FEAR - Network game

Kenpo

Hi Guys, I'm a newbie to networking.

Myself and my mate bought have copies of Fear and wireless cards on our
laptops. How do we network the 2 machines and play Multiplayer FEAR against each other?

Thanks for any help you could give.

TheHairyFairy

Are you using a router? If so then its easy enough, as long as you have firewalls etc config'd. If no router then look up ad-hoc networks.

Kenpo

No router - just 2 wireless machines.

How much does a router cost?

Cuddlesworth

I suppose now is not the best time to point out that fear multi-player is free to download.

So what you have is 2 wireless network cards and 2 laptops?

Do you have broadband?

A wireless router is something like . Wireless cards are not designed to talk to each other, but rather to the router. There are ways around this but as you are not entirely tech savvy they would not be the best option.

Or you can just put a cross-over Ethernet cable between the 2.

Kenpo

No broadband yet - hopefully next month.

I have an Ethernet cable at home - is it simply a case of connecting the 2 laptops with the cable and start FEAR (mulitplayer option), or is there a complicated proceedure to set this up?

Thanks for your help

Cuddlesworth

Cant say for certain, a normal Ethernet cable may work depending on the laptop network cards. Otherwise a cross-over cable will be need for lan play. Then hook them up, go to multiplayer and lan game, one will need to create a game, the other will then be able to see it and play in it.

Kenpo

Ok, so i managed to setup an Ad Hoc Wireless network and have the 2 laptops connecting.

So how do I set up multiplayer on the 2 machines in FEAR using this network?

Thanks

Cuddlesworth

Assuming both machines are connected to the same network, one person goes into multiplayer, then Lan games, then he creates a game. The other goes into Lan games and he should be able to see it.

Must be some nice laptops to play fear. Normally laptops that good have in-built wireless.

Kenpo

Yeah we both have swanky 17" HP's with 256 dedicated cards

Do we need to change the port number? Does someone have to be established as the host machine? Any other settings I should know about?

Thanks Krazy 8.

kaimera

Nope.

Just fire up a LAN game, either of you, doesn't need to be set as a dedicated host.

Btw, 2 folks is a bit small for some of the maps imo; unless you try and keep meeting around the one area.

oh, and those trip mines ftw

Kenpo

Guys,

I'm wondering if we're talking about a different vesion of FEAR (I'm using 1.07).

When I select Multiplayer (below the Single player mode), theres no
create game option. I can select Lan and have options such as host.

Theres is a section showing network connections (but my ad hoc network is not visible).

I'm VERY new to network games.

Thanks

kaimera

...am Host is create a game.

Your network wont show because there is no game running at that moment. When you host, your friend should see your game in the list.

Kenpo

Thanks Kai,

The problem is when I host - is closes the FEAR menu and opens a hosting terminal. I can't re-open FEAR on my laptop with this terminal open.

Is there some proceedure to re-open the game and play on the hosting laptop?

kaimera

Sorry, I'm not familiar with the FEAR multiplayer setup myself.

I have FEAR: Combat which is the free standalone multiplayer they released. That's literally Create game -> game setup -> Host -> voila.

I've no way of testing FEAR atm but there's a chance I might be able to find a machine with it installed to see what's going on

Kenpo

Thanks again Kai, it would be great if you can get a chance to test.

Otherwise I'm gonna have to download the Combat version.

I'd rather not - my bird will kill me if I download anymore stuff on her machine

Otacon

When you go click Multiplayer, you should get a screen like so:



I'm running the retail version, patch 1.07/1.08 would have taken a while to download but I can't imagine the setup being any different.

I clicked 'HOST' and I got the game setup options. I have no idea what caused the terminal to appear for you; the option for dedicated server doesn't appear till the game options screen which is the next screen after the one above.


*edit: added game options screen

Setup the game options and click the 'LAUNCH' button in the bottom right hand corner. Worked for me.


posted under Otacon with permission as I was testing FEAR on his machine.
/k

Kenpo

Thanks Otocon.

The terminal opened when I clicked the Launch button - I'm not sure if
I have the Dedicated Server option enabled or what game type I had selected.

I'll test it out tomrrow evening (can't tonight) and let you know.

Thanks again for all the help guys.

Kenpo

That worked a treat Otacon - I just had to set the Dedicated Server to 'No'.

Many thanks for everyones help.

Karl

kaimera

Otacon wrote:

*posted under Otacon with permission as I was testing FEAR on his machine.
/k

*cough*

Glad it worked out.

Kenpo

Haha and of course many thanks to you to Kaimera :-)