AQZ Netplay Input-Plugin 0.11

News via http://www.aep-emu.de/PNphpBB2-file-...c-t-15869.html

NRage Input Plugin is a netplay and input plug-in for N64 emulators.


Quote:
NetPlay Input Plugin
Hello everyone. I´ve been working on an input plugin that supports netplay. I´ve attached it to this post for people that want to try it out. This is meant to be a workaround until zilmar implements netplay directly in Project64.

Instructions:
Unzip the dll into the Plugin folder.
Open Project64 and select AQZ NetPlay as the input plugin.
Go to Options, Configure Input Plugin. Select and configure an input plugin to use. My netplay plugin basically acts as a middleman, relying on a normal input plugin to read input from the keyboard/controller. Only plugins in the same directory as my plugin are listed. Also, my plugin does not work with Jabo DirectInput7 1.7, but it does work with Jabo DirectInput7 1.6 that comes with Project64 1.6. When you have selected and configured an input plugin, click OK.
Pick a game to play. Send the save file for that game to each player you plan to play with. The save file is located in the Save folder by default. If each player does not have the same save file, the emulators will probably desync.
Open the game. A message will appear telling you to plug in controllers for each local player. Click OK.
The config window for the plugin you have selected will appear. Check the "Controller is plugged in" check box for each player playing at your computer. (For example, if 3 people are planning to play, 2 people can play at one computer and the 3rd person can play at another computer.) Which controllers you decide to plug in (player 1, 2, etc) does not matter. My plugin will automatically assign each player to player 1, 2, etc automatically when the game starts. Finally, if you want to be a spectator and just watch, uncheck all 4 "Controller is plugged in" check boxes. When you are done, click OK.
The connect window will appear. Decide who will host the game. This person must leave the host box blank, pick a port number (the default, 27999, should work fine), and click Start Server. A message from a firewall may appear. Be sure to click Allow. Also, if the host is behind an NAT (home router), the host must forward the port they selected to their computer. Google how to do that if you don´t know. Every other player should enter the IP address of the host in the host box, choose the port the host chose, and click Connect. When everyone has connected, click Start Game. (Note: If anyone is using WiFi (excluding spectators), the game will probably be laggy unless they have a strong signal with low interference. You´re better off using an ethernet cable.)
Once the game starts, go to Options, Configure Input Plugin. A window will appear. Here you can adjust the lag setting. Set the value as low a possible. If you set it too low, the game will not run at full frame rate. However, the higher you set it, the more delay between the time when you press a key on your keyboard or button on your controller and the time that information reaches the game. The optimum lag is dependent on the connection latency (ping) between the host and each of the other players.

Notes:

From my experience lag is fairly low and often not very noticeable. It is much better than my experience with Kaillera. Of course, the huge advantage my plugin has over Kaillera is that it works with Project64 1.7, the best N64 emulator in my opinion. You can use my plugin with other N64 emulators, too. However, in my experience, most of them, including Project64 1.6, will desync while you are playing. I have never had a desync occur while using Project64 1.7 though.

I recommend going to Options, Settings, and unchecking "Pause emulation when windows is not active?" That way you can adjust the lag easily while the game is running. Otherwise, every time you click the window that lets you adjust the lag setting, the game will pause.

I´m thinking about adding a chat feature in the future so you can chat with your friends while you play. For now, use a separate program like AIM, etc. Again, uncheck "Pause emulation when windows is not active?" if you don´t want the game to pause every time you click the IM window to say something to your friends.

Let me know if you encounter any bugs with my plugin.

Enjoy Project64 1.7 with netplay support!

Changes:

v0.11:
Fixed a bug that made it impossible to run the server on Windows XP

v0.10:
Initial release

http://forum.pj64-emu.com/showthread.php?t=1973