The Orion Nebula

Hi all, just thought I'd let you know about a new multiplayer network I've created for playing Master of Orion II online called GameRanger.

Basically, GameRanger makes it quick and easy to play your friends online.

It has full lobby support for over 500 different games and demos (including Moo2, of course), without the hassles and headaches that usually happen with network connections (eg. routers & firewalls). You should find this a far simpler than Kali and DosBox, as it no longer uses IPX.

I'm really excited to be releasing it, and hope it helps boost the Moo2 community by finally providing a real place to play online.

You can download it at www.GameRanger.com

Not much of use since it uses orion95.exe.
We use patched dos version (Orion2v140.exe precisely).
Good job Scott btw.

Hmm, why do you use the patched DOS version? I assumed it was so that you could use it with the IPX-over-Internet feature that DOSBox has.

Hi Scott,

Hmm, why do you use the patched DOS version? I assumed it was so that you could use it with the IPX-over-Internet feature that DOSBox has.

I can't speak to why, but over the years, the DOS version of the game has consistently shown to have better network playability and performance as compared with the Win95 version. This was discovered fairly early after the game's release (1995? 1996?), and so it's really all that most of us have ever used (my own experience goes back about 10 years).

As a result, when an unofficial patch was created several years ago by a skilled player community member (Lord Brazen spent some time reverse-engineering the game's code), it was done on the DOS version. This patch addresses a number of rather severe multiplayer-only bugs in the game, along with adding some new functionality via command line options. This has basically cemented itself as the executable of choice for online play.

I can't speak to why, but over the years, the DOS version of the game has consistently shown to have better network playability and performance as compared with the Win95 version. This was discovered fairly early after the game's release (1995? 1996?), and so it's really all that most of us have ever used (my own experience goes back about 10 years).

That may be due to the use of IPX then. GameRanger forces the Win95 to use DirectPlay TCP rather than DirectPlay IPX, so you never know, it may be a little better.

As a result, when an unofficial patch was created several years ago by a skilled player community member (Lord Brazen spent some time reverse-engineering the game's code), it was done on the DOS version. This patch addresses a number of rather severe multiplayer-only bugs in the game, along with adding some new functionality via command line options. This has basically cemented itself as the executable of choice for online play.

That sounds like some impressive work. Well, give it a try anyway and see how it goes, I'd be interested to know.

Playing moo2 in dosbox and using our dopefish server as host for online games is fine enough.
You can easly host game if u know a bit how to setup your network too.

I ll check this application.

Hi what versions run best on game ranger? For windows 95 of moo2.

Also, can any version play vs any version online game ranger?

If not, what is version most played.

Thanks, for making game ranger.