CNetwork

Header: include/network.hpp
Implementation: src/network.cpp

CNetwork wraps DirectPlay (DirectX 3) session management. It handles the multiplayer lobby: creating and browsing game sessions, connecting players, and sending/receiving NetPacket data each game tick. In-game synchronization is handled in src/decnet.cpp (part of CDecor).

Overview

Free Eggbert supports up to 4 simultaneous network players. Networking is built on DirectPlay from DirectX 3, which provides session browsing over IPX, TCP/IP, and modem transports.

Session Lifecycle

The multiplayer flow is driven by game phases in CEvent:

1. WM_PHASE_SERVICE — select DirectPlay transport (IPX, TCP/IP, modem)
2. WM_PHASE_SESSION — browse available sessions or create a new one
3. WM_PHASE_MULTI — pre-game lobby; wait for all players to join
4. WM_PHASE_PLAY — synchronized gameplay begins

Methods

Full signatures from include/network.hpp:

// Session management
BOOL EnumProviders();
int  GetNbProviders();
char* GetProviderName(int index);
BOOL CreateProvider(int index);  // selects IPX, TCP/IP, modem
void FreeProviderList();

BOOL EnumSessions();
int  GetNbSessions();
char* GetSessionName(int index);
BOOL JoinSession(int index, char* pPlayerName);
BOOL CreateSession(char* pSessionName, char* pPlayerName);
void FreeSessionList();

BOOL Close();
BOOL IsHost();

// Raw packet I/O (called by decnet.cpp each tick)
BOOL Send(LPVOID lpData, DWORD dwDataSize, DWORD dwFlags);
BOOL Receive(LPVOID pDest, DWORD dwDataSize, LPDWORD lpdwPlayer);

NetPlayer Struct

Tracks one remote player's connection state, stored in m_players[MAXNETPLAYER]:

typedef struct {
    char  bIsPresent;   // slot occupied
    char  ready;        // player ready to start
    char  unk_2;
    char  unk_3;
    DPID  dpid;         // DirectPlay player ID
    short team;
    char  name[22];     // player name string
} NetPlayer;

Packet Types (PK_*)

In-Game Synchronization

Actual in-game synchronization is implemented in src/decnet.cpp, which is part of the CDecor class. Each game tick, every player sends a NetPacket containing their current input, position, animation state, and up to 5 NetMessage game events.

See Network System for the full packet structure, MESS_* constants, and personal bomb types. See Data Structures for the NetPacket and NetMessage struct layouts.

Session Limits