NetPlay Overview

The NetPlay feature allows you to play Diamond Mind Baseball games head-to-head with other DMB owners over the internet, assuming both of you have internet access.

Both players must be running their own copies of the DMB software. One uses a menu command to prepare to host the session. The other uses a menu command to establish a connection to the host.

To establish the connection, the remote user needs the host's IP address. We'll show you, as the host, how to find that IP address. Once it is known, you can send it to the remote user via email, instant messaging, telephone, or some other communication method.

If the host is using a hardware- or software-based firewall, the host may need to take steps to ensure that the remote user is able to get a connection. The Firewalls topic covers these issues.

After the remote user has successfully connected to the host, the two players can chat with each other. You can play more than one game during a NetPlay session. The host can manage either the home team or the visiting team, with the remote manager taking the other side. For now, others can participate on a chat-only basis, but they cannot see the game window as the game progresses.

The host is responsible for starting the game. You can use NetPlay to start a new exhibition game, start a new league game, or resume a previously saved game.

When the host starts a game, both managers see the pitcher selection window on their respective computers. When both managers have selected their starting pitchers, the game displays the lineup selection window on both computers. When the lineups are in for both teams, the main game window appears, and you're ready for the first pitch.

During the game, a stoplight icon tells you whether it's your turn to make a decision (green light) or whether to wait the opposing manager (red light). When the tactics for both teams have been entered, the game displays the outcome of the play on both computers simultaneously.

It's almost as if you were both sitting at the same keyboard and using a single computer. But it's better than that, because there's no chance that your opponent can watch your mouse actions or peek at the keys you're pressing while choosing your tactics, and you're both free to browse game information (boxscore, scoresheet, game log, player profiles) in your own way at the same time. DMB makes sure the two systems stay in synch as you move through the game.

While the game is in progress, a floating chat window appears. You can move, resize, or hide this window if you like, and if it is hidden, you have the option of being notified by a sound whenever a new message arrives.

When the game is over, the host uses the normal end-of-game commands to save the results of the game to the database. Both managers can continue to browse the game window information. When both managers have closed their respective game windows, the host can start another game.

Using menu commands, the remote user can choose to disconnect from the NetPlay session and the host can choose to shut down the session.