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Thread: Zsnes Netplay Basics Tutorial PLEASE READ!!!

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    Default Zsnes Netplay Basics Tutorial PLEASE READ!!!

    WARNING!!!!!!! THIS TUTORIAL IS WRITTEN FOR NOOBS TO ZSNES NETPLAY, IF THE LANGUAGE BOTHERS YOU I'M SORRY BUT I'M TRYING TO BE CLEAR FOR ANYONE THAT HAS TROUBLE WITH THIS SUBJECT.

    Okay well i had a rough time ironing out this topic enough that i could explain how to do it but i have pretty much a solid idea now on what to do....so i thought, "What could be better than sharing this info with the rest of EP?" Answer: "Getting lots of people to connect to Zsnes Netplay and gaining some worthy opponents, thats what!!!!"

    Zsnes Netplay: The Basics


    Okay there are 3 ways to do Zsnes netplay i will put them in order to my personal preference of ease and effectiveness from least favorite to last.....or something like that.
    This is the 1st post, which covers how to connect two machines using the SAME EXACT VERSION of Zsnes. This is the basics of getting started, then you can understand how to do other easier, faster, and more secure methods of connection.
    I can't stress enough how important that the two people trying to connect are using the same version...it is a common mistake to try to connect two Zsnes's that arnt the same version and be confused about it. Because of this, I keep several versions of Zsnes available, should anyone i want to play not have the version i am using at the moment. Anyway, i will cover the other two methods in separate posts

    Method 1: Netplay Through Zsnes

    All versions of Zsnes have a netplay option on the top menu....the word on the web is that only versions BEFORE 1.4 are supposed to work (meaning 1.4, and 1.41 are not compatible with netplay feature)....However, this is somewhat untrue....other methods of connecting to netplay have been proven to work with other versions, and there is one version after 1.42 that is pretty well compatible with netplay and that is version 1.43.....but it is not written by the main authors of Zsnes, it is merely a continuation of their work in order to further the concept of Zsnes netplay....you can find the non official 1.43 at this site:

    http://zsnes.ipherswipsite.com/05/
    Special Thanks to Tosca...You Rule dude!!!!

    Now, once you have your preferred version of Zsnes (compatible with netplay), you need to connect, but before you connect you must optimize your system for Zsnes netplay. Don't worry this isn't that hard and I'll step you through it....For the purposes of this faq, i will assume that you are using either v1.36 or v1.43(non official) because they are the only versions that work without using some other Zsnes Netplay client.

    Step 1: Choose Zsnes version (either 1.36 or 1.43 unofficial release)

    Step 2: Configure Software Firewall

    Each firewall has its own preferred way of having you connect a particular program to the internet. If your software firewall has an option for port forwarding USE IT...just enter the filename of your Zsnes program file. It will save you alot of trouble when trying to connect
    Also, make sure that the program itself has full unrestricted access to the internet...one way to do this is to shut down the firewall completely, however under windows xp this is more of a pain in the ass than actually configuring the program to be allowed access anyway. I have Zone Alarm Security Suite for my firewall and in order to allow full unrestricted access to Zsnes, i have to go to Program Control->Programs->Add and give a check mark for everything (except send mail). With Zone Alarm i ALSO have to make the program "Super Trusted" (three glowing green bars) so that the program can run freely thru the internet connection without being paused, stopped, or interupted by the firewall. Like i said, each software firewall is different, make sure u kno urs well and give full unrestricted access.
    Remembering the process of approving access to your programs is a basic firewall thing, but if you've never done it then it will come in great handy for the other methods as well.

    Step 3: Port Forwarding

    This is also a crucial step in connecting Zsnes to Netplay, regardless of method. What you have to do, if you have a physical router/firewall, is assign a port for Zsnes to use when it accesses the internet, and make that port available when Zsnes goes to look for it. The actual process that happens is a tad more complex than what i just said, but don't worry about that, Port Forwarding should be a breeze if you follow these instructions. (Special thanks to Tosca for helping me with this cuz I wasn't so sure about it myself

    a)Connect to http://192.168.1.1/Forward.asp
    This webpage is a utility for Port Forwarding
    Username is Admin.....Password is Admin

    b)Underneath the main black menu click on the text "Port Range Forward" make sure the letters are white

    c)Under the column "Application", write the exact filename of your Zsnes program file. Under the column for "Start", write 7845 (this is the default port Zsnes uses to connect). Under the column for "End" write the same number (you are only forwarding this one port for Zsnes). Fill in the last few digits of your IP address (Zsnes will determine your IP for you if you click "Netplay". Or you can run from a dos prompt, the command, "IP config" and it will tell you). Check the box for "enable"

    d)Go to the bottom of the page and click "Save Settings". This should automatically configure your firewall to forward the program Zsnes to port 7845 when it is looking for internet access.

    note: I am not completely sure this Port Forwarding method will work if you don't have a Linksys Router....however i see no reason why it would not work for anyone

    Step 4: Open Zsnes and Connect

    Regardless of what version you use, Zsnes Netplay can be accessed by clicking "Netplay" from the top menu. Enter whatever nickname you'd like and decide if you're hosting or serving.
    If you're hosting, just click "Start as server" and Zsnes will use ur IP to create an accessible server for the game.
    If your'e joining a server, enter the exact IP address of the Zsnes player you want to connect to and click "Join Server".... Usually it is best to leave the UDP connection box checked, however if you're having real difficulty getting the program to connect you can try unchecking it (this will enable TCP connection instead)
    If you've done everything right, the two Zsnes's will find each other and open up a chat window. This is how you know ur two Zsnes's are connected.

    Step 5: Choose settings

    In my experience, the main factor than affects the playability of Zsnes Netplay is the internet connection between the two comps using Zsnes Netplay. Try pinging your partner....anything above 100 miliseconds is definitly going to lag...anything above 150 miliseconds is going to be hard or impossible to play (depending on your game, turn based games it might not matter so much).
    You can adjust the players in the game, the latency factor, and the save state path (whether its from the comp ur on, which is "local", and the comp your connected to, which is "remote", BE WARNE SAVE STATES ARE NOT KNOWN TO WORK WELL WITH ZSNES NETPLAY!! Sorry guys, but thats just the facts...for save intensive games like rpgs i think its better to save to the rom "cartridge" and just trade back and forth as you go.)
    The latency factor with ever so slightly increase or decrease the speed of connection with the game....low latency can lead to fast speeds with possible glitches....high latency can lead to good game performance with the possibility of desyncing, which is when the two games aren't playing the same part and the same time. In my personal experience, adjusting the latency really doesn't affect your netplay to the point where its even worth adjusting.

    Step 6: Choose a game

    Of course you want to pick a 2 player game!!! Otherwise wut's the point You must also ensure that both players are using the EXACT SAME ROM and by "exact same" i mean to say that both roms are good dumps with identical check sums (file sizes). The easiest way to do this is just send the good rom to the other guy even if he already has the game, just to ensure proper opertation by Zsnes. It helps a GREAT DEAL if both roms have the filename ending with ".smc". ".smr" is another Super Nintendo Rom file extention that works with Zsnes, however ".smc" is more typical of a good dump and is more easily recognized by Zsnes. (it's also more compressed than the .smr, which saves space). Also, both roms should be named the same...and I'm not 100% sure about this, but i think it also helps if both roms are located in relatively the same spot, although what's most important is that your Zsnes knows where the roms are in the first place.

    Now you're ready to start playing!!!! Oh joy of joys!!!!!!

    Remember, you can always hit escape if something goes wrong and the rom freezes. Also, experiment with the usual commands you use for online gaming. Press 't' to chat in the middle of a Zsnes game, etc. Zsnes is alot of fun online, and getting it to work for you can introduce you to a whole new idea in emulation!!! Have fun and enjoy your games!!!!
    Last edited by austinsanity; 30th-December-2005 at 15:52.

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    I was never able to play SNES games over the net, I suppose I didn't port forward correctly. Yours was a great FAQ, very complete and noob-friendly. Thanks and rep 4 u

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    lol me and my friend are currently playing Seiken Densetsu 3 over zsnes netplay, and yeah instead of doing all that you could just use zbattle

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    Zsnes Netplay over the Hamachi Networks


    Method 2

    This is the second post, which will cover a newer way to connect Zsnes to Netplay. A newly developed software known as Hamachi is used to connect users to private networks that are created on the Hamachi servers. This process has many advantages, as the resulting connection creates a "virtual LAN" between computers on a given private network. Hamachi also gives the user a shortened "Hamachi IP adress" which helps with security issues regarding connecting to a virtual LAN with total strangers and also makes it easier to remember the whole number (This comes into play when connecting Zsnes's together). As the program evolves, the services expand, now including file sharing, chat, and easy network gaming.

    Step 1: Install Hamachi

    You can find Hamachi here:
    http://www.hamachi.cc/

    Installing Hamachi is rather simple, and if you're system is configured a certain way, you may even get on the Hamachi networks without any further configuration. However, you can't rely on that because Hamachi, though fully functional, is still to a large degree in developement..The authors of this software are figuring out new things about it every day...but don't worry, Hamachi is lite software, which means it doesn't put a heavy load on your system, and when the updates are released they come automatically to Hamachi.

    Step 2: Port Forwarding

    If you read the previous post about Zsnes Netplay Basics then you already know about Port Forwarding. After you install Hamachi, you will need to Port Forward it much the same way you would Zsnes.

    Go to http://192.168.1.1/Forward.asp
    and enter username Admin and password is Admin

    Go to Port Range Forwarding and a) type in "hamachi" under program
    b) type "12975" under start and end
    c) enter the final digits of you IP address
    see previous post about finding out
    your IP address if you don't know how to
    do it

    d) make sure the box is checked for
    "enable" and click "save settings"

    Step 3: Configuring your software firewall

    This step, too, is much like the one in the previous post, only this time you'll be giving full unrestricted access to the program Hamachi. Hamachi shows up as a network adapter when it is activated, so don't be surprised if the Hardware Wizard asks you questions about it. Just ignore the questions Hamachi should work fine without any silly Windows nonsense.

    If you're not sure about configuring your software firewall for program access, consult the previous post as well as your firewall documentation.

    There is one extra step that needs to be done with Hamachi in your firewall, that DOESN'T happen with Zsnes. Hamachi networks communicate with your computer over all sorts of Hamachi IP addresses. In order for Hamachi to work properly, you need to allow the Hamachi IPs to get past the firewall easily so as to create the network (and the "virtual LAN" effect)

    Each firewall is going to have a different way of allowing a range of IPs, so I will cover Zone Alarm again because that is what i use. In ZA, go to the "firewall" tab and click the sub tab for "zones". You should see a chart with names, corresponding ip addresses, entry type, etc. Click "add" on the bottom right hand side and "add an IP range" from the sub menu in order to add an IP range to the "Trusted Zone".

    You actually have to do 2 IP ranges for Hamachi...one will enable the networks to run smoothly...the other will keep msantispyware (and similiar programs) from interfering with Hamachi's communications to your computer.

    These are the IP ranges:

    network:5.0.0.0-5.255.255.255
    msantispy:5.1.1.1-5.254.254.254

    Step 4: Magic Option

    After you configured your system so that Hamachi can run, now its time to configure Hamachi to run on your system. Fortunatly, this happens like...uh....magic....yea...

    Open Hamachi and click on the button all the way to the right. This will bring up your options menu, click "preferences". Go to the "system" tab in the preferences window and look at the bottom of the list. Make sure the box for "Magic Option" is checked, and the text box beside "Magic Option" reads "12975". Theres a really good explaination as to why this works on Hamachi and it has nothing to do with the supernatural, but it gets the damn thing to work so who cares.


    After all that you should be done setting up Hamachi!!!! Go ahead and try it out, its kinda fun. Hamachi is very simple and you should get the hang of it right away. Start your own server, or browse the Hamachi forums for others networks at http://www.hamachi.cc/. There's even a Zsnes network you can join! For network name type "Zsnes" and for password, type "nintendo". Or you may join my created network called "zsnes for austin", password "zsnes".

    Now, finally, to connect to another user on Hamachi and play Zsnes Netplay, follow all the same instructions from the last post, only substitute your real IP for you Hamachi IP. The reason for doing this on Hamachi is to gain the speed of the "virtual LAN network" as opposed to just trying to connect IP to IP UDP style. Games should run smoother and there should be less lag as long as you have a decent isp and internet connection. And thats it!!

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    Quote Originally Posted by Brightside
    lol me and my friend are currently playing Seiken Densetsu 3 over zsnes netplay, and yeah instead of doing all that you could just use zbattle

    SSSHHHH!!!! dont ruin the surprise lol....

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    Thread moved and stickied. Looks like a great tutorial. Rep for you.

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    Zsnes Netplay Using Zbattle.net Networks


    Of all methods of connecting Zsnes to netplay, using the Zbattle client is my personal favorite. Simply put, Zbattle takes alot of the hassle out of netplay by putting everything in one spot and organizing it so that things don't get too overwhelming. Also, if you followed the instructions in the first tutorial, Zbattle is ultimately the easiest solution to get working right away. In this post, I will explain how to get Zbattle working for you.


    Method 3

    Step 1: Download and install Zbattle Client

    This step is pretty self explanatory. You can find Zbattle for download here:
    www.zbattle.net.

    The only tricky part here is that you have to edit the program's system file. It's really not hard at all and is explained of the Zbattle.net website. Just open the system configuration file (the one with a gold gear on it). Change the part that looks like a url. I forget what exactly is the new Zsnes's new server, but its on the Zbattle website.

    The other thing I'd advise is downloading a couple of versions of Zsnes. Namely, download versions 1.36, 1.40, 1.42, and 1.43. All of these can be found here:
    http://www.zsnes.com/
    except for 1.43 which is not an official release, which can be found here:
    http://zsnes.ipherswipsite.com/05/

    Step 2: Organize

    One thing that I feel is pretty important to your experience playing Zsnes on Zbattle.net is that things be organized in a way that facilitates the use of the client. Feel free to do whatever you'd like here, because after all, its YOUR experience, however this is my suggestion to keep things simple.

    a)make individual LABELED folders for each version of Zsnes. Make sure the version is in the name too. DO NOT put roms in these folders.
    b)make sure your roms are organized properly. That doesn't mean make a folder for each letter (unless you so desire). It just means seperating .smr and .smc file extensions. Both are usable rom file extensions in Zsnes, however .smc is preferred by Zbattle, Zsnes,........ well....you get the idea. Also make sure you extract and roms you want to play online, as Zbattle client does not have .zip support.
    c)make a netplay folder. No doubt from time to time you are going to have to accept a file transfer from Zsnes in order for you and your partner to get identical roms for netplay. Yes, even if you have a "complete" romset, people are going to want to play THEIR version which may or may not b a good dump nor identical to your own existing version of the rom.

    Step 3: Configure Zbattle Client

    Fortunately Zbattle does not need the port forwarding or software firewall treatment you've been giving to Zsnes and Hamachi. SWEEEEET!! All you need to do is open up Zbattle and make your own preferences as to how the program runs (connect on start up, play sounds in chat, etc.) and then set the paths Zbattle needs to connect a matchup.
    Point to the Zsnes program file of your choice, and notice how all the versions of Zsnes sitting next to each other are easily accessible. This will make it easier to switch versions of Zsnes and cater to your match's needs. Hehehe "match's"...."needs"...uhehehehe
    Point to your roms folder that you are going to use for netplay. I suggest showing Zsnes the same folder that you extract your netplay roms to. This makes it easier for Zsnes and Zbattle to find the files you can use for netplay, file transfer, sum checking, etc.
    After you complete your configuration, you shouldn't have a problem getting on the Zbattle servers.

    Step 4: Connect and find a game

    When ur ready, connect to zbattle servers and take a look at who's playing what. In one column there is a 2/1 ration to let you kno if someone is available to ... ahem... play with. 2/2 means their game is full. (I kno doesn't it suck that Zsnes doesn't support more than 2 Zsnes's connected to play?)
    If you want, create a game, give it a title and sit back and wait for someone to join you.

    Basic operation
    Zbattle works almost the same as if you were just using the Zsnes, only its prettier When someone joins your game, you are in a chatroom and you can discuss how you'd like to do things. In order to get started on your game, you have to first press the "select" button. This will allow you to search for and pick out your game file (but only if you're hosting). If you're not hosting, a "download" button replaces the "select" button. This will allow you to recieve the rom from your partner. Once you both have identical roms and are ready to play (I recommend saving bandwith whereever possible), press the "start" button. Zbattle automatically launches both Zsnes's, connects them to Zbattle networks without you having to put an IP address. If it seems like there's a problem, don't worry it's probably just a lil glitch. Either start over or press "cancel" in the Zsnes window and then either "connect to server" or "start as server". Just keep pressing it and doing it untill you get the rom running.

    And that's a wrap, folks. Playing Zsnes on the internet is alot of fun, you just need to set it up correctly. I'm glad everyone's been enjoying the tutorial, and i hope someone gets something good out of it cuz thats alot of writing to do all nite and the next day lol. Enjoy!!!
    Last edited by austinsanity; 31st-December-2005 at 05:02.

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