09-29-2005, 07:05 PM
Regarding multiplayer in Hellfire.
Hellfire qwas supposed to just be single player, that was one of Blizzards wishes and demands. However, the multiplayer code was never removed, it was all in there (and would not really have been that easy to just move out) but the options to start multiplayer mode was simply not shown to the user. But synergistic did some test inhouse and noted that everything seemed to still work well, so they added the "multitest" (I think) command to the txt file along with the secret quests and Bard.
This of course made Blizzard furious and they demanded a simple removal of it in the next patch, period. At one time, Synergistic thought about removing the multitest in the form of simpyl changing the text so that it no longer was "multitest" but would still be available although being a non meningfull word instead. However, in the end they did not dear to do it, especially due to all other controversies and problems and anger they got with Blizzard for various other things. So they removed the ability to get multplayer menue options through the command.txt file. However, all nessecary code to play multiplayer was still in there, and it was an easy "fix" to change a few bytes to allow it, and hence the modified dll with that change (or alternatively a small program that made the changes, which is what I assume the other file mentioned here is).
In the end, it did not really help much, Blizzard was mad, and Sierra took out the blame on Synergistic and basically fired the lead and broke up the rest of the comany and moved those that stayed to other parts of Sierra. A bit sad.
Hellfire qwas supposed to just be single player, that was one of Blizzards wishes and demands. However, the multiplayer code was never removed, it was all in there (and would not really have been that easy to just move out) but the options to start multiplayer mode was simply not shown to the user. But synergistic did some test inhouse and noted that everything seemed to still work well, so they added the "multitest" (I think) command to the txt file along with the secret quests and Bard.
This of course made Blizzard furious and they demanded a simple removal of it in the next patch, period. At one time, Synergistic thought about removing the multitest in the form of simpyl changing the text so that it no longer was "multitest" but would still be available although being a non meningfull word instead. However, in the end they did not dear to do it, especially due to all other controversies and problems and anger they got with Blizzard for various other things. So they removed the ability to get multplayer menue options through the command.txt file. However, all nessecary code to play multiplayer was still in there, and it was an easy "fix" to change a few bytes to allow it, and hence the modified dll with that change (or alternatively a small program that made the changes, which is what I assume the other file mentioned here is).
In the end, it did not really help much, Blizzard was mad, and Sierra took out the blame on Synergistic and basically fired the lead and broke up the rest of the comany and moved those that stayed to other parts of Sierra. A bit sad.
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