Multi-Players

[JangoFett]

Is there anyway you can play a Multi-Player game off Doom without having to have it over the Internet?

[Biff]

Yes, you need two computers. If you want to play zdoom, the computers have to be "networked" and have the TCP/IP network protocol installed. If you just want to play doom.exe or doom2.exe, you can hook the two computers together with a "null modem" cable between serial ports.

[Kappes Buur]

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... If you just want to play doom.exe or doom2.exe, you can hook the two computers together with a "null modem" cable between serial ports.

If all computers have a network card installed. then play it over a home lan via IPX. You need to make certain, though, that Windows has the IPX protocol installed. Then run IPXSETUP.EXE.
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[Biff]

Kappes, that's correct, I just didn't imagine that anyone with network cards would chose to play doom2.exe when they can have all of the zdoom goodness.

[HotWax]

Is there anyway you can play a Multi-Player game off Doom without having to have it over the Internet?

If you're looking for a way to play your friend via modem (no longer supported in ZDoom), the answer lies in Dial-Up Networking Server. This is an included part of a Windows OS, and should at least be there in 98 and ME. (I haven't checked 95 or NT/XP) One person installed the Server, the other installs the standard Dial-Up Networking software (if it's not already). Both can be found in the Control Panel->Add/Remove Programs dialog under Windows Setup. Once that's done, the person with the server software needs to set it up to accept incoming phone calls and give it a password. The other person makes a new DUN connection with the phone number of their friend's computer and the password that was set on it. Once you're connected to each other, setting up a game works exactly the same as if you were on a local TCP/IP network with each other. (Though there will be additional lag due to the reduced bandwidth)

Alternatively, you can just both connect to the net and connect to the other person's IP address, but the above method avoids jumping through a dozen servers just to reach your friend who lives across the street . . .