At first a hello to all you fighters.
I got two licenses and thought to play SF a la Redline on my LAN using IP addresses. However, now i figured out that you can only do networking using the tracker. Is it possible to use SF in MP on a LAN? Is it planned for the future?

No, and probably not, though you could suggest it. Since SF MP is two-player, you can play on the same computer and it's almost the same thing. (You would absolutely need two keyboards, though, since most keyboards limit the number of simultaneous keypresses they register. With two people potentially holding down three keys each, it won't quite work. In fact, considering this limitation, I don't know why game authors continue to allow two players on one keyboard...)

I thought that it is not that common to use it on the LAN. We just have game nights (called nerd nights) were we play 24 hours non stop using mostly LAN set-ups and it would be nice to have SF on board too. Using two keyboards is not a problem but you also have to look at the same screen which ruins the game experience IMHO. Cheers!

If your LAN is connected to the Net, then you should be able to play together, even if your LAN is connected to the Internet through NAT or whatever: just go both in the Internet tracker and have one invite the other, and the game should detect the situation accordingly and allow you to play together on your local network, it is supported. If it doesn't work, then report it accordingly as a bug.

It's true that it can get a bit crowded with two persons on a keyboard (though with good use of modifier keys, the max keys limitation isn't a problem), gamepad support will be considered for a future version. As for the screen, even on LAN or the Net both players see almost the same screen since they are linked by a tether anyway.

@cheleball, on Mar 1 2007, 01:36 AM, said in MP on a LAN?:

( In fact, considering this limitation, I don't know why game authors continue to allow two players on one keyboard...)

Because some keyboards have no qualms at all about allowing many simultaneous key-presses. My iBook, for instances, has worked perfectly well with my setting both players to using letter keys for all controls in SketchFighter- the only limitation is my own ability to control one ship with each hand.

@ZP: It's only almost the same screen? Given how it's possible for both players to be just barely offscreen, even in internet play, I would have expected it to be exactly the same screen.

Edwards

The longer I use (try to use) the MP internet setup the more it becomes apparent that I have connection problems in general. It is rather rare that I actually can connect to the tracker. In 9 out of 10 tries I end up with the "Can't connect to tracker" message which is odd as I use the very same setting I use for Redline (which connects every time). I guess I have to experiment more with NAT.

Edwards: It may not be exactly the same screen since it's not strictly in synch, that's all, otherwise the general principle is indeed the same.

Matariki: That's strange, even though my current Internet connection prevents me from playing any online game whatsoever (including SF4kA, unfortunately :(), I can always go to the tracker. Please report your success (or failing that, your lack of sucess and what you tried).

ZP: Yes, it is strange but it was my fault. I forgot to write the port opening into the flash of the router when I yesterday reset the darn thing it was deleting the port opening for UDP 33333 :rolleyes: stupid me. However, while I can connect now I am still a "restricted NAT" user on both machines and can't get a MP game to start. I thought of setting up a NAT table but I can't set up the same port number to forward to two different machines. An IP address a la Redline would be much easier to set up. The only other way out (as far as I can see at the moment) would be to buy another IP address so I can set up a global address pool and have both machines appear on a different address on the internet.

The fact you appear as restricted NAT is normal (I think you can get one machine to appear as unrestricted by forwarding the port to it, but then the second machine probably won't be able to connect at all), the fact the two machines can't play together is less. But this is above my competence, I'll have the proper specialist have a look at this.

This will be fixed in 1.0.1, due in a couple days.

@fprefect, on Mar 3 2007, 03:02 AM, said in MP on a LAN?:

This will be fixed in 1.0.1, due in a couple days.

Excellente! Thanks for all the help Guys.