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Descent 2: Multi-player setup guide
Written by Adam Reece - 24th January 2008.
This guide will teach you how to install DosBox, Descent 1 or 2, and successfully play a multi-player game with IPX over UDP. I will be mainly focusing on Descent 2 as it's much better.
If you're after the map pack, click here (last updated Monday, 28th January 2008 at 5:12 PM).
If you are unable to read text for more than 5 minutes, go away. This guide will not be for you, you impatient sod.
To play we are going to use the MS-DOS versions in a program called DosBox.
You'll be glad to know that this will work entirely on x64 editions of Windows.
Contents
- DosBox installation and configuration
- CD mounting
- Installation
- Multi-player maps
- Running it
- Controls and options
- Starting a game
- Joining a game
- Seem sluggish?
DosBox installation and configuration
DosBox is a free x86 emulator that runs in a variety of operating systems, although I am teaching you how to use it in Windows. You can use Linux or Mac OS if you like.
First of all, download DosBox from here and install it as normal.
Once it's installed, navigate to your DosBox folder. Usually it will be at C:\Program Files\DosBox
Make 2 folders in here. One called HDD, another called CD. The HDD folder will contain the hard disk contents, and the CD folder will contain images of CD's you want to mount later on.
Download these configuration files and extract them to your DosBox folder. Say yes to overwriting.
Go back to the topCD mounting
If you intend to play Descent 2, the game requires the CD in place to run. You have a number of options to get it working.
Both games will require a CD when you install them for the first time. If you know how to create an image of a CD and mount it, go ahead and do that. Remember to use an image format that can hold multiple tracks (for CD music). ISO images can't do that.
If you intend on using a physical CD directly, simply put it in your computer as normal.
If you don't want to have to get the CD out each time you want to play Descent 2, create an image of it with Nero or ISO buster (or whatever). Make sure you don't use ISO image format, because you will lose the CD audio if you do. Use a utility like DaemonTools (x86 and x64 versions available) to mount the disk image to a logical drive.
Once you have your physical CD or disk image mounted, start up DosBox. It should look like this. If it doesn't, you need to go back to step 1.
A reminder that we will not be using the Windows 95 version of Descent 2, so close the autorun program.
Always remember that you can use ALT+ENTER in DosBox to switch between windowed and full screen mode. Using the Windows key will more often than not cause DosBox to crash.
Depending on the drive letter your disk is in, type CDx to tell DosBox to use the CD. Replace x with the logical drive letter that the disc is in according to Windows.
Now you're ready to install the game.
Installtion
If the CD has mounted correctly, navigate to the drive by typing x: - replace x for the CD drive letter. Then type install. The installation process will start.
Keep following the install process. Install it to C:\Games\Descent for Descent 1, or C:\Games\Descent2 for Descent 2 and Vertigo. Select Crazy for space consumption during the Descent 2 installation. Say NO to installing the S3 virge version of Descent 2.
Once the game is installed, you will be taken to the setup program where you select sound configurations.
Copy these settings for sound and music (on the right of the screen):
Once that's done, save and close the setup program. Please ensure you install Descent 2 Vertigo for a larger range of multi-player maps.
Now let's get some custom maps installed for more choice.
Multi-player maps
Navigate to your DosBox folder, then HDD, then Games, then Descent2, then MISSIONS.
Download this map pack (last updated Monday, 28th January 2008 at 5:12 PM) and extract it in the MISSIONS folder.
After that, you're ready to run the game.
Running it
To run the game, type:
- C:, then CD\Games\Descent, then cycles=80000, then DescentR for Descent 1.
- C:, then CD\Games\Descent2, then cycles=160000, then Descent2 for Descent 2 / Vertigo.
The cycles part is important to help the game run smoothly.
I will be focusing on Descent 2 / Vertigo from now on. Adapt what I'm saying for Descent 1 if you want to play Descent 1.
In Descent 2 / Vertigo you will be shown the intro movie. It's quite good (for 1996), but if you don't want to watch it hit ESC. You should watch it if you intend to play the single player mission.
The first time you run the game you will be asked to create a pilot. Do that, then select mouse for controls. If it's not the first time simply select your pilot from the list.
Now we need to set the game options. You only need to do this once until you re-install the game. Some of these options will not be available in Descent 1.
Controls and options
From the main menu select Options, then Controls, then Customize keyboard. I have my controls set like an FPS game. I recommend you copy and tweak my controls as shown below.
Press ESC when you're done with that, then select Customize mouse. Again, copy my settings here to give an FPS feel.
Press ESC when you're done with that, put the Sensitivity to max (trust me), then press ESC to go back to the options.
Now select Screen resolution. Select 640x480 within w/ cockpit (use spacebar to select it). If you don't like the cockpit in game, you can always press F3 to turn it off. I find that 800x600 or higher runs slow in DosBox.
Press ESC, now select Primary autoselect ordering and copy my screenshot here. You are free to adjust these if you like some weapons more than others.
Press ESC, now select Secondary autoselect ordering and copy the below. Again, you are free to adjust these if you like some weapons more than others.
Press ESC, now select Toggles and copy the below. Feel free to change these if you like, but using full screen guided missiles and headlight on when picked up isn't useful in multi-player games.
Now press ESC to go back to the main menu. Your game is setup. You can always access all these options during a game by pressing F2.
I recommend you play some single player first to test out and get used to the controls.
Starting a game
First, exit the game if you're in it. We need to start up IPX networking over UDP/IP.
Type ipxnet startserver port, then CD\Games\Descent2, then cycles=160000, then Descent2.
Ensure the port you choose is reachable, especially across your NAT router if you have one. You may require forwarding it.
Select your pilot, then Multiplayer, then Start an IPX network game.
Select the mission pack you intend to play. You select an individual level number later.
Now you configure your multi-player game. It's all straight forward, but here are descriptions of the game types.
- Anarchy: Deathmatch, free for all.
- Team anarchy: Deathmatch, teams (blue vs red).
- Robo anarchy: Deathmatch, humans vs robots (I think, not played it).
- Co-operative: Play a mission in co-operation.
- Capture the flag: Team CTF (blue vs red), flag spawns at random places once captured.
- Hoard: Collect as many things (blue balls or something?) as you can. Requires Vertigo expansion.
- Team hoard: Same as hoard but with teams (blue vs red). Requires Vertigo expansion.
The 3 game modes are as follows. Some game types are limited to specific modes.
- Open game: Anyone can join and leave the game as they please.
- Closed game: Only players originally accepted by the host can join and leave as they please. Anyone else will not be allowed in.
- Restricted game: Anyone can join and leave the game as they please, providing the host accepts their connection attempt by typing a displayed keystroke. This does not apply to players originally accepted by the host.
Select more options to set some other configuration stuff.
I recommend you enable indestructable lights and show enemy names on hud. Also set packets to 20 as we're mostly broadband or better connections these says. Keep network socket as 0. The rest is up to you, but be careful as some settings will dramatically alter gameplay.
Once your game is setup, press enter. Instruct all other players to join, select the players, then teams (if it applies), then you're away! Enjoy the game.
Joining a game
First, exit the game if you're in it. We need to start up IPX networking over UDP/IP.
Type ipxnet connect [host/ip:port], then CD\Games\Descent2, then cycles=160000, then Descent2.
Select your pilot, then Multiplayer, then Join an IPX network game.
Ask the host which channel is being used, then use page up/down to select it. Once the game appears, select it then you're away! Enjoy the game.
Seem sluggish?
Remember that DosBox is an x86 emulator. You determine how fast the virtual processor works with the cycles option.
My processor is an AMD Athlon 64 x2 4800+ (2.4 GHz), and I get great performance in Descent 2 by setting 120,000 to 160,000 cycles. However, it maxes out one of my processors.
If your CPU is greatly older (or only has 1 core), you may find the game lagging a lot at 160,000 cycles. Try 80,000 cycles to begin with, then increase by 10,000 each time until you find the smoothest speed.
You could also try chaging line 23 of dosbox.conf from output=surface to output=overlay or output=opengl. Open dosbox.conf in Notepad.
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