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Old 07-16-20, 10:36 AM   #1
emanuelepulcidoria
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Join Date: Nov 2018
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Default 688 Attack Sub multiplayer mode manual

This guide is to allow people to play 688 Attack Sub in multiplayer mode (i.e. against another player through the web). It is specific for Windows. For Linux and MacOS the steps are similar but personally I do not have experience on those systems.

One of the players must act as a server and the other player must act as a client.

To play any game in multiplayer mode with DOSbox or on one of its forks you must:
- Allow DOSbox or its fork through Windows firewall; this is enough if you are playing against someone under your local network (i.e. someone that is connected to the same router) or someone on the web and your machine is acting as a client and the other machine is acting as a server;
- Open/forward a port on your router if you are playing against someone on the web and your machine is acting as a server;

Following there are the instruction to create this connection both on dosbox-staging and on DOSBox-x: dosbox-staging setup is slightly simpler but it is less stable than DOSBox-x. On the flip side this connection is still not supported on MacOS systems for DOSBox-x but DOSBox-x supports even Windows XP 32bit. If a system is supported connections are possible between 2 different main operating systems.

Dosbox-staging instructions

- Download dosbox-staging at the following link:
https://dosbox-staging.github.io/downloads/windows/
- Allow this software in the Windows Firewall list.
After unzipping and run it for the first time it creates a config file in the following folder:
C:\Users\YourName\AppData\Local\DOSBox
called dosbox-staging.conf
- Download the game from this link (599kB version):
https://www.old-games.com/download/4129/688-attack-sub
or if you want it for free from the bottom of my thread on Vogons:
https://www.vogons.org/viewtopic.php?f=45&t=72881
This version of the game works for sure, there are several versions of the game on the internet but so far this is the only one I found it works.
- Close dosbox-staging
- Create a .txt file called phonebook-0.75.0.txt that should look like the one attached and save it in the same directory where the config file is. It has a fake phone number in it and a real IP address with the open port of the server you want to connect to. If you want to do a test with yourself just use your IP address and the port you want to use.

Now to emulate a modem you have to modify the config file, it is a file read by the software every time you launch it.

If you are acting as server go to the SERIAL part of the config file and next to serial1 type modem listenport:xxxxx (xxx..are numbers), save the file and launch Dosbox-staging. You should see on the status window that the modem is listening to that port and that the phonebook file has been read correctly (the server does not really need the phonebook).

If you are acting as a client just modify the same config file typing next to serial1: modem listenport:yyyyy (yyy…are numbers) where yyyyy should be just a generic port, save the file and launch Dosbox-staging. You should see on the status window that the modem is listening to that port and that the phonebook file has been read correctly.

- On both server and client now launch the game, choose both the same mission making sure server and client chose opposite sides: the server chooses the blue dot and the client chooses the red dot or vice versa. On both server and client choose connection to COM1
- On the client side type the fake number in your phonebook-0.75.0.txt and leave blank the unused cells at the end on the right-hand side.

- On the server push the AUTO-ANSWER, this activates the open port and put it in a mode where it will answer automatically as soon as the ring comes in from the client. In the status window you should see MODEM RESPONSE: OK

- On the client push ORIGINATE: this dials the fake phone number and tries to connect to the IP address specified in the phonebook-0.75.0.txt. You should see this in the Status window.

- On the server now you should see a RING in the status window, (the phone is ringing) and the server is picking up immediately thanks to the AUTO-ANSWER) the connection should be created with a baud rate of 57600 bits/sec with the message CONNECT:57600 on both server and client.

At this point on both server and client you will see a message in the game saying something like: TRYING TO CREATE A CONNECTION WITH OTHER PLAYER followed by LOADING OTHER PLAYER'S GAME followed by the screen picture of the game itself on both client and server.

- Without delaying (otherwise the connection will time out) both server and client go to the radio room, type the code requested to play the game and enjoy your match!
It can happen that the connection does not work at first attempt, if this is the case:
- Both server and client need to cancel the attempt of connection, exit to DOS and close dosbox-staging;
- The client must change the port his/her modem is listening to, to a different random one inside the configuration file;
- Both server and client can repeat the process until they are able to actually start the match;

Dosbox-x instructions

- Download DOSbox-X at the following link:
https://github.com/joncampbell123/dosbox-x/releases
(the version I personally tested is DOSBox-X 0.83.2 2020-05-31 16:45)
- In particular for Windows 64bit download the following zip file:
dosbox-x-windows-20200531-220809-windows.zip
- Inside the zip file unzip only the folder bin\x64\Release wherever you want on your machine
Allow this software in the Windows Firewall list.
- Download the game from this link (599kB version):
https://www.old-games.com/download/4129/688-attack-sub
or if you want it for free from the bottom of my thread on Vogons:
https://www.vogons.org/viewtopic.php?f=45&t=72881
This version of the game works for sure, there are several versions of the game on the internet but so far this is the only one I found it works.

If you are acting as server:
- Run DOSBox-x;
- Go to the drop-down menu on the top left corner and choose Main->Configuration GUI->Serial;
- Next to serial 1 type: modem listenport:xxxxx (xxx..are numbers), and click OK;
- Still inside DOSBox-x configuration window from the top left drop down menu click on Configuration->Save, choose the file name of the config file and press OK;
- You should now see that config file created in the same folder where you installed DOSBox-x with your input in it;
If you are acting as a client:
- Run DOSBox-x;
- Go to the drop-down menu on the top left corner and choose Main->Configuration GUI->Serial;
- Next to serial 1 type: modem listenport:yyyyy (yyy…are numbers) where yyyyy should be just a generic port;
- Next to phonebook just modify one of the characters of the already typed phonebook-0.83.2.txt and click OK
- Still inside DOSBox-x configuration window from the top left drop down menu click on Configuration->Save, choose the file name of the config file and press OK;
- You should now see that config file created in the same folder where you installed DOSBox-x with your input in it;
- Open the config file and just for tidiness next to phonebookfile type phonebook-0.83.2.txt;
- Create inside the same folder where you installed DOSBox-x the file phonebook-0.83.2.txt as the one attached: It has a fake phone number in it and a real IP address with the open port of the server you want to connect to. If you want to do a test with yourself just use your IP address and the port you want to use.

- On both server and client now launch DOSBox-x from command window typing dosbox-x.exe -console (this allow you to see the Status Window that in DOSBox-x is called Console);
- Check in the console that your modem is listening to the right port and that the phonebook has been read correctly on the server side;
- On both server and client now launch the function LOADFIX necessary to run 688 Attack Sub;
- On both server and client now launch the game, choose both the same mission making sure server and client chose opposite sides: the server chooses the blue dot and the client chooses the red dot or vice versa. On both server and client choose connection to COM1
- On the client side type the fake number in your phonebook-0.83.2.txt and leave blank the unused cells at the end on the right-hand side.

- On the server push the AUTO-ANSWER, this activates the open port and put it in a mode where it will answer automatically as soon as the ring comes in from the client. In the console you should see MODEM RESPONSE: OK

- On the client push ORIGINATE: this dials the fake phone number and tries to connect to the IP address specified in the phonebook-0.83.2.txt. You should see this in the console.

- On the server now you should see a RING in the console, (the phone is ringing) and the server is picking up immediately thanks to the AUTO-ANSWER) the connection should be created with a baud rate of 57600 bits/sec with the message CONNECT:57600 on both server and client.

At this point on both server and client you will see a message in the game saying something like: TRYING TO CREATE A CONNECTION WITH OTHER PLAYER followed by LOADING OTHER PLAYER'S GAME followed by the screen picture of the game itself on both client and server.

- Without delaying (otherwise the connection will time out) both server and client go to the radio room, type the code requested to play the game and enjoy your match!
It can happen that the connection does not work at first attempt, if this is the case:
- Both server and client need to cancel the attempt of connection, exit to DOS and close dosbox-x;
- The client must change the port his/her modem is listening to, to a different random one inside the configuration file;
- Both server and client can repeat the process until they are able to actually start the match;

If you are interested in playing a match contact me privately at:
emanuelepulcidoria@hotmail.it
Attached Files
File Type: txt phonebook-0.75.0.txt (23 Bytes, 3 views)
File Type: txt phonebook-0.83.2.txt (27 Bytes, 3 views)

Last edited by emanuelepulcidoria; 09-22-20 at 05:07 PM. Reason: DOSBox-x release corrected
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