Q: What is Meltdown and where can I get it?
A: Meltdown is a tool that allows you to play Duke3D over the net. You can get it at http://duke3d.org/Duke%20Files/Meltdown.zip.
Q: What versions of Duke3D does Meltdown support?
A: xDuke, eDuke, and hDuke.
Q: Why can't Meltdown connect to YANG anymore?
A: In an effort to stunt Meltdown's growth, the YANG author released a closed source version of YANG that prevents Meltdown from connecting. But, he covered up the real reason and instead implied that my saying of a bad word caused it, hahaha. Truth is, the author told me in chat something to the effect of "my ego won't let Meltdown get too big." Anyway, the good news is that I can work at my own pace now.
Q: Why should I use Meltdown over other programs such as DukesterX and YANG?
A: Good question. Here are some good answers:
Frequent Updates-As the author of Meltdown, I am always looking to add new features or fix existing problems. Updates come faster and seamlessly (through auto-updating). With DukesterX, you've been waiting years for bug fixes and updates, and they still haven't happened! With YANG, you could be waiting months.
Better Interface-Meltdown uses a very user-friendly, tabbed interface, with everything layed out neatly within each tab. The sizing, fonts, and colors of many items can be customized to suit your needs. DukesterX and YANG have a relatively static user interface with less ability for customization.
More Features-Meltdown has more features than both YANG and DukesterX. Here are just a few:
The ability to see pings and location information for players.
The ability to see all IPs from outside a game, not just the host's IP.
The ability to change the fonts and colors of lists, text boxes, drop-down boxes, buttons, and more.
The ability to save themes and send them to others.
The ability to receive notifications as pop-up boxes or in the status bar.
An IP database to save and track players.
The ability to set your own lobby chat font and color.
A ready feature to prevent the host from launching before everyone is ready.
The ability to kick and ban people from your room.
The ability to set all host settings in one window, rather than two.
Taskbar notifications when people join your games, (as well as sounds if you choose).
Private messaging.
Automatic updates.
Dynamic refreshing of the server list. This means it updates as things happen rather than having to click a refresh button.
Instant access to http://duke3d.org through the program. This means instant access to maps, demos, tutorials, and more.
Chat room.
YANG and DukesterX have less than half of these features.
Attention to Detail-I am very meticulous about things working correctly. So, no matter how little the issue or problem, I will do my best to try to make it work correctly. You can count on that.
Q: How do I install Meltdown?
A: If this is your first time, run "Setup.exe" in the zip file. It will ask you where you want to install it. Then, simply double-click "Meltdown.exe" wherever you installed it.
Q: How do I get new versions of Meltdown?
A: If you have already installed it once (since version 1.97), it will notify you of new updates and you can choose to update automatically.
Q: Meltdown doesn't run. Says something about missing dlls or incorrect configuration. What is wrong?
A: You might need to install this: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=32BC1BEE-A3F9-4C13-9C99-220B62A191EE&displaylang=en
or this
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=200b2fd9-ae1a-4a14-984d-389c36f85647.
If that doesn't work, contact poda@duke3d.org with the errors.
Q: How do I host?
A: Right-click on the "Host" column or click the computer button.
Q: How do I see a list of client/host/chat commands?
A: Type /help or click the question mark icon.
Q: How do I join the chat room?
A: Click on the "Game Rooms & Chat" tab, then click the pipe button.
Q: Whenever I try to change my nickname in the settings, it reverts back to the old one. Why?
A: This is to keep everything in sync across multiple rooms. To remedy this, make sure you are out of the client, host, and chat rooms. Then, you can set your name from the settings. Also, you can type /name <newname> from a client, host, or chat room, but only if exactly one of those is open.
Q: What is the difference between nickname and in-game nickname?
A: The nickname is what people see throughout Meltdown. The in-game nickname is what your nickname will be in the game. You can change it in the settings or by typing /gamename <newname> from a client, host, or chat room.
Q: I can't host. It says something about not being able to create the server on the specified port. Why?
A: It's possible this port is already in use. Also, make sure you have the required ports forwarded in your router. By default, you need to forward port 8501 TCP and port 23513 UDP. Also, for pinging purposes, forward port 8086 TCP. Alternatively, you can unblock ICMP or anonymous ping requests.
Q: How do I make my game public?
A: After hosting, click the "Advertise" button.
Q: How do I make my game private?
A: After hosting, click the "Unadvertise" button.
Q: When I launch, a DOS box opens and closes real fast. Why?
A: This is likely because you didn't set your executable path correctly. Check it under "Duke Settings" in the "Settings" tab.
Q: How do I set my Duke3D settings?
A: Click on the "Settings" tab, then the "Duke Settings" tab. You will want to set the location of your xDuke and/or eDuke exe and/or hDuke exe, as well as the maps and mods.
Q: How can I change the window colors and fonts?
A: Click on the "Settings" tab, then the "Theme Settings" tab.
Q: What are quick themes?
A: Quick themes are a way to save your color/font settings. In doing so, you can quickly recall them with the quick theme box, or by pressing F9 to cycle through them. The "Theme Manager" button will let you save a theme to a file, import from a file, and remove a theme.
Q: When I changed to a new quick theme, it didn't take effect. Why?
A: The most likely reason is that your themes directory is out of sync with the settings file. Try importing the themes again.
Q: How do I change my sounds?
A: Click on the "Settings" tab, then the "Notification Settings" tab.
Q: How do I change my Host/Client/Chat chat macros and font?
A: Click on the "Settings" tab, then the "Host/Client/Chat Settings" tab.
Q: I set some settings, but they didn't seem to take effect. Why?
A: Make sure to click "Apply" to update the settings.
Q: How do I upload a map to the host?
A: Click the "Upload" button and select the map.
Q: How do I send a map to all clients?
A: The best option is to keep the "Auto-Upload Map" option checked. But, when a client requests a download (or upload), you will see this under the "Request" column. You can then right-click on that and choose to accept or refuse.
Q: How do I kick or ban a player?
A: Right-click their name and choose "Kick" or "Ban".
Q: How do I unban a player?
A: Click on "Ban List" and remove their IP.
Q: The autoupdate isn't working on Vista or Windows 7. Says it requires elevation. Why?
A: Right-click on "Meltdown.exe." Select "Properties". Select "Compatibility". Select "Run this program as an administrator." Reopen Meltdown and it should update ok.
Q: Will games lag because of pinging and updating the server list?
A: No. When the game launches, the server list update timer and pinging timers get turned off. They get turned on again when the game closes.
Q: Why can't I see the ping of someone in the server list, even though I see their IP?
A: You and/or the person may be blocking ping requests through a firewall or router. To remedy this, either forward port 8086 in your router or unblock ICMP or anonymous ping requests.
Q: Why do the pings not show up right away?
A: The pings. First, everyone is pinged. Then, all pings get displayed. The time this takes depends on how long it takes to ping people.
Q: Why do I sometimes see the wrong IP/ping/location?
A: This could be for a few reasons. But, the most likely is that someone left or joined just as it was finishing the previous pings and locations. But, this will quickly fix itself.
Q: Why can't I see anyone's location, even though I see their IP?
A: It's possible the IP database got deleted. Rerun "Setup.exe".
Q: Why do I get errors about loading images on startup?
A: It's possible the images got deleted. Rerun "Setup.exe".
Q: Why don't I see updates for the pings, locations, servers, etc, while in the game?
A: These work on timers that get turned off during the game to avoid lag.
Q: Why DO I see updates for the pings, locations, servers, etc, while in the game?
A: You shouldn't! This might mean you manually closed a Meltdown DOS box and tricked Meltdown into thinking the game ended. If you didn't do this, please send what you did to cause this and your OS info to poda@duke3d.org.
Q: Why can't I connect to or see anything on the "Chat And More!" tab?
A: It's possible the servers don't like your IP. Try to find one that works for you and email it to me. If you can't see anything, it's possible you didn't get the necessary files to see web pages. Rerun "Setup.exe".
Q: What is the IP database and how do I use it?
A: The IP database can be used in many ways. For one, you can use it to manually join someone who doesn't want to advertise their server. To do this, just enter their IP and port and click "Join". You can also use the IP database to save IPs. You can then export and import lists to give to friends. Perhaps the best use of the IP database is to track good players. Simply enter their info and what you believe to be their "real" nickname and click "Track". Anytime you encounter their IP, it will show their "real" nickname beside their current nickname. For example, let's say you know that the IP of 293.193.193.133 is a good player named "Giga". You would enter that IP into the IP database, any port, Giga for the real nickname, and anything you want for other nicknames. Finally, you would check the "Track" box and click "Add/Update". Now, let's say Giga is seen later as "Plex". You would see them as "Plex (Giga)". You can also search the database. Some commands can be done by right-clicking on someone's name in the server list or Host/Client/Chat lobbies. Here is some more information on the database:
1. An IP can't be added more than once to the list. If you try to add an IP that already exists, it simply updates other information for that existing IP.
2. Anywhere that you see an IP in a list, you can right-click and add to the database or lookup in the database.
3. The import feature allows you to import databases to merge with your existing one. A simple database must be a plain text file with the format [IP][REALNAME], one per line with space between each part. Lines with # in front are ignored and considered comments. Saved lists will be in this format and you can pass to someone else to allow them to import. A full database can also be saved and has the format [IP][PORT][NICKNAMES]:[REALNAME]:[TRACK], one per line with space between each part. Note the : between the final parts. Also, a full import will overwrite items with the new data if they already exist.
4. When adding from the right-click menu or simple import, if an item already exists, only the "Nicknames" are updated.
5. To change other settings for an IP, such as the port, real nickname, and tracking, select the item in the list and update the boxes below it. Then, click Add/Update.
6. If tracking is turned on, the real nickname for that IP will be shown next to the person's current nickname if you encounter them.
7. You can search for an IP/Nickname. Results will be highlighted in red. To reset the list, just click the Reset button. Note that the search looks for IP matches or nickname/realname matches. So, if you want to narrow it down to just one of those items, leave the other boxes blank.
8. Of course, you can use this database as a manual join area if you want.
Q: What are the various special chat codes?
A:
* Special thanks to Jay Cotton for his Kali smilies.
| Code | Result |
| %ip | your IP |
| %port | your hosting port |
| %nick | your current nickname |
| game://%nick or game://%ip[:%port] | hyperlink to your hosted room by nick, IP, or IP:port |
| game://someroom | hyperlink to a hosted room, someroom = a chat nick, an IP, or an IP:port |
| {o} | orange text |
| {g} | green text |
| {r} | red text |
| {b} | blue text |
| {c} | cyan text |
| {y} | yellow text |
| {w} | white text |
| {m} | magenta text |
| {bo} | bold text |
| {u} | underlined text |
| {i} | italic text |
| {bi} | big text (16 point font) |
| {sm} | small text (8 point font) |
| {serv} | server text font |
| {chat} | chat text font |
| {rgb:#,#,#} | specific rgb text, # = 0 to 255 |
| {s:#} | text size, # = 8 to 16 |
| :) | |
| :( | |
| =f | |
| XD | |
| :D | |
| ;) | |
| :P | |
| :-/ | |
| :| | |
| =D | |
| >:) | |
| >:( | |
| :o | |
| B} | |
| =) | |
| ;D | |
| d= | |
| =/ | |
| :-) | |
| :-( | |
| ;-) | |
| :-p | |
| =-o | |
| :-* | |
| >:o | |
| 8-) | |
| :-$ | |
| :-! | |
| :-[ | |
| O:-) | |
| :-\ | |
| :'( | |
| :-x | |
| :-d | |
| {ready} | |
| {xduke} | |
| {eduke} | |
| {hduke} | |
| {f:flagcode} | country flag, flagcode = http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISO_3166-1#Current_codes |