As great as Avara is as a single-player game, it can be even better when played over a network. Avara allows up to six players in a single game, but keep in mind that the type and quality of network connection you use will affect the game play.
Avara can be played over an AppleTalk network, or over the Internet. The following sections describe the basics of playing a network game. For specific information on playing Avara over an AppleTalk network, see Chapter 10, AppleTalk Avara. For instructions on playing Avara over the Internet, and some basic steps you can take to optimize performance, see Chapter 11, Internet Avara. Further details about optimization can be found in Chapter 14, Optimization and Troubleshooting.
Playing a Network Game
Up to six players can participate in a networked game. Avara allows the players to battle for a common goal, to set up competing teams, or to play every HECTOR for itself!
Avara can be played over an AppleTalk network, or over the Internet. A network game of Avara begins by having one person start up Avara and create a “server.” Once a server is running, up to five other players can connect to the server as “clients.”
Avara creates a true network among the connected machines. That is to say, each Macintosh communicates directly to every other Mac in the network.
Because of the way a network game of Avara is set up, being the “Server” machine gives no real network advantage. All the Macs communicate on an equal basis. The person playing on the server does have control over some of the options that can be set in a network game, and is responsible for keeping the Avara network up. If the person running the server quits Avara, the network is shut down.
When Network Avara is running, it is “frame synched.” This means that Avara forces every machine on the network to animate the action at the same frame rate. The game can only run as fast as the slowest Macintosh in the Network, so making sure that everyone in the game is set up properly is important. For tips on optimizing performance, see the information in this chapter and Chapter 14, Optimization and Troubleshooting.
You can only play Avara other people who have the same version that you do. If in the future an updated version of Avara is released, you will have to get the new version to be able to play with others who have the new version. For information on keeping up with the latest news from Ambrosia, see the section on the Announcement List in Chapter 16, Registration, Contact Information, and Credits.
Loading a Mission in a Network Game
Missions load the same way in a network game of Avara as they do in a solo game. To load a mission, just click on it in the Player window. To display a new set of missions, select Open... from the File menu and then select any available level file from a folder or drive on your Macintosh. If the “Server Options” are set to allow it, any player in the game can load a mission.
It is important to note that in order for a mission to load, each player in the game must have that mission file on their Macintosh. Avara does not send missions across the network.
The Roster Window Revisited
The Roster window is where you organize players into teams for a network game. Each Player Field on the “All” tab can be dragged to rearrange the order of the players on the tab.
To create teams, simply set the colors of the individual players. All players of the same color are on the same “Team.” Avara will keep track of both individual and team scores on the “Results” tab of the Roster window. Once the mission is started, the teams can not be rearranged for the duration of that mission.
The status of each player is displayed on the “All” tab, and on the individual “Player” tabs.
Chatting
Before or Between Missions
Players in a network Avara game can communicate with the other players in the game by typing. When a mission is not running, all you need to do is type what you want to say. The text you type will scroll across the various tabs of the Roster window, and along the Instruments window. The “Chat” tab of the Roster window organizes the text from all the players in an “IRC” fashion. In all the other places that text is displayed, it simply streams across the field as it is typed. Hitting the “Return” key as you type will send your current block of text to the “Chat” tab, but in all the other fields an actual Return character is displayed.
You can send an audible “beep” while chatting by typing a (Control-G) character. To set the sound you will hear when a (Control-G) character is sent, select Bell (Control-G) from the Sound menu and choose one of the system sounds displayed in the pop-up menu. If you do not wish to hear (Control-G) sounds, select No Sound from the Sound menu.
Chatting While a Mission is Running
When a mission is running, you use the keyboard to control the HECTOR. To chat while on a mission, use the “Message Mode” key. When you hit the “Message Mode” key, Avara begins sending the keystrokes you type as chat text. Hitting the “Message Mode” key one more time will turn off message mode and allow you to control your HECTOR again.
Uh Oh, I Lost
Even the greatest players sometimes lose. If you are playing in a network game, and you lose your last HECTOR, you can use the “Abort” key to quit out of the mission while still remaining connected to the server. Just hold down your “Abort” key until your status in the Roster window changes from “active” to “connected”. If you are the Server, using “Abort” will allow you to do other things while the clients on your server finish up their game. So if you don’t win in a network game, don’t quit. Abort out of the mission and plot your revenge while you wait for the others to finish!
Setting Your Server Options
 
In a network, the player who first started Avara is the server. This player can set the “Server Options” for the game. None of these options in any way affects the actual network; they simply allow (or disallow) clients to make changes in the configuration of the game. To bring up the “Server Options” dialog box, select Server Options... from the Network Menu.
Load Missions
Selecting this option allows clients to load new missions. When this option is not selected, only the server can load new missions.
Start/Resume Play
Selecting this option allows clients to pause the game, and to restart it after a pause. If this option is not selected, only the server can pause Avara.
Change Latency Tolerance
Selecting this option allows clients to select a new Latency Tolerance for Avara. When this option is not selected, only the server can change the Latency Tolerance. For more information on Latency Tolerance, see the section on Latency Tolerance in Chapter 11, Internet Avara.
Change Positions
Selecting this option allows clients to change the positions of the players on the “All” tab in the Roster window. When this option is not selected, only the server can change the order of players in the Roster window
Team Color Changes
This option determines who can change the colors of HECTORs in the game. If Team Colors are Server Controlled, only the server can set the colors (and therefore the teams) of the individual players. Setting this option to Each His/Her Own allows players to individually select their color or team. Setting this option to Free allows any player to set the color and team of any other player in the game.
Avara Etiquette
Network Avara is more than just a game, it is a community. Avara comes with chatting ability built right in, so when you first join a game, say “Hi.” If the other players are waiting, chat with them. They may even talk a little friendly trash as a pre-game warm up. If the players already connected are on a mission, they won’t want to chat with you right away. They’re not being rude, they’re just busy. Avoid selecting their player tabs, as the game may slow down while you download their player pictures. When the mission is over, they will return your greeting.
Once you’re in, it’s best to leave the loading of missions to the person who started the server. Also, the player on the server may wish to make up the teams his or herself. The players may discuss network settings, and this is a good time to get advice on what settings to use in the game.
While you are playing, try to give the other players a little warning if you have to pause the game for some reason. It’s frustrating to have the game pause frequently in a heated battle! More importantly, you should ask to make sure that everyone is ready before you resume the game. It gives the other players a chance to finish what they were typing, and to get their fingers back onto the right keys.
If you start your own server, be sure to add an invitation message so that others who see your game on the Tracker will know what sort of game will be played. You may want to consider freeing up some of the “Server Options.” It is polite to allow other players to pick their own colors, and to pause or resume the game.
If you have to go away for a short time, but want to leave the server up, you can let other players know by adding (away) to your name in the Player window. Just change it back when you return.
Last but not least, always remember there are real people with real feelings on the other end of your network.
