Hosting Games and Joining Games

What Types of games are available in Multiplayer?
Multiplayer has 4 games types available. Campaign, Skirmish land, Skirmish space and Skirmish land control. Details are as follows:
Campaign: This is the multiplayer version of galactic Conquest where players can fight for galactic domination in one of several scenarios and galaxy sizes.
Land: Players can fight on a single land map head to head or on a team with up to 8 players.
Space: Players can fight on a single space map head to head or on a team with up to 8 players.
Land Control: This is a ground based battle where players can fight head to head or on a team to take control of reinforcement points to win.

Can Modem Users play? What are the recommended multiplayer specs?
Yes, modem users can play but it is not recommended that modem users play in games larger than 1v1. Please see the Technical section of this FAQ below or the Troubleshooting Guide for more details about recommended multiplayer specs and connection speeds.

I don't want to go through the trouble of searching for games. How can I find and get into one fast?
Star Wars: Empire at War has a Quick Match feature that lets you quickly join and play a 1v1 campaign, land or space skirmish game with other people without doing all of the legwork. To set the type of quick match games to join, you need to set the option in the network options menu.

Can I save my Multiplayer games as replays and share them online?
This feature is currently being discussed as a possible addition for an upcoming patch.

Is there an Empire at War clan that I can join?
Yes, clans for Star Wars: Empire at War recruit new members all of the time. Check out the forums for clan recruiting posts.

Does it cost anything to play online?
Star Wars: Empire at War online play is free. There are no fees.

How can I narrow down games that appear in the Lobby?
Star Wars: Empire at War has a number of filters you can use that will help narrow down the list of available games to something more manageable. The filters are as follows:
Ping Time (Any - 1000) - Ideally you will want to join and play in games with low "pings" (pings that range from 1 - 150 are good). This is because the higher the ping you have, the longer it takes for information to be sent and received between computers. When playing games, a high ping can really slow things down and make the game run slowly, graphics look choppy, things seems to jump around and generally the game won't be fun to play among other things.
Min. Players (2 - 8) - Set the minimum number of players that you may want to play a game with.
Max. Players (2 - 8) - Set the maximum number of players that you may want to play a game with.
Game Type (All, Campaign, Land, Space and Land Control) ? Choose the type of game you want to play.

Can I sort the games that appear in the Lobby?
Yes you can sort games that appear in the lobby. The sorting options are as follows:
Name: Sort by game names Type: Sort by game types Players: Sort by the number of players Map: Sort by the map being played on Ping" Sort by the game's ping. What can I do while in the Lobby?
There are a few things that you can do while in the lobby. For example, you can chat with other users, change your nickname color or host your own game.

Can I password protect a game so that only my friends can join?
Yes, when hosting a game you can add a password that you can tell your friends about so only they can join and play.

If I host a game with a user created, downloaded or map from the Collector's Edition will my friends be able to join it?
You and your friends can play online with any map that everyone has, but all players will need to get any additional maps you want to play on in order to play in any match that uses them. Star Wars: Empire at War will let players know that they do not have the right map, but players will need to go and download the maps. The game does not support providing the location of available maps and mods and users will need to search for the maps that they need in order to play in some matches. LucasArts asks that all downloadable maps and mods be made available at lucasfiles.com, but there is no guarantee that the files players will need are going to be available there.

If I've modified my game, will I be able to host a game using the mod?
Yes, if you are running a mod, you will be able to host a game with that mod. In order to play, all players must have the same mod installed.

As a host, how can I configure my game? There are a variety of options you can use to configure your game as a host. Details are as follows:
- Campaign Games
Map: Choose between 6 Galactic Maps designed for 2 players.
Starting Credits: 0 - 10,000 Credits at the start of the game.
Starting Tech: Choose the starting tech level for both teams.
Max Tech:Choose the maximum tech level for both teams.
Auto Resolve:
 Always - All battles that can be auto-resolved will always automatically be resolved for you.
 Ask - Ask the player before automatically resolving a battle.
 Never - Auto Resolve is turned off.

- Land Games
Map: Choose between 12 maps designed for 2 - 4 players.
Allow Heroes: Choose whether or not to allow hero units to be recruited.
Free Starting Units: Choose whether or not there will be units available to both teams at the start of the battle, or if all units must be purchased.
Allow Super Weapons: Choose whether or not super weapons, like the bombing run, will be available.
Pre-Build Base: Choose whether base structures will be pre-built, or must be purchased after the battle has begun.
Starting Credits: 0 - 8,000 Credits
Win Condition:
 Destroy Enemy - All enemies must be destroyed.
 Destroy Enemy Base - All enemy base structures must be destroyed.
 Destroy Enemy Command Center - Only the enemy Command Center must be destroyed.

- Space Games
Map: Choose between 12 maps designed for 2 - 4 players.
Allow Heroes: Choose whether or not to allow hero units to be recruited.
Free Starting Units: Choose whether or not there will be units available to both teams at the start of the battle, or if all units must be purchased.
Allow Super Weapons: Choose whether or not super weapons, like the ion cannon will be available.
Starting Credits: 0 - 8,000 Credits
Win Condition:
 Destroy Enemy Space Station - The enemy space station must be destroyed.
 Destroy Enemy - All enemies must be destroyed.

- Land Control Games
Map: Choose between 10 maps designed for 2 ? 4 players.
Allow Heroes: Choose whether or not to allow hero units to be recruited.
Free Starting Units: Choose whether or not there will be units available to both teams at the start of the battle, or if all units must be purchased.
Allow Super Weapons: Choose whether or not super weapons, like the bombing run, will be available.
Pre-Build Base: Choose whether base structures will be pre-built, or must be purchased after the battle has begun.
Starting Credits: 0 - 8,000 Credits
Win Condition:
 Control Point Domination ? Control all of the control points on the map.

Game Types Campaign

How many players can play in a Campaign game? Can you play Campaign cooperatively? The campaign game is limited to 2 players and cannot be played cooperatively.

How does Auto-Resolve work in a multiplayer campaign game?
Auto-Resolve will attempt to fight the tactical battle for you. It will make a determination on the winner and the outcome of the battle including troop losses based on a series of calculations the game will run for the battle sequence. Also, when Auto-Resolve is turned on, the game will automatically Auto-Resolve battles if one player forces out number the others force by such a great amount that there is no way the winning player would lose the battle.

Can I save a Multiplayer Campaign game and resume it later? Yes, since some multiplayer campaign games can take a while to play through, you can save a multiplayer campaign game and return to it later.

Do A.I. controlled pirates appear in multiplayer campaign games? Pirates appear in MP campaign, but the battles will be Auto-Resolved. Players do not engage in tactical battles with them.

Can I build and use the Death Star in multiplayer campaign games? Yes you can build and use the Death Star in multiplayer campaign game.

Can the Death Star be disabled in multiplayer campaign games? Yes the Death Star can be disabled in a multiplayer campaign game by limiting the max tech level to 4 or lower.

Are bombing runs, ion cannons, and hypervelocity guns available in multiplayer campaign games? Yes bombing runs, ion cannons, and hypervelocity guns are available in multiplayer campaign games.

How do I get bombing runs in multiplayer campaign games?
While only a single Star Destroyer (Acclamator, Victory, or ISD) or Y-Wing in orbit is enough to enable bombing runs during a ground battle, the more bombers you have in orbit, the shorter the bombing run cool down period will be between runs.

Are players able to control the speed that time passes on the galactic map or in battle while playing multiplayer campaign games?
Yes, players will be able to adjust the speed of galactic and land/space tactical for MP campaign games.

Can players pause in a multiplayer campaign game? No players cannot "pause" the game during campaign games.

Skirmish

How is Skirmish mode different from tactical battles in Campaign?
Skirmish mode is more like traditional RTS games. Unit purchases are made directly through the appropriate buildings for each unit during play on the skirmish map.

How many players can play in a Skirmish game?
Up to 8 players can play in a skirmish game.

Can you play Skirmish games Co-Operatively?
You can play 1v1 head to head or up to 4v4 team games with other players and AI.

Can I include A.I. players if there aren't enough human players to fill out both teams?
Yes you can add AI players to fill the open player slots except in 1v1 games. 1v1 games must have two human players.

Can I speed up my income?
Income rate increases with monetary upgrades or by having control over more money points.

How do I get new units?
On land, new units are built from various military structures corresponding to their unit type (i.e. infantry from barracks). In space, new units are purchased from your space station.

Once new units are built, where do they go?
They are placed in your reinforcement queue. You can bring them down at any controlled reinforcement point.

How do I get upgrades?
Upgrades are purchased from buildings or your space station. The type of upgrade corresponds with the type of unit.

How do I increase my technology level?
On land you can increase your technology level through your command center. In space you can increase your technology level through your space station.

Where do I recruit heroes?
On land, you can recruit heroes through your command center. In space you can recruit heroes through your space station.

Are bombing runs available in this mode? Yes, bombing runs are available. You have to purchase a bombing run in order to call for one during play. Once it?s used, it can be repurchased.

Why are build pads so expensive in this mode? Units and structure cost is balanced according to the rate of income for skirmish mode. Since skirmish doesn?t rely on galactic days, money comes at a faster rate.

Can the Empire destroy the planet with death star in this mode? No the Death Star is not present in this mode.

If one of my base structures is destroyed, can I rebuild it?

Yes, you can rebuild it. There is a cost to rebuild and a cool down timer before the structure can be rebuilt however.

If the enemy destroys a resource center or a pirate facility, is it gone for good? No, resource centers can be rebuilt.

Land Control
How is this mode different from Land Skirmish?
The victory condition for land control is to claim all of the available control points.
Aside from the victory conditions, do all other Land Skirmish rules apply?
Yes they do.

There is a control point I can?t claim with the enemy faction on it, why is that?
In land control games there is a control point for each side that cannot be claimed by the other side. Gaining control over this control point is not required for victory.

Technical

What are the recommended Specs for multiplayer games? They are usually a bit different than what's on the box. The multiplayer specs are as follows:
2 Players - P4 1.5 GHz or equivalent, 256 MB RAM (512 MB RAM recommended), 56K modem, Cable/DSL, LAN
4 Players - P4 2.2 GHz or equivalent, 512 MB RAM (1 GB RAM recommended), Cable/DSL, LAN
8 Players - P4 3.0 GHz or equivalent, 2 GB RAM, Cable/DSL, LAN
Are there going to be any patches or updates to support the Multiplayer game?
Yes there is an upcoming patch scheduled and there are plans to support the full game after release.
Do I need to look for updates or patches before playing online?
When starting the game or going into multiplayer, the game checks for updates and patches. Players will receive a message directing them to a download site (or mirror site) if an update or patch is needed. Players can also go to Lucasarts.com or another download site outside of the game for updates and patches.

What if I have problems connecting to an internet or LAN game?
For technical issues, please consult the ReadMe, Troubleshooting Guide or LucasArts customer support for help.

Is it possible to voice chat with other players while in the game?
Star Wars: Empire at War does not support an in-game voice chat feature, but this can be done through 3rd party software operating outside of the game or the good old fashioned phone call!

Network Options What basic Network Options can I configure?
Quickmatch Default: 1v1 Campaign / 1v1 Land / 1v1 Space
Connection Type: Modem / Broadband
Host Location: USA / Germany / Russia / UK / Spain / Japan / France / Italy / Poland.
My PC has a firewall. Can I specify how Empire at War should interact with it?
Yes, there are several options you can choose from to specify how Star Wars: Empire at War should interact with your firewall.
Use Default Port
Use Specific Port
NAT Negotiation
Bypass Windows Firewall
Enable UPnP

Can the game give me detailed information about my network connection?
The game only provides a limited amount of information about your network connection and cannot help fix connection problems.

If I make a mistake while setting these options, can I restore the defaults?
Yes, you can restore the defaults if you make a mistake in setting your network options.

Gameplay

Is there a way to highlight a position on the map for my teammates?
Yes players can highlight a position on the map by pressing the "place beacon" icon next to your mini-map in land and space combat HUD?s or by pressing the "B" key (default binding) when in combat.

Is it possible to taunt the other player?
Yes it is, hitting 1, 2 or 3 on the numeric keypad on your keyboard will taunt the other player.

Is there a way to remove disruptive players from the game?
Star Wars: Empire at War does not have a voting system. Only players that have connection or other technical issues can be kicked from a game if it is disruptive to gameplay.

Can hard points be repaired after they are destroyed?
Yes, In Space Skirmish a destroyed hard point on your space station can be repaired. It will appear gray if you upgrade the station. This means that you can repair this hard point once the station is finished upgrading. Hard points on capital ships cannot be repaired during battle.

Is there a way to prevent an AT-AT from taking damage while an Air speeder is using the tow cable attack on it?
If an AT-AT is being hit with a cable attack from an Air speeder, giving it a stop order to keep it from walking will prevent damage.

When I bring in reinforcements during a space battle they sometimes face the wrong way. Can I do anything about that?
When issuing move orders in space, if you hold down the right mouse button, a green arrow will be displayed. You can change the direction the arrow points to and choose the way your units will end up facing when they arrive. This can also be used to rotate units in place.

How come bombers take a long time to get to a bombing location?
Bombing Runs will always take the longest path to their destination. The bomber's trajectory can be estimated by drawing an imaginary line from the middle of the map to the targeted area.

How do I know that my opponent isn't cheating or hacking the game?
This can be done by tracking Out of Syncs and Null games. Star Wars: Empire at War checks for version mismatches when players attempt to play games online. If a game goes out of sync or goes null, it is possible there was a legitimate version mismatch or someone is cheating. This statistic is scheduled to be added to player profiles shortly after EAW releases and players with a large amount of OOS/null games are likely to be cheating or just have really bad luck playing against other players who cheat.

GameSpy

Is there some kind of news page or information page I can go to on GameSpy for more information?
Yes Star Wars: Empire at War has what GameSpy calls a portal page that provides a lot of useful information and links for the game. It is located here: http://arena.gamespy.com/arenaportal/empireatwar/.

Buddy List

Can I save a list of buddies that I like to play with online?
Yes, you can save a buddy list for Star Wars: Empire at War through the GameSpy buddy system.

Is it possible to send messages to other players while in the game?
This functionality is not present with GameSpy?s buddy list system. It may be possible for players using Xfire or another 3rd party client to chat with their friends during play.

Can I invite my buddies to play a match with me?
The Buddy list is a chat tool and does not have any functionality to invite buddies to games you are in or hosting. You can however use the chat feature to tell them what game you are in so they can find and join it.

Ladders and Ranks

Is there a leader-board that keeps track of the best players? Star Wars: Empire at War supports a ladder system that tracks the best players in 1v1 campaign, 1v1 skirmish land and 1v1 skirmish space games.

How do I attain better ladder rankings?
Star Wars: Empire at War ladders work mainly by each player?s win/loss ratio. The more games you win the higher you will be ranked on the ladder. You can tell what rank you are by going to the ladder on GameSpy and seeing where you are ranked on the ladder itself or by looking at your rank for the ladder in your player profile.

Are there any rank titles for the ladder ranks?
Yes, the 1v1 Campaign, 1v1 Space Skirmish and 1v1 Land Skirmish ladders have rank titles that cover different rank ranges for each ladder. For example if there are 69,229 players on the Space Skirmish ladder and your rank on the ladder is 2,547/69,229, then your rank title might be "Nerf Herder". If you go up in rank to 572/69,229 by winning matches on that ladder, your rank title might be "Star Destroyer Captain". Only the best players get the best rank titles like Supreme Commander or Grand Moff.

What about trophies and other awards?
Players can also earn trophies and other awards by accomplishing certain things on each ladder. For example, if you win 25 matches in a row on the Land Skirmish ladder you might get the "Longest Win Streak" trophy. There are a number of other awards and trophies you can earn while playing Star Wars: Empire at War online too.

Player Profiles and Statistics

Do I have some kind of a player profile?
Yes players that are registered on GameSpy do have player profiles.

How do I find my player profile?
You can go directly to GameSpy?s website and login to your account or EAW has an option that takes you to GameSpy's website to login to your account. Once logged into GameSpy Arena, you can select your user name to view your profile. You can also view player profiles by selecting a username on any given game ladder you might be viewing.

What kind of statistical information is in my player profile? How are my stats calculated?
Player Profiles track user data for any game or game ladder the user is signed up on. Player profiles for EAW contain the following information:
- General Information
User name and avatar - An avatar is a screenshot that you use to represent yourself like a picture of you or a caricature or something. The default avatar is a paper bag with a smiley face on it.
View Player Feedback - This is an option you can select that allows you to view any feedback other players have written about you.
Playing Since - This is a piece of information that states the date you first started playing. Players can view this and figure out how long you?ve been playing EAW for.
Total Games Played - This statistic reports how many games you?ve played online total
Total Wins/Losses - This statistic tracks your win/loss ratio
Description - If you chose to write a description for yourself when you created your account, it would be displayed here.
Featured Trophy - If you have won any trophies when playing, they would be listed here.
Ladder Membership - This area points out what game ladders you?ve played on, your status on each ladder, your rank on each ladder and your win/loss ration for each ladder.
Team Membership - This area points out what teams you belong to.
Recent Matches - This area lists all of your recently played matches.
Contact Player - This is an area other players can use to contact you.

March 1st 2006 profile additions: As of 3-1-06 GameSpy will be adding several new stats to the player profiles for Star Wars: Empire at War.
Favorite Side - This stat is pulled from quick match games and calculates which side you play with most often, Rebel or Empire.
Favorite Ladder - This stat is pulled from quick match games and calculates which ladder you play on most often, 1v1 Campaign, 1v1 Space Skirmish or 1v1 Land Skirmish.
Worst Loss Streak - This stat is pulled from quick match games and calculates the highest number of consecutive losses you?ve had before winning a match.
Best Win Streak - This stat is pulled from quick match games and calculates the highest number of consecutive wins you?ve had before losing a match.
Disconnects - This stat is pulled from quick match games and calculates the number of match conclusions resulting in disconnects that you?ve had while playing matches online. A high number of disconnects in a short period of time can tell other players that they may not be able to get a win/loss tracking from a game played with you due to connection problems or just incredibly bad luck with disconnects on your part.
Out Of Sync/Null Games - This stat is pulled from quick match games and calculates the number of match conclusions resulting in Out of Sync/Null games that you?ve had while playing matches online. A high number of Out of Sync/Null games in a short period of time can tell other players that they may not be able to get a win/loss tracking from a game played with you due to a variety of reasons but most commonly cheating, hacking, exploiting connection bugs, quitting games before officially losing them or just really bad luck in opponents who do any of the before mentioned. How come some stats are going to be added to the player profiles after the game is released?
Several player profile features were requested to be added after the initial statement of work had been completed by GameSpy and subject to testing. Although we wanted the new features to be available by Star Wars: Empire at War?s release date, this was simply not possible due to the timing and amount of work needed to implement these new features.

Can I view someone else?s player profile? Yes you can view other player?s profiles by clicking on their user name on any given ladder you are playing on.

Player Ladder Creation

Can I create my own ladder?
Yes you can create your own player ladder and ?skin? it use existing art assets provided by GameSpy or with your own art assets.

What about clan ladders?
Star Wars: Empire at War does not support the creation of clan ladders outside of the scope of player created ladders.

Do player created ladder statistics get tracked in your player profile?
No, player created ladder statistics are not tracked in your player profile. Only 1v1 Campaign, 1v1 Space Skirmish and 1v1 Land Skirmish ladder statistics are tracked in your player profile.

How do I create a player ladder?
GameSpy has a Ladder Help page here that provides a lot of useful information regarding ladders including how to build and manage player created ladders. Is art provided for ladder creation? Can I use my own art?
You can use your own art for use in your ladder. GameSpy may or may not provide some art that you can use to create your own ladder with.

Can I create my own ranking system, rank titles and trophies?
Yes there are a few choices available for the type of ranking system you can employ on your ladder. See the GameSpy ladder Help and creation pages for more information.