www.BlackViper.com: Diablo 2 Mule How 2 Page 2

Hardware FAQ

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Well folks, this is the major issues and FAQ when starting this plan:

Q: "How do you get 8 Mules with only one computer."

A: You don't. As of this writing, I have 8 computers in the house. Yes, you read that correctly. There are 8 computers running Diablo 2 when I play.

Q: "How do you run 8 computers with one CD?!?"

A: You don't. I purchased all 8 copies, including the expansion packs. I never said this was going to be a CHEAP topic!

Q: "I cannot afford 8 Pentium 4 computers! What do I do?"

A: You don't have to. The lowest end computer that I have running is a P166 with 64 MB EDO memory and an "onboard" S3 video card. As long as the hardware supports Direct 2D (read DirectDraw) then you are good to go! The P166 is not really "playable" by any means (about 3 to 11 FPS at the lowest setting). Blizzard recommends a 233 MHz or 300 MHz for a reason, but for a character to just stand in town, there is no NEED (hehe) for all of the computers to be high end, unless you plan on hosting a LAN party or running SETI@home on the few hours that you are not playing.

Q: "Can I play on Battle.net with this setup?!?"

A: Yes and no. You can play as much as you want on Battle.net, to some degree. There is no restriction on how many different accounts you may create (as long as you comply with the Battle.net rules). There is an issue, however, associated with how NAT works (Internet Connection Sharing, WinGate, etc?) and the different ways it interacts with Battle.net and Diablo 2 itself. The limit for computers using NAT is 4. If you join a game with the 5th computer, the 4th computer that joined the game will be booted and the 5th one will also fail to join. I did contact Blizzard support regarding this issue and the reply was that they know of the issue and have no plans on changing it.

Q: "Can I get around the 4 Mule/NAT problem?"

A: Yes. You can have 2 ISP accounts, 2 phone lines, 2 "gateways" (as in ICS, etc) and have WinXP (using 2 network adapters) bridge the 2 "separate" networks so you could still file share, etc, but the logistics of accomplishing that is BEYOND this article. Maybe someday. If you have DSL or cable, you could always purchase 2 to 8 separate static IPaddresses to use on all of the computers. Expensive? Well, yeah, but remember, this is not a cheap adventure in gaming! It can be done, but it is not for the light hearted.

Q: "Ok, any other ways?"

A: You may try a "software" solution from Connectix called "Virtual PC." This offers a kind of PC within a PC environment that is meant for development purposes, test different software on different OS's without the need to reboot. I have (not yet) tried this software solution, but the initial reports that I am getting from the Virtual PC for Windows forums is that the "guest" OS in fact DOES support Direct X in a limited capacity. There is still some networking issues that need to be addressed in a future build that may enable full support of "client/server" gaming, but for now, be aware that the software is $200 US, but still cheaper than 7 more computers! Also, the hardware requirement for running SEVEN Virtual PC's maybe a little much. 64 to 128 MB per VPC, a CPU that is split (plus overhead) between the VPC's (no SMP support as of now) and the disk space requirements (2 GB each just for Diablo 2 full install, plus OS) may be another draw back (even though HD space is low priced anymore). Implementing this solution, in any case, is NOT recommended on the primary computer that you are using! It would be WAY too much for the system to be able to handle. Also, even though the VPC's share the SAME CD drive, you would have to install DIFFERENT CD Keys on each to be able to play properly. Connectix rival, VMWare, does NOT support Direct X (DirectDraw) in the latest and greatest build as of this writing. Discovered this during the "trial period."

UPDATE 23FEB2002

With the release of Virtual PC 4.2 Trial Version, I was able to test my theory out. Unfortunately, the copy protection built into the product prevented me from finding out if this actually would work (Play CD not detected). I could have always downloaded a "No CD Crack," but that kind of defeats the purpose. Also, Win95 and WinXP would not work with detecting DirectDraw to Play 2D in a Virtual PC, but Win98 did!

Articles Index ~ Page 1 - Introduction ~ Page 3 Software FAQ

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In this article: Introduction Hardware FAQ Software Naming Mules Parties Quests Bonuses from Mules Options FAQ Conclusion		Note: Part of the character names have been blocked out...People REALLY don't need to know what my computer names are...	Outside of BlackViper.com: Blizzard.com / Battle.net