I've Still Got A Friend!!! - Part 1

                       by James Judge

As promised (I think) in my "I've Got A Friend" article on how to
get a network up and running I'll now take a look at how well some
of the multi-player games I've played over the past year or so
fare. What follows will be a little mini-review of each game,
concentrating entirely on the multi-player aspects such as
available options, ease of connection and whether it translates
well into a multi-player game. I'll be perusing the ten games that
stick in my mind the most (or I've still got on my HDD <grin>)
and, in alphabetical order, these are:

1) Carmageddon
2) CivNet
3) Descent
4) Diablo
5) Doom & Doom 2
6) Quake
7) Red Alert
8) Total Annihilation
9) Syndicate Wars
10) Warcraft 2

Just to let you know, I've been playing all of these games on a
LAN (local Area network) of three PCs - two P120s and one P166
with the P120s having 16megs of RAM and the P166 having a
throbbing 32. We each use a different speed CD-ROM going from 4
speed through to twelve speed and run everything through Windows
'95 (apart from Z). Other than that the setup is pretty basic with
nothing of note that bears any relevance to this article. Oh,
apart from the fact my computer groans once a few seconds after it
has been turned off (seriously!) and my friend's fan isn't secured
properly, meaning it rattles like a good 'un. If you can get a
setup like this (especially with the noises) you won't go far
wrong at this point in time.

Without further ado (apart from a full stop and a few wide open
spaces, that is) we'll get down to business.

1) Carmageddon - SCI (œ35)

What a brilliant game to start this selection of reviews with. If
you've read my proper review of this game, then you'll know that
it is a rip-snortingly good single player bash that is action
packed and violently disgusting in spades. With a simple control
method and a more simple aim this game rarely fails to raise a
smile. Especially the cows, for some sadistic reason.

However, in multiplayer mode the game gets better and better.
Instead of going against computer opponents who each have their
own idiosyncrasies and inabilities to use bonuses you're now
facing the shear monstrosity of human cruelty that is your best
friends. There are a number of ways in which to play the game,
from the disappointing game of "Tag" (which only lasts a minute -
it would have been far better if the time limit was optional, or
changeable) to a first past the post game of traditional racing
around the checkpoints.

The best two options, however, are the Destruction Derby and the
other mode whose name escapes me. Hmmmmn. Still, Destruction Derby
is a huge marathon of destruction with you and your friends
starting on one of the fifteen multiplayer tracks, and it is a
simple case of the last standing wins. There is no time limit and
money bonuses etc. keep regenerating, so there is almost a
limitless pile of money to upgrade and repair your car. This means
games can go on for ages - especially on the larger levels with
players of equal ability.

The best mode, however, is the nameless one. Here you have no time
limit, but a frag limit, so the first player to kill three cars
wins. However, every time you commit suicide (either from dropping
too far or overspending your money when trying to repair or
recover) you lose a frag, and it is easy to end up with a score of
minus a lot, especially if you have been given a poor car.

There are plenty of other modes to play around with and a huge
list of options to alter too. Setting up is simple through Windows
95 (players can even mix DOS and Win '95 versions, as long as they
are running through a Win '95 network) and network stability is
rock-solid. Every player, however, needs a copy of the game unless
they want to install the full version of the game to HDD which
clocks in at around 300megs, but even with everyone on
full-install, one person (the host) must have a copy of the CD in
their drive.  Full installs help the loading times considerably,
though, and are recommended.

2) CivNet - MicroProse (RRP probably around œ25)

For all of you who love either Civ or Civ 2 then this game will
provide you with hours of argument-generating fun. It runs through
either Windows 3.x or Win '95 with Win '95 being the quicker of
the two. To enjoy a game at the speed you'd expect of a single
player game you'll need a LAN and a computer with at least 8megs
of RAM and a 486DX2 chip.

My first foray into the world of CivNet came with just two
computers over a null-modem lead as we couldn't figure out how to
set the damn thing up for network play. However, after days of
sleepless nights and postings to many CivNet newsgroups on the
Internet James Jillians finally found the answer tucked way in a
little readme document that came with a patch for CivNet. So, if
anyone is stuck on how to get CivNet running, here's how you do it
in Windows '95.

Go to your Network Properties screen (right click on Network and
select properties). From here choose to add a protocol, and the
one you're looking for a TCP/IP Protocol. Once that is installed
click on its entry in the list and then select properties. Go to
the IP Address tab and, on the "Specify and IP address" section
enter two sets of numbers. The first is under IP address and this
should be 100.100.100.X where X is a number between one and the
number of people playing (so, for instance if you've got three
people playing your IP address should be 100.100.100.1, one
friend's should be 100.100.100.2 and the other should be
100.100.100.3). The second number, under SubNet Mask, is the same
for all machines and is 255.255.255.0. Now if you select a
multiplayer TCP/IP game and enter in your name and IP address you
should be able to set up a game and then get it going. One hint -
the person with the IP address 100.100.100.1 should set up the
game with the other players then joining.

Anyway, once you've done this you can then start to enjoy the pure
class that is CivNet. Compared to Civilisation and Civ 2 it is
midway between the two for graphics and general presentation.
However, everything else is exactly as it is in Civilisation -
this is not a stepping stone between the two as I thought it would
be.

The best recommendation I can give for this game is that if you
have enjoyed Civ you'll love this against a human opponent. You
get to select your race and give your ruler a face (using a sort
of photo-fit gallery in the setup options) and then you can
twiddle with the standard Civ set of options to define the game as
you'd like to - everything from the size of the land masses
through to age of the world and difficulty of computer opponent
can be fiddled with to your requirements.


Actually playing the game is a breeze - as long as you all know
how to play the game. You can either move simultaneously, which
leads to relatively quick turns (but gives people with quicker
reactions and/or a smaller force a small opportunity but adds a
little extra strategic twist to proceedings) or you can choose to
have the standard Civ turns which means that while everyone else
moves you sit and twiddle your thumbs, which means you need either
a really good book or some other form of entertainment to keep you
going. No matter which option you choose, the computer opponents
and barbarians still move in a separate turn to you.

The only down-side to this game is that you really do need to have
a lot of time to play it properly and you also need to have
opponents of a similar level to yourself. Unfortunately I'm
hopelessly outclassed by the likes of James Jillians and find it
impossible to ride through his cities with a couple of chariots,
destroying his entire civilisation in a matter of turns after
1500BC. No, seriously, I don't and this means I have boring games
indeed.

Luckily you only need one copy of the CD as you can install the
game and have everything on your HDD but minus the (highly
annoying) music that is spooled from the CD. Not sure about how
legal this is tho', but still.

Definitely recommended for anyone with bags of time on their
hands, even with the setup difficulties. Pure class - I just want
Civ2Net (?!?!) to come out.

3) Descent - Interplay (œ12 maybe?)

This oldie, but goodie, still has me sweaty palmed and drooling
when I have a game. Setting up couldn't be easier as you just need
to have a network running in your chosen operating environment and
Descent will do the rest. You can have up to eight players bashing
it out over a level which is all great fun.

As it is a small game you only need one copy of the CD from which
to take copies on each machine. Highly illegal an' all that, but
it doesn't stop you from doing it, does it?

You can either play in the original Descent levels, or have a go
at the specifically designed multi-player levels, which are far
better as they don't sprawl and have a great selection of weaponry
available and brilliant dog-fighting areas. On the original levels
you can also choose whether to have the computer AI opponents (ie
your standard robotic enemies you'd find in the single player
game) or not.

The object of the game is simple - kill your opponents as many
times as possible. With each kill you achieve your score goes up
by one and if you commit suicide it drops down one (but better to
kill yourself than give an enemy a point, no?). The generators are
still there and the level ends when it is finished, with the
kills/deaths chart being shown once everyone has escaped/died in
the mines to help ascertain who won.

The multi-player levels are great and the ability to have a
frenetic dog fight in the brilliant environment that is Descent
makes this an awesome game for multi-playing. True, you probably
won't be playing it for hours on end, but for a quick blast little
can beat it. Only gripe is that there are only a few multi-player
levels (about six, I think) - they're all really good apart from
one, but you can't have everything can ya'?

4) Diablo - Blizzard (Give us œ30 guv' an' it's yors)

As this is a Windows '95 only game getting everyone up and running
is no problem at all, as long as you have got a network running in
Win '95, that is. Unfortunately you'll need a CD per player if you
all want to play properly. If not you can install a spawned
version onto those machines whose owners don't mind playing just
the bog-standard warrior and be done with it. Spawning is an "OK
thing" in the eyes of Blizzard.  Hoorah!

The idea of this game in a multi-player environment differs little
from the single player game. Instead of just one hero wandering
into a dungeon we've now got up to four (as that is the player
limit, no matter what kind of connection you use - LAN or
modem) and they can either work co-operatively or aggressively
with one another. The aggressive option is a bit pointless for the
first few levels as you'll all be together anyway, and deaths in
the group will just lead to the quick rise of one player, meaning
you don't get to sample the better aspects of this game in lower
levels. Luckily the passive/aggressive option is completely
interchangeable whenever you want, so you can have two characters
being passive while a third is hostile, or whatever you want.

Apart from having a couple of other people stumbling around after
you the only other significant change is the amount of monsters in
the dungeon has been cranked up excessively.  This is a "good
thing" as it does provide more of a challenge than ploughing
through the game on your todd. Also with spells, arrows and swords
flying and cries of "Help Me!!!" and "Doh! Sorry there, didn't
mean to get you with my fireball...  honest!" the atmosphere
sometimes reaches the hedonistic pleasures that was Gauntlet on
the old Spectrum (well, maybe not the same level, but in the same
playing field, at least).  However, although the multi-player
aspect is a lot better than the single-player game, you are still
faced with a game that has all of the failings it had in its
single-player incarnation - ie no puzzles and, after the fighting
has lost its novelty nothing else to keep you going.

If you mistakenly bought this game it is worth spawning a few
copies just to give the multi-player aspect a bash. However, don't
expect this to suddenly become the game of the year just because
you can laugh as your friends got mullered by the skeletons....
again!

5) Doom & Doom 2 (œ12 and œ13 respectively to the gentleman at the
back)

Doom was the first multi-player game I ever played and, because of
that, I do look back at it with a certain fondness.  However,
since 1995 (or thereabouts) my experience has shown me that Doom
(Doom 2 is the same, but slightly better, so forgive me if I don't
repeat both titles every time I mention one) isn't all that great
now.


The basic premise of Doom in a multi-player environment is to be
the person who kills the other player(s) the most. You are thrown
into the standard Doom levels with all of the monsters intact
(depending on the difficulty level selected). Once the monsters
are out of the way you can then scour the levels for your
opponent(s) who you must kill. Every time you kill someone you get
a frag and every time you commit suicide you loose a frag. The
winner is the one with the most frags and the level ends when
someone reaches the exit to the next level.

The only problem with the original package (especially in Doom 2)
the levels soon become huge and sprawling and you soon end up with
long periods of no fighting between you and your three mates (only
four people can play over a LAN in Doom). Also, if you don't tone
down the difficulty level from that which you are accustomed to
playing on, you'll find it even harder to meet and beat your
opponents.

To remedy this you can scout the Internet (or some older cover
CDs) for loads of PD levels that have been designed and built by
players specifically for Deathmatch play. Having said that, the
first few levels in Doom 2 are some of the best I've played
(especially The Gauntlet) and the PD side of things is often hit
and miss. I s'pose you could always design your own...

Apart from trying to kill your opponents, you can also choose to
play co-operatively, if you're that way inclined. I'm not so I've
never tried it. 'Nuff said.

If you're on a limited budget then these may be the games for you
(especially if you haven't got a machine that'll run games such as
Quake), but I'd recommend getting Doom 2 over Doom and if you want
both get Descent instead of Doom.  Also you only need one copy a
la Descent (but it is still illegal to install it in more than one
machine at a time, don't ya know?)

@~To be concluded next issue


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