug your PC around with you. The second two involve
a modem and spiralling 'phone bills. Being a bit of an idiot (and
cheapskate) I've gone for the first option - lugging my computer
around in a mate's car (we've actually managed to get three whole
computer systems (CPUs, monitors, speakers and all other
paraphernalia) plus the three of us into a Nissan Micra -quite an
achievement!) and then physically connecting the computers
together. As this is the way that I do it, I'll concentrate on
these for the most part and only give a brief outline of the modem
options, as I'm sure to make mistakes in that area.

So, you've got a good friend who you trust to lug around œ1500
worth of gear in their rust bucket. Excellent. Now all you need is
one of two different pieces of equipment.

The first is a null-modem. This is a lead that connects the
computer's parallel ports together and then allows games to talk
to one another. This option is cheap (for a fair-sized lead you're
looking at around œ10-œ15) and the only drawback is that it is
slow and you can only link two computers together at once. It is
simply a matter of plugging the lead into the port at the back of
the computer (where the printer usually goes) and then letting the
games take care of the rest - there is no setting up and worrying
about protocols and stuff like that...

However, the amount of games that do support null-modem links
aren't as numerous as the other forms of connection (mainly
Internet and LAN) and quite often are of poorer quality. But
still, if money's tight and you've only got one friend with a PC
in the vicinity then this could be a sensible option.  It'll work
under DOS, Win 3.x and Win '95, but you won't have the full range
of networking options and for anything too adventurous or data
intensive, then this option can be a bit poor. It's the option
that James Jillians and I started out with, but we soon upgraded
to a full-blown network with the urging of another friend who
wanted to join in the fun.

So, the main way of connecting a series of computers together (and
the one that I really like) is by installing a Local Area Network.
This all sounds highly complicated and daunting but it took me,
James and our friend Tim only a few minutes to link up and get the
network running. This is probably because we're all geniuses as
when John Wildey tried to do this at his place he spent a couple
of fruitless days trying to get it to work and hours on the 'phone
to me. We still don't know why it didn't work and all of a sudden
started (I think he forgot to plug the computer in myself, but
that's because I'm bitter and twisted).

Creating a LAN is expensive for the initial outlay (when compared
to a null-modem, that is) as you need to buy a few pieces of
dedicated hardware to get it up and running.  However, once it's
there you'll probably never need to buy a new LAN card until a new
motherboard version is introduced with Super-PCI slots that make
data transference go at the speed of light. The LAN will run very
quickly - you won't notice any lag in games as you would have with
a null-modem - and you'll also get the full range of networking
features in your OS, such as Windows 95. This is dead useful as
often when James, Tim and myself get together we've collated a lot
of new stuff on out hard disks that each other want. A frenzied
file swap normally ensues at the beginning of any networking
session and the LAN is capable of sucking large files quickly from
one HDD to another (it only take a few minutes for three computers
to copy a couple of hundred megs to one another's drives).

Anyway, how do you get a LAN up and running? Well, first you need
the hardware. This consists of an Ethernet card for each computer
you want on the network. This is just a small 16-bit card that
fits into a spare 16-bit ISA expansion bay at the back of your
computer - you throw it in like you would a soundcard.  The card
contains the chips necessary for the computers to synchronise with
one another and then get talking. At the back of the card you'll
get a couple of lights and a plug. Each card, when bought
individually, will set you back around œ20 for the basic version
that'll cover all your needs (higher priced versions allow large
data transfer rates and some sing the national anthem, but you
don't need all this...). There is no need to worry about what kind
of card to get - a basic Ethernet card is a basic Ethernet card,
no matter who makes it.  Naturally, I'd recommend buying the same
card for each computer when you start up, but the network that I
run with James and Tim consists of three differently manufactured
Ethernet cards and we've had no problems at all.

So, that's the card dealt with. Next you need something to link
the cards together. For this you'll need some Ethernet cable.
These come in variable lengths, but I'd recommend getting more
than you need. At home I've got another network running between my
P120 and 486 and for this I've bought a 10 metre cable - far more
than I need, but if I wanted to I could put one computer upstairs
and one downstairs. At least this allows me flexibility for the
future. I'd recommend getting BNC-Thin cable (this is the stuff
that I use) and it's pretty standard stuff. If you buy it with
your Ethernet card you won't really go wrong - especially if you
check with the sales assistant. 10 metres of this set me back œ16.

The cable doesn't go straight into the back of the card. To allow
more than two computers to access the network, each piece of cable
feeds into what is called a T-Piece which then plugs into the
computer. The T-Piece is a small connection (that looks like a
'T') which plugs straight into your Ethernet card. Then from the
T-Piece you can then join two pieces of cable leading to two
computers - each of which can be connected to another computer,
and so you can continue building up your network. Fear not - a
diagram will follow soon.

At the two 'ends' of your network (where a computer isn't needed
to join another) a halt must be called to the string of Ethernet
cable. To achieve this you need a little piece of kit that fits
over one side of the T-Piece called a Terminator.  Basically it's
just a resistor that terminates the line.

T-Pieces and terminators are very cheap - only a couple of quid a
piece, and they are readily available, so there's no problem
there.

So, a basic three computer network would look like this:

  XT---T---TX
   C   C   C

where:

X is a terminator (attached to a T-Piece)
T is a T-Piece (attached to computer and Ethernet cable and maybe
terminator)
C is a computer (attached to T-Piece via Ethernet card)
- is a piece of Ethernet cable (connected at both ends to a
computer)
The only restriction (I think) to the length of your network is
that each link of Ethernet cable has to be under 85 metres.  Over
that length and you need to start looking at WANs (Wide Area
Networks). Still, I don't think any of us will be getting into
THAT area...

So, for a three computer network you'll be looking at about œ60
worth of card with about œ20 worth of cable and œ8 worth of
T-Pieces and terminators. In all œ88 which isn't bad when you
think you'll (hopefully) be splitting that with two other friends,
bringing the individual price for each computer down to about œ30.
If you want to get good quality cards and cable then I'd recommend
Simply Computers as they are the best hardware company that I've
come across so far. Their prices are fair, delivery is next day
and their refund policy is brilliant - plus they know what they're
talking about, so don't be afraid to ask them questions.

However, if you've only got two computer to worry about (or a
multiple of two) then what I'd recommend is looking at Special
Reserve. They do a great little package that will get two computer
talking to one another. For œ50 you get two Ethernet cards (pretty
good ones too) with associated T-Pieces and terminators plus one
10metre length of Ethernet cable. You also get the appropriate
installation software as well as a photocopied manual put together
by Special Reserve that takes you through the installation in an
easy to understand way. This was the pack that I got for my home
network and I installed it in both computers (one PnP and the
other not) and had the network up and running within half an hour.
Great!

As I said before, the only tricky part of physically installing
the network is actually putting the card in your machine. If you
have ever put a soundcard or any other expansion card into your
machine you'll know what to do. Basically unscrew any screws that
fix the metal cover of your computer to the base and carefully
prise it off. Then locate your motherboard and find the expansion
slots on it (they are rows of long parallel sockets that will have
circuitboards coming out of them, perpendicular to the
motherboard). Choose a free 16-bit ISA expansion slot (a large,
black socket that is divided into two parts - one large part and
one smaller part - that match the gold plated protruding 'tab' on
your Ethernet card) and unscrew the backing plate (the small metal
cover behind the slot that is attacked to the casing) with a
crosshead screwdriver. Place the card into the slot and press
firmly until it is securely in the slot and is level. A basic rule
of thumb is that if the backing plate of the card fits snugly
where the old backing plate used to be, then the card is in. Screw
down the card at the backing plate with the screw you have just
removed and then replace the case. Don't force or bend the card
and, for heaven's sake, don't use a hammer. A small mallet - yes.
A hammer - no.

@~To be concluded next issue
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