About TeamViewer

[nukkxx5058]

Hi there: It seems that TeamViewer [TV] is a great way to play MWiF online in multiplayer mode. I'm not sure yet that I understood how the "thing" is working. I installed the free TV software but to me it seems that I'm opening my whole computer to everybody I will give the access codes to (in order to play the game). So my question is simple: how do I ensure that my opponents are not going to hijack my PC ?
Sorry if the question sounds paranoid or even stupid ...
Thanks.

[juntoalmar]

Yes, Teamviewer allows a remote user to control the mouse and keyboard. Thus, it is recommended to use it with someone you trust (enough as to give access to mouse & keyboard). But I guess most of the people just use it so that a non-phasing player can react to your turn (not too many things to do, then).

An alternative is to use a Screen sharing that doesn't allow to remotely control mouse&keyboard and only share the screen. I think you can do that with Skype and Google Hangouts, and probably with TeamViewer as well. In that case, the non-phasing player just tells the phasing player what actions he wants to perform.

[PeteGarnett]

That only applies if you are the host PC. Perfectly safe to join a session hosted by another player.

It is not really any different to a new opponent coming into your home to play a game face to face. If you go out of the room they could be doing terrible things. However, over 40 years of gaming I have yet to meet a dishonest gamer!

[nukkxx5058]

It is not really any different to a new opponent coming into your home to play a game face to face. If you go out of the room they could be doing terrible things.

Well, this is the point ... is there a way to restrict the access to certain directories and block others ? I'm quite sure that 99.99% of WiF players are not badly intentioned but it seems weird to me to open my computer to unknown persons on the web.
Not sure at all I'm going to do this.

[juntoalmar]

I think, I would open just for the non-phasing player. Like:

1) Play offline most of the turn
2) If any interaction is needed (land/air/sea combat) invite the other player for a session just for that. He doesn't really need to use the computer without you looking at the screen just for interceptions and such
3) Once the impulse is finished, send him the gamefile and go to 1) him playing this time

To people who want to leave the machine open for another player for a couple of hours, I suggest to create a virtual machine just with MWiF and TeamViewer. Then, even if you get a hacker who plays MWiF (man, that's a niche inside a niche) he would only be able to hack the virtual machine with no effect in your PC. If anyone is interested in virtual machines, take a look at VirtualBox or VMWare.

[AlbertN]

I just used Skype when I was playing MWiF some years ago.
Get in a call with voicecomm - and you can share the screen (as per the other can only -see- what you see in your screen).
You can easily do your turn, ask on voice for interceptions / reactions / etc - and the opponent can see step by step what happens, rolls included.
Then you just have to save, send the turn over to them and they do their turn sharing their screen.

The only thing that backfired by then was that the game is set as single player, so the only 'secret' part of the game (USE Chits and their relative uses) was not secret anymore. Something you can live with it, at least in my eyes.
Ultimately since the USA player would have to reveal anyhow the chits required as they play options, the Axis can vaguely guess their Entry / Tension ranges.

[paulderynck]

It is possible to set up Teamviewer to only be active when you are in front of your computer and to provide log-on credentials only to your opponent. As long as you are both present for the interactive parts, you should not worry about your opponent doing something on your computer. Every session can be given a PIN code which is randomly generated each time you connect up. Before and after, Teamviewer is not activated.

Then you could operate the same as the way suggested for Skype above, but both of you can move the mouse, select units, etc, etc.

[nukkxx5058]

I have a naive question: why are we not using the "NetPlay" feature delivered with the game ?

[juntoalmar]

In my case, we used it before Netplay was working. I don't know how it compares to current Netplay. Perhaps someone can help

[Centuur]

ORIGINAL: nukkxx

I have a naive question: why are we not using the "NetPlay" feature delivered with the game ?

Very short answer: bugs...

Normal play is pretty good (but there are bugs there too), but as soon as you get into one off situations, you tend to get in trouble.

The AAR of the netplay game between Gerry and me is currently on hold due to major bugs regarding the conquest of Italy by the US...

[nukkxx5058]

So how can the game be played, other than hot seat?
Having played just one full turn solitaire, I understand the problem. Please correct me if I'm wrong. Want to be sure I understand the problem: The difficulty with PBEM is that interactions between the players are numerous, playing PBEM is difficulty because you constantly need to send the file for a short action. So the advantage of TeamViewer is that the two players are playing on the same machine (the host machine) that the guest access remotely with TV. It becomes a kind of distant Hot Seat game.
Did I understand correctly ?

[nukkxx5058]

ORIGINAL: Centuur

ORIGINAL: nukkxx

I have a naive question: why are we not using the "NetPlay" feature delivered with the game ?

Very short answer: bugs...

Normal play is pretty good (but there are bugs there too), but as soon as you get into one off situations, you tend to get in trouble.

The AAR of the netplay game between Gerry and me is currently on hold due to major bugs regarding the conquest of Italy by the US...

But the bugs you mention are linked with NetPlay or with the core game ? Will have a look at the AAR you mentioned. But buts are not a big issue because bugs are made to be fixed so NetPlay should be working soon I suppose ?

[nukkxx5058]

I think, I would open just for the non-phasing player. Like:

1) Play offline most of the turn
2) If any interaction is needed (land/air/sea combat) invite the other player for a session just for that. He doesn't really need to use the computer without you looking at the screen just for interceptions and such
3) Once the impulse is finished, send him the gamefile and go to 1) him playing this time

To people who want to leave the machine open for another player for a couple of hours, I suggest to create a virtual machine just with MWiF and TeamViewer. Then, even if you get a hacker who plays MWiF (man, that's a niche inside a niche) he would only be able to hack the virtual machine with no effect in your PC. If anyone is interested in virtual machines, take a look at VirtualBox or VMWare.

OH I didn't see this message. It fully answers my questions above !
Thanks