How to Play Duke3D Online: A Quick Tutorial

[AgentSmith21]

1. Download the xDuke port (Direct Link). This is by far the most popular port for online gaming. Occasionally you will see a server running the JonoF port, but it is rare. More info on the port can be found at the xDuke website (Link). To run xDuke, just copy your Duke3D.grp file into the xDuke directory.

2. Download DukesterX (Direct Link). This is the program that lets you host and join Duke3D servers. For more information on DukesterX, check out the Dukester X forums (Link).

3. Set up your router for port forwarding. If you are not behind a router, skip to step 4. If you are behind a router, you need to go into your router config and forward the following ports: 8500, 8501, and 23513. The first step in this process is to set up a Static IP address. Go Here to learn how to quickly do that. Then go into your router config and forward the three ports listed above. For instructions on how to do this for your specific router, check out This Page. Once you've picked out your router, go to the "Default Guide" link you will see listed near the top of the page. That will tell you how to access your router config. Again, you want to forward ports 8500, 8501, and 23513 all to your Static IP address that you just set up.

4. Open up the following ports on your firewall (almost everybody is behind one these days, if only the default one Windows XP sets up): 8500,8501, and 23513. To access Windows Firewall, go to Settings->Control Panel->Windows Firewall. Make sure the "Don't Allow Exceptions" option in the middle of the screen is NOT checked. Then click on the "Exceptions" tab at the top. Click on the "Add Program" button. Select DukesterX from the list and click OK. Then click on the "Add Port" button. For the name you can write whatever you like - it's just a label - but it's best do something you will remember. For example, use Duke8500t for the name, then under Port Number put 8500, then select TCP. Click OK. Click on Add Port again. Under name put Duke8500u, then Port Number 8500, then select UDP. You've just opened Port 8500 with both TCP and UDP. Do both types just to be safe. Repeat this process for ports 8501 and 23513. So in the end you will have six new ports open (with labels like 8500t, 8500u, 8501t, 8501u, 23513t, 23513u). Also when you run xDuke or DukesterX for the first time and connect to a game, Windows Firewall might pop up and ask you if you want to unblock the programs. Always say yes, unblock.

5. That's it! It sounds more complicated than it is, and once you've got it set up (should maybe take you 10 minutes), you'll have all the Duke3D you can handle. There are almost always servers running, and if there aren't any to join, start your own.

6. If you have further questions, check out this helpful thread at the DukesterX forums (Link) or ask a question here and I will try to answer it. See you in the game!

[Mblackwell]

Why would you try and encourage people to play a port with misc broken functionality that doesn't support Eduke mods or the HRP?

Just curious...

Also iirc, with Eduke32 you can just make a quick batch file and specify the port to use and where to connect.

[Steve]

Originally Posted by Mblackwell

Why would you try and encourage people to play a port with misc broken functionality that doesn't support Eduke mods or the HRP?

Just curious...

Also iirc, with Eduke32 you can just make a quick batch file and specify the port to use and where to connect.

I find xduke to be a lot better online compared to Eduke32. I get bloody bad lag with Eduke32 but not with xduke.

[AgentSmith21]

I'm not sure what you mean by broken functionality. xDuke has the best online code. Like Steve said, you can get 5 or 6 player lag-free games with xDuke. While it's true that xDuke does not support the high-resolution packs and some of the other mods going on, that's not really what people are looking for in their multiplayer games. They are looking for great Dukematch and co-op play like the old days.

[The Commander]

Originally Posted by Steve

I find xduke to be a lot better online compared to Eduke32. I get bloody bad lag with Eduke32 but not with xduke.

If im playing online I will use xDuke, But when we have our Lan were going to be using Eduke, Cos that is way easyer to set up than these programs you need to play online. For Eduke over a Lan you just make a couple of shortcuts and add a few commands and bobs your uncle.

[Mblackwell]

I dunno, I've never had a laggy Eduke32 online match. Were you trying P2P or Client/Server?

[Dopefish7590]

Mblackwell, have you played using dukon or dukster? after you get more the 2 players, eduke mostly hates it, xduke is the most stable online port, and what you said about broken functionality... whats broken? most of the time eduke32 cant connect to most people, but xduke can almost connect to anyone, heck even tx knows he needs better netcode. him and mr. pink are working on it for theese very reasons.

if youve never had a laggy eduke32 game, consider yourself lucky. really

[leilei]

Originally Posted by Dopefish7590

what you said about broken functionality... whats broken?

Doesn't work on Win95 is what i would consider broken, then again none of the other Duke3D ports work on Win95 either.

Missing eduke features != broken functionality.

[Dopefish7590]

3 things,

1) it does work on 95, you just need the right sdl libraries
2) doesnt jfduke work on 95?
3) broken functionality is an a featue that was included in the game that doesnt work, not that it doesnt have a feature that a port designed for features has

[leilei]

Originally Posted by Dopefish7590

1) it does work on 95, you just need the right sdl libraries
2) doesnt jfduke work on 95?

Kernel32/Shell32.dll errors say otherwise.

[Dopefish7590]

oh right im thinking rancidmeat

the old xduke

[Dr. Kylstien]

Originally Posted by leilei

Doesn't work on Win95 is what i would consider broken, then again none of the other Duke3D ports work on Win95 either.

I am really curious to know why you would want to run a port on Windows 95? I used to play the original on Win95 with no problems.

[leilei]

Originally Posted by Dr. Kylstien

I am really curious to know why you would want to run a port on Windows 95? I used to play the original on Win95 with no problems.

So I can play it with other Windows/Linux users, as well as playing it in a window

[Tea Monster]

I've only played on a lan with two players, but we had loads of sync problems with EDuke32. I'm not sure if that is an EDuke32 issue or a problem with the HRP. Both of us had the same Duke setup (I copied the whole Duke3D folder over the network).
The point of having a lan/net match is not to see eye candy, its to have a blast - literally!

[DeeperThought]

Originally Posted by Tea Monster

I've only played on a lan with two players, but we had loads of sync problems with EDuke32. I'm not sure if that is an EDuke32 issue or a problem with the HRP.

XDuke doesn't allow the HRP at all, so that's not a very relevant comparison. And when people say "HRP" often they really mean "HRP + SD_Duke", and SD_Duke is known to have had sync issues before it was fixed. A fair comparison between the two ports would use vanilla Duke only (no changed CONs, no HRP, etc.)

[The Commander]

Originally Posted by Tea Monster

I've only played on a lan with two players, but we had loads of sync problems with EDuke32. I'm not sure if that is an EDuke32 issue or a problem with the HRP. Both of us had the same Duke setup (I copied the whole Duke3D folder over the network).
The point of having a lan/net match is not to see eye candy, its to have a blast - literally!

I have no problems at all with EDUKE32 over a 2 player lan and JUST the HRP and not SD_Duke or other stuff in the autoload folder. Runs smooth as. There must be something your doing wrong...

[oak man]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=LD33pCSR4Ig
I made this video a while back!

[AgentSmith21]

How do you edit a previous post? Can you not do it? What a crazy omission.

[DeeperThought]

Originally Posted by AgentSmith21

How do you edit a previous post? Can you not do it? What a crazy omission.

You can edit, but only for a very limited time. It's generally a waste of time to edit a post that's more than a day old anyway, because your edit won't be noticed.

[AgentSmith21]

Well I link people to this thread a lot. And I would like to keep it updated with the most current/accurate info. That's a shame, and a weird feature for a bulletin board to have (or not have, as the case may be).

[Tea Monster]

It comes in handy in certain cases (the tuts and resources thread). But normally nobody will notice.

Some of us post and nobody notices it right away!