deductions, academic

I was about full of 'Medal of Honor: Allied Assault,' finding the multiplayer arena somewhat void after a difficult and incomplete install. So all last night, I attempted a full install of the Battlefield 1942 series, including the Road to Rome. Before I could play, GameSpy prompted me to upgrade to 1.6.19, which was a big upgrade (254mg). GameSpy then prompted me to download the v1.6 - v1.61b patch.

Every time I tried to load BF 1942 from GameSpy, I kept getting an error that said, 'map not found.' I can see the maps in the BF 1942 directory. I couldn't rule out the patch as the source of the problem, because I ran BF 1942 multiplayer before on this same client (I remember because I got kicked from the first server I connected to, and all I was doing was trying to drive a truck). I can utilize the single-player version.

The error occured while trying to launch from the GameSpy console, which is also where 'Medal of Honor: Allied Assault," always aborted. The error messages were similar, in that GameSpy couldn't find an executable or map or path. Whenever I picked a MOHAA server to connect to, GameSpy responded that there was an error, and to "make sure the game is properly installed and that the path is correct." I thought that since I am pathed to M:\games instead of to C:\Program Files, GameSpy got all weirded-out.

So the culprit has to be GameSpy Arcade, which can then be isolated. I remembered there were four internet settings in BF 1942: 56k, ISDN, ADSL, and T1. I changed the setting from ISDN to ADSL, even though I run cable. That fixed the GameSpy problem, and the multiplayer problem in general. As a final test, I clicked on a server from the GameSpy console and promptly got greased somewhere in Tobruk. Awesome! I sowed a mustard seed of faith by bidding on a copy of the 'Secret Weapons' expansion pack on Ebay.

With BF 1942 installed properly, I looked back at the MOHAA settings, to see if I was missing anything that obvious. My internet settings were properly set for cable. I changed my settings to ISDN for grins and giggles, then went back to 'join game.' I was prompted to choose LAN game or Internet game. When I chose Internet game, I finally noticed that there are actually THREE choices: Enter I.P. Address, Launch GameSpy, and Browse Internet Servers.

The most glaringly obvious choice, Browse Internet Servers, is lettered inside a rectangular wood-grain style box, as are the other two. And, it's the on top of the other two choices. I was thrown off because under the other two choices is a rectangular green box, explaining the option. I never read the actual words, Browse Internet Servers, thinking it was a header box for the other two choices. The ones with the bright green explanations.

hehehe.