=======================
- MUUDPIC For Windows -
=======================

Beta 3/8/00

Readme

1 - What is MUUDPIC?
2 - System Requirements
3 - Installation
4 - Using MUUDPIC
5 - Things to Do
6 - Current Bugs
7 - Version History
8 - Notes on UDP

=======================
- 1. What is MUUDPIC? -
=======================

MUUDPIC stands for Multi-User UDP Internet Chat. Virtually this program's
only purpose is to be an experimental tester which will form the basis of
the network to be used in the upcoming Project V2143 tankfighter game
multiplayer support.

==========================
- 2. System Requirements -
==========================

  Windows.

  If you want to chat on the internet a connection will be needed (did this
section really have to tell you THAT), or a TCP/IP and UDP capable LAN,
although, seriously, if you don't, you can still run the program over
loopback.

===================
- 3. Installation -
===================

  The server and client are in the same executable.  Just unzip to a new
directory.

====================
- 4. Using MUUDPIC -
====================
  If you are the server, you need to give your users your ip address which is
known to you (if you have a static connection), or by using winipcfg which
will report this to you.  Then your clients can connect to that address.

  If you are running a server, you can connect to yourself, EVEN WHEN OFFLINE!
127.0.0.1 is the "loopback" address which simply connects to yourself.  You
can take advantage of this to "preview" or "try out" the chat program. When
online, you can also connect to yourself to join in the chat, and I suggest
using 127.0.0.1 to connect to yourself, but if you have problems, try
connecting to your own ip address instead.

===================
- 5. Things to Do -
===================

  Add code to server to detect disconnects and duplicate names.

===================
- 6. Current Bugs -
===================

  Because of the nature of UDP (see Notes on UDP), some messages may not make
it.  Resend your message.  Error checking will be done later.

======================
- 7. Version History -
======================

3/8/00 First Windows version.

===================
- 8. Notes on UDP -
===================

The UDP protocol differs somewhat from the TCP/IP protocol which is often
heard about.  TCP/IP has a sort of "error-correction" -- which means that
packets of data send from one computer will reach the other computer, in
order.  Packet loss from one server will cause an automatic retransmit in
the network.  With UDP this is not the case.  Packets can arrive late, out
of order, or never arrive at all.  FTP uses this protocol.

You may wonder why use UDP at all if it is lossy?  Well in multiplayer games,
UDP packets require much less overhead and more can be transmitted in a given
time. The more packets (and less data) that can be sent, the greater number of
network updates, and the lower the ping rates, resulting in smoother network
play. Out of order or late UDP packets can be recovered by setting a "delay"
in the game, which means an action takes place a set time after you perform
it -- real-time stratedgy games like Starcraft use this method.