[Gregster2k]

For those who don't know what Kali is:

Kali is to Descent what Parallax Online was to FreeSpace 2. Kali was the first online gaming service/community to support Descent by running the IPX protocol over TCP/IP (as Descent was originally designed only for LAN gaming). It still enjoys popularity from the die-hard Descent 1 and 2 fans, and every once and a while, a "revival" is hosted on Kali and advertised via PlanetDescent. Jay Cotton, the creator of Kali, still works hard to keep Kali alive. However, to play on Kali, you need to pay $20 bucks (currently $16), but it's a one time deal. After that, you can play forever.
http://www.kali.net

DXX-Rebirth is a 3D-accelerated source port of Descent 1 and 2. Its rock solid stability has earned its place as the preferred version of choice for all Kali Descent veterans. It is a necessary download for anyone wanting to play on Kali.
http://www.dxx-rebirth.de/

The Kali community could use some new faces. If you have got some money to spend and you love Descent, this is well worth it. I can't speak for myself (I took an extended break and my skills are rusty), but in my 7 year experience of Kali, the ->Descent<- server hosts some of the best pilots around. So if you want a challenge (or some cool people to talk to), get over here!

P.S. WE HAVE GIRLS!

Comments? =b

[Nuke]

or you can just use d2xxl and kick it in to old skool mode.

[jr2]

Ya, that works..

[Gregster2k]

There's a way to fight the Kali oldbies without Kali itself -- TCP/IP based games (like what you guys are doing with D2X-XL). However, you're going to need Rebirth, because most of Kali insists upon it. It's not that big a download, anyway, and if I remember correctly, can run perfectly fine alongside an installation of D2X-XL. You might want to do some testing just to make sure.

Cya in the mines.

[jr2]

Isn't D2X-XL in 'old-skool' mode fully compatible with D2 / DXX-R ?

[Gregster2k]

Supposedly.

I don't worry about such things. Ideally, all players should be running the same version whenever possible, to avoid potential compatibility issues. Better safe than sorry. I mean, HLP pilots don't run FreeSpace 2 dogfights with different builds of FS2 Open, do you? Surely that would cause issues if someone has different netcode on one of their clients?

I have never tested network code compatibility between Rebirth and D2X-XL. If you'd like, later, I can open ports on my router and set up a Rebirth server and see if your D2X-XL clients can successfully connect to it or not. Still, just because it might work doesn't mean it won't work perfectly. The only way to assure that is by running the same build/version on both ends.

[Inquisitor]

Better safe than sorry. I mean, HLP pilots don't run FreeSpace 2 dogfights with different builds of FS2 Open, do you?

They actually did, for a while. Caused no end of troubles.

[Gregster2k]

Exactly. If I run an XL game, I expect you use XL. If I run a Rebirth game, I expect you use Rebirth, standard Descent DOS versions, D2_3DFX, or Descent II Win95. The Rebirth development team's primary objective is to maintain full compatibility with the other versions. That is why Kali uses it (because other pilots may still prefer the older versions). It is updated extremely infrequently, but this doesn't matter -- it doesn't have to be updated much at all. Its intent is to "remain oldschool" while running in hi-res 3D accelerated modes. Since XL does not share this philosophy, Rebirth and XL games tend to be separated, to minimize any chance that there will be a conflict between the two. Small Descent competitions and ladders still exist, and thus, standardization of player clients is a precautionary measure.