Creating a Multiplayer Game in Baldur's Gate
       Including a single player six-character game!

With the Baldur's Gate Multiplayer option you may create a single
player game with up to six characters, join a network game, or
host a network game. The instructions for all are as follows:

SOLO PLAY

By adding multiplayer to Baldur's Gate, they introduced an
additional feature: the ability to create up to six characters in
a single player game instead of just the protagonist. This feature
involves beginning a multiplayer game, creating the desired
characters and not having anyone else join. Choosing a SERIAL
connection is sufficient as excerpted from the README.TXT file
below:

For this to work, you must have some form of multiplayer protocol
installed on your system. If you do not have a multiplayer
protocol installed, you should be able to start a SERIAL game. If
you are unable to create a new game using SERIAL, try changing the
COM port you are creating the game with.

If you do not create all six characters, the remaining slots can
be used to pick up NPCs or to have your friends join at some later
date with their characters. If you only plan to adventure with
your custom party and never have anyone else join, the following
converts your multiplayer party into to a single player party (not
officially supported). After making your party and saving the
game, copy the saved game from the multiplayer saved game
directory to the single player saved game directory and then
restart Baldur's Gate. This avoids having to deal with the
arbitration screen each time your load up the game.

JOINING A GAME

After choosing a multiplayer game, you press connection type and
choose from one of four options. If the game is password
protected, it will be necessary to know the password. All players
must be using the same build of Baldur's Gate (patched or not)
although different localized versions can be used because they
employ the same game engine. All machines in a specific game
should be running at the same AI speed (set with the BGConfig
program).

1) IPX
All IPX sessions (local area network) will be listed and you
choose the one to join.

2) TCP/IP
Type the IP address into the box and Baldur's Gate will connect to
the game. The IP address will be entered automatically when you
were using GameSpy or HEAT.NET. On a local area network, potential
sessions will be auto-detected and listed.

3) Serial
For a serial connection, enter the connection speed and the COM
port to which the null modem cable is connected. This is the best
protocol to chose for solo multiplayer as an active internet
connection is not required.

4) Modem
Upon choosing modem, a new screen will appear where you need to
select the connection speed and the COM port like for a SERIAL
connection. If you are the host, you select create game, press
answer on the Windows-style popup menu and wait for the client to
phone the number. If you are joining a modem game (client), you
select join game and type in the phone number of the host person.
Once the connection is established, both players go to the
multiplayer screen.

Join
After selecting the protocol, press the Join Game button to enter
the game unless you are going to be the host (see below). When you
join a game, you will come across the following warning screen and
then end up at the Character Arbitration screen.

The host controls the arbitration screen. Next to each portrait
are panels showing the character's name and player's name. The
first character with raised border is the protagonist of the
story. By pressing on the player name, the host will be given a
list of players from which he can choose. Pressing on the
character name permits insertion of a new character. At the
character creation screen, the player can either roll up a new
character or import a character he has saved on his computer. Upon
import, you will be asked to again choose the color scheme and the
character's name. Although this information was known when the
character was exported, re-entering it gives you the ability to
load multiple copies of a character or to make yourself different
from someone that may already be present in the game. If people
join after you have already started, everyone will go back to the
arbitration screen and the newcomers will be able to create or
import a character, or can be assigned control of a character that
is already in the game (if someone is running more than one
character).

Export
At any time during play, a character can be exported to the
player's computer by choosing Export on the Character Record
sheet. This character can be used in other multiplayer games or to
start a new single player game. When the host saves a game, it
also contains all the characters currently playing, irrespective
of whether players exported their characters or not. If you are
loading your exported high level character into a new game,
obviously it will be less challenging but the encounters you face
do scale themselves somewhat to the level of the party.

HOSTING

The host of a game follows the same beginning procedures as
outlined above in the JOIN GAME section, however, instead of Join
Game, the host chooses Create Game. This will bring up a blank
Character Arbitration screen.

All the slots default to the host's name. To change the player to
someone else that has joined, click on that panel and choose the
player from the list. The player to whom the slot is assigned can
then press Create Character and either roll or import a character.
To make a character active, click on the skull so that the eyes
light up. Press Done to enter the game.

Active Inactive
Before entering the game, the host should assign the permissions
for each player on the Permissions screen. By turning on the
permission (orange box), the player will be able to initiate
certain functions as explained below.

Modify Spend Area Dialogue Records Pause Permissions Boot

Permissions and Options
Modify: the ability to modify characters.
Spend: the ability to spend party gold/purchase items.
Area: the ability to initiate an area transition.
Dialogue: the ability to initiate dialogue.
Records: the ability to view other characters' records.
Pause: the ability to pause the game.
Permissions: the ability to modify permissions/remove players from
the game (leadership permission).
Boot: boot player from the game (requires leadership permission)

Listen to Join Requests: permit other players to enter game (host
only)
The host can also control options for importing characters. The
host can decide whether incoming characters can retain this
statistics, experience points and items as outlined on the
following screen, accessible by pressing Options on the
Permissions screen. Restrict Stores refers to all characters
having to be present in a store or temple before purchasing can be
initiated.










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