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--- en:games:star_trek_armada_1:setting_up_matches [2024-01-30-16-56] – [Open LAN game] 7saturn
+++ en:games:star_trek_armada_1:setting_up_matches [2024-11-09-23-02] (current) – [wsock32.dll Missing Problem] 7saturn
@@ Line 29: / Line 29: @@
 The main drawback of the former solution is, that it will only work for internet games, when you also use a VPN, which brings along [[en:network_terms:vpn#security_considerations|its own problems]]. An alternative is to use a dedicated IPX server, that relays IPX packages to all connected peers. In order to use this approach, you will need two components, an IPX server and a (newer version of) the already mentioned IPX wrapper. The GOG version is (as of 2024-01-30) too outdated to make use of an IPX server.
-If you want to know how to set up your own IPX server, one solution would be to use [[en:tools:dosbox#server|DOSBox]]. If you run a Linux server, the [[https://github.com/steveschnepp/ipxserver.git|IPX Server Perl script]] may also work just fine for you. The server is only required once, so as a player of the game you can just as well use one, that was already set up. Via the host name ''<nowiki>www.mobile-infanterie.de</nowiki>'' and port ''213'' there is one up, for the time being (testing operations).
+If you want to know how to set up your own IPX server, one solution would be to use [[en:tools:dosbox#server|DOSBox]]. If you run a Linux server, the [[https://github.com/steveschnepp/ipxserver.git|IPX Server Perl script]] may also work just fine for you. The server is only required once, so as a player of the game you can just as well use one, that was already set up by someone else. Via the host name ''<nowiki>www.mobile-infanterie.de</nowiki>'' and port ''213'' there is one up, for the time being (testing operations).
 In order to use it, download the latest version of the [[https://github.com/solemnwarning/ipxwrapper/releases|mentioned IPX wrapper]] and extract it to your Armada folder. If you are worried about reversibility, you may want to copy the following files to another location, beforehand:
@@ Line 41: / Line 41: @@
 These make up the older version of the wrapper.
-After extracting the files from the zip file, you can go ahead and start the //ipxconfig.exe//. If will look a bit different to the GOG stock files. Just as well you can use the before mentioned [[#IPX Peer to Peer]] approach. But you can now also select the //DOSBox UDP encapsulation// option. If you do, you need to provide the hostname or IP of the IPX server, as well as the UDP port it listens on. As mentioned above, for testing host name ''<nowiki>www.mobile-infanterie.de</nowiki>'' and port ''213'' should work.
+After extracting the files from the zip file (replacing the existing files), it may depend on how you installed the game. If it is the CD version or a copied GOG version, then you may have to run //directplay-win32.reg// or //directplay-win64.reg//, depending on which variation of Windows you use. For 32 bit versions the first file is required. For 64 bit the second one. It registers the //dpwsockx.dll// as to be used for IPX connections. (This also implies, that if you have different Armada installations parallel, you should keep the versions of the IPX Wrapper synchronous (use the same version in all installations). You may need administration privileges in order to do that step. When done you can go ahead and start the //ipxconfig.exe//.
-As long as you keep that window open, you can play via IPX just as if everyone were on the same network, as all IPX traffic is routed via the given IPX server.
+{{ :en:game_tech:ipx_server_mobile_infanterie.png?nolink | IPX wrapper settings for use with the mobile Infanterie}}
-If you want to make things easier for you in the future, you may as well create a file named ''armada_with_ipx.bat'' with the following content:
+It will look a bit different to the GOG stock files. You can still use the before mentioned [[#IPX Peer to Peer]] approach (selecting //IPXWrapper UDP encapsulation//). But you can now also select the //DOSBox UDP encapsulation// option. If you do, you need to provide the hostname or IP of the IPX server, as well as the UDP port it listens on. As mentioned above, for testing host name ''<nowiki>www.mobile-infanterie.de</nowiki>'' and port ''213'' should work.
-<code>
-start ipxconfig.exe
+You will not have to keep that window open, to play via IPX. Due to the registration above, all IPX traffic is routed via the given IPX server. The settings made by the configuration tool are stored in the registry (//HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\IPXWrapper//) on a per-user-basis.
-start Armada.exe
+=== wsock32.dll Missing Problem ===
-</code>
+Apparently there is an issue with [[en:game_tech:Gameranger]] in conjunction with the IPX wrapper tool. Whenever Gameranger is used for Armada multi-player, it seems to delete the file //wsock32.dll// from the games folder, which is crucial for the wrapper. The file is gone the moment Gameranger starts Armada:
-When you start this batch file, the IPX client will be started along with Armada. This means IPX is available right away.
+{{ :en:games:star_trek_armada_1:gameranger_deletes_wsock32_dll.png?direct&600 |}}
+The effect is not immediately obvious. It shows itself when you attempt to use the IPX network for setting up a match. You will not see anything different when just looking for games (but you will not find any open matches). But after entering a new match's name and possibly a password, the game will not proceed beyond the following situation:
+{{ :en:games:star_trek_armada_1:ipx_wsock32_dll_missing.png?direct&600 |}}
+So if you are sure the IPX server is working just fine (e.g. others report it works while you see the above situation), check if the //wsock32.dll// is still there.
+**Note**: It is **not** sufficient to write-protect the file. Even when removing your own user's privileges to delete the file and setting the read-only-attribute of the file, Gameranger still removes the file. So if you are using Gameranger as well as the IPX wrapper, it is advisable to keep a backup of the file around for restoration after using Gameranger.
 ===== Open LAN game =====
 To create a game in the LAN, you must follow the menu path //Multiplayer// -> //Local Area Network (TCP/IP)// or //Local Area Network (IPX)// (depending on whether you are [[#using IPX]] or not).
@@ Line 58: / Line 65: @@
 {{ en:games:star_trek_armada_1:game_opening_screen.png?nolink |}}
-You can of course also use [[en:network_terms:IPX]], up to Windows Vista (if installed). With newer versions of Windows TCP/IP is mandatory for the CD version of the game. For the GOG version that is no longer true. It brings along an IPX wrapper, see [[#using IPX]].
+You can of course also use [[en:network_terms:IPX]], up to Windows Vista (if installed). With newer versions of Windows and the CD version of the game TCP/IP is mandatory, although the game probably won't run very stable to begin with. The GOG version brings along an IPX wrapper, see [[#using IPX]].
 In the menu //Multiplayer// you should **not forget to enter the username** (at the top of the text field). It just sucks when the player "Player" plays on a map x times. Now you should see the multiplayer menu with the other players and possibly open games.
@@ Line 69: / Line 76: @@
 ===== Internet play via GameRanger =====
 The game no longer works via the Internet with build-in means, since the internet game ran via [[en:gaming_platforms:world_opponent_network|WON]]. Instead there is the possibility to play the game via [[en:game_tech:Gameranger]] on the internet. To do this, a CD must be inserted per four players (also with Crack...) and GameRanger must be started from an admin account. If you try to start the game from a user account with admin rights (usually with password request), GameRanger seems to take too long and throws the following error message: **Anti-Virus or Firewall software is blocking/interfering with GameRanger**. It has nothing to do with FW or AV, but the problem has to be solved by starting GR directly from an admin account. Admin rights alone are useless, but are also not necessary from the admin account. A test in combination with [[en:tools:RunAs Spc]] is still pending. In addition, port 16000 (UDP) must be forwarded by the router NAT, or the computer on which the game should be run must be in the DMZ. Apart from that, everything goes relatively smoothly.
+**Note**: When using Gameranger as well as the IPX wrapper, be aware of [[#wsock32dll_missing_problem|this problem]].
 ===== Internet play via WON (obsolete) =====
 This section is now 100% obsolete and is only here for historical reasons. So you probably should skip to the next section. When trying to use [[en:gaming_platforms:world_opponent_network|WON]] with the 1.3 patched version, you will always get this message (hard coded):