Yes kraell

it is exactly what i am saying and results are wonderful.

So wonderful in fact that a hundred thousand players around the world don't use the original f4108us.exe anymore.

The story of falcon4 is quite clear and started 2 years later than the expected release date!

They released 2 preversions, 1.04 and 1.05 with major bugs, unplayable.

They released 1.06 and the 1.06 localized (i bought the italian and had to get me a pir8 us version which allowed me to play online for the localized are incompatible and need a localized patch to be updated)

They released the 1.07 us patch.

They released the 1.08 patch.
BEWARE!!! as u can see they did NOT release 1.07 localized patches therefore say, an hispanian not having the us could NOT play the 1.08 online!

The unofficial versions started about with the 1.07.

RP, RP2, RP3 are from ibeta company.
Erazor also released 2 versions (they say he "stole" the main code from the microprose server).
C6 team also made 2 more versions and RP4 is due out very soon.

All of these unofficial patches are coordinated by a program called f4patch.
A player only has to see that he has the same falconxxxx.exe of the others and ask the others about the f4patch settings (that is, WHICH patches are applied) and he's set for multiplayer.

This to those who wish to wait for the ea to make an editor...


if ya wanted to and still retain the original to play with those that didnt have the altered .exe's. or you could have 2 .exe's,

2 or MORE exes, since most assuredly every third party team will have its own exe all ya need is to have the same EXE of the other players.
If an editor is present too, then its infos should be applied BY and IN this standoff coordinating program (f4patch.exe in falcon4 case).
The setting of the editor are emailable, icqable, and readable

Mind that these are facts, not speculations. The creator of f4patch is a genius!

if that were possible then the only bugaboo in the works is if the game is time stamped.

True, this is really the only thing that could mess things up!
But i see maps around...Tosa and ROb are making them and playing. MAYBE this story of timestamp is a big-time lie they go saying to prevent their game to be edited and tweaked.

I believe they are right to do that...perhaps i would try to protect the code for as long as i could myself.

i do understand that some servers simply do 'hand-offs' to the host player who is then basically running an ip game, but if it's set up like the diablo II servers, which do do time stamping, then it still wont be possible without some sort of alteration by the game makers.

Yes, further investigation is definitely needed.
The open-closed servers...need to think about this.
Should a thing like this be applied to an unofficial patch of stw, i bet the totalwar.org would become a lobby at once with publicly posted ips