Empire XP

To start a new game over a network, click "LAN game, create and host a game" and then wait for other players to join the game.

The host determines the map (World/Europe/...), the number of players and other variables for each network game.

The following message appears on the status bar: Waiting for others to join... Hostname:

Connected players are listed with their names on the place where normally the computer player names should appear (World : South Atlantic)

The following message appears on the status bar: Waiting for others to join... Choose Launch to begin with current players.

After everyone has joined, the host presses Launch to begin.

Joining a Game

To connect to a game that is waiting to begin over a network, click "LAN game, join a game" .

In order to join, all you need to know is the host's Hostname or IP address or
press Enter at the IP address input dialogue for an automated search.

If the host has a game set up and waiting, you'll be able to select it and join the game.

Once connected, you are placed in a wait state until the host of the game chooses to start the game.

The following message appears on the status bar: Waiting for host to start game...

or, if something went wrong:

ERROR - Can't find the host's game. Be sure to start the server first.

To retry, press New game.

You will be able to see the game options that the host selects.

Connected players (including the host) are listed with their names on the place where normally the computer player names should appear (World : South Atlantic, WorldII : Indian ocean).

The automated search can be slow and is limited to 10 computers.

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Internet (Online) Game

Much of the above applies here too.

Players from all over the world can select your game by connecting to your public IP

If you are behind a router, you may want to configure your router to forward port
5466 requests to your computer (check your router's manual and website).

Configure Windows Firewall for Empire XP.

Go to Settings -> Privacy & Security -> Windows Security -> Firewall & network protection -> Allow an app through firewall

and tick the boxes in Private and Public.

Port Forwarding.
Open your web browser and type in the IP address of the router (192.168.0.1 by default).
Enter the username (admin) and password (blank by default), and then click OK or Log In.
Go to Forwarding and enter the port 5466

Target IP Adress is your internal ip, you can find it wit ipconfig in a command box or in Empire XP

(Settings -> Hosting Internet Games..)

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Testing your Game Server

The game provides an easy way of testing your game server before running everything via the internet:

Start Empire XP, choose Multiplayer Game, Internet (Online) Game, Create and host a Game, World, name, Your friends know your IP address, Go to listen mode.

Start a second copy of Empire XP on the same pc, choose Multiplayer Game, Internet (Online) Game, Join a Game, name, Type in the host's IP address (enter your public/external IP).

If it responds with "Choose Launch to begin with current players" and "Waiting for host to start game" you are doing well.
If it responds with an "Can't find the host's game" error then you'll have to dig deeper, go to the Settings -> Hosting Internet Games.. dialog again and try other settings.

Some other hints:
Try this again with the firewall(s) disabled (Windows Firewall and other firewall running)
After you've configured portforwarding, you need to restart windows because it still uses the blocked connection

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Saving Lan / Internet games

Only the host can save a game, prefix INT_ for internet games, LAN_ for lan games

Start a saved multiplayer game:

	The host loads the saved game, the joining players go to new game, multiplayer (lan or internet, depending on what it was) , join, and enter the IP / Hostname.
	The human player names should be the same as those used in the original game, this is necessary for the program to find your armies and territories again.
	Human players can take over from computer players.
	If one of the players is not available to continue the game, this player will be replaced by a computer player (after the host chooses Launch to start the game). If this is not what you want, then see the localhost player option below. (In this way, of course, the host has 2 players at his disposal.)
	Host player, during connect phase: the human player names will be displayed as xx.. (the first 2 letters of the original human player name followed by ..). In this way, it is visible that the human player connects to the game. This xx.. can be overwritten by other human player names / the order is not the same as in the original game; Launch (start game) rearranges the names.
	After everyone has joined, the host presses F2 to begin.
	Player's colors are not necessarily the same.

Localhost player:

The host player launches a second copy of Empire XP (new game, multiplayer, join) and enters the missing player's name, type localhost as the hostname/IP.

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