Has anyone had any luck getting Battle Isle 2 running multiplayer?

There is a utility on the disc called BlueNet. This would be used to establish a nullmodem connection or a network connection. The network connection is not really feasible in an emulated dosbox environment, as it appears to want all copies to point to a file they can all read.

I've successfully set up over a hundred games in dosbox with IPX and Serial1 ports, so I'm not coming at this completely uninformed. That's not a brag or anything, I just want anyone who may potentially help to know that I'm not clueless.

I've established the serial1 connection from two different machines and started up BlueNet on both machines. The manual states that the clients should be started before the server.
I start the client side first (NullModem, COM1, Slow, Client, Address 1 [which seems unchangeable])
then server side (NullModem, Slow, Server, number of stations set to 2)

Both machines think about it for a while, and then come back stating the other machine is unreachable. After that, they don't even check again. Any subsequent attempts to start the server or the client end in the immediate notification that the other machine is unreachable.

Any thoughts on this would be incredibly appreciated, as I have been messing with this game on and off for over a week trying to get this feature working. I've even gone back and gotten an original copy of the game, since GOG loves to strip things out that they don't think are relevant.

Didn't check multiplayer in BI2 yet, but found solution for BI3 several years ago. Details in second message here:

https://www.gog.com/forum/battle_isle/battle_isle_2_number_of_moves_limit

Still it might be not the same in case last one support old version of Windows and, probably, newer version of TCP/IP protocols and things. Anyhow. Main things here:

1. Guest users on both PC's without passwords to enter.
2. Virtual local network.
3. Shared folder to save multiplayer progress.

Unfortunately the main difference here is two totally different OS's.

Battle Isle 2 is a DOS game. Battle Isle 3 was released for Windows. So what works for one is going to be wildly different than the other due to the severe differences in these worked online. BI3 used LAN while DOS used IPX or play-by-email.

Well. Only part of this might be a true problem, I guess. Check this out: Perhabs additionally it will require VirtualBox with Windows XP or sort of in case of last sentence. Using of shared folder and guest accounts might work here as I've described before as well.

So. In total you need to follow the same steps that I've provided for BI3, but with two additional onces:

1. First. Turn ON IPX protocol for Hamachi.
2. Second. In case how you described things. DosBox network config, that will use shared folder under 2 guest accounts on 2 different PC's.
3. Third, last one. Made specific setup that BI2 require - BlueNet settings.

Let me know if it will work - I'll, perhabs, check this things out too with one friend of mine and then provide step by step configuration for everybody.

By other hand there is another method - load BI2 maps in BI3 by changing them in specific folders. There is no big difference in, as I remember. So, if you not care specifically because of the interface difference / or playing in BI2 only, this might be a method.

Also. If map load has the difference, I not remember for sure, you always can try to use old Jorg editor to save the BI2 map in BI3 map format. You can the editor here: http://www.kitana.org/arena/bi2/bi2forum.html?kommentar=bi210&style=2 same as other tools.

Back to the theme. On Windows 10.

1. Create an a guest account on both PC's. Search -> Open cmd.exe as "Administator".

net localgroup Пользователи (Users) Guestone /add
net localgroup Пользователи (Users) Guestone /delete
net localgroup Гости (Guest) Guestone /add

2. Installing Hamachi. Check https://www.vpn.net.
3. Create an C:\NET folder. Share it to Guestone.

Share this folder for another Guestone account on another PC. For this, on second PC: mklink /D C:\NET Z:\

Later use this folder in BLUENET.

(?). 4. Download IPX protocol here: http://manaeff.ru/forum/download/file.php?id=1474

Move files from drivers to Windows\system32\drivers
Files from inf to Windows\inf
Files from system32 to Windows\system32

I'm stuck on this part. In my case Windows 10 don't see the protocol. Anyhow. Continue.

Network settings -> Network adapters -> Hamachi -> Properties -> Install -> Protocol -> Add -> Install from the disk -> way to the file in inf folder -> Open -> Okey -> choose protocol -> Okey. Done.

Repeat for second PC.

(?) 5. Didn't check this. BLUENET.

"BATTLE ISLE 2 - TITAN Network CD
----------------------------------
Version 1.0 OEM, 01-FEB-96

2.) BATTLE ISLE 2 - TITAN
Network CD

To play BATTLE ISLE 2 - TITAN on a local network, you can use this CD instead of the game CD. Just insert this CD in the second computer. All necessary data will be taken from this CD.

Note: In order to insure that the information for the game is read from the network CD, please follow the instructions below:
Start the install program from the game directory installed on your hard disk.
Press "1" to call up the "Setup" program. Change the information there concerning the "CD-ROM Drive" from "\BI2" to "\NET".

For example: If you had the following information before "CD-ROM Drive :E:\BI2", you should now have there "CD-ROM Drive :E:\NET".

When you intend to play the original game again, just change this information to the old setup information.

Have a lot of fun!

Your Blue Byte Team"

So. You need to unpack the CD (simply file rename to .ISO and mouting via daemon tools; for that check https://www.gog.com/forum/battle_isle/battle_isle_2_number_of_moves_limit)

For the GOG version, it's worth looking at the file in C: \ Users \ ... \ AppData \ Local \ DOSBox \ dosbox-0.74-2.1.conf. Section [serial] and [ipx].

(?) 4. Seems to there are 2 other solutions:

4.1. "We are using IPX Wrapper http://www.solemnwarning.net/ipxwrapper/. Copy to game directory and run registry compatible key. Then run ipxconfig.exe and select network card. It is working we are playing Red Alert 2".

4.2. "I edited the C:\Program Files\Origin Games\Dungeon Keeper\DATA\DOSBox\dosbox.conf file, and right at the bottom, added the following to the [autoexec] section (just after Mount C ..):

ipxnet startserver

On the other two dosboxes, I instead added (use the IP address of the above computer):

ipxnet connect 192.168.2.100

Just make sure to run the server dosbox before the clients start.

Cheers"

Continuing the topic.

2. Hamachi. It is better to create a network in the program itself, not on the site.
3. I shared the folder. It is worth making sure that access to sharing network resources is open for guests and other users from the network. I got it "Guestone" and "Guest".
5. In dosboxBI2_single.conf ipx = true, in [autoexec] I installed ipxnet startserver on one PC, I installed ipxnet connect on 25.109.28.111 on the other. The connection seems to work fine.

NULLMODEM does not react in any way ... I register as a folder on both PC C: \ NET \. Then nothing happens...

The contents of E: \ Games \ Old \ Battle Isle 2 \ ISLE2 \ NET, just in case, I put in C: \ NET.

I configured the configuration on both PCs like this:

: scenery
cls
mount C ".. \ NET"
mount C ".. \ SCENERY"
mount C ".. \ cloud_saves" -t overlay
imgmount d ".. \ SCENERY \ BI2scen.inst" -t iso -fs iso
c:
cls
@ BLUENET.EXE ENG
exit

In other configs indicated:

# Possible values: dummy, disabled, modem, nullmodem, directserial.

serial1 = nullmodem
serial2 = nullmodem

Anyone have any ideas?

1. I began to suspect that the game does not support IPX too. Only nullmodem or sending save by mail, which, in general, is not multiplayer.

2. Googled about nullmodem. Found a pair of null-modem emulator emulators. Link for one - https://sourceforge.net/projects/com0com/

https://youtu.be/g2f9nxSxD7c

Immediately, however, I did not see anything about network capabilities, i.e. how realistic are these network ports to share via conditional Hamachi for two different PCs. As well as such a design, in addition to what was previously required, it goes through too hard.

3. https://youtu.be/aYZGl5eNKEA

IPX. Added a couple of lines to my settings. The picture is the same when I'm trying to select the "File" option and set the shared network folder. With a simpler game, this would probably be enough...

4. https://youtu.be/L8s00IRNZHo

Another video. But on 1 PC.

5. https://youtu.be/kw244zxGyqQ

And another one. Not much information, again 1 PC...

In one configuration file indicated:

[serial]
serial1=nullmodem port:5000

In another:

[serial]
serial1=nullmodem server:25.109.28.111 port:5000

In the shared folder, C: \ NET, 3 files fall: 000, 0001 and Z0001 without the extension.

Stuck with command "> BI2 NET". I don’t understand how to use it to call the network menu. Apparently, it means BI2.BAT, which should pull up the NET folder. Made on both PCs a second shortcut and a separate configurator with the following contents:

c:
cls
BI2 NET
exit

after the basic settings. As a result, an ordinary game just loads on one PC. On the second is a black screen.

Another assumption boils down to the fact that this .exe does not see files above its directory in fact - the network drive Z: \ cannot be set in the program, as was possible in the case of BI3, here. If so, then the problem most likely has no solution.