===========================================================================
Advanced engine needed  : Vanilla Doom only
Primary purpose         : Deathmatch
===========================================================================
Title                   : Solo network driver
Filename                : solo-net.exe
Release date            : 2014-04-14
Author                  : Simon Howard (fraggle)
Email Address           : idgames@soulsphere.org or
                          fraggle@removethisbit.gmail.com
Other Files By Author   : greenfish.wad

Description             : This is a "solo" network driver, like ipxsetup or
                          sersetup. However, rather than actually
                          communicating over a network, it's just a dummy
                          program that lets you start a single player
                          netgame. It's functionally equivalent to
                          "ipxsetup -nodes 1", except you don't need to
                          load any IPX drivers.

                          This is in the same vein as the -solo-net command
                          line parameter supported by source ports such as
                          PrBoom+ and Chocolate Doom. Similar to that
                          parameter, this lets you record single player
                          netgames, although it doesn't let you replay
                          them.

                          Source code (for Borland Turbo C) is included.

===========================================================================
* Context and notes *

When cleaning up the IMMY-DM patch (see comp-dm.zip in the idgames archive)
I found that it simulated a multiplayer game by loading some IPX drivers
so that ipxsetup could be run with the -nodes 1 parameter. It occurred to
me that it would be possible to achieve the same result by writing a
minimal network driver that just always told Doom it was the only node in
a netgame.

This actually does a bit more than that. By default it starts a single
player netgame, but you can also tell it to simulate fake players using
the -nodes parameter. Those players will be in the game, but just stand
in place and not do anything. There are some limitations to this
feature (see Bugs section below).

In addition to Doom, this program also works with Heretic, Hexen and
Strife.

* Command line parameters *

Usage:
  solo-net [-nodes n] [-ticdup n] [-vector 0xNN] doom2.exe [args]

    -nodes n     - Simulate a game containing n other players.
                   Default is to simulate a netgame with a single player.
    -ticdup n    - Duplicate tics, reducing the game's granularity.
    -vector 0xNN - Hook the ISR at the given interrupt vector.

The above arguments must be specified before the name of the .exe; all
other arguments must be specified after it.

* Examples *

A simple example of how to start a single player deathmatch game:

  solo-net doom2.exe -deathmatch

Or if you wanted to play Heretic instead:

  solo-net heretic.exe -deathmatch

If you wanted to play the comp-dm patch mentioned above, you'd have to
first patch your exe with dehacked, then:

  solo-net doomhack.exe -deathmatch -respawn -file comp-dm.wad

To play deathmatch with 3 fake players:

  solo-net -nodes 4 doom2.exe -deathmatch

* Bugs *

If you use the fake players feature, there are some limitations:

 - The fake players must never move. If they get shot or otherwise
   hurt by you or a monster, they'll move slightly and the game will
   exit with a consistency failure. I know why this happens (see the
   source code if you're curious) and there isn't really an easy way
   to fix it.

 - The fake players feature only works with Doom. It does not work
   with Heretic, Hexen or Strife. Though you can do it with Chex
   Quest!

* Copyright / Permissions *

This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License
as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2
of the License, or (at your option) any later version.

This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
GNU General Public License for more details.

* Where to get the file that this text file describes *

The Usual: ftp://archives.3dgamers.com/pub/idgames/ and mirrors