I started out (ca 1995) in "network" gaming playing DOOM (the shareware copy, I think we could only play 3 levels). My buddies would come over after school. We'd hook up my dad's work laptop and our home computer with a parallel cable and play 2-player (2 kids playing and 5-10 other kids watching along).
I think next came Command & Conquer, which we played over IPX/SPX also, but I believe by that time I'd set up a coaxial network, where it would just randomly stop working every few months. I'd replace the BNC terminators and it was good to go again.
Next, a lot of "C&C: Red Alert" over direct modem connection (2 player).
Finally, I got ethernet on my PC. It was a game changer, since it was much more common for PCs to have ethernet than coaxial networking. We'd lug our PCs and monitors (think 15" CRT monitors, Sony Trinitrons for the lucky ones) to each other's houses for Starcraft. Running ethernet wires from various rooms to the Ethernet hub (not switch, those were too expensive).
I won't miss carrying those huge things around just to play multiplayer.
I started out (ca 1995) in "network" gaming playing DOOM (the shareware copy, I think we could only play 3 levels). My buddies would come over after school. We'd hook up my dad's work laptop and our home computer with a parallel cable and play 2-player (2 kids playing and 5-10 other kids watching along).
I think next came Command & Conquer, which we played over IPX/SPX also, but I believe by that time I'd set up a coaxial network, where it would just randomly stop working every few months. I'd replace the BNC terminators and it was good to go again.
Next, a lot of "C&C: Red Alert" over direct modem connection (2 player).
Finally, I got ethernet on my PC. It was a game changer, since it was much more common for PCs to have ethernet than coaxial networking. We'd lug our PCs and monitors (think 15" CRT monitors, Sony Trinitrons for the lucky ones) to each other's houses for Starcraft. Running ethernet wires from various rooms to the Ethernet hub (not switch, those were too expensive).
I won't miss carrying those huge things around just to play multiplayer.