Servers and Clients
The Players Box
Network File Menu
Network Disasters Menu
Help Menu
Simulation Speed Menu
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The glory of SimCity 2000 Network Edition (2KNet) is that it is a multiplayer
game--but no glory comes without complication. Because it is a multiplayer
game, the already thorny issues of simulating all of the intricate interweavings
of an onscreen city is made all the more prickly by simulating (and transmitting)
a city in which up to four player manage it simultaneously. Thank your curly
cables it's in the hands of professionals!
The fundamental basis of this multiplayer edition of SimCity is the client/server
architecture of today's data communication networks: there is a host machine,
the server, that manages the data and other machines, the clients, that
share it. That's a one-sentence workaround for describing something that
could fill an encyclopedia, but you're not here to study, eh? Here's the
part of that world of information that's pertinent to you:
Any computer can be the server, or host machine, but it's best if that machine
is the most powerful one. The player whose machine is the server does have
a few more options available (and even a wicked possibility or two), but
once the game is begun, there is little distinction between gameplay methods
of server or client. Of course, since 2KNet is a standalone version of SimCity
2000, you can even play it alone, though you do lose out on its multiplayer
marvels if you choose to do so. Please refer to the Quick-Start Guide that
came in the CD jewelcase for the particulars of your networking setup to
get the game running. The Latency page will also
give you a few tidbits about the fun and foibles of data transmission.
For those machines acting as the server, there is an additional command
window that appears at game startup, the Network Server window. This is
command central for observing and manipulating some behind-the-scenes business
in 2KNet.
In the Server Window
The server window provides a lot of info about what's happening in the game,
and even encourages you to be a bit nosy about who you're playing with.
The City Information box displays your city name, current game date, city
population, and city status. Remember that when your population increases,
so will your status, and so will the number and interest of the Rewards
available in the gameplay window.
On the right of that information block is the Demand Indicators gauge, that
tells you which zones need attention in your city. Remember that this information
is citywide, and provides the same readout as the RCI display in the client
window.
Players Box
You can click on individual player icons in the Players box to bring up
statistical information about their districts, and to tamper with their
souls.
Other Server Info
To the right of the Players box you can read in the Transmitting box which
player's data is currently being shuffled about the network. This readout
works hand-in-hand with the message box at the bottom of the Network Server
window, where you'll get messages like "Updating Players," telling
you that fresh data packets are being sent to all of the existing commissioners
in the game.
When you are playing an Internet game, the Server ID box will contain the
IP address of your machine, which is a handy thing to know, since no new
players can sign on to your hosted game without knowing your IP address.
See your Quick-Start guide for more on that subject.
Network Server Menus
All players within the game have the commands that are detailed on the Menus
page. Here we will look at those germane to the server machine alone.
Network File Menu
Some of the commands available in the client File menu are duplicated here,
with some variations.
Start New Game
The server machine's player can begin a new game (as its host) with this
command. This command would bring up the standard startup dialogs and choices.
(This command is unavailable after a game has begun.)
Load Saved Game
The server player can load an existing saved game from that machine's drive,
which could be then joined by other players, and even reviewed solo for
new strategic approaches.
Join Existing Game
This will launch the 2KClient on your local machine, in case you begin by
first launching the server.
Save
Saves the current game's changes to disk.
Save As
Brings up a dialog box to save the current game under a different name or
to a different directory.
Shut Down and Exit
Brings up a dialog warning that using this command will abort the game for
all players. Choosing Yes will exit the game and will bring up a dialog
on the client machines saying that the network connection has been broken.
Network Disasters Menu
The parallel command in the client menus can enable particular disasters,
but is overridden by this one.
Disable
Prevents disasters from occuring throughout the game, no matter what the
client machines desire in the way of disasters.
Help Menu
The 2KNet online help (part of which you are now reading) is available through
the Help menu in the client window. There is a Help page
detailing its use.
About SimCity 2000 Network
Brings up some licensing and version information about the game.
Simulation Speed Menu
Although these are actually on a drop-down menu within the window, and not
on the Network Server's Main menu, I'm including it here, because that's
the mood I'm in. These speed settings are only available for the host machine
to set the game speed for all players in the Network Server window--your
clients are at your mercy. The currently set speed will be displayed in
the window. Actual speeds will vary, depending on your computer, its microprocessor
and clock speed, and the type of connection you've made to play a networked
game--for example, in modem-to-modem games, the slowest modem in a player
group can slow down the transmission and reception of everyone's game data.
Pause
Stops time in the simulation.
Turtle
Sets the simulation to run slower than molasses on a cold day.
Llama
Sets the simulation to run at a medium speed.
Cheetah
Sets the simulation to run as fast as your computer will go.
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(C)1996, Maxis, Inc.
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