Multiplayer
How to play in Multiplayer in Spring
Once you have installed Spring, you will notice that in Start > Program Files, there is a shortcut to Multiplayer >TASClient.
Currently TASClient is the multiplayer lobby that is included with spring when you download it. Once you start up TASClient you will need to create a unique username. Currently you can have as many usernames as you wish, but it is advisable to stick with one, so that people know you are and your ranking will be properly displayed.
If you are not immediately prompted to create a new username, you may click on the ├óÔé¼┼ôOptions├óÔé¼┬Ø button at the top of TASClient, and then click on the ├óÔé¼┼ôAccount├óÔé¼┬Ø tab. When you have filled out the username and password fields, click on ├óÔé¼┼ôCreate New Account├óÔé¼┬Ø. This will register your new username with the server so you can log in. You may also want to register with the Ladder if you would like to participate in ranked ladder games.
Using TASClient
Using TASClient is fairly simple, but the documentation on it├óÔé¼Ôäós features is a little behind. Some of the common commands used are:
* /ingame ├óÔé¼ÔÇØ This command will display your total time spent ingame on this particular username
* /join #[Channel] ├óÔé¼ÔÇØ This command is used for joining custom chat channels (very much like IRC in some ways). You will notice that when you first log in that you are connected to #main and #newbies. The newbies channel is a great place to ask questions and gain information, don├óÔé¼Ôäót be afraid to ask away, even if you think your question may not be a good one.
* /me ├óÔé¼ÔÇØ Works just like IRC in most cases. Use this command for indicating an action E.G. ├óÔé¼┼ô/me watches #newbies intently├óÔé¼┬Ø.
At the bottom of the screen in tasclient you will notice that there are many games listed, sorted but Open, Full, or Ingame. A green square means that that particular game is open for players to join. A green Square with a ├óÔé¼┼ôP├óÔé¼┬Ø inside means that that game is open for players who know a password of the game to join. An Orange square means that the game is open to spectators, but has the allotted amount of players.
At the bottom of the TASClient interface you will notice a long bar that the bottom of the games dialog. Here you can set filters for games you would like to join.
Spectating in spring is as easy as clicking a checkbox in the battle window labeled ├óÔé¼┼ôSpectate├óÔé¼┬Ø. Be aware that some hosts do not care for spectators and will either ask you to ├óÔé¼┼ôUnspec├óÔé¼┬Ø or leave the game. Some hosts may kick you outright from the game. Don├óÔé¼Ôäót be offended though. Many times this sort of behavior is related to:
The Myth of Spectator Lag
It is uncertain as to where this myth originated, but here we set the record straight. Spectators will not cause your game to lag, even if you have tons of spectators. The reason that spectators do not drag down the performance of that game is because of many reasons, but the most pertinent reason is that the spectator is not processing data like the players are, nor are they constantly sending data to the host. Only the commands are sent (like talking to other spectators or players). The actual simulation is being played out on the spectators own computer.
It is technically possible for a spectator to lag the game, though very improbable. The only way that it would be possible for a spectator to lag the game is if that spectator has a subpar computer which cannot keep up with the simulation of the game. If you realize that your computer cannot handle the game at the required performance, please be respectful of the players and exit the game, however, as stated, the likelyhood of this occurance is very minimal.
Hosting your own game
To host your own game there are a few things that need to be set up first. You will need to port forward your router (if you are behind one) port: 8452 - UDP to your local IP address via your router├óÔé¼Ôäós interface. Here is a wonderful resource on what port forwarding is and how to do it:
http://www.portforward.com.
Additionally you can use what is called ├óÔé¼┼ôHole Punching├óÔé¼┬Ø and ├óÔé¼┼ôNat Transversal├óÔé¼┬Ø (available as options on the Host Battle dialog). It is not necessary to know how these work, all that is necessary for you to know about them is that they are not guaranteed to always work. Essentially these are ways of ├óÔé¼┼ôTricking├óÔé¼┬Ø your router.
If you are not behind a router you do not need to worry about it.
Once the battle screen has opened you have many options. In the upper left corner you will see a minimap of the map you have selected and the name off to the right. To change the map simply click on the dropdown box to the right of the map name to see a list of the maps you currently have installed.
Further to the right you have several options concerning what sort of game type you want to play. These are ├óÔé¼┼ôStart Position├óÔé¼┬Ø and ├óÔé¼┼ôGame end condition├óÔé¼┬Ø. Simply mouse over them to get a description of what each option does. All the way on the right are resource settings. The metal and Energy bars are how much metal and energy you will start the game with. The units slider designates the total amount of allowed units per player in the game.
Below the resources section you have the ├óÔé¼┼ôMy Options├óÔé¼┬Ø settings. Here you can change your team color, the side that you wish to play as and you can choose whether or not you would like to spectate the game. Additionally you can change your player ID and what team you are assigned to.
To the left of the ├óÔé¼┼ôMy Options├óÔé¼┬Ø section you have a player list. As the host if you right click on a players name you have the option to change that players ID, the team they are assigned to, give them a bonus (discussed in a moment), kicking that player, banning that player, forcing them to spectate the game, or ringing the player (plays an audable ringing telephone on the users end to get their attention).
That the very bottom of the screen below the chatbox you have the options of ├óÔé¼┼ôAdmin├óÔé¼┬Ø Functions, adding AI Bots to the game, designating that you are ready to start the game, and whether or not to lock the game.
Don├óÔé¼Ôäót forget to check the tabs at the top of the battle window. Especially the one called ├óÔé¼┼ôMod Options├óÔé¼┬Ø. These are game specific options that can change the gameplay based upon the creators intentions. The options are different for each game so we won├óÔé¼Ôäót elaborate on them now.
When all players have the bright blue box next to their name indicating that they are ready, you may start the game!
Hosting - Player Bonus
The bonus system works on a percentage scale from 0 to 100 percent. If the bonus is set to 100% then the play that is assigned the bonus will receive 100% more resources in the game than the opposing players without bonuses. Likewise for any other percentage amount. Make sure you get approval from the other players before handing out player bonuses.
