KICK OFF 2 ONLINE VERSION
supporting
KICK OFF 2 COMPETITION v1.00 (released on October 19th, 2008)
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This program is supported by the Kick Off Association. You are cordially invited to visit its wesbite and join its community at:
http://www.ko-gathering.comPlease take the time to read the advice below, as it can considerably improve your online gaming experience.
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Contents:
0. UPDATE: PEER TO PEER CONNECTION MODE (kcs.exe)
1. Introduction to the online client
2. Useful Links
3. Finding other players, and online support
4. Tips to have a good online gaming experience
a) Computer configuration
b) Kaillera settings - Choice of server
c) General advice
5. European servers
6. Known bugs - problems
7. Uninstalling
8. Credits
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0. UPDATE: PEER TO PEER CONNECTION MODE (kcs.exe)
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Big thanks to the sensiblesoccer.de team who nicely offered to share the kcs program with us !!! You can also visit their website to see how good a retro gaming online community can be ! They are awesome.
The peer to peer connection system, newly implemented in this client, is the best known way to play online. It uses direct linking between the players computers, instead of using a server as a "footbridge". It has 2 big advantages:
- there's no need to find a public server to play, one player IP address is needed
- it means there's no third party in the connection process, meaning the response time and accuracy are slightly better in most cases, compared to server play.
Drawback: only two players can be connected at once in one session, whereas you can have many more players on a server game.
How to make it work:
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running it: make sure your kick off client is closed before launching it
launch the program called kcs.exe (bubble bobble icon)
click the switch so that it displays P2P/recorder (you can also switch back to the original client with this switch).
Run winuaexp.exe (kick off 2 icon)
Go to the kaillera tab and launch kaillera
Make sure "change mode: 1.P2P " is displayed in the top right corner
The host: has to give his IP address to the second player.
------------ go to the host tab, select the game name, then click host, and wait for the second player to connect.
The peer: go to the connect tab
type in the host IP address in the "host IP" field
click connect
if the connection doesn't work instantly, it means there's a connection problem (see below ).
VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT P2P
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The host MUST have port 27886 open if they use a router. Most routers can be configured that way:
open your web browser
type
http://192.168.1.1/ in the navigation bar.
In the NAT menu, add an entry that allows TCP and UDP port forwarding, from port 27886 to port 27886.
ALL PLAYERS will also have to allow the program WINUAEXP-PKO2K.exe to accept incoming and outgoing TCP and UDP connection from internet.
If the players don't manage to connect to each others, it means this configuration hasn't been made properly ( look for windows firewall that sometimes messes up ).
We are used to help people to solve these problems, as they're a bit technical, don't hesitate to ask for help on forums or in the KOA chat if you get stuck. We will also be glad to help you test your config to see if it works properly.
Moreover, ALL advice written in part 4. of this file still apply to p2p gaming.
1. Introduction to the online client
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This online client uses the most famous amiga emulator WinUAE with an add-on called Kaillera, that allows to connect multiple computers together in order to play amiga games online.
How does it work ? The player computers connect through a server and get synchronised, so that all players can play as if it was on a single computer. The remote computers somehow just make one virtual computer.
2. Useful Links
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The links below refer to useful information about this client and the game:
- KO competition version (the game)
http://www.ko-gathering.com/wiki/index. ... on_version- Kick Off 2 online tutorial, with screenshots (RECOMMENDED):
http://www.ko-gathering.com/phpbb2/view ... hp?t=13477- Anti3d online servers list:
http://www.anti3d.com/topservers/ (closed in 2008)
- WinUAE website:
http://www.winuae.net- Kaillera add-on to winuae:
http://kaillera.abime.net/wip.php3. Finding other players and online support
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The KOA players usually meet in an IRC chatroom to play. You can join this channel, just to chat, if you don't want to play, or to ask questions. The channel is called #kickoff and the server is Quakenet (irc.quakenet.org). To go there directly, just follow this link:
http://retrokick.de/irc/kickoff.php .
You can also check the forums on the KOA website:
http://www.ko-gathering.com A subforum is dedicated to online kickoff.
4. Tips to have a good online gaming experience
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These tips will allow you to play perfect games with no lag (as long as your connection and computer can handle it ).
a) Computer configuration
b) Kaillera settings - Choice of server
c) General advice
a) Computer configuration
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As your computer is linked to other computers while playing, any lag coming from it may affect the game for all players. Therefore, it is important that you have the best possible configuration:
- The most IMPORTANT thing is to have your monitor colour quality set to 16 bits. To do this, go to your Control panel ---> Display ----> Settings . Change the colour quality to: 16 bits. Apply.
Even if 32 bits sometimes seems to work, it usually has a very poor effect on the game, making it run very slowly.
- You are also advised to close as many applications as possible (web browsers, messengers, peer to peer programs, mail programs...). Any program that uses your internet connection is likely to affect the speed of the game and to cause bumpy scrollings and slow downs. (firewalls and antivirus should not affect it though).
b) Kaillera settings - Server Choice
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When clicking "launch kaillera" after running this client, a server list will pop up. The first thing to do, in this window, is to set your connection type to LAN (60 keyframes/s), even if your connection is slower.
Sadly, the server list doesn't seem to update anymore, as the former kaillera programmer decided to move away from his project and stopped hosting a server list. If it does work, though... You can choose a server among the ones listed there. You might find a few good ones. The best thing to do, though, is to use a good working server that you are used to, according to your experience or other players advice. There is a list of good working servers in next section, and you can type their IP address manually, using the Enter IP... button of the kaillera client.
What server to choose ?
It mostly depends on its location. The closer it is from the player countries, the better it will be. In Europe, German, French and Greek servers seem to be the best. Just take the time to test them with your opponent, so that you know what server is the best for every pair of players.
When you are connected to the server, check your ping. Ping = time taken by data to go from your computer to the server and back. It is the response time from the server to your commands. The lower your ping is, the better it is for you
A high ping (over 85-100ms) will make kick off quite difficult to play, as this game needs reflexes and fast coordination. Pings below 85-100ms should be fine.
It is wiser to play a game with two players who have a smiliar ping, rather than a very low one and a high one.
c) General advice
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Miscellaneous tips. Some can be useful to prevent desynchronisation. If your games get desynch, you'll need to close the client and relaunch everything.
- Do not run programs on your computer while you're connected to kaillera.
- IMPORTANT: After a desynch, ALWAYS close the whole client, even if it sends you back to the server chatroom, and ALWAYS check your process status in your task manager, to terminate the program process manually. ( press CTRL + ALT + DEL , then go to the process TAB, click the process called WINUAEXP-RKO2K.exe and click Close this process). There can be more than one of these processes, all with the same name... close them all.
It is somehow a bug from this program... it doesn't close properly most of the time, especially after a desynch.
- When changing options in winuae (using the F12 key), always use the button Apply when the change is done (when switching controllers for instance). Then click on the game window to go back to the game.
- You can chat with other players, while you're in game, using the F11 key.
- Even if kick off is for 2 players, there can be more than 2 players connected to the same game sessions when they take place on a server, allowing you to play tournaments or changing opponents quickly, for instance.
5. European servers
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Here is a list of known good working servers (on July, 3rd, 2007). Even if they seem to be distant from your location, they are worth a try, as they are excellent servers.
(just paste these addresses in the box opened by the Enter IP... button)
- Central Europe:
arena.swos.info:22222 (
http://www.sensiblesoccer.de servers)
bude.swos.info:27888
Sadly, most servers seem to be closed, but you can find some new ones on internet ! Good luck.
6. Known bugs - problems
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- when using custom commands (using the winuae input menu), it is important to diasble the mouse of a custom configuration manually (everything set to <none>). Otherwise, the mouse will affect your opponent controller. This problem only appears with custom configurations, not with the default one.
- a very common glitch in server and p2p: it won't close properly, meaning you'll have to kill the winuaexp process ( hold CTRL ALT and DEL , go to process tab, find winuaexp , and kill it ! ).
7. Uninstalling
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To uninstall this program, just delete its folder manually
8. Credits
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Big thanks to Steve Camber for constantly updating Kick Off Competition Version and his amazing work for the KOA, and to all kick off players who passionately keep this game and the fun alive
Greetings to our sensible soccer friends, especially Redhair, who gave us a very big help to improve this client and tirelessly explained us how P2P works until we understood (it took ages) !
http://www.sensiblesoccer.de (channel #sensible on IRC Quakenet).
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