Free Online Gaming

This webpage is mainly giving instructions to a beginner in how to set up a multiplayer game of Total Annihilation. Before you can begin online gaming you MUST choose a gaming server.
On this page, there are 5 different servers:

• TCP/IP Connection for Directplay (Internet Protocol)
• Modem to Modem play (Telephone calls)
• Boneyards (Downloadable program)
• Wireplay (Downloadable program)
• Ten (Downloadable program)

TCP/IP Connection for Directplay

This is where you obtain an IP address from a Host. Simply all you do is enter the IP Address when in the MULTI section of T.A. Next regularly keep clicking update until a game appears and then join it! These IP Addresses can either be permanent addresses using network cards or an automatically assigned IP every time you log ON to your server. If your the host, to find out your IP address go to RUN on the start menu, and type "WINIPCFG".
Note: Some ISP's (Internet Service Providers) may charge a fee

Modem to Modem play

This is one of the easiest ways to set up a multiplayer game. This involves one person dialing another person's phone number and then that person clicks answer when the phone rings. Soon after, you will be then taken to the battle room screen. Although only one person pays for the game, it is very,very,very unreliable as many rejection screens may appear, meaning you will lose connection between players. Hence only one player can join!

Boneyards

This is one of the best game zones for Total Annihilation, I would recommend to use. Simply log on to the popular official website Cavedog then under the menu click PLAY ONLINE. Next click the link saying play on boneyards which should then take you to it's website. Next you obviously need to register for boneyards and making sure that you download the upgrade of patch version 3.1 (obtained from www.cavedog.com/totala ) to a boneyards version. Finally as soon your password from your email account has been received, simply make sure you are logged on to the internet, load T.A., and click the newly discovered boneyards button!

Note: The first time you go in, an update will be downloaded but after that you simply load it again and log in by remembering your username and password. However the only problem is that it sometimes goes wrong when trying to download the update or logging on to the arena so your probably better off with the wireplay service.

Wireplay V2.30

Wireplay (version v2.30 recommended) is the one which I would most recommend anyone to get signed up for, as not only does TA run brilliantly, many other games like Quake2 and Unreal do too. Simply download wireplay from www.wireplay.com or get it from a free demo cd from magazines in stores, plus you will need the patch 3.1 from Cavedog TA site. Then run wireplay from your hardrive and it will find all the games you have that are currently available on wireplay. When you are sure it has found Total Annihilation, register for wireplay by first typing in a nickname that you like, connecting to the wireplay direct and finally clicking register. Last but not least log on by remembering your nickname and password.

Ten

This one which I do not particularly like, partly because I don't like how much you have to download. First of all you will need the patch from Cavedog TA site, then of course you will need the ten software either from www.ten.net or from the TA cd. You will also need to register on www.ten.net but make sure it's a free account. When registered log on to ten under the start menu on windows 95/98 or locate it if using any lower version of windows. When logged on select Total Annihilation and click go, then a download will begin for the update for ten which is about 3mb, unfortunately for those of you with slow modems, also you will need to download the enabler either from the website or by going to the drop down menu file and programme files. Finally you then start creating and joining games as you would normally do.

My Postioning of playing TA online out of the 5 options on this page from Best-Worst:-