NETWORK PLAY

Host and Join



Starting from LeTarot version 3, it is at last possible to easily find at anytime partners to play Tarot on the internet.

Indeed some servers of tournaments allow from now on either to see in real time a list of the players ready to host a Tarot tournament, either to register yourself to be part of this list.

According to their setups, thoses servers will authorize or not some players in demo mode.

As since version 2.0, it remains of course possible to host or join directly a network tournament without using the servers of tournaments. That can be more practical for example for a tournament in local area network without having to pass by the internet.


1) Internet tournament

Once connected to the internet, select INTERNET TOURNAMENT in the NETWORK sub-menu of the FILE menu.

In the window which appears then, it is possible to choose to join or host a tournament.

a) Join an internet tournament

On the top left of the window, the SERVER menu enables you to select the server which you will contact to find players. The area below this menu displays messages related to the selected server, which can for example explain why you cannot reach this server.

On the top right, the NEWS area may contain general informations about this service.

To connect your computer to the selected server, you just have to enter your name or nickname (31 characters maximum), as it will appear to your tournament partners, and your email address. This one will remain confidential and will be used only to send you important informations about this service.

If the chosen nickname is already used by another connected user or if it had been reserved by a Premium user, an error message will appear when you try to connect to the server.

Click CONNECT and the list of the currently connected tournament hosts appears .

On the bottom left of the window, the number of currently connected hosts and players is indicated. The list is updated automatically every few seconds.

A dimmed line, not selectable, states either that this tournament has begun and does not accept new players anymore, or that there are already 4 players ready to take part to this tournament.

Each line includes 11 columns:

- Nickname
This is the name chosen by the host

- Access
No icon is indicating that the tournament is probably accessible to your computer.
indicates that the internet address (IP) of the host seems to be one of a sub-network behind a router. It is probable that you will not be able to reach this tournament.
indicates that the internet address (IP) of the host seems to be one of a sub-network behind a router but that it seems also you are behind the same router and thus you may reach this tournament.

- Lock
A lock indicates that a password is necessary to reach this tournament.

- Players
The number of players participating to the tournament. This number is limited to 4.

- Language
Displays the flag corresponding to the language used on the host computer.

- Comment
Text of the presentation of the tournament host.

- Deals
Indicates on the right the total number of deals in the tournament and on the left the rank of the deal in progress if the tournament has already started.

- Duplicate
An icon indicates that it is a duplicate tournament, or else it is a free deals tournament.

- Guest
Indicates if the players in demo mode can join this tournament. It should be noted that certain servers may prohibit the players in demo mode whatsoever this setting is.

- Helps
An icon indicates if the helps are authorized for this tournament, no icons means that the Restrictions option is active.

- Bid
The letter ‘G’ indicates that the Guard is the minimal bid for this tournament.


To join the tournament into which you want to be, all you have to do is to select the host of this tournament and to click JOIN.

If a password is necessary for this tournament, you will be asked to enter this password.

If the connection with the host is carried out without error, the list of the players in the selected tournament appears and the tournament will be ready to start.

See Starting a network tournament

b) Host an internet tournament

See a) for a description of the elements common to host and join: server, news, nickname, email.

i) IP address

This address indicates to the other computers where your tournament is on the internet. This address will remain hidden and only the software LeTarot will use it.

There are 3 possible choices:

- Default.
It is the default IP address of your computer as it is displayed in the Network system preferences.

Network (System preferences)


Host (Internet tournament)

If you do not share your connection with other computers, this address will be the right one !
Unless your internet connection goes through an Airport base station or a modem-router

Or else, the default address will be the one given by a router inside a sub-network and this address will not allow players external to this sub-network to join the tournament. However this can be useful if you want to precisely play only with players being located in this sub-network.

- External

If your computer is in a sub-network behind a router, this address will be the one of the router except if a Proxy is used (see External bypassing proxy below).

This address will allow the players external to your sub-network to reach your tournament at the condition that the router is configured in such a way that the TCP/IP port used is redirected towards your computer (see ii. Port below).

Note that, in this case, the players of the same sub-network as yours will not be able to join using the hosts list previously described, but they will have to join directly your computer by selecting JOIN TOURNAMENT in the NETWORK sub-menu of the FILE menu, and by giving the IP address in the sub-network of your computer i.e. your default IP.
See 3) Join a network tournament.

- External (bypassing proxy)

If a proxy is used by your network configuration, this IP address will be the one of your router.

Note that some internet service provider impose the use of a proxy impossible to avoid.

ii) Port

The communication between the players will pass through the TCP/IP port chosen here. This one will be 14935 by default and does not have to be changed without any serious reasons.

IMPORTANT WARNING:
If your computer is connected to the internet through a router, this one must be configured to redirect this port towards your computer. This concerns only the tournament host.

If your connection to the internet is not shared between several computers, you probably do not have to worry about that.

But if it is not the case, you have to configure the router consequently or else no player will be able to reach your tournament.

If you use an AirPort base station as a router, the AirPort Admin Utility software allows you to redirect the TCP/IP port 14935 towards the computer which, in the example above, has an IP address "10.0.1.200" in the sub-network.

Lastly, if a firewall is activated on your computer, be sure to authorize the access to the port 14935.

With MacOS X, open Sharing in the System Preferences, select the Firewall tab and add (New button) the port 14935 to the list of authorized ports:

iii) Comment

This text will be visible by all the players in the list of the hosts.

iv) Restrict access by password

In this case, in order to reach the tournament, the other players will have to know this password.

v) Authorize unregistered user to join in (if the server allows it)

The players in demo mode are authorized or not to join the tournament. It should be noted that some servers may prohibit the players in demo mode whatsoever this setting is.



After having configured these options, you just have to click the CONNECT button and to wait until some players join in.

See Starting a network tournament

2) Host a network tournament

This option allows to create a tournament either in a local area network or on the internet, which will not be visible on the servers of the tournaments.

In the NETWORK sub-menu of the FILE menu, select HOST TOURNAMENT.

If you want to play on the Internet, the connection must be established first.

You may choose: a possible password to filter the entry of the players; your player name as it will appear during all the tournament.


3) Join a network tournament

In the NETWORK sub-menu of the FILE menu, select JOIN TOURNAMENT.

You must know the IP address (or domain name) of the computer of the hosting player as well as the port used. After that you just have to type your player name and possibly to type the password which the hosting player will have given to you.