Contents Session Information Session Conditions Host Options (Free Flight) Host Options (Missions) Removing Players Join Direct to Host Disconnecting Related Links Advanced Host Options Joining a Multiplayer Session Troubleshooting Multiplayer Issues

When you host a Multiplayer session, you set the location, weather, and other options that all the other pilots will experience in flight. You can host over the Internet using GameSpy, or host on a Local Area Network.

To learn more about choosing GameSpy or a Local Area Network, see Choosing a Multiplayer connection.

As host, you can either fly as a pilot or act as an air traffic controller for the other pilots who join your session. Other players who join your session can also choose whether to fly or direct air traffic.

To host a Multiplayer session On the main menu, click Multiplayer. Under Connection options, sign in using GameSpy or a LAN. Select a lobby type from the Lobby list, and then click Host a Session. Fill in the session information screen, and then click Next. Choose the session conditions, then click Next. Set the Host Options and any Advanced Options, (optional), and then click Next. Click Fly Now to start the session.

Session Information

As host, you can provide detailed information about your session. See the table below to understand the fields on the Session information screen.

Option	What It Does
Session type	Free Flight: host a session flying anywhere in any aircraft. Mission: host a structured experience in a specific location.
Session name	Provides an easy way for friends who want to join you to find your session in the lobby list.
Session description	Provides any additional information you want to give about the session (optional).
Session password	Protects your session so that only players who know the password can join (optional).
Confirm password	Provides additional security for a private session.

Session visibility

You can decide whether you want your session visible to everyone who might be looking for a session to join. If you want a private session with only friends, you can make the session invisible to others.

To make your session visible Under Session availability, select Make this session visible to everyone. Select the On the Internet via GameSpy check box, On your Local Area Network check box, or both. Click Next.

To make your session invisible Under Session availability, select Make this a private session. Click Next.

Session Conditions

This Multiplayer screen looks like the Free Flight screen with a couple of extra options. It will already be familiar to you if you've created flights in Free Flight.

This screen is where you set the flight conditions for yourself and the other players in your session. Choose your aircraft, the weather, starting location, and other options. See the table below for links to articles about each feature on this screen.

Feature	How It Works
Select role Deluxe version only	Select whether you want to be a pilot or an air traffic controller.
State intentions	Type some notes to the other pilots in your session about what you intend to do in the session (optional).
ATC Name	See the ATC Name section of the Selecting an Aircraft article.
Current Aircraft	See Selecting an Aircraft.
Current Location	See Changing Your Aircraft's Location.
Current Weather	See Weather.
Current Time and Season	See Changing Date, Time, and Season.
Fuel and Payload	See Fueling and Loading an Aircraft.
Load Flight	See All About Flights.
Save Flight	See All About Flights.
Flight Planner	See Using the Flight Planner.
Failures	See Setting Up Failures.

Launch flight with Chat window open

If you launch the session with the Chat window open, you can start communicating with other players immediately. Another option for communicating with players in sessions is voice communication.

To start a session with the Chat window open Select the Launch flight with Chat window open check box.

Host Options (Free Flight)

As host you determine how many players can join a session, whether to enable voice communication, and whether to share your aircraft.

Player restrictions

The more players that join your session, the more network bandwidth is required. The maximum number of players in a session depends on the speed and capacity of your Internet or LAN connection. Under optimal conditions (for example, a high-bandwidth, single-subnet LAN) you might be able to host more than 32 players. You can usually expect 16-32 players to join a session and still have good performance. You can restrict the number of players in your session.

You can also make the session available to anyone but reserve slots for friends. When you reserve slots, only players in your Friends list can occupy them. Even if your friends don't fill all of the reserved slots, the number of other players who can join is limited to the Maximum players minus the reserved slots.

You can also set a time limit until the session starts.

To set player restrictions Type a number between 2 and 32 in the Maximum players box. Type a number in the Slots reserved for friends box (optional). Type a number in the Minutes until session starts box (optional). Click Next.

Host Options (Missions)

When hosting a Mission, you have several choices to make about your session and how other players participate.

Player roles

For each Mission, there is a predetermined number of default roles available to other players joining your session. As host, you can decide whether all of these roles remain available and whether to limit them to friends.

Option	What It Does
Disabled	Selecting this option makes the role unavailable to any players joining the session.
Friend only	Selecting this option limits the role to someone in the host's Friends list.
Observers	Allows the host to set the number of players who can observe the Mission without flying. The total number can equal 99 minus the number of flying roles in the Mission.

Mission rules

As host, you can set certain rules for the current Mission.

Option	What It Does
Enable anti-cheat	Limits allowable aircraft to those installed on both host and player computers, and verifies Mission file compatibility.
Enforce host realism	Settings in the host's Realism dialog box are enforced for all players.
Allow racing aids	Allows players to display/hide the Race Map and Pointer during a race.
Number of laps	Sets the total number of laps players must fly to win a race in this Mission.
Max players	Sets the maximum number of players allowed to participate in this Mission.
Time until race start	Sets a time limit to wait until the session starts.

Voice communication

If you and your players have a Windows-compatible headset (or a microphone and speakers) and want to use voice communications, the host must enable that option on the Host Option screen. A broadband Internet connection is required for voice communication.

IMPORTANT: There are a couple of things to know if you're going to use a headset. For the most realism, you want only voice communication coming through the headset.

• If your headset is your only audio output, all sounds will come through the headset, including engine noise, wheels on pavement, and even e-mail notifications if you have your e-mail program running.
• You must have two or more audio devices (sound cards) in your computer to enable voice-only audio through your headset.

To learn more about voice-only audio through a headset, see Changing Sound Settings.

There are three voice communication options:

Option	How it works
Always activated for all players	All players in the session can hear all other players. Players must press and hold CAPS LOCK to talk.
Only activated using aircraft radios	Players wishing to talk to each other must tune to the same radio frequency, and then press and hold CAPS LOCK to talk. Press and hold SHIFT+CAPS LOCK to broadcast to all players, regardless of whether they're on the same radio frequency.
Enable shared voice communication	Only available when two players are sharing an aircraft. With this option, players don't have to press a button to talk.

To enable voice communication (broadband Internet connection required) On the main menu, click Multiplayer. On the Multiplayer screen, sign in using GameSpy or a Local Area Network. Click Host a Session. Select Session is visible to others (Internet, LAN, or both). Click Next. Select a role, aircraft, location, weather, etc., and then click Next. Under Voice communication, select the Enable voice communication check box. Select an option to activate for all players or to limit voice communication to players using a specific radio frequency. Click Next. When you're ready to start flying, click Fly Now.

Sharing aircraft

A host can share control of an aircraft with another player. Whether you're new to flying or a certified flight instructor, this is a great feature to use for instruction. It's also a fun way to share secrets about Flight Simulator with a friend, or learn from them!

Note: The host can share his aircraft at any time but the host cannot join another player's shared aircraft.

To learn more about this feature, see Sharing an Aircraft.

To enable voice communication (sharing) (broadband Internet connection required) On the main menu, click Multiplayer. On the Multiplayer screen, sign in using GameSpy or a Local Area Network. Host or join a session. Under Sharing, select the Enable shared voice communication check box.

Removing Players from Multiplayer Sessions

A multiplayer host can remove any player from the session.

To remove a player from a multiplayer session If you're in a session, exit to the Briefing Room. Click the X next to the player's name in the Players list. Click Fly Now to rejoin the session.

Join Direct to Host

If you're hosting a multiplayer session over a LAN, your session is only visible on your subnet. There may be other players on your LAN who are on a different subnet. They can still join your session, but you must provide them with your computer's internet protocol (IP) address so they can use that to connect directly to your session.

To determine your computer's IP address for WindowsXP and Vista systems On the Windows taskbar, click Start, and then click Run. In the Run dialog box, type cmd, and then click OK. At the command prompt, type ipconfig, and then press ENTER . Make a note of the IP address. Give your IP address to the players joining your session.

Disconnecting from Multiplayer Sessions

Whether you're hosting or joining, you can disconnect from a multiplayer session at any time. If the host ends the flight, the session is closed for all players and they exit the flight.

To disconnect from a multiplayer session Press ESC. Click End Flight.