Connecting to a Server…

To make things really easy I will be showing you how to DM using 'Half-Life's Multiplayer Launcher'.

Click for a larger image.

NOTE: It is a lot easier to do things if you connect to you service provider before you start a Death Match.

In this guide:

  Commands:  Will be like this.

You will require the latest version of Half-Life 1.0.1.6. Go get it here. To find out what version of Half-Life you have you can do one of the following:

• When you first launch Half-Life, look at the bottom right corner. You should see a some numbers e.g. 1.0.1.6.
• If you don't then you can go to the console [what's the console?] a type: version this will give you all the information.
• Another method is to look for the Half-Life executable in the Half-Life directory and check its properties. This should give you the version number.

Once you have patched up to version 1.0.1.6 you can begin.

1. Connect to the Internet.

So you are connected? Good… this is simple as long as you have the latest version of Half-Life.

2. Launch Half-Life.

Once you have got the Half-Life main menu you can click on the Multiplayer option. You will have another list of options with descriptions. The Customise option allows you to change your player model, logo and name. Do that if you like before you get into your game.

3. Click on Internet Games on the multiplayer menu.

This will connect you to the WON [World Opponent Network] master server and open the Multiplayer Launcher as long as you were connected to the Internet before you launched Half-Life. You should now have this screen in front of you:

Click for a larger image.

4. Click on Update.

This will contact the WON master server and download all the current servers onto your machine. [Just there names and address]. This should take about 5 mins on a 56K modem.

Once that is finished I recommend you to quit out of Half-Life. This will save the list of servers, thus you will not have to update for a while.

Once you get into multiplayer you will find servers you like to play on, if your in the UK, I find the DemonUK Servers to be the most reliable and fast. I average about 200 - 250 latency in the Demon Servers. Anything above that gets really hard to play, never mind win!

5. Launch Half-Life again.

Once the main menu is back up... click on Multiplayer, then click on Internet Games. This should log you back onto WON and display your list of servers.

From here you can order the list of servers to see what games are being run by the servers and at what speed etc. If you click on Game Type it will order the list alphabetically. Now you can see what servers you can join. [You want servers that are playing Half-Life].

6. Click on Net... on the Multiplayer Launcher

This should order your server list with the fastest server at the top or visa-versa. Note, this isn't going to necessarily be the fastest Half-Life server because not all the servers in the list are playing just Half-Life. For this reason we are going to filter out all the servers except Half-Life servers.

7. Applying a Filter to the Multiplayer Launcher Server List.

On the Multiplayer Launcher you will see an option named 'Filter' click on Filter to enter the filter menu:

Click for a larger image.

On the Multiplayer Filter Menu... click on the box next to 'are running the game' and select Half-Life from the drop down menu. Then Click on Filter [your screen should look like the above example picture].

This should of filtered out all of the servers which aren't running Half-Life.

8. Finding a suitable server:

Back on the Server List now... you should order the list so you get the fastest server at the top, if it isn't already. The speed is represented by little dots. Red and Green ones. The more little green dots the faster the server and the better the game-play will be. [Less Lag or Latency].

So you have a the fastest server at the top of your list... is there any room for you in it? To check... right click the server and choose refresh from the drop down menu.

This will give you up-to-date information on the server... the bit you need to know is, are there any free slots available. This is in the 'Players/Max' part of the server list. If it reads, for example 16/16 next to the server you want to join, that server is full. If it reads 10/16 this means there is 6 slots free and you can join the game.

One last thing before you connect... there is a drop down menu in the Multiplayer Launcher at the top. It depicts your connection speed. Make sure you have selected the speed of your connection.

Go ahead... find a fast server with a couple of free slots and get blasting... to do that, select the server and click on Join Game. Half-Life should then connect you to that server... on a 56K modem it should take about 30-35 seconds.

Happy Fragging....

If you would like to learn more about mastering the Deathmatch Environment take a look a my guide. [Coming Soon].