[SS2] Some questions about saving/multiplayer

[665c4168814b6pevo]

Hello all!
At first: thanks for that very useful and great forum.
I am kind of new to System Shock 2.

1.)
I started a SS2-session with a friend (LAN) and we already played some hours.
Is it possible, that a second friend can join our game?

2.)
If I want to format my harddisk and to reinstall Windows,
what files do I have to save, that I can continue to play SS2 with my friend in a LAN?
So, I would reinstall Windows and reinstall System Shock 2 + Patch. What files should I copy then into the folder?
Do I have to edit something in the registry, too?

3.)
If I got System Shock 2 installed, can I install it at the same time, again?
So that I would have two System Shock 2 on my system? Each with own save games/options and maybe different modifications? Or would it create problems (maybe in the registry or something?).

4.) I didn't get the saving system...
In the multiplayer game with my friend, I was the one, who always saved our game.
I used all slots for it (started with slot 1, then 2, etc...). Then I saw, that my friend got all my saved games in his loading screen. Is this correct?
He could load my saved games?
If he would do it, would he be my character or still be his character? If he would save our game and overwrite one of "my" slots, would it overwrite my slot at my PC, too?

What's the best way of saving a LAN session?
Should every player save it? Should only one player save it?

[665c416881773Nameless Voice]

1.
No

2 & 3.
The System Shock 2 folder is all you need to play. SS2 does not require any registry settings, apart from the install path, which is only needed to install the patch. Once the game is patched, there is no issue.
However, if you move or rename the SS2 folder, you may have to modify your install.cfg to reflect this change.

4.
If any player in a multiplayer game saves, the game is saved to that multiplayer slot on all computers. If any player deletes their save, the game is uncontinuable. Each save stores the state for that player's character.
Only one person needs to hit save, the game is saved on all computers.

[665c416881aa7Kolya]

1) Please read the Multiplayer Guide. In short: No, once a game started no additional players can join.

2) I would suggest you back up the complete game folder, especially if you use mods etc. It compresses quite nicely.
If you want to save only as much as absolutely necessary, backup the savegame folders and possibly the Binds folder if you saved keybinds.

3) I think what you want is a modmanager instead of several installs, even though that's possible to do. Please read the Mod User FAQ.

4) See 1) In short: Everyone can save and load in MP games.

You could have saved us and yourself some time if you had read the welcome message in this forum and just went from there. Well maybe you don't like welcome messages...

[665c416881fbfpevo]

Thanks Nameless Voice and Kolya for the fast and suited responses

Oh, I read the Multiplayer Guide, but english is not my native language (as you might see^^) and I misunderstood "Any player can save the game. The game status gets saved in every player's game dir." at first reading. But now it's clear. Thanks.

The System Shock 2 folder is all you need to play. SS2 does not require any registry settings, apart from the install path, which is only needed to install the patch. Once the game is patched, there is no issue.
However, if you move or rename the SS2 folder, you may have to modify your install.cfg to reflect this change.

Oh, that sounds cool. So I can copy the whole System Shock 2 folder to a CD,
and paste it to the new system - and have nothing more to do, than to start the .exe, to play. (because that version is already patched, etc..)

[665c416882119Nameless Voice]

Just be aware of pontial issues of all the files being Read-Only after you copy them back off the CD (this will probably make the game crash).
Depends on which OS you're using.

[665c41688245cpevo]

Just be aware of pontial issues of all the files being Read-Only after you copy them back off the CD

Uhm, thanks for the warning.
If I copy the folder to an extern harddisk, it doesn't change the file status, does it?
So this would be less work, because I don't have to deactivate the write-protect for each file.

If I'd zip the whole folder and burn it to a CD,
does it activate the write-protect? Do you know that?

[Windows XP]

[665c416882574Nameless Voice]

Copying to an external hard disk doesn't change the status, nor would burning the contents of a zip to a CD change the status of the files inside it.

In any case, Windows XP doesn't make files copied from a CD Read-Only any more, so the point is moot.