Multiplayer

(This page documents how to find and play a multiplayer game. Disambiguation: click here for Multiplayer Ruleset and here for Multiplayer Game Manual.)
To play a multiplayer game online:
* Freecivweb.org provides multiplayer games via web access from any browser-enabled device.
**Multiple massive multiplayer games are always running in the preferred Longturn format.
**For an ad hoc game, you will need to create a game and have friends ready to join it
**You may use Freeciv-web Discord chat server to find players for a game.
* To play multiplayer games with native client via internet, see the section below titled "How to play ad hoc multiplayer game."
*FCIV.NET allows multiplayer via a 3D browser interface. You will need to create a game and have friends ready to join it.
To play a multiplayer Longturn game (one turn per day), there are two options:
* Freecivweb.org hosts longturn games via web browser. It's useful to inquire on Freeciv-web Discord chat server about current games to join and upcoming games you can join right when they begin.
* Longturn.net hosts longturn games via native client. They usually have a waiting period and sign-up for upcoming games. They also have a LT Discord Chat server server where you can inquire about joining upcoming games.
=How to play an ad hoc multiplayer game=
After starting the native client, go to "Connect to network game" and click on the "internet metaserver" tab. Here you see a list of Freeciv servers compatible with your client version. Select a server with players and say connect if you want to observe, or find another server if you want to play a game, and wait.  If you are new, it's best to watch first.  When you connect, it will ask for a password (depending on if the server has auth on). First of all, choose a name you want to be.  On a server with auth, you will need to create a account.  This is fairly simple.  First select the server you want to connect to, then say "Ok".  It will try the server, then will ask for a password.  If you see only one "Password:" and not a confirm password, then this username is probably allready registered.  In that case, try changing your username (at the connect screen) from something like "mynick" to something like "mynick123".  The server will ask you for a password once again; if it only shows one "Password" confirm, then it's already registered.  If not then it will have "Password" and "Confirm password" shown, enter a good password with minimum of 6 for length.  Hit "OK" to register the username, and you are connected.  Remember your username and password.  Once you are connected, type /list.  This shows a list of players.  If /start returns that game is started then take a name of player in /list and type /observe "player" where "player" = player from list of players.  If you need help you can ask someone on server to help.  Once observing you can talk to all players by simply saying a message in chat at bottom of screen.  To talk to the player and his observers or team, use a "." this sends to allies.
=Run a server=
To run a server of your own in Windows simply cd to the dir Freeciv is installed to and do "freeciv-server -m -p <port>".  -m tells it to broadcast to metaserver.  Then start client and say start new game, and do /metaconn up.  You will need to open your firewall for this.  In linux do "freeciv-server -m -p <port>" and you are going, once again you will need to open your firewall.  If you have problems starting server, first check firewall, if it's ok, then check the router (if any) and forward ports or try running server on another port.  Your ISP may be blocking servers, which means you can't run any servers at all.
=If you need help=
If you need help, you can always post to the Freeciv forum and i can help you. If you just want a private game you can pm KDE on the Freeciv forum and i will run a server for you.
=Additional reading=
*Server commands
*Server Manual
*A Succinct Guide to 2.09 --- general guide to freeciv (2.09, warserver)
*Metaserver --- http://meta.freeciv.org/metaserver.phtml
Have good game!
Category:Manuals