VROC: Virtual Racers' Online Connection

Help

Quick Help

Detailed Help

VROC Tech Support

 

Quick Help

Setup

Before using the VROC race list, please do the following:

Important! The path to your sim's installation is displayed at the bottom of the VROC race list. Please confirm that this is correct. If it's not, click here.

VROC will not function correctly if your path is not correctly displayed on the race list!

Also, please verify that your computer's IP address, displayed at the upper right of the VROC race list, is correct. If it's not, click here.

Other players will not be able to join races you host if your IP address is not correctly displayed on the race list.

VROC Race List

Click on:

  • Refresh to reload the race list.
  • Host to host a race (others will see it on their race list).
  • Reload if you've changed your VROC Setup information.
  • [Join] to join a race.

Read our Development Notes to learn about known problems and planned enhancements. We also suggest you read Eagle Woman's GPL Online FAQ. See detailed race list help below for more information about using the race list.

Chat Window

To join the VROC chat, enter a nickname in the nickname area (type over "YourName") and click the Connect button.

Now you will see anyone else on the #VROC IRC channel. You can send everyone a message through the text entry area, or double-click on another user's nickname if you want to chat privately with them.

Before you host or join a race, remember to click the Disconnect button in the chat window to avoid having other peoples' chat messages consume the bandwidth the sim needs for racing.

There are a number of "/" commands available. See the detailed chat help for a list.

Problems When Racing

Problems when racing online include disconnects, reduced frame rate, frame stuttering, warping, winking out, screen flashes, and giant warps. These problems can usually be resolved by taking a few simple steps.

For details, see Eagle Woman's GPL Online FAQ.

Note: If you can't join even when a [Join] is displayed, see the Join section below.

 

Detailed Race List Help

The VROC race list is displayed using a proprietary Java applet. When you click the various buttons, Java functions are called to perform the requested actions.

Using the VROC Race List Applet

Verifying Sim Executable Path

The path to your sim's executable is displayed at the bottom of the applet. Please confirm that this is correct.

If your path is not correctly displayed, make sure you have enabled Cookies in Netscape, and then run VROC Setup to correct it. VROC will not function correctly if your path is not correctly displayed here!

Verifying IP Address

The IP address which VROC sends to other racers when you host a race is displayed at the upper right of the applet. Please verify that this address is correct. If it's not, you can over-ride the IP address by entering the correct IP address in IP Address Override in VROC Setup.

For a discussion of the IP address issue in Java, click here.

Refresh

The Refresh button retrieves from the VROC server a new list of available races and retrieves details about the session each is hosting.

If there are races in the race list but the Refresh button does nothing, verify that you have downloaded the VROC software, enabled Cookies, and set your path correctly using VROC Setup.

Note: This button is temporary. We plan to automate the refresh of the race list.

Host

Before you host, consider whether you have limited the number of players (see VROC Setup) in your race appropriately to your connection type. Also, we recommend installing a core.ini file.

Click the Host button if you want to host a race. The VROC applet will notify the VROC server of your intention, so others can see your game, and will launch the sim.

In the sim, go to the multiplayer screen, choose Host, and check the box for your Internet connection. Then click the green button to proceed to the Track Selection screen.

Note: if you are behind a gateway, see section 7.3 of Eagle Woman's GPL Online FAQ. If no one joins your races, see VROC Troubleshooting.

Reload

Click this button to force the VROC applet to reload your personal information. This is useful if you've changed something using VROC Setup.

Join

Click on [Join] next to the name of the person hosting a race you want to join. VROC will move your Address Book aside, create a new temporary one containing the IP address of the race you want to join, and launch the sim.

In the sim, go to the Multiplayer screen, choose Join, and click on the entry in the Address Book. Ensure you have selected the connection corresponding to your Internet connection. Then click the green button to proceed to the Track Selection screen.

Sometimes, if you try to join a race which has [Join] next to it, GPL does not launch and the Status turns to Racing. This is normal. Just click Refresh and try again.

Here's why: when you try to join, VROC checks the status of the remote GPL server by sending it a query (using gping.exe that you downloaded when you did VROC installation). Sometimes GPL does not respond to this query. If it happens repeatedly, or you'd like to read a more detailed discussion, see VROC Troubleshooting.

Note: if you are behind a gateway, see section 7.3 of Eagle Woman's GPL Online FAQ.

Problems with the VROC Applet

See the Development Notes for details on known issues.

 

Detailed Chat Help

The chat window on the VROC page is a Java applet made available to the public by Leah.

Using the Chat Window

To join the VROC chat, enter a nickname in the nickname area (type over "YourName") and click the Connect button. Now you will see anyone else on the #VROC IRC channel.

Type a message in the text entry area, and press Enter to send the message.

Double-click on another user's nickname if you want to chat privately with them.

Before you host or join a race, remember to click the Disconnect button in the chat window to avoid having other peoples' chat messages consume the bandwidth needed for racing.

Here are commands you can issue in the chat's text entry area:

/whois [username]

Displays some identifying information about the user.

/msg [username]

Send a private message to a user.

/wake [username]

Displays a message in the user's chat window and plays a sound on the user's computer.

/ignore [username]

Supresses further messages from the user. Toggles; /ignore [username] again will "unignore" that user.

/ping [username]

Gives latency in seconds to the user. Mostly useful for testing latency through the chat.

/me [text]

Example: "/me thinks" gives "YourName thinks" in the chat area.

|forecolor,backcolor

Example: |0,10 Hello.

/nick [newnickname]

Changes your nickname to newnickname.

/topic [text]

Changes the scrolling Topic at the top of the Applet.

/opass [password]

If you have a registered ICR channel this will get you Operator status.

/op [username]

If you are an operator, this will make another user an operator too.

/deop [username]

If you are an operator, this will remove operator privilages from the other user.

/kick [username]

If you are an operator, this will kick the user out of the chat.

Problems with the Chat Applet

There are known issues with the buttons getting scrambled in Netscape. Also, I don't recommend Floating the applet in Netscape; strange things happen.

Usually the chat applet can be restored to normal by leaving the VROC page and re-entering.

 

Address Book Backup Exists

What VROC Does

When you join a race, VROC moves your address.ini (Address Book) file to address.vro, and creates a new temporary address.ini with the IP address of the race you want to join.

VROC then launches GPL. When you exit GPL, VROC deletes the temporary address.ini and renames address.vro back to address.ini.

What may go wrong

If VROC is unable to perform this last move, due for example to your computer crashing while GPL is running, then your original Address Book exists as address.vro rather than address.ini.

If VROC finds address.vro when attempting to launch you into the race, it stops and gives you an error message rather than risk over-writing your Address Book data.

If, on the other hand, you start a multiplayer race outside of VROC, you may see the temporary VROC IP address entry rather than your own Address Book.

Don't panic!

What you should do

Go to your GPL directory and open address.vro and address.ini with Notepad. Decide which one you want to keep, and make sure it is named address.ini. Delete the other or name it something other than address.vro or address.ini. That's all!