Linking Amigas to play Serial-based games over the Internet?

[kd7ota]

Yooo,

I was wondering how good do games even perform over serial connections on an Amiga.  Since it is possible to link over WinUAE, I was wondering if we could use actual Amigas to link up with other Amigas over the internet.

I been using a Lantronix MSS-100 devince with a null modem adapter attached to it with my Commodore 64/Apple IIGS setup.  This prevents of needing an actual PC running to link up with.  You essentially dial out with a ATDT command, but instead of an actual phone number, just type in the address you want to go along with the port.  Believe these devices use port 2000 or port 3000 depending on the type of TCP connection needed..  With that being said, I wonder just how good playing games that would dial out to another computer to play would be using these adapters?

I wrote a guide some months back setting it up to use Qlink/Telnetting other BBS's online.

http://scatcat.fhsu.edu/~r_fernandez/lantronix/

Yea it is probably troublesome to even get things setup and ports opened up and configured over the router, but figured it would be neat to have my Amiga 1200 running some games and link up with another player for a few rounds.

Either way, any input is apprecaited. Thanks and take care.

[desiv]

Works..
Played Firepower over the Internet from Oregon to Georgia (I think Georgia?)..
Lantronix devices on both sides...

I did have an issue where using the CHAT window would crash the game, but actual gameplay seemed fine...

That was in MODEM mode.
Never tried direct (NULL) mode..

desiv
(I lost too..  But I think that just proves how accurate it was.  I would have lost over a real modem.. ;-)

[kd7ota]

Awsome! Thanks... Least I know someone else tried it.

I wonder if why it crashed on you was because of the actual software itself.  Don't think the Lantronix would conflict and ruin it.  I had an issue with QLink on the C64, you have to establish a "raw" connection vs the "normal" connection, but that would separate Qlink from working propertly, believe I had to use port 3000 or something along those lines to make a raw connection.

[desiv]

Yeah, it was weird, because I figured the game play would break rather than the chat window..  ;-)

But, as long as I didn't chat, it worked great.

Maybe I have a bad copy or something..  I didn't spend too much time on it, as I was getting beaten in the game play..  ;-)

Q-Link?
I thought I heard someone had put up some servers or something..

I loved Q-Link back in the day.
I actually bought 2 copies, 1 for me (on my SX-64) and one for my parents (on the C64) so we could e-mail to save long distance charges while I was in College.  Easier to say 'Please send money, in e-mail) ;-)

desiv

[kd7ota]

 Someone has the Qlink server running, but still useable. Course none of the file databases work and other features, but chat and a few games do work.  Not many are on but just was seeing if I could get it running.

Sometime I will have to try out the Lantronix linking with other games to see how they are.

[orange]

cool. I wish whdload had that option for classic ethernet card.
but, iirc, whdload doesn't work well with ipstack in background

[vince_6]

Back then I used to play via null, tpc and modem.
The most wierd thing I heard from a friend is that he played over FM with a modem attached!!! He has post it somewhere, I will ask him the link.

[som99]

I would love to do this, could someone recommend a few good games to play linked?

[desiv]

The 2 I think of initially are Firepower (which I tried) and Stunt Track (Car) Racer.  Although Stunt requires NULL I believe (not modem), but the Lantronix devices support that also.

There's also games like Populous that support Modem play.

I think there are some flight sims (Fighter Duel (Pro?)) that do as well...
I actually have 2 Lantronix devices and 2 Amigas, so I should be able to test some of them, at least with low latency local connections.

Just have to find the time..  ;-)

And yeah, you can't use the TCPIP stack and WHDLoad together, so you need some type of serial to ethernet device (I assume WHDLoad supports the serial port fine??).

Oh, the Lotus games (2 and 3??) support NULL I believe.
In fact, can't you do 4 player with lotus 3, split screen (2 users per Amiga)??

desiv

[som99]

The 2 I think of initially are Firepower (which I tried) and Stunt Track (Car) Racer.  Although Stunt requires NULL I believe (not modem), but the Lantronix devices support that also.

There's also games like Populous that support Modem play.

I think there are some flight sims (Fighter Duel (Pro?)) that do as well...
I actually have 2 Lantronix devices and 2 Amigas, so I should be able to test some of them, at least with low latency local connections.

Just have to find the time..  ;-)

And yeah, you can't use the TCPIP stack and WHDLoad together, so you need some type of serial to ethernet device (I assume WHDLoad supports the serial port fine??).

Oh, the Lotus games (2 and 3??) support NULL I believe.
In fact, can't you do 4 player with lotus 3, split screen (2 users per Amiga)??

desiv

Thank you for your tips, I can also play serial since I got multiple Amigas so RTS games like Dune might be a good option also, really got to sit down and search trough what games are supported linked and such

[lionstorm]

you have a decent list here : http://www.amiga-online-games.de/

[som99]

you have a decent list here : http://www.amiga-online-games.de/

Thank you so much!