Hosting Modem and Email Games

Other Game Set Up Topics

This is more complicated to explain than it is to do.

Stars is turn-based, not interactive. This means modems can be used to transfer turn files once they are generated. You can do this through a BBS, email, upload/download from an FTP site, or using any other method you wish to transfer files from the host to player systems. There aren't any special transfer protocols for modem users--you're just uploading or downloading files.

Tip: Notice the Accelerated BBS Play option in the Advanced Game setup. You may wish to check this option during setup to jump-start the game.

Before you begin setup, have your players design their races and give you the race files for loading into the game. Alternately, you can customize a for any player who wishes it.

To set up a modem or email-based game:

1. Click on New Game on the opening screen or on File (New) from the Stars! main menu. The New Game dialog appears.

2. Click on Advanced Options, then specify options such as the universe size, difficulty level, relative starting positions, accelerated play for BBS games, the number and type of players (real or AI), and the victory conditions. Create player positions for latecomers if you think it's necessary.

The order of players listed in step 2 of the New Game dialog becomes part of the turn filename for each player. The turn file for Player 1 will be gamename.m1, for Player 2 it will be gamename.m2, and so on.

3. You'll be prompted for a game name. Enter any name up to eight characters long (don't worry about typing an extension). Stars! creates a set of files containing data for that game and each player in the game. You can save the game wherever you wish. By default, Stars! will save the game files in the Stars! install directory.

4. The Stars! Host dialog appears. Click on Close to stop the game until all players have submitted their turns. If you'd like to leave Stars! running, click on Auto Generate.

5. Before the first turn each player needs to download the universe file, gamename.xy, and their player file, gamename.mN (where N is the player number), for the newly created game. Alternately, you can upload or email gamename.xy and gamename.mN to each player. These files will be located in the same directory in which you saved the game.

6. Help the players understand what they need to do using the instructions in What Each Player Needs to Do. If you're playing as well as hosting, you'll probably find it easier to start a second instance of Stars!, playing from one and using the other to handle host duties.

After each player has sent you their turn (in the form of the log file, gamename.xN) do the following:

1. Place each player's submitted log file in the directory where you set up the game.

2. Start Stars! (if it's not already running), click on Open Game, and open the host file, gamename.hst.

3. If the Stars! host is set to auto-generate mode, it will automatically generate the new turn as soon as you move the player log files into the game directory. If you're generating turns manually, then select Generate Now from the Host dialog. Stars! will continue to follow any existing orders for players who didn't submit their turns on time. All messages and data for the missed turns, such as planets discovered or battles fought, will be present when they load the new turn.

4. Once the turn is generated, notify the players that the new turn is available. You can email or upload each newly updated gamename.mN file or allow each player to download it themselves.

Using a Timer App?

If you use a timer application to launch Stars! on the host system, take a look at the variety of command line options that will do such things as start Windows and Stars!, generate the new turn and exit both programs.

Learn about:

What Each Player Needs to Do

Setting and Viewing Winning Conditions

Playing with a Custom Race

Saving Your Game

Exiting Stars!

Replaying a Previous Turn

Files Used in Stars!