Multiplayer (head-to-head play) in Star Wars: Rebellion is a two-player game against a human opponent instead of the computer. The manual describes it in its Chapter 5.

Connection types

The manual gives four head-to-head options: a local area network using either IPX or TCP/IP, the Internet, a direct modem dial-up, and a null-modem cable. Both players need a game CD in their CD-ROM drives. Internet play can also go through the Internet Gaming Zone.

Setting up

From the Shuttle Cockpit, the player clicks the panel in the lower-left corner depicting a Rebel soldier and a stormtrooper confronting each other. This opens the Multiplayer Configuration screen. There the player selects a DirectPlay service provider:

• IPX connection, a protocol commonly used on a LAN;
• TCP/IP connection, the Internet protocol, which LANs may also use;
• Modem connection, for playing over a modem with a friend, with the modem connected and turned on beforehand;
• Direct serial connection, for a link between two computers using a null-modem cable on a free serial port.

The player then chooses Setup Game to host or Connect to Game to join, and continues with the right-arrow button. The X button cancels back to the cockpit. See Hosting a multiplayer game and Joining a multiplayer game.

Multiplayer Options

The host decides the game settings on the Multiplayer Options screen, where both players can also chat before the game starts. The host chooses:

• the side, the Rebel Alliance (red symbol) or the Galactic Empire (green symbol);
• the galaxy size: standard with 10 sectors and 100 systems, large with 15 sectors and 150 systems, or huge with 20 sectors and 200 systems, each sector holding 10 systems;
• Standard Game or HQ Only Victory. In a standard game the Rebels win by capturing Coruscant and capturing Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader, and the Imperials win by destroying the Rebel headquarters and capturing President Mon Mothma and Luke Skywalker. In an HQ-only game the Rebels need only capture Coruscant and the Imperials need only destroy the Rebel headquarters.

A checkmark button starts the game.

Loading a saved game

A saved multiplayer game is loaded from the Multiplayer Options screen with the Load Game button, which opens the Game Options screen. The button is available only if a game was saved earlier with the current opponent, and a loaded game keeps its earlier size and difficulty settings.

Features of head-to-head play

• Chat: messages and taunts go through the message droid system. The player opens the Display Message Index, uses the Chat Messages tab for incoming messages, and a button at the lower right to compose one.
• Speed: either player can change the game speed, but play proceeds at whichever setting is lowest on the two computers. The settings are Pause, Very Slow, Slow, Medium and Fast.
• Pausing: opening the Game Options screen pauses play, and the opponent sees a Waiting for Opponent message. Pausing from the Game Speed menu also works, and the player resumes by clicking the checkbox.
• Saving: saving follows the single-player procedure, but only the host can save. The game creates a saved game in the same slots on both computers.